Wedding Vows Darren and I wrote these vows ourselves. They were written to verbalise aspects of our relationship we wished to hold true for our lives together. Introduction Friends, I call upon everyone here present to be fellow witness with me in this marriage between Darren and Carolyn. We are here to witness their commitment to each other and to wish them every happiness in their chosen life together. Darren and Carolyn are choosing formalise their commitment to each other now and their choice to spend the rest of their lives together. Their love is made up of many components: trust, giving, receiving, communication, growth, respect, support, enjoyment, companionship and, most especially, snuggles. Darren and Carolyn believe marriage is both solemn and joyous. They believe marriage involves mutual support no matter how hard or wonderful times become. They bring to this marriage the tools to deal with adversity in the best way they are able recognising they are only human. They also bring to this marriage a commitment to maintain their wondrous child-like enjoyment of simply being together. Janette, our celebrant Reading 1 read by Kim Shelt by Roy Croft Chosen to explain our feelings about each other and our feelings about our relationship. I love you, Not only for what you are, But for what I am When I am with you Not only for what You have made of yourself, But for what You are making of me. I love you For the part of me That you bring out; I love you For putting your hand Into my heaped up heart And passing over All the foolish, weak things That you can't help Dimly seeing there, And for drawing out into the light All the beautiful belongings That no one else had looked Quite far enough to find. I love you because you Are helping me to make Of the lumber of my life Not a tavern But a temple; Out of the works Of my every day Not a reproach But a song... Kim read this special poem     Monitum from Marriage Act (not included) The Asking Will you, Darren, take Carolyn to be your lifelong spouse? Will you make the daily effort to relate to her and listen to her? Will you be gracious and generous in your giving of yourself? Will you work for what is best for her for the rest of your life? Will you, Carolyn, take Darren to be your lifelong spouse? Will you make the daily effort to relate to him and listen to him? Will you be gracious and generous in your giving of yourself? Will you work for what is best for him for the rest of your life? Vows Carolyn, I intend to grow together with you as a person throughout my life. I choose you above all others, to share my life with me in marriage. I love you for yourself; I will respect and tenderly care for you, cherish and encourage your own fulfilment as an individual. To you, Carolyn, I make this promise as long as I live. Darren I intend to grow together with you as a person throughout my life. I choose you above all others, to share my life with me in marriage. I love you for yourself; I will respect and tenderly care for you, cherish and encourage your own fulfilment as an individual. To you, Darren, I make this promise as long as I live. Rings Carolyn, with this ring, I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of the love we share. Darren, with this ring, I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of the love we share. Reading (Versicle) to be read by Janette Condon Making Contact by Virginia Satir I want to love you without clutching, appreciate you without judging, join you without invading, invite you without blaming, and help you without insulting. If I have the same from you, we may truly meet and enrich one another. Carolyn's reasoning for choosing The Owl and the Pussy-Cat: I hope, most of all, that Darren and my marriage can always have provision for frivolity and fun. This poem has always made me smile, and always delights my sense of the ridiculous. I see this poem as depicting the simple joy, spontaneity and delight of marriage. I want both Darren and I to remember that above all else in a marriage we are able to laugh with each other. I also chose this poem to lend levity to the day. To Darren, my Owl:   Reading 2 read by Jason Mazanov The Owl and the Pussy-Cat by Edward Lear The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea, In a beautiful pea-green boat. They took some honey, and plenty of money, Wrapped up in a five-pound note. The Owl looked up to the stars above And sang to a small guitar, 'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love, What a beautiful Pussy you are, You are, You are, What a beautiful Pussy you are. Pussy said to the Owl, 'You elegant fowl! How charmingly sweet you sing! O let us be married! Too long have we tarried: But what shall we do for a ring?' They sailed away for a year and a day, To the land where the bong-tree grows, And there in the wood a Piggy-wig stood With a ring at the end of his nose, His nose, His nose, With a ring at the end of his nose. 'Dear Pig are you willing to sell for one shilling Your ring?' Said the Pig, 'I will'. So they took it away, and were married next day By the turkey who lives on the hill. They dined on mince, and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon; And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, They danced by the light of the moon, The moon, The moon, They danced by the light of the moon. Jason orated The Owl and the Pussy-Cat   Declaration of Marriage Thus, Darren and Carolyn declare before all of us that they will live together in marriage. Darren and Carolyn, regard this ceremony as a symbol of your love, a consecration of each to the other and of both to the noblest ends of life. On behalf of your families, your friends, and on behalf of the community, I now have much pleasure in declaring you to be husband and wife. Meeting and greeting Darren and Carolyn, a newly married couple. main home | wedding home | wedding vows | wedding photos | email Last modified: 28 September, 2004 Author: Ryn Gibbs URL: http://www.zip.com.au/~ryn/wedding/words.html