Swanson Wedding

Prelude

Introductory Matters

Thomas & Ben for to spots

Processional

Six people on each side

Flower girl & ring bearer

Kasey enters with her father

Giving of the bride

“Who gives this woman to be wed?”

Couple moves to the top of the processional

Welcome & Prayer

“We, as a community of friends, are gathered here this afternoon, to witness the marriage of Thomas Swanson and Kasey Andrus.”

“It is an occasion which is both solemn, as we reflect on the seriousness of their decision, and festive, as we share their joy. These moments take place within the context of worship as we ask God to bless their lives together. By your presence here you affirm their love for each other as part of God’s Will for them and agree to encourage them in their new relationship.”

“By joining Thomas and Kasey here today you are also affirming your confidence in these two as they promise to face the future together.”

“I would personally like to encourage all of you to do all that you can to support these two and the vows they are about to make to each other. There are so many pressures on young couples today, and without the support of friends and family members, it’s even more difficult to traverse the pathways of life together.”

“So my strong encouragement to you today is to build them up, never tear them down; be a help, never a heavy burden; and most of all, love them no matter what challenges the future holds.”

Prayer

Message

“Thomas and Kasey, marriage is one of the foundational intuitions of the human race. The Bible shows us that man and woman becoming one flesh is an inseparable part of God’s design for us.”

Genesis 2:18 ESV

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

Genesis 2:20–25 ESV

The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

“We see here in Genesis that marriage was the first institution that God initiated between people. Because of this, the Word of God indicates that the marriage commitment is both holy and practical.”

“Marriage involves a mysterious merging of two separate but equal individuals in such a way that they grow in unity and oneness and thereby actually complete each other. This completion means that fellowship, companionship and friendship become foundations for your daily walk with one another. This completion will require that you have faith in yourselves, faith in each other, faith in your relationship as a couple, but most of all, faith in God and His presence with you as you face the future together.”

“A favorite author of mine said it like this, ‘…marriage is life on a rocky ledge. There is danger involved. It is exceptionally beautiful. But there is no beauty without danger, no gain without risk. The great views in life are always from its precipices.’

Today you stand at a precipice of life. It is at this point that you begin a journey filled with steep, challenging climbs, and deep, dark valleys. But along those roads there is great beauty that can only be fully appreciated together.”

“You will find that along this road that you will need to rely on each other. Truly, marriage is a beautiful picture of self-sacrifice. You will look to each other to fulfill the other’s needs.”

“Thomas, as a husband you are under the obligation to surround Kasey with protective care, to walk with her though the storms of life, to cling to her with unfaltering fidelity, to cherish her with unwavering affection, and to guard her happiness with unceasing vigilance.

And Kasey, as a wife, you are under the same obligation to love and cherish Thomas, to honor and sustain him, and to be true to him in all ways.”

“Thomas and Kasey, you’ve planned, re-planned, stressed, had great joys, and maybe one or two frustrations leading up to today. Now, as you stand here before me it is my great blessing to offer you the opportunity to pledge your lives to one another by taking vows of commitment.”

Commitment Ceremony

Vows

“Thomas and Kasey have written their own vows that they will now share with each other.”

Presentation of the Rings

“Thomas and Kasey have chosen rings as tokens of their love for one another.”

Best man hands Ben Kasey’s ring.

To Thomas – “Thomas, you will notice that this ring is made of the purest of metals. It will not turn or tarnish with age. It is symbolic, I trust, of the purity of your love for Kasey.”

Ben hands the ring to Thomas.

To Thomas – “Thomas, take the ring, place it on Kasey’s left hand, and as you place it there, repeat after me.”

Thomas puts the ring on Kasey’s finger, but don’t push it down until you finish the following:

Thomas repeats after Ben – “With this ring…I thee wed…and with all my worldly goods…I give to thee.”

Best man hands Thomas’s ring to Ben

To Kasey - “Kasey, you will notice that this ring is a complete circle, without beginning or end. It is symbolic, I trust, of the endlessness of your love for Thomas.”

Ben hands the ring to Kasey.

To Kasey – “Kasey, take the ring, place it on Thomas’s left hand, and as you place it there, repeat after me.”

Kasey puts the ring on Thomas’s finger, but don’t push it down until you finish the following:

Kasey repeats after Ben – – “With this ring…I thee wed…and with all my worldly goods…I give to thee.”

Unity Pumpkin

Pronouncement

“Thomas and Kasey, you have made a lifelong commitment to each other. Today, you have shared your vows and given rings as a public demonstration of your love. Believing that it is your desire to be unified together for life, it is my joy as a minister of the Gospel of Christ and by the power vested in me, by the State of Washington to pronounce that from this moment on you are husband and wife. God bless you as you grow together in His likeness. “What God has joined together, let no man separate.” (Matt. 19:6)

“You my kiss your bride.”

Closing Matters

Introduction of the couple

“Ladies and gentlemen it gives me great joy to introduce to you Thomas and Kasey Swanson”

Thomas & Kasey exit

Recessional

Ben invites people to the reception