Waleed & Erin
November 12

Entrance of the wedding party

Greeting:
Welcome to the friends and families of Waleed & Erin.

Who brings Erin here today and gives their blessing to this marriage

Chris “ I do” or “Her mother and I do.”

Seating of the audience.

As many of you know, Erin and Waleed come to this marriage with history. They come with the advantage of ten years of friendship.

This is the advantage of a love that grows over time, Of love that builds on recognition, and inclusion, on work, and on playfulness.
They have built intimacy on a foundation of knowledge and experience in addition to hope, and expectation.

Waleed and Erin share affection based on familiarity and passion discovered not in the superficial features we present in the beginning of relationships, but in the deep aspects of character we disclose over years of trust, of caring and of accepting what is found in the other.

And, like a soul, seeking over many incarnations to become one with perfection, they met, parted, and returned to each other with ever greater closeness, until now they ask you all to witness as their two lives become one.

Is there any lawful reason why these two should not be joined in marriage here today?


Unity Candle Lighting Ceremony:

At this time Samia and Gail will come forward and light two candles.

Waleed and Erin, the two lighted candles symbolize your separate lives, your separate families and your separate sets of friends.

The individual candles represent your individual lives before today.



Vows

Waleed, do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife? To love her, comfort her, and honor her, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, so long as you both shall live?
(If so, answer, “I do”).

Erin, do you take this man to be your wedded husband? To love him, comfort him and honor him, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, so long as you both shall live?

(If so, answer, “I do”)
Reading:

On Marriage from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.But let there be spaces in your togetherness,And let the winds of heavens dance between you.Love one another, but make not a bond of love:Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music. Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.And stand together yet not too near together:For the pillars of the temple stand apart,And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.


Traditionally, the union of husband and wife is marked by the exchange of rings. The ring is a symbol of the unending circle of affection, respect and support which marriage embodies.

Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver, for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have taken this day.

Waleed, please place the ring on Erin’s finger, and repeat after me: “With this ring, I thee wed.”

Erin, please place the ring on Waleed’s finger, and repeat after me: “With this ring, I thee wed.”

In just a moment Erin and Waleed will light one central candle from the two candles you see burning.

This ceremony will symbolize the merging of their lives into one relationship.

They light the center candle to symbolize the union of their lives. As this one light burns undivided, so shall their love be one with God. From now on their thoughts shall be for each other rather than for their individual selves. Their joys and sorrows shall be shared alike. Holding hands, they encircle the candle to symbolize the sacrificial nature of their life journey together. May the radiance of this one light and their journey together be a testimony or their unity.

(While holding hands around the candles- )
By the power vested 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.

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. Waleed Wahbe!