Setting out a civil marriage ceremony

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Marriage of Jonathan Spencer and Elaine Coady

 

 

Music: As people are coming in a musician (our friend phil …see www.jomojames.com ) is playing and then after seating sings (Van Morrison: Crazy Love)

Elaine and Jonathan come in to Trumpet March/Voluntary

Jonathan will have his two older children Freya and Roland standing by him with the rings as ring bearers

 

8th March 2008

 

Please be Seated

Greetings and Welcome from the conducting Registrar….

I would like to ask you to take a few moments of silence to remember those who are

important to us who cannot be here today, for Elaine that is her mother NORRIE and for

Jonathan his father Raymond. (this period of silence to be not too long)

The first piece that elaine and jonathan have asked for will be read by Roger

Reading:

Ann Morrow Lindbergh – A Good Relationship Has a Pattern Like a Dance

A good relationship has a pattern like a dance and is built on some of the same rules. The

partners do not need to hold on tightly, because they move confidently in the same

pattern, intricate but gay and swift and free, like a country dance of Mozart’s. To touch

heavily would be to arrest the pattern and freeze the movement, to check the endlessly

changing beauty of its unfolding. There is no place here for the possessive clutch, the

clinging arm, the heavy hand; only the barest touch in passing. Now arm in arm, now face

to face, now back to back — it does not matter which. Because they know they are

partners moving to the same rhythm, creating a pattern together, and being invisibly

nourished by it.

The room is sanctioned and the Law explained

You are here today to witness the joining in marriage of Jonathan Spencer and Elaine

Marie Coady but before proceeding with the ceremony, I must ask that if any person

knows of any lawful reason why these two may not be married, he or she should declare it

now.

Here we will pause and Camilla will read

Reading: Gabrielle Garcia Marquez – If I Knew That Today

If I knew that today would be the last time I’d see you, I would hug you tight and pray the

Lord be the keeper of your soul. If I knew that this would be the last time you pass through

this door, I’d embrace you, kiss you, and call you back for one more. If I knew that this

would be the last time I would hear your voice, I’d take hold of each word to be able to

hear it over and over again. If I knew this is the last time I see you, I’d tell you I love you,

and would not just assume foolishly you know it already

 

 

The Ceremony

Before you are joined in matrimony, I have to remind you both of the solemn and binding

character of the vows you are about to make. You will be making vows firstly that you are

free to marry; and secondly that you take each other as partners in marriage to love, care

for and support one another in the years which lie ahead. Do you both feel ready to make

these vows? (Jonathan and Elaine stand)

Jonathan and Elaine, you have gathered about you people who are part of your lives. You

have invited them here to receive their encouragement and support and to celebrate with

you at this special time.

I ask you now in the presence of this company…

Jonathan will you take Elaine to be your lawful wedded wife. Will you be loving and

faithful to her for the rest of your lives together (I will)

Elaine will you take Jonathan to be your lawful wedded husband. Will you be loving and

faithful to him for the rest of your lives together (I will)

I will now ask each of you to declare that you are free to marry

Starting with the groom, please repeat after me…

I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I Jonathan Spencer

may not be joined in matrimony to Elaine Marie Coady

I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I Elaine Marie Coady

may not be joined in matrimony to Jonathan Spencer

We now come to the heart of the ceremony in which you take each other as partners in

marriage ( All stand; bride and groom face each other)

I call upon these persons here present to witness that I Jonathan Spencer do take thee

Elaine Marie Coady to be my lawful wedded wife.

I call upon these persons here present to witness that I Elaine Marie Coady do take thee

Jonathan Spencer to be my lawful wedded husband.

 

 

Reading

Finally we come to the exchange of rings…A ring is a never ending circle which traditionally

symbolises marriage.

EXCHANGE RINGS:

I give you this ring as a symbol of the promises I have made to you today. May you wear it

with love and happiness, now and always.

I give you this ring as a symbol of the promises I have made to you today. May you wear it

with love and happiness, now and always.

You have both made the declarations required by law and have made solemn and binding

promises to each other before us all here today. It gives me great pleasure to declare that

you are now husband and wife.

Please be seated….

For the final reading from Bella…

READING:

From the inauguration speech of Nelson Mandela

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are

powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask

ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you

not to be? You are a child of the Universe. Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure

around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest

the greatness of the life that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do

the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates

others.

(followed by)

Patrick Hawes: music (no words)”towards the light” (first track) whilst signing the

register

after

the best is yet to come by michael buble

Finis

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Tags: Aga, age, child, FREE, Freya, Friend, Hang, Jonathan, Jonathan Spencer, movement, need, pea, read, ship, Tim, war, world

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