"For once in my life" Part Two: The Ceremony

I spent a lot of time on our ceremony. In fact, I researched it, and wrote the whole darn thing by myself. (With some input from The Hubs, of course). Even though our ceremony was in a church, it was very important that we have a ceremony that was more spiritual than religious.

Early on, we had planned on getting married at the reception hall. This proved to be way too much drama with the hall management, so we had to find an alternate place. Meanwhile, we had already paid a non-denominational pastor his deposit. Luckily, we found a "Community Church" who was willing to let us get married there without joining or going through weeks of marriage counseling, and *bonus* even let us bring in our own pastor!

Music wise, I had a hard time picking everything out but the recessional. That was pretty much set the day we got engaged.

The Pastor and The Hubs, The Parents (all 3 sets!), and The Bridal Party all processed to Gary Schnitzer's Version of Pachelbel's "Canon in D". While I love "Canon in D", I did everything I could to find another song to use for the processional. It has just been way over used in the weddings I've attended or seen on TV in the past couple of years. In the end, though, it was perfect, and nothing else would have been right. Guess that's why so many people use it, ya think?

(The Hubs' Parents. Awesome folks!)

(MFN and The Hubs' friend Greg).

My father (who apparently forgot how to smile that day) and I walked down the aisle to a traditional version of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring".

There wasn't any music during the ceremony, but I'll share with you our two readings:

First, one of "The Kids", Candice, read "The Blessing of the Hands"

“These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever. These are the hands that will work alongside yours, as together you build your future. These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch, will comfort you like no other. These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief fills your mind. These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes; tears of sorrow, and as in today, tears of joy. These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children, the hands that will help you to hold your family as one. These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it. And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged, will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.”

And later in the ceremony, after we had said our vows, my Step-Dad read "The Blessing For a Marriage" by James Dillet Freeman.

“May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring, and may life grant you also patience, tolerance, and understanding. May you always need one another -- not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness. A mountain needs a valley to be complete. The valley does not make the mountain less, but more. And the valley is more a valley because it has a mountain towering over it. So let it be with you and you.

May you need one another, but not out of weakness. May you want one another, but not out of lack. May you entice one another, but not compel one another. May you embrace one another, but not out encircle one another. May you succeed in all-important ways with one another, and not fail in the little graces. May you look for things to praise, often say, "I love you!" and take no notice of small faults. If you have quarrels that push you apart, may both of you hope to have good sense enough to take the first step back.

May you enter into the mystery that is the awareness of one another's presence -- no more physical than spiritual, warm and near when you are side by side, and warm and near when you are in separate rooms or even distant cities. May you have happiness, and may you find it making one another happy. May you have love, and may you find it loving one another.”

After our unity ceremony, and of course, our kiss, we were husband and wife! You know how I told you earlier that our recessional song was chosen for us the day we got engaged? He proposed during my favorite thing - fireworks - and the perfect song came on just as I said yes.

We walked down the aisle together for the first time as man and wife to the "Back to the Future Theme". When ever I hear that song, I automatically think of the day I got engaged to the man of my dreams. It was the perfect ending to our beginning.

Here's The BFF (a.k.a. The MoHGuyver for the many amazing things she did that day) and The Best Man leaving the church:

Next up: The Reception (but not until I get me some sleep!)