We wanted to thank you for all of your help with the wedding. We had a really wonderful time and we thought the wedding went really smoothly. The church, the flowers, the cake--it was all super! We really appreciate all of your efforts. Please pass on our thanks to Bob, Nicky, Tetsuya, and Ken as well. They were all great.
New Zealand Weddings - Sample Ceremony 3
Celebrant:
"On behalf of [Name of Bride] and [Name of Groom], welcome
to their wedding. For these two people , marriage involves an honest
and open relationship based on the equal freedom and identity of both
partners. It means a sincere commitment to share each others joys and
sorrows, to give support and encouragement and care to each other in
the years to come."
Reading 1:
"Love is long-suffering and kind. Love is not jealous, it does
not brag, does not get puffed up, does not behave indecently, does not
look out for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not
keep account of the injury. It does not rejoice over unrighteousness
but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things".
"Now, however, there remain faith, hope, love, these three: but the greatest of these is love." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 13
The bride and groom then each in turn repeat the following
after the celebrant:
"I call upon these people here present to witness that I, [Name
of Groom],take you [Name of Bride], as my legally married wife".
"I call upon these people here present to witness that I, [Name of Bride],take you [Name of Groom], as my legally married husband".
Rings are then exchanged:
"[Name of Bride], I wish to share with you a life of tolerance,
trust, respect and good humour, and have made these promises to you.
I take you today to be my lifelong companion whatever life may hold
for us, and as a symbol of this love and trust I give you this ring".
"[Name of Groom], I wish to share with you a life of tolerance, trust, respect and good humour, and have made these promises to you. I take you today to be my lifelong companion whatever life may hold for us, and as a symbol of this love and trust I give you this ring".
Reading 2:
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there
may be in silence.
Be yourself.
Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perrenial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things
of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding
as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of
life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful
world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
"Desiderata" by Max Ehrman.
Celebrant:
"On behalf of us all gathered here, I extend to you our love
and support. May your relationship flourish and grow throughout a long
and happy life together. By the powers vested in me as a civil marriage
celebrant, I now pronounce you husband and wife".