20190914_emilys_wedding/html/stacys_officiation.html

2019/09/21 - S.Lieder from: Stacy Lieder <slieder@gmail.com> to: stewart.french@gmail.com date: Sep 21, 2019, 11:57 AM subject: Stacy's remarks at Emily and Andrew's Wedding EMILY AND ANDREW, SEPTEMBER 15, 2019 ORDER OF SERVICE STACY AT PODIUM BEFORE ATTENDANTS WALK IN ANNOUNCEMENTS - STACY - GOOD EVENING, HERE ARE A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS PRIOR TO THE CEREMONY o UNPLUGGED CEREMONY - THE COUPLE HAVE REQUESTED NO PHONES OR CAMERAS BE OUT DURING THE CEREMONY, LEST WE FRIGHTEN AWAY THE GHOSTS. WE ASK THAT YOU HONOR THEIR WISHES. THERE ARE PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO WILL CAPTURE THE CEREMONY, AND GUESTS ARE REQUESTED TO BE FULLY PRESENT IN THE MOMENT. PHONES AND CAMERAS ARE OF COURSE WELCOME AT THE RECEPTION. o NO STANDING - THE BRIDE HAS REQUESTED THAT ALL GUESTS REMAIN SEATED AS SHE WALKS UP THE AISLE. WE ASK THAT YOU HONOR HER REQUEST. PROCESSIONALS - DJ o ATTENDANTS: MARRIED LIFE FROM UP o BRIDE: THERE SHE GOES - THE LAS WELCOME - STACY WELCOME, EVERYONE, TO THE WEDDING OF EMILY AND ANDREW. IT WAS 12 YEARS AND ONE DAY AGO THAT ANDREW "DEFINED THE RELATIONSHIP" BY ASKING EMILY TO BE HIS GIRLFRIEND. WHEN SHE SAID YES, THEY TOOK THEIR FIRST STEP TOGETHER DOWN THE LONG PATH THAT HAS BROUGHT THEM HERE, TO THIS PLACE, TO THIS MOMENT. TODAY, THEY TAKE ANOTHER STEP TOGETHER ON THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD OF LIFE, SURROUNDED BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND ENVELOPED IN LOVE AND LIGHT. AFTER 12 YEARS TOGETHER, EMILY AND ANDREW ARE TAKING THIS STEP WITH EYES WIDE OPEN. IN THEIR TIME TOGETHER, LIFE HAS GIVEN THEM RIVERS TO CROSS, BURDENS TO BEAR, TRIUMPHS TO CELEBRATE - AND CHOICES TO MAKE. THROUGH THESE SHARED EXPERIENCES, THEY HAVE GROWN IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THEMSELVES AND OF EACH OTHER, AND THROUGH THEIR LOVE, THEY HAVE EMBRACED THE IMPORTANT LESSONS THAT HAVE PREPARED THEM FOR MARRIAGE. THESE LESSONS HAVE BEEN CAPTURED VERY ARTFULLY IN THIS POEM BY WILFERD A. PETERSON HAPPINESS IN MARRIAGE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT JUST HAPPENS. A GOOD MARRIAGE MUST BE CREATED. IN THE ART OF MARRIAGE, THE LITTLE THINGS ARE THE BIG THINGS... IT IS NEVER BEING TOO OLD TO HOLD HANDS. IT IS REMEMBERING TO SAY "I LOVE YOU" AT LEAST ONCE A DAY. IT IS NEVER GOING TO SLEEP ANGRY. IT IS AT NO TIME TAKING THE OTHER FOR GRANTED; THE COURTSHIP SHOULD NOT END WITH THE HONEYMOON, IT SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH ALL THE YEARS. IT IS HAVING A MUTUAL SENSE OF VALUES AND COMMON OBJECTIVES. IT IS STANDING TOGETHER FACING THE WORLD. IT IS FORMING A CIRCLE OF LOVE THAT GATHERS IN THE WHOLE FAMILY. IT IS DOING THINGS FOR EACH OTHER, NOT IN THE ATTITUDE OF DUTY OR SACRIFICE, BUT IN THE SPIRIT OF JOY. IT IS SPEAKING WORDS OF APPRECIATION AND DEMONSTRATING GRATITUDE IN THOUGHTFUL WAYS. IT IS NOT LOOKING FOR PERFECTION IN EACH OTHER. IT IS CULTIVATING FLEXIBILITY, PATIENCE, UNDERSTANDING AND A SENSE OF HUMOR. IT IS HAVING THE CAPACITY TO FORGIVE AND FORGET. IT IS GIVING EACH OTHER AN ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH EACH CAN GROW. IT IS FINDING ROOM FOR THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT. IT IS A COMMON SEARCH FOR THE GOOD AND THE BEAUTIFUL. IT IS ESTABLISHING A RELATIONSHIP IN WHICH THE INDEPENDENCE IS EQUAL, DEPENDENCE IS MUTUAL AND THE OBLIGATION IS RECIPROCAL. IT IS NOT ONLY MARRYING THE RIGHT PARTNER, IT IS BEING THE RIGHT PARTNER. IT IS DISCOVERING WHAT MARRIAGE CAN BE, AT ITS BEST. EMILY AND ANDREW HAVE WRITTEN THEIR OWN VOWS. (COUPLE WILL SHARE A COPY WITH ME, IN CASE THEY NEED PROMPTS.) - EMILY STARTS, ANDREW ECHOES RINGS. HAND RING TO ANDREW: DO YOU, ANDREW, TAKE EMILY TO BE YOUR LAWFULLY WEDDED WIFE? ANDREW RESPONDS "I DO". TO ANDREW: PLACE THE RING ON EMILY'S FINGER. HAND RING TO EMILY: DO YOU, EMILY, TAKE ANDREW TO BE YOUR LAWFULLY WEDDED HUSBAND? EMILY RESPONDS "I DO". TO EMILY: PLACE THE RING ON ANDREW'S FINGER. EMILY AND ANDREW, YOU HAVE COMMITTED YOURSELVES TO EACH OTHER, YOU HAVE DECLARED YOUR INTENT TO BE HUSBAND AND WIFE, AND YOU HAVE EXCHANGED RINGS AS A SYMBOL OF YOUR COMMITMENT. SO BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME BY THE STATE OF TEXAS, I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU HUSBAND AND WIFE. YOU MAY NOW SEAL YOUR COMMITMENT WITH A KISS. <THEY KISS> MAY YOUR LIFE TOGETHER BE RICH AND FULL, MAY YOU BE SURROUNDED BY LOVE AND LIGHT, AND MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I PRESENT TO YOU EMILY AND ANDREW ATWOOD. RECESSIONAL: LITTLE RASCALS THEME AFTER RECESSIONAL: ANNOUNCEMENTS - FAMILY PICTURES, RECEPTION, ET CETERA.... ----- end