Opening Words

“Dear family and friends, we are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Erica and Greg. They have come here today because they share a commitment to nurturing the love between them, and to maintaining it as an integral part of their lives. It has been said that marriage is falling in love over and over again with the same person. How Erica and Greg will accomplish this will be up to them, for every marriage is as unique as the people that it joins. Yet the ideals of love, and home and family are as universal as time itself, and the desire to spend a lifetime with the one we love transcends language and time, to speak to the very core of what makes us truly human.

The Bhagavad Gita says:

‘Look to this day,
For it is life,
The very life of life.
In its brief course lie all the varieties
And realities of your existence;
The bliss of growths
The glory of action,
The splendor of beauty;
For yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow is only a vision,
But today well lived makes
Every yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day.
Such is the salvation of the dawn.’

You have always known that each moment that you share, no matter large or small is unique and irreplaceable. This ceremony marks both a continuing journey and a new beginning. For today is the day that you give and receive a very special title, one that mirrors the place that you already hold in one another’s hearts and lives. The title of husband and wife are titles that say to the world; “This is the one person that I choose to call my own, to hold above all others, today and for all the days of my life.”

Welcoming of the Guests

“Erica and Greg would like to thank all of you for taking the time, making the journey, and for all of the preparations that were made for you to be here with them today. You have come from all over the country and the world to ensure that they were surrounded by the love of family and friends as they made their marriage vows. You are a rich and diverse representation of the life they share. It is with you that they have shared the most important moments and experiences of their lives. Your influence has enriched them spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally. You are those whom they love most in the world and they are honored to have you here with them tonight. To stand before all those we love most in the world, and promise to love another person openly and trustingly, without limits or conditions, for a lifetime, is perhaps the bravest thing two people will ever do. It is a promise to one another, but also to each and everyone of you here, that the person you love will be well cared for. There is something very special about these shared memories and it is your presence that makes the celebration of their marriage truly a celebration.”

From “The Lost Sutras of Jesus”

Christian monks who lived and worked in China from the 6th century on

“Erica and Greg have asked Barbara to come and read for us at this time.”

Barbara comes forward, introduces and delivers the reading

“Love leads to truth; perfect love to perfect truth.
Truth is like the moon reflected in the water;
when the water is stirred up and muddy,
the image is blurred and indistinct,
so it is with human beings when our spirit is clouded.
Let your love be a pure compassion for one another,
without seeking its own glory,
let it be true in your own hearts.
Let your spirits guide you
to what is right and true and just.
This is the way love leads us.”

Barbara returns to place

Invocation

“Erica and Greg come before us today with precious gifts, their Love, their Faith in each other, and their trust in many bright tomorrows. Let us each pray in our own way
that they may find life’s deepest meaning and richest happiness. That blessings shall forever continue to shine upon them, granting them prosperity and abundance, health and happiness, joy and peace in both the physical and spiritual world for all the days of their journey.”

Presentation of the Rings

“May I have the rings please?

Officiant is given the rings

“These beautiful bands are unbroken circles, symbols of eternity, with neither end, nor beginning. They are to remind you not only of the endless love you possess for one another this day, but of the precious gift of trust, honesty and commitment that you place in one another for all of your tomorrows. Erica and Greg, from this day forward you will wear these rings as a sign that no matter where you go and what ever you do, there is someone who loves you more than anything else in this world, who whether near or far is always by your side.”

Ring Vows

“Greg, there are certain things that you can do to help to ensure that you and Erica live a long and happy life together…..

The love, laughter, and friendship you share has been the foundation upon which all that is good in your lives has been built. Do you promise to nurture your friendship and the love that has blossomed from it, by sharing openly your thoughts and feelings and ideas, by truly listening, respecting, and supporting one another, by together sharing your successes and learning from your mistakes? Do you promise to encourage one another always to be more than you could be alone? Do you promise to do these things, in the spirit of love and joy and hope that brings you here today? And do you take Erica to be your wife?”

Greg: “I do.”

“Will you now place the ring on your beloved’s finger and repeat after me?”

Greg places the ring half way on to Erica’s finger

“I Greg, take you Erica, to be my wife.
I promise to walk by your side,
As we face all of life’s circumstances together.
I will support your dreams,
And share my life and love with you completely.
And so, before our families and friends,
with pride and without reservation,
and I say to you Erica:
I love you; I respect you;
I promise to be a loving and faithful husband,
From this day forward, so long as we both shall live.”

Greg places the ring the rest of the way on to Erica’s finger

“Erica, there are certain things that you can do to help to ensure that you and Greg live a long and happy life together…..

The love, laughter, and friendship you share has been the foundation upon which all that is good in your lives has been built. Do you promise to nurture your friendship and the love that has blossomed from it, by sharing openly your thoughts and feelings and ideas, by truly listening, respecting, and supporting one another, by together sharing your successes and learning from your mistakes? Do you promise to encourage one another always to be more than you could be alone? Do you promise to do these things, in the spirit of love and joy and hope that brings you here today? And do you take Greg to be your husband?”

Erica: “I do.”

“Will you now place the ring on your beloved’s finger and repeat after me?”

Erica places the ring half way onto Greg’s finger

“I Erica take you Greg to be my husband.
I promise to walk by your side,
As we face all of life’s circumstances together.
I will support your dreams,
And share my life and love with you completely.
And so, before our families and friends,
with pride and without reservation,
and I say to you Greg:
I love you; I respect you;
I promise to be a loving and faithful wife,
From this day forward, so long as we both shall live.”

Erica places the ring the rest of the way onto Greg’s finger

Pronouncement and Presentation

“Erica and Greg have chosen to conclude their ceremony with a short reading based on the Dali Lama’s “Instructions For Life In The New Millennium”

“Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk. And that a loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life. Be gentle with the earth, be gentle with one another. When disagreements come remember always to protect the spirit of your union. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other. So love yourselves, love one another, love all that is your life together and all else will follow.”

You are now as your hearts have always known you to be, Husband and Wife. You may kiss your beautiful Bride!

Bride and Groom kiss

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present Mr. and Mrs. Greg and Erica Felice!”

Couple kiss again and exit to greet their guests!