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Reverend Debby's Celtic Wedding Ceremony Once Reverend Debby has taken her place
before the gathering, the groom takes his place along with his best man
and the ushers. When the
bride appears, and is ready to walk down the aisle……..
Reverend Debby:
Will the
guests please rise.
Presentation of the
Bride
Reverend Debby:
Who gives this woman to be married to this man?….OR….Who supports
this woman in her commitment to this man?
Respondent: “Her mother and I do”….OR….“Our family does”.
The father of the bride, or whomever has walked her down the aisle, now
steps back and goes to their seat.
Reverend Debby:
________&_______, it is with joy and reverence that I welcome you
here today. To our assembled
guests, you are welcome to this moment in their lives and to the place
they have come to in their hearts. _________&_________, we join with you on this day to witness
your vow & commitment before God and humanity that from this point forward
you shall live as one.
Reverend Debby:
Please be seated.
(Optional) To honor relatives or memorable others who have passed on;
Reverend Debby:
Please join with me now as we bow our heads to observe a moment of
silence to honor the memory of those who are not with us today in body,
but are here in Spirit. Amen.
OR
*A single white rose may be placed on an empty chair to observe a deceased
parent or grandparent.
Reverend Debby will hand this rose to either the bride or groom, or maid
of honor or best man so that they may then place the rose on the empty
chair.
Reverend Debby:
_______’s mother/father/grandparent is not with us today and in
honor of her/his memory, _________ will lay a white rose on her/his empty
chair. We know she/he is with
us in Spirit.
The rose is placed on the chair.
Please join with me now as we bow our heads to observe a moment of silence
to honor the memory of those who are not with us today in body, but are
here in Spirit. Amen.
Reverend Debby’s Opening Remarks
Welcome, one and all. What a
beautiful and holy celebration we all shall witness today!
_______&_______have chosen the act of marriage and this holy ceremony in
which to proclaim their promise and pledge before God, and all of you, to
be united in the mystical, spiritual and holy bond of matrimony.
Marriage is a very special spiritual connection of two people
united for a common purpose, bringing love and trust together, and
experiencing the wonder and magnificence God brings to their joining.
The union of husband and wife in heart, body and mind is intended
by God for their mutual joy; for the help and comfort given one another in
prosperity and adversity, so that their knowledge and love of God may
grow. Therefore marriage is
not to be entered into lightly, but reverently and deliberately, with full
understanding of its significance.
__________&__________ now come to be joined in this holy union..
If any of you can show just cause why they may not be lawfully wed,
speak now or forever hold your peace.
As of this ceremony, may your tongues be still and utter only the
positive, that your energies might support these two, that any words you
say might bless and protect the holiness of this bond.
Reverend Debby:
In the Celtic tradition, it is customary to begin a celebration by calling
on the four directions. This
is a symbolic way of inviting all of creation to be present and to take
part in the festivities.
Today, we wish to invite the whole of creation to be with us here and now
in a sacred circle of commitment.
Reverend Debby faces each direction:
Be with us here, O Spirits of the East, Spirits of Air, to witness this
declaration. With your breath
of life, join the bonds between these two and tie them tightly.
Be with us here, O Spirits of the South, Spirits of Fire, to witness this
declaration. Give their love
and passion your own all consuming ardor.
Be with us here, O Spirits of the West, Spirits of Water, to witness this
declaration. Grant these two
the deepest of love, richness of body, soul and spirit.
Be with us here, O Spirits of the North, Spirits of Earth, to witness this
declaration. Let your
strength and constancy surround them on their journey together.
The circle is closed.
The Hand-Fasting ceremony
Reverend Debby:
_______&______ are including a couple of ancient traditions in their
wedding ceremony.
The first will be a hand-fasting, which emphasizes their eternal
bond and reinforces the feeling that they never wish to be parted from one
another. Hand-fasting is an
ancient Celtic commitment ceremony symbolizing the binding together of the
couples lives and fates, and their commitment to be bound together in love
.
