Welcome Children

COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN (for insertion in a ceremony)

_(Groom)_ and _(Bride)_, you have expressed to me how very important your children, (Names) and ____ , are to you, and how deep is your desire that they move along with you into this new reality of married life together. In accordance with your desires, may all of you be strengthened together to build the kind of loving and devoted family where you all can live fully in harmony and happiness.

WELCOME THE CHILDREN CEREMONY

Officiant moves the large vase to the sand ceremony table and stands at the front.

INTRODUCTION
Bride or groom hands out lollipops.
Then stands with the Officiant at one side at the front.
Groom or bride walks down the aisle with his/her children.

TO GUESTS
We begin this ceremony with a vase filled with stones that you as guests have signed in recognition of your role as supporters and encouragers of this bride and groom and the family clustered around them as they face the challenges that the future will bring into their lives.

TO _(BRIDE)_ AND _(GROOM)_
_(Bride)_ and _(Groom)_, this afternoon’s ceremony is in recognition of the crucial role (Childrfen’s names) will play in the peaceful enjoyment of your marriage and family life together.

__(Bride)_ and _(Groom)__, today you are making a life-long commitment to share the rest of your lives not only with each other and also with your children whom you honor this day.

TO FAMILY
In this ceremony, all of you, together, focus your hearts and determined will to create the environment in which all of you can grow and prosper, becoming everything you are all destined to be.

VOWS  BY _(BRIDE)_ AND _(GROOM)_

To begin this process, _(Groom)_ and _(Bride)_,  I ask you, therefore, to turn now to your children and, by following my prompting, express to them your vows of parental support and protection:

­(Children’s names)
we promise to accept
and love you
as our children
and to protect
and love you
all of our lives.
We promise to do our best
to guide and support you –
and to respect you
enough to allow you
to see the world
through your own eyes
and grow up
to become the unique
and valued persons
you were meant to be.

GIFT SHARING

Later, _(Groom)_ and _(Bride)_ will seal their marriage commitment to each other with the exchange of rings.

Now, in similar fashion, _(Groom)_ and _(Bride)_ now seal their parental commitment to (Children’s names) with the giving of equally beautiful (gifts).

SAND CEREMONY
In representation of the new a deeper family commitment being made this day, (Children’s names) now contribute his/her/their artistry to a symbol of their family in sand.

The gathering of this new family will have a deep influence upon _(Bride)_ and _(Groom)_.
In order for the home they share to be a happy one, it is essential that there be love and understanding among the children and the adults being married.

The container that each child takes into their hand represents their portion in this marriage and the home life it establishes.

TO CHILDREN
(Children’s names), as you each hold your sand, your separate containers represent your lives to this moment, individual and unique.

Now, (Children’s names) — add your sand, from your individual containers to that which represents your family.
As you now combine your sand together, your lives also join together as one family.
The sand that each of you pours symbolizes your participation in encouraging the loving union of your parents.

Each becomes part of the whole without the loss of your individual character and personality, as represented by the different colours of sand you add to the whole.

Each family member active in contributing all that you were, all that you are and all you will be to building an environment in which all can grow.

All one in their bond of unity.

PULLING IT TOGETHER
Family life is not only serious but a matter of rich celebration. In fact, in commenting about the fun in healthy family life, a wise sage has claimed that the family that plays together stays together.

May you enjoy many wonderful adventures together.

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WEDDING CEREMONY

PROCESSIONAL OF BRIDE AND BRIDAL PARTY TO GROOM

PRESENTATION OF THE BRIDE
Who is it that brings this woman to this man? / “I do”

TO GUESTS
We, who have gathered in this beautiful place, are now privileged to witness and to participate in a ceremony celebrating the public acknowledgment of a love which _(Bride)_ and _(Groom)_ have for each other, knowing that by our presence here with them, we are saying that they, together, are loved by us. We have come to surround them as they stand before us in the center, where now _(Bride)_ and _(Groom)_ in essence say, “Welcome to our marriage! Welcome to the Celebration!”

