stinkerpants design

Yay!  As promised, here is the wording for our ceremony.  It is a mostly Jewish ceremony–there aren’t really any Chinese traditions I could find to incorporate.  Neither of us is religious, so it’s very light on the mention of God.  Please feel free to ask me any and all questions!

Parts of the Ceremony:
Entrance of 2 Groomsmen with Chuppah
Entrance of remaining 3 groomsmen
Groomsmen set up the Chuppah
Entrance of Officant
Entrance of Groom with Groom’s Parents
Entrance of Bridesmaids
Entrance of Bride with Bride’s Parents.
Welcome
Declaration of Support
Marriage Address
Reading (I Like You)
Blessing over the wine
Reciting of the Seven Blessings (Uncle Bob)
Vows and Exchange of Rings
Final Blessings
Breaking of the Glass
Exit of Bride and Groom
Organization of guests for group photo

(Welcome)
On May 8, 2005, under that tree over there (points)
Y and S began their relationship.
Here we are, three and a half years later,
to witness as they make their commitment official
in front of their loved ones.

Y and S have asked all of you to be with them today
because each of you has given something of yourself
into their lives.
Your friendship and love
will always be appreciated.
They welcome you here
and thank you for sharing this important day with them.

(Declaration of Support and Explanation of the Chuppah)
Y and S,
today we have come together
to celebrate the love you have found with each other.
By being here with you,
each of us is declaring our support
for your decision to join together in marriage.

The chuppah, this canopy which you stand beneath,
is a symbol of the marital home to be built and shared by the couple.
It is open on all sides to welcome friends and family.

Y and S’s parents
hold up the poles of their chuppah,
symbolizing the importance of family and friendship
in supporting and strengthening their
relationship and their home.

(Marriage Address)
Marriage symbolizes
the intimate sharing of two lives.
This sharing must not diminish,
but enhance the individuality of each partner.
You do not shed your individuality;
for it is what brought you together in the first place.
Marriage is the loving declaration
that you should be no one other than yourself.
A marriage that lasts
is one which is continually developing
and in which each person is
growing as an individual
while growing in understanding of the other.

It is not this ceremony
or the state of being married
that will truly join you and hold you together,
but your ongoing commitment to your relationship
and the kind of life you wish to make together.
In this way,
your marriage will not just be a word;
it will be more than that.
it will be an action: something you do every day.
It is not work, nor is it a chore;
it is a commitment which you want to see through
and you take pride in knowing that you are in this together.

(Reading)
Y and S have chosen to share with you a reading from “I Like You” by Sandol Stoddard Warburg.
::::Officiant hands us our orange “I Like You” books::::
We read from our books

(Blessing over the Wine)
:::We asked our officiant to say something about how that reading fits our personalities or something.  I don’t remember what she said, but I’ll update this when we get our video back:::

(Seven Blessings)
I would now like to invite Sara’s uncle, ____, to recite the Seven Blessings in Hebrew.
—-B reads the seven blessings in Hebrew—-
In English, these blessings can be interpreted as:

May you be generous and giving with each other.
May your sense of humor and playful spirit always continue to enliven your relationship.
May you always respect the diversity of humankind.
May you act with compassion to those less fortunate and with responsibility to the communities of which you are a part.
May you appreciate and complement each other’s differences.
May you always share yourselves openly with your friends and family.
May your home be a haven of blessing and peace.

This cup of wine is symbolic of the cup of life. As you share this cup of wine, you promise to share all that the future may bring. As you drink from this cup, so may you draw contentment, comfort, and happiness from your own cup of life. May you find life’s joys heightened, its bitterness sweetened, and all things hallowed by true respect, companionship and love.

(Vows)
Y and S have chosen to write their own vows
which they will now share with one another for the first time

Y reads his vows
S reads her vows

(Exchange of Rings)
:::Short Pause:::
Rings are adornments,
carefully chosen for their beauty and simplicity.
They quietly sit upon our fingers,
reminding us of the power of love
and the pledge of the wearer to his or her partner
to be faithful and true,
and to nurture their love so it will last a lifetime.
Y and S,
may these rings be for you always
your most treasured adornment,
and may the love they symbolize
be your most treasured possession.

Y, do you take S
to be your lawfully wedded wife and equal,
to love and to cherish,
from this day forward?

Y: “I Do.” (Y places the ring on S’s finger)
“I give you this ring as a symbol of my promise.”

S, do you take Y
to be your lawfully wedded husband and equal,
to love and to cherish,
from this day forward?

S: “I Do.” (S places the ring on Y’s finger)
“I give you this ring as a symbol of my promise.”

:::Put the glass down by Y’s foot, in preparation for the end of the ceremony.:::

(Final Blessing)
Y and S
on behalf of your loved ones
who are here with you today,
I would like to mention some of the things
we wish for you:

First, we wish for you a love
that is rich, deep and powerful enough
to inspire others and to support you both
in bringing forth the best that is within you.
May you lavishly love one another
and love being loved by one another,
today, tomorrow and always.

Second, we wish for you the kind of home
that will be a sanctuary for you both,
A place of peace, freedom, vitality, growth, and humor.
And within this home,
we hope that you are blessed
with a healthy and happy family
two and four-legged alike.

Finally, we wish that at the end of your lives
you will be able to look back
and smile upon the life that you have shared together,
pleased, satisfied, and fulfilled beyond your wildest dreams.

And now, by the power vested in me by the State of California
and the Universal Life Church,
it is my great pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife.

Mr. and Mrs. HerLastName-HisLastName,
you may now kiss for the first time as husband and wife.

(Y breaks the glass)
Mazel Tov!

—-Bride and Groom exit—–

Please don’t forget that we will be having a group photo right here.  If everyone could please organize yourselves over here (points to where the seating comes together at the corner), the bridal party will help show you where to go.