At the conclusion of their wedding ceremony, they wish to observe the
tradition of jumping the broom.
Customary in both Celtic and African traditions, this practice carries
both symbolic and spiritual importance.
The straws of the broom represent family, the handle represents the
Almighty, and the ribbon represents the tie that binds the couple
together. It signifies the couples entrance into a new life and the
creation of a new family by sweeping away their former single lives,
former problems and concerns and leaping into a new adventure as husband
and wife.
Reverend Debby:
_______&_______, will you please face each other and join your hands?
Reverend Debby holds up the Hand-Fasting Cord
This is the cord of Hand-Fasting.
It will bind _______&________ together with bonds of love. For such bonds to be strong, they need support.
Not only from the couple themselves, but most of all, they will
need the support of their community of family and friends.
When I bind their hands together, please focus on this cord and let
your support and intentions flow as loving strength into it.
Reverend Debby now loosely wraps a cord around the couples joined hands,
and
places her hand on top of theirs for a blessing
Reverend Debby:
Bless these hands that will hold one another in passion and love.
Let these hands that will bake bread for one another, and build
shelter for one another, and comfort one another during times of grief be
blessed. Bless these hands that will hold their children and grand
children. Bless these hands
of tenderness, and of strength.
Today your separate lives, each with your individual memories, desires and
hopes merge into one life.
From this point forward, your beloved’s needs carry the same priority as
your own. May you find in
your love profound acceptance and complete release.
You shall not be as two conflicting or competing forces, but rather
the energies of your lives shall blend into harmony and oneness through
the grace of God. The angels
shall dance between you, and they will rejoice in the dance of life you do
together.
The couple now separate their hands while continuing to face each other,
with the groom holding onto the Hand-Fasting Cord.
Declaration of Consent to Marriage and Vows of Matrimony
*
*
* (Optional
for your own vows or declarations to each other)
Reverend Debby:
At this time, _______&________ have some personal promises that they would
like to give to each other.
_________(Bride), I now ask you to say publicly any declaration or commitment you’d like to make to _________(Groom).
(She
speaks her promise).
_________(Groom), I now ask you to say publicly any declaration or commitment you’d like to make to ___________(Bride).
(He speaks his promise)
*
*
*
Reverend Debby:
Would you both please repeat after me: (the following is spoken by both
the bride and groom at the same time to each other)
I give you my love
I give you my heart.
I have no greater gift to give.
These I offer you freely
May my heart be your shelter.
And my arms be your home.
I celebrate my love with you
and share my joy
I will console you in sorrow
I choose to go with you always
I promise to listen to you
To express my innermost feelings
To labor with you
To believe in you
Even when you doubt yourself
To be the mirror of your highest value
And to hold myself beside you
For the rest of our days.
Reverend Debby:
_groom_______
do you receive this woman, __bride_______, in love, and so
choose to share your life with her? Will you promise to always give to her your love, will you
always respect her and comfort her, be sensitive to her needs, express
your feelings with her, listen to her, put your trust in her, and
forsaking all others, be her intimate friend and honor her as your equal
partner? Do you commit before God to honor this vow unto all your days?
Groom:
I do.
___
bride_______, do you receive this man, ______ groom___,
in love, and so choose to share your life with him? Will you promise to always give to him your love, will you
always respect him and comfort him, be sensitive to his needs, express
your feelings with him, listen to him, put your trust in him, and
forsaking all others, be his intimate friend and honor him as your equal
partner? Do you commit before God to honor this vow unto all your days?
Bride:
I do.
Presentation of the rings
Reverend Debby:
Is it your intention to symbolize this marriage with rings?
Bride and Groom:
"Yes."
Reverend Debby:
May I have the rings. (The
best man hands them to the Reverend.)
Your rings are circles, symbolizing the circle of the sun, the earth, the
universe of peace, perfection and unity.
