Riley and Kayla’s Wedding

before they walk in.

“The bride and groom have requested to keep their wedding ceremony phone-free. If we’re honest, our phones can be a big source of distraction for ourselves and even those around us. To all the aunties and uncles that are dying to take photos and videos, don’t worry. You’ll get your chance! Once the entire bridal party has come in, I will queue everyone to take their photos. Then, for the rest of the ceremony, they are requesting for you to put your phones away. So please, out of love and respect for the bride and groom, put your phones on silent and do not use them for the duration of the wedding ceremony. Thank you.”

Processional

ALL RISE FOR THE ENTRANCE OF THE BRIDE. WHO GIVES THIS BRIDE TO THIS MAN?

YOU MAY BE SEATED.

Kayla and Riley, I want you guys to take this time to just turn and look to the audience. These are people that love you with all of their hearts. And these are people that will support you two through every season of life. So now, just breathe in…breathe out...and enjoy this divine moment.

We’re gathered here today to join Kayla and Riley in holy matrimony. A special thanks to all of you that have traveled from far and wide to witness the promise these two are about to make to one another. We’re here to offer our love and support, and to stand with Kayla and Riley as they begin this new chapter of life. And it is my honor to join you in marking the start of Kayla and Riley’s marriage.

Homily - Forever is a long time.

MAIN IDEA: Time is relative when you’re in love. Refer to ChatGPT.

Henry Van Dyke says, “Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.” If you’ve ever been to Disneyland, you probably spent the majority of time waiting in long lines. You want to ride Space Mountain? Gotta wait in line. You want to take a picture with Mickey Mouse? Gotta wait in line. You want to eat a turkey leg? Gotta wait in line. You want to ride the tram from the parking lot to the park itself?! Gotta wait in line. To be honest, I haven’t forgiven Disney since they’ve gotten rid of their Fast Passes.

As much as it sucks to wait in long lines ANYWHERE, consider this…Time seems to bend a bit when you’re with people that you love. You see, if you’re with the right people, a 2-hour wait time to ride Rise of the Resistance can go by *snap* like that. In a conversation I had with Riley and Kayla, Riley said, “even though we’ve been together for 12 years, it only feels like 1.” *This is the part when everyone says, “awwww.”* Ahh, yes. I know, I know. So let’s rewind to 12 years ago, shall we?

Riley and Kayla made it official in 2012. The same exact year my wife and I made our relationship official. There was something in the air that year, I guess. But all relationships have their origin story…

On a random Saturday morning in 2008 or 2009, Kayla and her family visited the San Diego Fil-Am Seventh-day Adventist Church. Before the church service started at 11am, Kayla went to a youth class—we call it “Sabbath School”. If you know anything about Filipino Adventist churches, you know that roots run DEEP. Generations of families attend a church, and members essentially grow up with each other. So much so that we categorize the different youth generations into, what we call, “batches”. Like we’re little pan de sal’s coming out of the oven together. And on that Saturday, Kayla met Riley’s batch.

You see, Riley saw Kayla walk in and thought she was very pretty. He said to himself, “Bruuh, she’s way too old for me.” He felt like he was too young! Buuut, the Sabbath School teacher split the class into age groups. And guess who was placed in the same age group?!

Obviously, Riley was surprised. He said to himself, “wait a second, so you’re telling me there’s a chance?” When they were telling me this story, I asked Kayla, “Sooo, what was going on in your head?!” Mind you, I thought she was going to say something cute and romantic. But on that day, in her head, she thought, “How is it possible that we are in the same age group?” She said that he was so reserved. He made no eye contact. Everyone else had been friends since birth. But everyone was so excited that someone new was there. She said it was super overwhelming. It’s like everyone wanted to know her social security number! That’s youth group for ya…But thankfully their story didn’t stop there.

Time passes, and Riley and Kayla find themselves on roadtrip to a place called Oshkosh, Wisconsin. This roadtrip was important because this is when they started to notice something special in each other. Whenever they would make stops for gas or food, Riley and Kayla would play this game. Mind you, there was never a pre-huddle to discuss the rules of this game. But they just knew, telepathically, that whenever they would make eye contact with each other… the first one to smile…loses… I don’t know what type of rizz that is, but this youth pastor thinks it’s kinda cute.

Somewhere along the road trip, the group stops in Moab. The sun sets. The night arrives. And everyone wanted to explore. At some point, Riley told Kayla to look up. And she sees a starry night sky with shooting stars and everything. It was magical. At that moment, Kayla wasn’t just filled with awe and wonder. At that moment, she knew that this guy was something special.

Ecclesiastes 3:11-13 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.”

I love this text. It doesn’t just say that “He has made everything beautiful”. It says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” The seasons beat in the rhythm of 4. The moon moves through all of its phases every month. Our earth dances around the sun in 365 days (366 this year!) You see, our entire galaxy swings to the rhythm of love. Think about it: No one yells at a flower to grow faster. The gardener plants their seed, and patiently waits for time to do its thing.

