Wedding Ceremony Number Three (Ring Ceremony)
WE ARE GATHERED HER TODAY TO JOIN THIS MAN AND THIS WOMAN IN MARRIAGE. THOSE WHO ENTER INTO THIS RELATIONSHIP SHOULD CHERISH A MUTUAL LOVE AND RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER, FOR LOVE IS THE VERY FOUNDATION OF MARRIAGE; BUT LOVE BEING LIKE A DELICATE FLOWER MUST BE PROTECTED AND NURTURED IF IT IS TO SURVIVE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AHEAD; AND IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT LOVE COMMANDS THAT YOU MUST CARE IF THE OTHER HURTS. YOU SHOULD BE SENSITIVE TO THE NEEDS AND FEELINGS OF THE OTHER AND BE WILLING TO HELP THE OTHER BECOME ALL THAT THE OTHER CAN BE.IT IS FlJRTHER LOVE'S COMMANDMENT THAT YOU ACCEPT ONE ANOTHER AS THE OTHER IS, FOR ACCEPTANCE IS IMPLICIT IN LOVE. IT IS SAID THAT LOVE IS BLIND AND THIS IS AS IT SHOULD BE. JUST AS YOU MAY SEE ONE ANOTHER AS VERY NEARLY PERFECT, SO IT SHOULD REMAIN FOR THE REST OF YOUR YEARS TOGETHER, BUT, WE HUMANS ARE NOT PERFECT AND WITH THE PASSAGE OF TIME THE VEIL OF LOVE SLIPS A LITTLE REVEALING FAULTS, WEAKNESSES, THEN IT IS LOVE'S COMMANDMENT THAT THOSE FAULTS, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE, BE ACCEPTED, TOLERATED AND FORGIVEN.
AND, YOU SHOULD BE WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE YOUR MUTUAL GOALS TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR MUTUAL HOUSEHOLD, FOR MARRIAGE IS SHARING ... SHARING OF ALL THE WONDERFUL AND JOYOUS THINGS THAT SHALL HAPPEN TO YOU AND SHARING THE BURDENS AND PROBLEMS AS WELL .. AND IN THE SHARING, WHATEVER PROBLEMS YOU MAY HAVE SHOULD BE
MADE SMALLER AND THE JOYS MULTIPLIED.
IT HAS, HOWEVER, BEEN STATED, THAT YOU SHOULD LOVE ONE ANOTHER, BUT
MAKE NOT A BOND OF LOVE, LET IT BE RATHER A MOVING SEA BETWEEN THE
SHORES OF YOUR SOULS; SING AND DANCE TOGETHER AND BE JOYOUS, BUT LET
EACH ONE OF YOURS BE ALONE, EVEN AS THE STRINGS OF A LUTE ARE ALONE
THOUGH THEY QUIVER WITH THE SAME MUSIC; AND STAND TOGETHER, BE NO
TOO NEAR, FOR THE PILLARS OF THE TEMPLE STAND APART AND THE OAK TREE
AND CYPRESS GROW NOT IN EACH OTHER'S SHADOW.
__________________________ WILL YOU HAVE THIS WOMAN TO BE YOUR LAWFULLY
WEDDED WIFE, IN ALL LOVE AND HONOR, IN ALL CARING AND TENDERNESS,
TO LIVE WITH HER AND CHERISH HER IN THE BOND OF MARRIAGE?
_________________________ WILL YOU HAVE THIS MAN TO BE YOUR LAWFULLY
WEDDED HUSBAND, IN ALL LOVE AND HONOR, IN ALL CARING AND
TENDERNESS, TO LIVE WITH HIM AND CHERISH HIM IN THE BOND OF MARRIAGE?
THEN PLEASE TURN TO FACE ONE ANOTHER AND REPEAT AFTER ME:
I, TAKE YOU, AS YOU ARE, TO
BE MY WEDDED WIFE, AND I DO PROMISE AND AGREE TO BE YOUR LOVING AND
FAITHFUL HUSBAND, IN PLENTY AND IN WANT, IN JOY AND IN SORROW, IN
SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH.
I, _______________________TAKE YOU_______________________, AS YOU ARE, TO
BE MY WEDDED HUSBAND, AND I DO PROMISE AND AGREE TO BE YOUR LOVING
AND FAITHFUL WIFE IN PLENTY AND IN WANT, IN JOY AND IN SORROW, IN
SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH.
PLEASE HAND THE RING(S) TO THE BRIDGE AND TO THE GROOM.
THIS RING, WHICH IS A CIRCLE, HAS NO BEGINNING AND NO ENDING. IT IS A
TOKEN OF YOUR PLEDGE OF LOVE TO ONE ANOTHER, A PLEDGE THAT YOUR
LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER SHALL BE UNENDING AS THE CIRCLE OF THIS RING.
PLEASE PLACE THE BRIDE'S RING ON HER LEFT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME,
"WITH THIS RING, I, THEE WED,"
(REPEAT TO BRIDE IF SHE IS GIVING THE GROOM A RING)
BY THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME, BY THE STATE OF ARIZONA, I PRONOUNCE
YOU HUSBAND AND WIFE.