Garth M Parker

Ceremony for Chris and Brittney

Opening words by the Wedding Officiant:

Dearly beloved

We are gathered here today

To get through this thing called life

Electric word life

It means forever and that's a mighty long time

But I'm here to tell you,

This isn’t regular everyday life,

You are at the wedding of Brittney and Chris

On this gorgeous August day in this sacred grove

Closer to nature and all things holy!

Everybody look up!

(Hafiz poem)

Even

After

All this time

The Sun never says to the Earth,

"You owe me."

Look

What happens

With a love like that,

It lights the whole sky.

Everyone, welcome to the Wedding of Brittney & Chris at the Hoyt

Arboretum (rub your eyes, yes, this thing is really HAPPENING!).

Brittney & Chris chose this location because the spirituality that is

embodied in this sanctuary. Surrounded by redwood trees which

possess the ability to speak and listen over generations, their

strength is trust. Our ancestors, our friends, and our families have

all gathered today in this spiritual location that embodies trust, to

celebrate the bonding of hearts and souls and the beauty of

LOVE!

STATEMENT OF INTENT:

My name is reverend GP, also known as Garth, and it is my

extreme honor to be standing before you, gathering today to take

part in , and witness this ceremony that will unite Brittney

and Chris in matrimony.

In the words of Lewis Thomas, “Statistically the probability of any

one of us being here is so small that you would think the mere

fact of existence would keep us all in a contented dazzlement of

surprise. We are alive against the stupendous odds of genetics,

infinitely outnumbered by all the alternates who might, except for

luck, be in our places.”

It is truly a dazzlement to see us all here together and to support

and witness the marriage of Chris and Brittney.

THANK YOU’S:

Brittney and Chris are both are feeling very lucky, grateful, and

loved indeed with your presence here today and want to

acknowledge, and thank you all. Everything about today is

happening because of the energy and efforts of this talented

bunch. A special wedding shout-out goes to all of you for the love

and support and hauling of things to this gorgeous spot.

Another special thank you to the families, for raising Brittney and

Chris. I have a pretty strong suspicion that this was no walk in the

park. Without your nurturing and love, they would not be the

inspired and amazing individuals you see before you today.

Why Are YOU Here?:

Each one of you have been invited to participate in this wedding

because of what you have brought and given to Brittney and Chris

throughout their lives as individuals and as a couple.

With your presence, we are all now in a special club. One might

say we are now a rock band (which kind of hurts my ears when I

think about it), or we are now our own League of Love.

These are fantastic notions, but what I feel this special club needs

is a bit more edge...so I will now refer to you, the witnesses, as

The Posse . Surrounded by nature in this heavenly location, The

Posse’s common characteristic and purpose is to support the

loving adventures of Chris and Brittney.

Gathering words:

As Tom Robbins said, “ Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won’t

adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as its

accomplice. Instead of vowing to honor and obey, maybe we

should swear to aid and abet. That would mean that security is

out of the question. The words “make” and “stay” become

inappropriate. My love for you has no strings attached. I love you

for free.”

So by your very being here, you are all accomplices—as if we

hadn’t been already up to this point—and aiders and abettors for

Chris and Brittney as we witness their marriage today.

Seven Blessings by Friends and Family

Before we get down to business, we’re going to recall the ancient

and modern meaning of being within a sacred space, where we

perform one of life’s most daring and enduring rites of passage.

So together, right here, we’re going to make this redwood grove

and where you’re standing, our sacred space.

Chris and Brittney have asked some key members of their Posse

for blessings:

(family members take turns sharing blessings)

This team you’re forming, this expanded life, it doesn’t happen

just by holding on--an open hand holds more than a closed fist,

am I right? So being courageous here in your outlaw treehouse of

love, you’re letting go of fear and judgement, letting go of

opinions from the committee of indecision that swarm within us, to

make something much... much bigger. Life explodes with

awesomeness when we let go of, the “right” answers and

hesitation and worry and anxieties that hold us back.

To love--and to marry--is not to possess or own or lose one’s self

in another. It is to meet in unconditional love, to be fully awake to

who you are. The strength of your commitment enables each of

you to open more readily to the world, beginning an era of new

awesomeness and bigger things for you both.

To Love is to join and separate,

To walk alone and together,

To find a laughing freedom

That lonely isolation does not permit.

It is to be perfectly one's self

And perfectly joined in permanent commitment to another--

and to one's inner self .

-James Kavanaugh

Wedding Ring Delivery:

Let’s have those rings, please (cousins)

Chris, hold onto the one you’re going to give Brittney, and

Brittney, hold onto the one you’re going to give Chris.

Hold them up so everyone can see them.

Thank you!

RINGS:

[HAVE CHRIS & BRITTNEY LOOSELY HOLD HANDS]

There are as many symbols for the rings to represent as there are

marriages. In ancient times it was believed that the vein in the 4th

finger of your left hand lead directly to your heart and that by

encircling that finger, your heart is forever touched by the one

who loves you.

They are a symbol to the outside world of your commitment to

each other. They never tarnish because you wear them all the

time and your love never tarnishes—or they do, and they require

polishing just as your marriage needs renewal.

They are perfect circles—and here out in nature, it’s appropriate

to point out perfect circles we find in nature--pond ripples, the sun,

the moon, the iris of your beloved-- and the growth rings of these

trees.

Give these rings to each other because you are each other’s

gifts—the best gift in each other’s lives.

When you look at these rings in the years to come, may you

remember the gift of time, and that it takes time, patience and skill

to make your relationship good and beautiful and long-lasting.

May your rings remind you of the great gift that you give to each

other, and all that you have in one another. May your meanings

flow together--in substance and in soul--with the vows you are

about to give each other.

VOWS

Brittney to Chris

Brittney, begin your vows and then place the ring on Chris’s finger

Chris to Brittney

Chris, begin your vows and then place the ring on Brittney’s finger

----------

Do you both, Chris and Brittney, choose each other to be none

other than yourselves? Loving what you know of each other,

trusting what you do not yet know? Will you walk side by side in

times of adversity and prosperity, in sickness and health, in joy

and happiness, challenge and nurture each other, always be gifts

to each other, and encourage each other’s dreams so long as

love and life shall endure?

WE DO

[TO CHRIS AND BRITTNEY] And now turn around and look out on your

posse--all these aiders and abettors to your vows.

[MOVE TO SIDE - ADDRESS AUDIENCE]

And you out there! Hey Posse! We are all here to share in this

moment, but we are all here because Chis and Brittney have

invited us to share in their lives as a couple. We have heard

blessings from several members of this posse, but we are ALL

here to share our blessings with Chris and Brittney and our

commitment to being here for them does not end with dinner.

As aiders and abettors, do you promise to be there for Chris and

Brittney as they honor their vows, share your lives, and be gifts to

them to support their commitment? Posse, can I get a WE DO?!

WE DO!

Final commentary by the Wedding Officiant

[MOVE BACK BETWEEN CHRIS & BRITTNEY]

Please hold hands (no kissing yet!)...facing each other

Together you are and together you shall be.

Let there be loving spaces in your togetherness,

Let the light of love, understanding, respect and tolerance shine for both of

you

Let your families always have more than enough love

And let your days be good and long upon the earth.

Announcement of New Status

[MOVE TO SIDE - ADDRESS AUDIENCE]

With the joy of all present here, and by the power vested in me by

the State of Oregon, and the great honor of being your friends, I

pronounce you MARRIED!! Please enjoy the kissing!

Bride and Groom kiss

Woo!