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Please rise for our bride.
Believing that our couple considers love to be a worthwhile investment, knowing they have
been preparing for their marriage to be such, it's my pleasure to ask, "Who presents our
bride?"
I do!
Thank you! You may be seated.
Not always are we so privileged to gather in the same space at the same time. But today,
because of this couple, we join them as pillars of support. Danyelle and Anthony have been
committed to each other for some time now, yet today is the moment they will formally
declare themselves as husband and wife. Three and a half years ago, they initiated a romance
which grew into this relationship. And since then, they've thrived on each other's presence,
refuge and companionship, realizing at some point you're greater together than apart.
And from that moment of transition, they pooled their emotional resources and uplifted each
other, overcoming emotional hardships, and making life's truimphs less threatening simply
because of the company they return.
Arriving here today, I know their intentions are very clear; it's not just about a fun
getaway, or a unique setting, but it's a purposeful ceremony to honor their relationship as a
transition into marriage.
And Danyelle and Anthony, there is no ceremony verse I could stand here and say, or poem
that I could read, that's going to promise your continued success, your longevity, but
what we can do today is witness and affirm the choice you make: to continue on with your
partnership.
And there's a distinct difference between having an interest in that partnership and
having a committment. Because if you're interested in something, you're only going to do it when
circumstances permit. But when you're committed to something, you give it your all and you
accept no excuses, and there's no surrender. By committing yourself to marriage today,
you welcome further exposing your vulnerabilities to each other, growing old, sharing each anniversary
as it passes you by, and knowing that you're bound to all the experiences that haven't
even happened yet.
So knowing this type of agreement shouldn't be entered into lightly, and knowing the possibilities
and the responsibilities associated with marriage, I ask you each stand here today gladly, and
of your own free will.
Marriage is an evolving tradition, and it never fails to incorporate the latest shifts
in culture or climate, family dynamics, or social habits, but at its foundation, it succeeds
by way of a committed couple who make a lifelong promise of responsibility to and for each
other. And by proclaiming this through ceremony today, you're announcing and creating a change,
ushering yourself into a new chapter, and above all, you're using this platform to have
your expressions seen, heard, and recognized by hand-picked guests.
And pleasantly, this journey is not yours alone. You've been blessed with AJ, who will
someday look at your relationship to model a healthy one of his own. So recognizing your
intent to move forward as united parents, friends, and spouses, we're going to have
you symbolically merge as one with the pouring of sands. You can step over there.
There is one color for each of you, representing the uniqueness you contribute to your marriage;
your personality; your backgrounds; your characteristics; and as you pour them and take turns layering,
you're going to see the individual grains of sand combine.
Each grain of sand represents a separate moment, decision, or event that's still to come, that's
gonna shape your family, and as you pour you're acknowledging the commitment you make to blend
your lives together.
And just as the grains of sand can never be separated, neither will the imprint you place
on each other. Your wedding bands are going to be your visible and tangible sign of the
vow that you offer and accept, and though your vows are never going to be altered in
their meaning, the sound of saying them today will soon flee. But anytime you want to remember
this moment, you just glance down at that ring, and with a simple look or touch will
bring you right back to here. Your rings are circular in shape, which is symbolic of completeness,
and in their creation rock was first dug from the earth, metal was then liquefied, moulded,
cooled, and painstakingly polished, resulting in something very beautiful that took a long
journey made from raw materials. And love is just like that; it comes from humble beginnings,
and it's processed of making something perfect where, once, nothing even stood. So, prior
to this moment, the two of you have held many different roles. But through the offering
and the acceptance of the vow and the ring, you'll leave here today saying, "I am her
husband!" and "I am his wife!" May we have our rings?
Danyelle, take Anthony's left hand. Anthony, today Danyelle has chosen you to be her husband,
promising to love and care for you all of her days, accepting your faults, and your
strengths, as she stands here with her own. She cherishes what she already knows about
you today, she's trusting in what is yet to be discovered. Do you embrace Danyelle Marie
Haberman as your lawfully wedded wife?
I do.
You may slide his ring on.
Danyelle, today Anthony has chosen you to be his wife, promising to love and care for
you all of his days, accepting your faults, and your strengths, as he stands with his
own. He cherishes what he knows about you but today, he's trusting in what is yet to
be discovered. So do you embrace Anthony David Hall as your lawfully wedded husband?
I do.
You may slide her ring on.
I want you to look down on those hands, because they can comfort you like no other's can.
Best friends on their wedding day, and if you're able to keep the vow you just made,
not because of a civic law that tells you that you have to, but just out of a desire
to love and be loved, and you're gonna continue the same enthusiasm that we see here today.
Your courtship's far from when you first saw each other; it's been growing through learning
about each other. And today, it's completed through marriage. By the authority vested
in me, I proudly pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride!
Please rise for Mr. and Mrs. Hall!