Like circles, your rings have no beginning and no end and in the
sacred tradition of marriage rings have come to symbolize eternal love and
the endless union of body, of mind and of spirit.
May the presence of these rings always remind you of the eternal
love you have pledged and the devotion you willingly share with one
another from this moment on.
(Reverend Debby hands the grooms ring to the bride)
“________(Bride), please repeat after me”:
You cannot possess me for I belong to myself.
But while we both wish it, I give you that which is mine to give.
You cannot command me, for I am a free person.
But I shall serve you in those ways you require,
and the honeycomb will taste sweeter coming from my hand.
I pledge to you that yours will be the name I cry aloud in the night
And the eyes into which I smile in the morning.
I pledge to you that first bite of my meat and the first drink from my
cup.
I pledge to you my living and my dying, each equally in your care.
I shall be a shield for your back and you for mine.
I shall not slander you, nor you me
I shall honor you above all others, and when we quarrel we shall do so in
private
And tell no strangers our grievances.
With this ring, I thee wed, and
I give you my solemn vow that from this day forward you shall not walk
alone.
She places the ring on his finger.
(Reverend Debby hands the brides ring to the groom)
“__________(Groom), please repeat after me”:
You cannot possess me for I belong to myself.
But while we both wish it, I give you that which is mine to give.
You cannot command me, for I am a free person.
But I shall serve you in those ways you require,
and the honeycomb will taste sweeter coming from my hand.
I pledge to you that yours will be the name I cry aloud in the night
And the eyes into which I smile in the morning.
I pledge to you that first bite of my meat and the first drink from my
cup.
I pledge to you my living and my dying, each equally in your care.
I shall be a shield for your back and you for mine.
I shall not slander you, nor you me
I shall honor you above all others, and when we quarrel we shall do so in
private
And tell no strangers our grievances.
With this ring, I thee wed, and
I give you my solemn vow that from this day forward you shall not walk
alone.
He places the ring on her finger.
Reverend Debby:
As we bow our heads……..Dear God, may _______&________ know great love
together, and may they live in the desire to always support each other in
positive and uplifting ways.
May they strengthen one another in sorrow, share with one another in
joyfulness, and be companions to each other in times of silence.
May their home be a haven, and whenever they are plagued by
changing fortune, may they be united not in word and outward form alone,
but by Your presence in the hearts of each, and the deepening love that
they share. Amen.
Reverend Debby faces each direction:
To the Spirits of the East, I thank and release thee. Hail and farewell.
To the Spirits of the South, I thank and release thee.
Hail and farewell.
To the Spirits of the West, I thank and release thee.
Hail and farewell.
To the Spirits of the North, I thank and release thee.
Hail and farewell.
Final Prayer and Pronouncement of Marriage
Reverend Debby:
I’d now like to ask you all to bow your heads and pray with me:
Gracious God,
Spirit of life and love, we ask all blessings upon ______&________in their
life together. May they be
blessed with patience, to see them through times of tensions or conflict.
May they be blessed with kindness, to enable them to nurture and
care for one another in times of pain or sorrow.
May they be blessed with a spirit of play and joyfulness, that they
may participate fully in the beauties and pleasures of creation.
May they be blessed, finally, with a knowledge of the ever flowing
presence of love in the world, that they may be channels of this love to
one another and to all whom they meet in their life’s journey.
Amen.
And now, ________&__________(bride & groom), by the authority vested in me
by the State of Michigan, and having given yourselves to each other by
solemn vow and the giving and receiving of rings, it is my honor and
delight to now pronounce you, henceforth from this moment, husband and
wife. Those whom God has
joined together, let no one put asunder.
You may now seal your vows with a kiss!
Reverend Debby: Blessed Friends and Family: may I now
present Mr. & Mrs. __________!
At the conclusion of the ceremony, after the kiss and presentation of the
couple to their guests, one of the attendants or a special person chosen
from the audience, produces the broom and places it in the path of the
wedding couple. They then
jump over the broom, symbolizing their leap into a new life.
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