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Judge/eviscerate our wedding ceremony

Writing this ceremony is horrible. FI is a non-practicing Mexican Catholic, as is much of his family. I'm a secular humanist Jew, as is the rest of my family. Our wedding ceremony is meant to be completely secular. It feels too wordy and I'm just not in love.  Any recommendations?


Officiant:

Please be seated. 

Family and friends of Bride and Groom: Welcome to their wedding ceremony this beautiful fall evening.

This is the day that Groom and Bride marry the person they love the most in the world...the one they will laugh with, live for, and love for the rest of their lives. 

So it is fitting that you are here...the ones that are closest to them. Your presence at this wedding celebration reminds Bride and Groom how lucky they are to share this important day in their lives with people who are important to them. One of the wonderful things about a wedding is that it also serves as a multi-family reunion, and it always pleases me to learn how far people are willing to travel to be here on a day like this, for an event like this, which just goes to show you how important it is to mark these happy transitions in our lives. We have guests here today from across the country and the world. Welcome! Wandajune6 and Mr. Wandajune6 thank you for joining here today

Today we have come together to witness the joining of these two lives.


I need something here. Not sure what.

 

VOWS

(Officiant hands us our written vows. We both recite.)

 

GIVING OF RINGS:

The ring is a symbol of the unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have made.

 

Officiant - repeat after me

 

Wandajune6, I give you this ring, which to me is a symbol of my love and commitment to you

 

Mr. Wandajune6, I give you this ring, which to me is a symbol of my love and commitment to you 

May the wedding rings you exchanged today remind you always that you are surrounded by enduring love.

 

Officiant:

We have been privileged to witness a special event in the lives of Mr. Wandajune6 and Wandajune6. They have made their commitment in our presence and given their promise to move through life together.

 

INTRO ON BLESSINGS FROM FAMILY – We asked our family to send our officiant their hopes/wishes for our marriage. We liked the idea better than anything we saw in samples. These will be a surprise to us.


Wandajune6 and Mr. Wandajune6 I would ask that you always treat yourself and each other with respect, and remind yourselves often of what brought you together today.

 

Lasso Ceremony

In honor of Mr. Wandajune6’s tradition, Wandajune6 and Mr. Wandajune6 have decided to be bonded tied together with a lasso.

(MOH and BM set up two chairs for us to be seated on)

Officiant:

Wandajune6 and Mr. Wandajune6, I invite FSIL to place a cord over you. (FSIL ties us) This cord symbolizes an infinite bond of love you share that keeps your relationship strong in the face of adversity, as well as that you both are no longer two, but one in marriage. May this cord remind you to face your life together courageously and to be mutual in support of each other in carrying out your duties and responsibilities as a couple and, may your love grow stronger and bind you closer together through the years.

FSIL, please step forward and remove the Lasso. Thank you.

(The Lasso is removed)

Wandajune6 and Mr. Wandajune6 please rise.

(Someone removes the chairs)

 

BREAKING THE GLASS:

Officiant:

In honor of Wandajune6’s tradition, the final act of this ceremony is the traditional breaking of the glass. This old custom has many traditions, and, like every Jewish custom, comes with a millennia of interpretations.

Some say that it represents a breaking with the past, and a headlong stride into the future, or the shattering of two single lives and their transformation into a couple. The most positive explanation we’ve found is that this symbolizes the breaking down of barriers between people of different cultures and faiths.


I, however, dismiss these meanings and prefer another approach. When the glass breaks, it simply means the long speech is over, and the party begins

(MOH provides glass. Mr. Wandajune6 breaks it)

(Mazel tov!)

 

Officiant: Now by the power vested in me by the State of Illinois, it is my honor and delight to declare you husband and wife. You may seal this declaration with a kiss.

 

Your wedding ceremony is over; it is time to celebrate!


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Re: Judge/eviscerate our wedding ceremony

  • penguin44penguin44 member
    First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Answer
    edited September 2014
    Yes that intro is a bit wordy. It feels like you talk more about others traveling than loving each other. I mean obviously not really, but do you mean to emphasize it that much? 

    I went and looked at the introduction for my ceremony. I had a hard time with that part too. Here's what I wrote for ours:

    "Welcome! Good evening, family and friends.
    On behalf of Bride and Groom, thank you for joining us.They are delighted that you have come to share in their joy during this special day.By your presence, you celebrate with them the love they have discovered in each otherand you support their decision to commit themselves to a lifelong relationship.
    A wedding is such a wonderful occasion filled with hopes, dreams and excitement. We are here today to celebrate the love that Groom and Bride have for each other, and to recognize and witness their decision to journey forward in their lives as marriage partners.Marriage is a bond to be entered into only after considerable thought and reflection.Today, Bride and Groom demonstrate their devotion to each other by dedicating themselves to a life together, and they show their respect for each other by setting forth to honor the vows they have created.Today, their lives, which began on separate paths, will be joined as one."


    Feel free to steal any of that if you like it. I copied most of it from sample ceremonies. We had readings after the introduction to sort of fill that gap into the vows.
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  • I don't think I'd joke that the breaking of the glass means its party time. That jumped out at me on paper and I don't know if it would go over that well.

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  • I don't think I'd joke that the breaking of the glass means its party time. That jumped out at me on paper and I don't know if it would go over that well.

    That was my uncle's quip. While it isn't technically and interpretation, that is actually part of the significance.
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  • penguin44 said:

    Yes that intro is a bit wordy. It feels like you talk more about others traveling than loving each other. I mean obviously not really, but do you mean to emphasize it that much? 


    I went and looked at the introduction for my ceremony. I had a hard time with that part too. Here's what I wrote for ours:

    "Welcome! Good evening, family and friends.
    On behalf of Bride and Groom, thank you for joining us.They are delighted that you have come to share in their joy during this special day.By your presence, you celebrate with them the love they have discovered in each otherand you support their decision to commit themselves to a lifelong relationship.
    A wedding is such a wonderful occasion filled with hopes, dreams and excitement. We are here today to celebrate the love that Groom and Bride have for each other, and to recognize and witness their decision to journey forward in their lives as marriage partners.Marriage is a bond to be entered into only after considerable thought and reflection.Today, Bride and Groom demonstrate their devotion to each other by dedicating themselves to a life together, and they show their respect for each other by setting forth to honor the vows they have created.Today, their lives, which began on separate paths, will be joined as one."


    Feel free to steal any of that if you like it. I copied most of it from sample ceremonies. We had readings after the introduction to sort of fill that gap into the vows.
    I agree with you- I even have a placeholder there for more of that language - I just haven't come up with that yet. I like yours- thank you for sharing!
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  • Have you read it out loud and timed it? Things always look a lot wordier on paper/screen than they actually are to say.

    I can send you ours if you'd like to steal snippets of it! It does have a bit of God in it though.

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  • I'd love to see yours. Thanks, @lolo883 ‌ !

    I haven't read it aloud. Good call.
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