The Ceremony

I would like to share our ceremony with you, so shall do so interspersed with photos from the occasion.

Welcome! Good evening, family and friends
We have come here today to celebrate the wedding
of Mary Lorraine [..] and Nathan Daniel [..]

On behalf of Mary and Nathan, or Opie as many of you may know him,
Thank you for joining us.
They are delighted that you have come to share in their joy
During this special day.
By your presence, you celebrate with them
The love they have discovered in each other
And you support their decision to commit themselves to a lifelong relationship

Marriage is a bond to be entered into only after considerable thought and reflection.
Today, Mary and Opie demonstrate their devotion to each other
By dedicating themselves to a life together
And they show their respect for each other
By setting forth to honor the vows they have created
Today, their lives, which began on separate paths, will be joined as one



My hope for you is this;
that you have many long years to delight in each others company,
to feel gratitude for your great good fortune
in having found and loved each other,
to make a home together that is at once sheltering and welcoming,
to each do meaningful, productive work at home and in the world
and to love and be loved by the friends and family
who have come here today to support you…



Now, I ask that these friends and family stand,
And that you turn and acknowledge them, as they acknowledge you



As family and friends,
You form a community of support
That surrounds Mary and Opie
Each of you, by your presence here today
Is being called upon
To uphold them in loving each other

Always stand beside them, never between them
Offer them your love and your support
Not your judgment
Encourage them when encouragement is needed
And listen to them when they ask for advice

In these ways, you can honor this marriage
Into which they will be joined today

Do you offer your love and support
To strengthen their marriage
And bless this family created by their union?

Please answer by saying : We do

[Guests: We do]

Thank you, you may be seated.



Opie's Aunt Katherine will now share a reading chosen by Mary and Opie. I invite you to think of these mighty oak trees under which we stand and of the two people before you as Katherine reads.



"Love is a temporary madness; it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of eternal passion. That is just being in love, which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two."

Cue tears!


Mary and Opie, the symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, “You know all those things we’ve promised and hoped and dreamed-
well, I meant it all, every word.”
Look at one another and remember this moment in time.
Before this moment you have been many things to one another-
acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, accomplice, and even teacher,
for you have learned much from one another in these last few years.
Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life,
and things will never quite be the same between you.
For after these vows, you shall say to the world,
this - is my husband,
this - is my wife.



Opie, do you take Mary to be your lawful wedded wife?
(Opie responds, "I do.")
Do you promise to love and cherish her,
in sickness and in health,
for richer for poorer,
for better for worse,
and forsaking all others,
keep yourself only unto her,
for so long as you both shall live?
(Opie responds, "I do.")



Mary, do you take Opie to be your lawful wedded husband?
(Mary responds, "I do.")
Do you promise to love and cherish him,
in sickness and in health,
for richer for poorer,
for better for worse,
and forsaking all others,
keep yourself only unto him,
for so long as you both shall live?
(Mary responds, "I do.")

Now, please turn and declare your wedding vows to each other.



(Opie:)
Mary, I promise to be your faithful and loving husband,
to cherish your intellect and uniqueness,
to delight in your happiness and comfort you in sorrow,
to communicate openly and honestly and to listen carefully,
to support and encourage you,
and to be your eager partner in exploring the things we have yet to learn and places we have yet to go.
My love is yours now, and for all the days before us.



(Mary:)
Opie, I promise to be your faithful and loving wife,
to cherish your intellect and uniqueness,
to delight in your happiness and comfort you in sorrow,
to communicate openly and honestly and to listen carefully,
to support and encourage you,
and to be your eager partner in exploring the things we have yet to learn and places we have yet to go.
My love is yours now, and for all the days before us.



May I have the rings please? Opie and Mary, may your wedding rings be forever a reminder of the vows you have made to each other here today. May they be for you always your most treasured adornment, and may the love they symbolize be your most treasured possession.

Opie, please place this ring on Mary's finger and repeat after me:
“Mary, I give you this ring as a symbol and reminder of my love for you and my commitment to our marriage. I am honored to call you my wife.”



Mary, please place this ring on Opie’s finger and repeat after me:
“Opie, I give you this ring as a symbol and reminder of my love for you and my commitment to our marriage. I am honored to call you my husband.”


Mary's brother Tom will now offer one last bit of advice as you go forward, as written by Ogden Nash.



"To keep your marriage brimming,
With love in the loving cup,
Whenever you're wrong admit it;
Whenever you're right shut up."



And on that note,
Opie and Mary, we have heard your promise to share your lives in marriage.
We recognize and respect the vows you have made here this day
Before each one of us as a witness.



In the honesty and sincerity of what you have said and done here today,
And by the authority vested in me by the state of Texas,
I now pronounce you husband and wife!
Opie, you may now kiss your bride!



I am honored and privileged to present
Mr. and Mrs. Nathan [..]!



I love that you can see my dad and Opie's mom reaching out to touch us, as TJ rocks out on "Crazy Little Thing Called Love". Such a perfect recessional.




Kelsey, straight pimpin'.


Virgil the biker officiant did a great job bringing our ceremony to life.



All photos by Jenna Cole, unless otherwise denoted by watermark as Lynn Nguyen's.
I purchased a disc of unedited high resolution photos from Jenna, so all photos by her have been edited by me for the purpose of sharing them with you.
The ceremony was pulled together predominately from these 3 sources: Peonies & Polaroids, Mrs. Cherry Pie, and IndieBride.