Riley and Kayla, God is growing something beautiful in your relationship. You two will be a beacon of light in your families and in your communities. And you two both know that growing a strong marriage isn’t easy work. It takes strength. It takes respect. and it takes a whole lot of patience.

At weddings, its really popular for someone to read a portion of the love chapter in the Bible—1 Corinthians 13. In it, the Apostle Paul tries to find words to articulate this thing that we call love. Now, Paul was in prison when he wrote 1 Corinthians 13. You can imagine him pacing back and forth in his jail cell, trying to find words to describe what love is. And, surprisingly, out of all the words he could’ve picked, the first word he uses to describe love is the word: “patient.” Love is patient.

It took patience for you guys to meet. It took patience for you guys to find each other. It took patience for you to stay together for 12 years. And I know it took a whole lot of patience for you two to plan this wedding.

But what about those moments when your patience runs thin? What if times get rough and you find it impossible to see the light at the end of the tunnel? What then?

How do you get through the rough times? Look no further than the One who created time itself.

Even when things were looking too grim, God—the Eternal One—became a human…subjected Himself to the very thing He created, so that He can be with us.

The older I’m getting (and I know I don’t look that old), I’m learning that marriage isn’t just about doing life together. It’s also about healing our wounds together. And man, healing is gonna take time.

Yes, there will be moments you guys will rub each other the wrong way. There might even be moments you both discover new wounds. Your initial reaction might be to hide or be disgusted, but our Jesus challenges us to react otherwise. Grace is the key that’ll lead to growth and healing. For it is only through the eyes of grace that you can see the beauty in one another.

This is how we grow over time. This is how we grow in love.

But you see, growing in love isn’t about growing a feeling. Yes, having the butterflies in your stomach is part of it. But it’s more than that…love isn’t just a feeling, a power, a source, or an idea. Love is a Person. And His name is Jesus.

Love is the One that brought all of us here together.

Love is the One that meticulously formed the beautiful mountains that surround us.

Love is the One that brought Kayla to Sabbath School that fateful morning.

Love is the One who aligned the stars perfectly that fateful night in Moab.

Love is the One turning this moment into the fateful afternoon you'll remember as the start of forever.

When you two are dancing your hearts out in the quietness of your home, Love will be right there dancing along side of you.

When you two are in the heat of an argument…being the strong Virgos you are, Love will be the one that’ll tell you to sit down, be quiet, and listen.

When you two are teaching your first child how to walk, Love will be there giving their little feet the strength to take their first steps.

When you two are old and gray, taking your grandkids to Sabbath School, you’ll look back at your life and say to each other… “Man, even though we’ve been married for 50 years, it only feels like 1.”

Or in the words of Psalm 84:10, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.”

Riley and Kayla, may you savor every single moment with each other and with our Jesus. Now and forevermore.

PRAY.

Vows

Now we’ve come to one of the most special parts of the day—Riley and Kayla are about to exchange their vows. These are the promises that will carry them through all the highs, lows, and everything in between. It’s a big moment, filled with the love and laughter that brought them here today.

So, let’s start with Riley.

Exchange of Rings

It is now time for you to exchange rings. Your rings symbolize the eternal commitment that you make to each other, and the never ending circle of your love. May these rings always remind you of the commitment you are making here today.

Riley and Kayla, please repeat after me. Let’s start with Kayla

I, Kayla…...give you, Riley…...this ring as a symbol of my love...and commitment to you.

I, Riley…...give you, Kayla…...this ring as a symbol of my love...and commitment to you.

Beautiful.

Veil & Cord

In the filipino culture, it is tradition to have the bride and groom participate in the veil and cord ceremony.

At this time, I’d like to ask Auntie Dinah and Uncle Art to join us and to lay a veil over this couple to signify their union and oneness.

The Veil covers this couple to remind them of the love that covers the both of them. Let this be a symbol of the faithful love you have for each other. Let no distance or barrier separate your hearts and minds.

I now invite Auntie Gemma and Ryan to place a cord over you.

This cord, looped and crossed in the middle, symbolizes the infinite bond of love which brings your hearts and souls together. This bond will keep you strong in the face of adversity. You are no longer two, but one in marriage. May this cord remind you to face your life together courageously and support each other in carrying out your duties and responsibilities as a couple. And, may your love grow stronger and bind you closer together through the years.  Auntie Gemma and Ryan, you may now remove the cord. And Auntie Dinah and Uncle Art, you can now remove the veil. Beautiful

Declaration of Intent

Now,

Do you, Riley, take this woman to be your wedded wife?

…I do...

Do you, Kayla, take this man to be your wedded husband?

…I do...

Declaration of Marriage and the Kiss

By the power invested in me as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I now declare that Riley and Kayla are husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride! (GET OUT THE WAY)

Everyone, it is my greatest honor...to introduce to you..Mr. and Mrs. Banaag!