Daniel & Rachel
August 7, 2004

Welcome to the attendees:
DR“ Welcome and congratulations to the friends and families of Rachel and Daniel. We are here to see the two of them joined in marriage today, before God and their families and friends, to begin their lives together.”

Enter the DANIEL with Erwin

Enter the Matrons of Honor Ann & Rhea
and Brides Maids escorted

Mary-Eileen John
Eva Adrin
Ann Gabriel
Quinn
Richelle

Enter the ring bearers Ethan & Andrew

Enter Flower Girl Danielle

Enter Bride With Alex

RACHEL gives bouquet to MoH1

DR “Marriage is a union of two lives, making of the two, one life together. I am honored to be included in this ceremony. I ask of the friends and family gathered here today ‘Is there any lawful reason why these two should not be joined together in Marriage?”

DR ”Having found no reason why you should not be married, I ask Rachel, Do you wish to marry Daniel today?”

RACHEL “Yes”

DR” Daniel, do you wish to marry Rachel today?”

DANIEL “Yes”

DR Please turn to your programs, we will all sing Amazing Grace.
All sing

DR ” When you look at the wonder of nature as it surrounds us today, God’s presence as it’s designer and creator is obvious.
The design of God is also obvious in the joining of a man and woman in matrimony. How a marriage is realized before God is in the hearts and minds of the man and woman. Daniel, Rachel & I have spoken about the sacred meaning of marriage and they have satisfied me as to their readiness. So we come to society…”

DR”I ask who of Rachel’s family brings her here and gives blessing to this marriage?”

Rachel’s Mom & Brothers “we/I do”

DR”I ask who of Daniels family brings him here and gives blessing to this marriage”

Daniel’s family ” We do”

{Rose ceremony to mothers:
DR: A rose symbolizes love. As a red rose means romantic love, a white rose means familial love. Rachel and Daniel would like to present a white rose to their mothers at this time to signify that they do not leave their families behind, but join them together in a larger circle, drawing on the love of their families as they build a new family together.

R& D take rose from MoH 1&2 and carry them to their Mothers.

DR “Our wish for both of you today is that your marriage will bring much happiness and joy to each of you. Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens; a good marriage must be created. And it is created in the following ways:
It is never too old to hold hands
It is remembering to say I “I love you” at least once a day
It is at no time taking the other for granted
It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives
It is standing together facing life
It is forming a circle of love that gathers 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
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 independence is equal,
dependence is mutual, and obligation is reciprocal
It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner

Alex will read now from scripture…
Alex reads I Corinthians Ch 13

Daniel, do you have vows to offer Rachel?

DANIEL to RACHEL
” I take you to be my wife, to be my partner and to be my life;
I cannot imagine life without you as the center of it everyday.
I want to be husband and father and everything else a man can be,
and I find I cannot be all of that without you.
I am better for having loved you and complete because you love me.
I promise to love you everyday of our lives.

DR “ Rachel, do you have vows to offer Daniel? “

RACHEL to Daniel
” You are my beloved, I will always cherish you
You are my beloved, I see your great beauty
You are my beloved, I feel your great power
You are my beloved, I respect your great wisdom
You are my beloved, my home is with you
You are my beloved, I value your independence
You are my beloved, I am radiant in your love
I will always love you
I will always love you
I will always love you

I add my breath to your breath
That our days may be long on Earth
That the days of our people may be long
That we may be one person
That we may finish our words together
May our mother bless you with life
May our Life Paths be fulfilled”.

DR Do you have gifts to exchange? Erwin and MoH2 give rings to D & R who give them to DR “ On behalf of the families of Rachel and Daniel, and before God, I ask for His blessing on these rings, and name their significance to be the unending circle of affection, respect and support which marriage embodies.

Daniel place this ring on Rachel’s finger and repeat after me ‘ This ring I give in token and pledge as a symbol of my love and devotion. With this ring I thee wed.”

Rachel, Place this ring on Daniels finger and repeat after me "This ring I give in token and pledge, as a symbol of my love and devotion. With this ring I thee wed.’

DR May these rings remind you that your love, like the sun, warms all it touches, like the moon, brightens the night, and like the eye, is the window to your inmost self.

DR Today you have exchanged your gifts of wedding rings, an outward expression of your undying love and a public showing of your commitment to each other. You are also going to receive another gift from each other. Roses as we have said are a symbol of love. A single red rose has always said I LOVE YOU. So it appropriate that your next gift to each other on your wedding day be a single red rose. Please exchange roses.

Ann & Rhea give each a red rose. D & R exchange roses.

In some ways it seems as though you have done nothing at all. A moment ago you held one small rose, now you hold another. A marriage ceremony is like this.
In some ways tomorrow will seem no different from yesterday. But in fact, just now, you have both been given and received one of the most valuable gifts of life, one I hope you will always remember. You have exchanged the gift of true and abiding love within the devotion of marriage.

Daniel and Rachel, I ask that wherever you make your home in the future, whether it is a large and grand home or a small and graceful one, that you both select a very special location for roses.
In every marriage there are times when it is difficult to find the right words to say what is in your heart. It might be hard sometimes to say, “I’m sorry” “I forgive you.” “I need you.” “ Or “I am hurting.” If this should happen and you just cannot find these words, leave your spouse a single red rose in that special spot.
That rose says the words “ I still love you.” The other can accept this rose for the words that cannot be found, and remember that it was love that brought you here today, it is only love which can make it a glorious union, and it is by love which your marriage shall endure.


DR “ Daniel do you take Rachel to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

Daniel “I do”

DR” Rachel, do you take Daniel to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Rachel ” I do”

DR “ By the power invested in me by the State of California and the church, I hereby pronounce you to be lawfully wed, and to be husband and wife for as long as you both shall live. You may kiss the bride.”

DR “ Let us pray together…As this community is brought to understand God through Jesus Christ and to ask for God’s blessings and to give thanks in His name, we ask for His love to include and support love within this marriage, and to warm them when they grow cold, and to strengthen them when they weaken, and to nourish them when they hunger. And we give thanks that they have found each other and found love in each other and have promised to preserve that love before us all.” AMEN

I ask now of the family now joined together by this marriage,” Do you acknowledge and recognize this marriage and will you support these two in starting their life together as one?”

All “we do!”

Then it is with pleasure and pride that I introduce Mr. And Mrs. Daniel Figueroa.

Exit Bride & Groom
Exit Erwin with Ann & Rhea
Exit Brides Maids with Groomsmen
Exit Children

DR “The bridal party will be staying here for photographs, but they invite everyone else to return to town .They will join you at 1pm for the reception…”

Exit DR