Adrian and Tori

Honored guests, on behalf of this wonderful soon to be married couple, I would like to welcome each of you to today’s blessed occasion.

The couple thanks each of for being here today. As a courtesy, it is asked that each of you refrain from taking pictures with your phones and allow the photogragher to handle picture taking, and each of us be present in the moment celebrating Adrian and Tori

Adrian and Tori,

I am so excited for the two of you and so honored to be asked to participate in your special day. Adrian I think back to about 15 years ago, and I was your counselor at summer camp. What a privilege to watch you become a man, and someone I consider very close friend. I am brimming with pride in you have become! Tori, while I’ve come to know you in the past 4 1/2 years, I quickly saw your passion for serving the church by being present and serving both youth and young adult ministries. Its been so fun getting to know you it has I think I speak for everyone here that we are thrilled the two of you found each other and have enjoyed watching you grow in your relationship with each other and to Jesus.

In pre-marital counseling we discovered together many of your differences are what make you such a great match. You balance each other very nicely. Whether its recreation to responsibility, sometimes introvert to extrovert, staying present to thinking about the future. There is a completeness and harmony to your relationship that I believe will suit you well in your family unit. Thats not to say you don’t have lots in common with each other. The Spartanburg church for years as well as all future churches you attend has been blessed by both of you musically and has benefited from your shared desire to serve in all areas needed. There is no doubt in my mind that God is going to use both of you together to do great things.

Couples united in a shared to desire to serve and grow the kingdom of God make the enemy that much more angry. He will work that much harder to tear you a part.

Adrian and Tori, the best way you can best fulfill your desire to serve God and his church is to practice service to each other.

How can you serve each other daily?

Remember true love!

T is trusting each other, with your heart, your secrets, your finances.

R is remembering romance. Its remembering to take time for each-other. Romance is like its own Sabbath. Resting from work and stress and focusing on the most important person in your life and investing in your relationship.

U is to understand. You are both going to make mistakes at times. Practicing understanding allows for forgiveness.

E for excitement and enthusiasm. You will do well to embrace and support and be excited for each other’s successes. Embracing the united spirit make your wins, eachother’s wins!

L is for listening. Listening is not waiting for the other person to finish while coming up with what you are going to say next, it is hearing, and thoughtfully considering the words being shared by your spouse. Listening helps remember your spouse is your partner and not your opponent.

O is for overcoming. Life will come at you fast with mountains and hurdles appearing to be insurmountable. I heard it said, moving a couch is a really challenging task as an individual, but with another person, its relatively easy to accomplish. Overcome your hurdles together.

V is for value. Value each other more than anyone else. Thats, dare I say, as your parents are watching, even more than other family members Adrian, Tori is now the number 1 woman in your life and Tori, Adrian is now the number 1 man in yours.

Matthew 19:4–6 ESV

He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

E is for everlasting. Marriage wasn’t designed to end. Sadly we see it sometimes does. Use Christ’s everlasting love as your example of love to give to your spouse. love everlasting, and you will draw your love from an unlimited well.

Adrian and Tori, The world that exists today celebrates weddings, and highlights the the glamour of it all. But the truth is a wedding is but a fleeting moment, one i hope you will remember for the rest of your life, but the reality is the world often treats marriage like a new iphone. There is a cool trendy launch party, but you know what in just a couple years people are looking for a new phone.

Marriages are meant to last. But the hurdles and difficulties are there. Financial pressures will always exist. Avoid debt like the plague, but have a plan and plan and discuss finances regularly.

Pornograghy and lust can bring down even the most rock solid relationships. Commit your eyes as well as your heart to your spouse. Be transparent with your viewing histories. Inevitably, you will have working and social relationships with other people. Be transparent with whom you spend your time with. Don’t keep secrets from your spouse as to where and when you spend money, spend time online, or with whom you spend time with.

Committing to transparency in these areas will serve you well in building up unbreakable trust for one another.

We talked about it together in pre-marital counseling, don’t stop dating each other. While you’ve won each other’s hearts and committed to each other, don’t neglect showing your spouse in special ways you still love them. My wife and I have talked about the fact that its easy to show the love language you desire for yourself to your spouse, but remember your spouses love language when you are looking to show love.

Adrian and Tori, everyone is here because of the desire to celebrate in the love you share. We believe in you. We know that God has incredible plans for you and can’t wait to see how works through you further as a couple.

Written Vows

-Adrian and Tori have some prepared vows they have written for each other, I want to invite Tori to share first and then Adrian.

Lighting the candle

Today marks a blending of two families, two cultures, united in this beautiful marriage. Adrian and Tori, now is the time I want to invite you to light the candle symbolizing the unity of your families coming together.

Special music

Before we go further, Adrian has a little special music prepared.

Ring Exchange

Now is the time to exchange rings, serving as a covenant reminder you are making to one another.

Adrian please place the ring that you have for Tori on her finger.

Tori please place the ring you have for Adrian on his finger.

I DO’s

-Tori, do you take Adrian as your husband, and promise to support him as his wife? Do you vow to remain his faithful partner in life in the good times and difficult times, in sickness and in health, as long as you live?

-Adrian, do you take Tori, as your wife and promise to love and support her as her husband? Do you vow to be a faithful partner in life in the good times and difficult times, in sickness and in health, as long as you live?

Now it is my privilege as a gospel minister, here among witnesses in the state of South Carolina, pronounce you husband and wife.

And as Jesus declared “What God has brought together, let no one separate!”

Adrian, my friend, you may now kiss your bride!