TO COUPLE
_(Bride)_ and _(Groom)_ , according to Victor Hugo,
“You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving. The great acts of love are done by those who are habitually performing small acts of kindness. We pardon to the extent that we love. Love is knowing that even when you are alone, you will never be lonely again. And great happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved. Loved for ourselves. And even loved in spite of ourselves.”

” We all need love. With all our complexities, we are not easy creatures to satisfy. We cannot meet the conditions of a satisfied life by gorging ourselves, lying down on the grass and staring at the clouds. We have deeper needs and the deepest need of all is love. Too often we think in terms of receiving love instead of giving it. It is gratifying to receive. But there is much more fulfillment in having a heart so filled with love that we experience the joy of giving love more than in receiving. The need for love is born within us, and is as universal as the human race itself. Wherever we walk, on every shore and in every land, the need for love walks by our side.  It is not trite, therefore, to say that love is necessary for life, no more than to say that food sustains life. Without food, we will die. Without love, we die a death worse than physical death. Do not depreciate love’s value. Preserve the value of love and live as exalted creatures on the high summit of tender affections that many will never obtain. Never forget the true value and the true need for love.”
– L. Brownlow

DECLARATION
_(Bride)_ and _(Groom)_ are about to commit themselves in marriage to each other.
If anyone knows of just cause why they may not be lawfully joined in marriage, let them declare it or else forever hold their peace.

VOWS

_(Bride)_ , would you please pass your bouquet to your maid of honor.
Please face each other and join hands.

_(Groom)_ , please repeat after me you wedding vows to _(Bride)_ ?

I, _(Groom)_ ,
take you, _(Bride)_ ,
to be my wedded wife.
With deepest joy
I receive you into my life
that together we may be one.
I promise you my deepest love,
my fullest devotion,
my tenderest care
throughout our life together.
No matter what may lie ahead of us,
I pledge to you my life
as a loving and faithful husband.

_(Bride)_ , please repeat after me your wedding vows to _(Groom)_ ?

I, __(Bride)_,
take you, _(Groom)_ ,
to be my wedded husband.
With deepest joy
I come into my new life with you.
As you have pledged to me
your life and love,
so I too happily give you my life,
and my confidence
throughout our life together.
I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you,
and to comfort you
in times of sorrow and struggle.
I promise to love you
in good times and in bad,
when life seems easy
and when it seems hard,
when our love is simple,
and when it is an effort.
I promise to cherish you,
and to always hold you
in highest regard
These things I give to you today,
and all the days of our life.

May I have the rings please?

RINGS
_(Groom)_ , as you place your ring on _(Bride)_ ‘s ring finger, would you please repeat after me you commitment to your bride?

_(Bride)_ ,
I give you this ring,
wear it with love and joy.
I choose you to be my wife
to love and to cherish,
as long as we both shall live.

And now, _(Bride)_ ,  as you place your ring on _(Groom)_ ‘s ring finger, would you please repeat after me you commitment to you groom?

_(Groom)_ ,
I give you this ring,
wear it with love and joy.
I choose you to be my husband:
to love and to cherish,
as long as we both shall live.

May these rings forever be to you the symbol of your growing love.

PRONOUNCEMENT
Inasmuch as you have consented together in this ceremony to live in wedlock and have sealed your vows in the presence of this company and by the giving of a ring/these rings, it gives me great pleasure to pronounce that you are Husband and Wife.

KISS

SAND CEREMONY
This completes what began earlier as parents and children blended their sand representing the new and deeper union they were initiating together.

Now _(Groom)_ and _(Bride)_ seal that union with the sands of their love and mutual commitment to each other and to their family.

All become one in shared goals for the happiness and fulfillment of all.

BLESSING
May you find happiness in union.
May you live faithfully together, fulfilling the vows you have made.
May you ever remain compassionate and encouraging, that your years may be rich with the joys of life, and your days be long upon the Earth.

SIGNING OF DOCUMENTS

ANNOUNCEMENT
It gives me great delight to introduce Mr. and Mrs. _________.