When I meet with couples I discuss their needs and show them samples of ceremonies that I have created. This gives them an idea of the options available to them so they are fully informed of what can be included in a ceremony. What I've come to learn is that one of the major reasons couples decide on a celebrant for their wedding ceremony is so that they have choices.
I help couples create ceremonies that are indicative of their relationship, and spend time with them having fun putting together their ceremony.

The words used in a ceremony should be special to you and consequently I encourage everyone to have as much personal input as possible. I encourage couples to have an introduction that is centered around their values and beliefs. This can be done with the help of completing a simple questionnaire that I prepare for the couple - but does require a bit of homework from the couple to ensure the ceremony is authentic.

Nothing personalises a wedding ceremony more than an introduction that tells the story of the couple meeting, developing their relationship and deciding to get married. This introduction can relate why the bride and groom love each other, tell their family and friends what they mean to them and state the couple's vision for their future together. Writing this introduction is a creative, demanding and sometimes time-consuming task. The couple may do it themselves, but often I write it and the couple then make any changes.

I make this process as simple and relaxed as possible. So on the day you can relax and take it all in - knowing you have someone professional and organised to present it on the day. I am happy to handle the music for you if you choose CD's  - I will legally purchase the songs and then burn the songs to CD to ensure they work on my PA. One less job for you to worry about.

Today we see people coming together to marry - be it young singles,  to blended families, to the more senior people deciding to marry. Whatever your circumstance I would love the opportunity to help create a ceremony for your very special day. If you have children I would always encourage you to incorporate them into the ceremony. This is a very special time for them also, and how good would it be for them to feel a part of this day.

I have many resources available to help you create your own ceremony and I am more than happy to spend time giving you any assistance required to complete the wording. My fee includes unlimited consultations with you to ensure that you are given the time necessary to fulfill all your needs.

Here is a sample of one of my ceremonies - and it is shared with grateful thanks to Lisa and Jens. Please do not reproduce any portion of this ceremony without authorisation.

I share this with heartfelt thanks to Jens and Lisa who were married in November 2008.

Processional - ‘What a wonderful world’ (Louis Armstrong)

Welcome and introduction

I would like to welcome you all here to today to share and witness the celebration of friendship, love and marriage of Jens Rudolf Adomeit and Lisa Ruth McFarlane. My name is Sally Cant and as a celebrant I am very honoured to be here today in this role. I am delighted to be with you all as we celebrate their relationship as Jens and Lisa enter into marriage.

There is an old Irish saying about marriage that promises…

From this day forward,
You shall not walk alone.
My heart will be your shelter,
And my arms will be your home.

We have gathered here to witness and celebrate two young people finding such a home. Jens and Lisa have discovered a soul mate in each other and with the vows they will soon make, they are committing to walking that path together. Most of us dream of journeying through life with that special person who knows how to make us smile, help us believe in ourselves, hold us close and treasure us always. Marriage is a promise, made in the hearts of two people who love each other. It is a commitment that takes a lifetime to fulfil. Within the circle of its love, marriage encompasses all of life's most important relationships. A wife and a husband are each other's lover, teacher, listener, critic, and best friend.

Jens and Lisa are here today, declaring that through the commitment in their hearts and the open declaration of their love, they're embarking on a life together.

I think generally wanting a relationship to stay strong you must be committed to staying true to yourself, committed to accepting yourself as is, committed to standing up for what you believe in. As friends and family you have watched and supported them through their ups and downs. You have all embraced them as a couple. You are here because of the integral part you play in both their lives. And for this they are truly grateful. Knowing this, Jens and Lisa feel proud that you are here today to celebrate the love they have found in each other.

Lisa and Jens’ story

Lisa and Jens are a mix of two people from different backgrounds, now with a shared destiny, but both with a wicked sarcastic wit and sense of humour, and a tangible easiness with each other. This last year has not been an easy road for them. Both having lost their jobs within a week of each other I suppose one could say, at least they had the support and understanding of each other’s situation, but that test of a relationship is one that many do not survive well. They are realistic and know that like all relationships there will be difficult times ahead. But they also know there is a maturity about their relationship that allows each of them the space and respect to sort it out. Relationships require constant nurturing to keep them strong and healthy.

It was on the 11th November 2005, during a blind date with mutual work contacts at the Gee Bung Polo Club in Hawthorn that Lisa and Jens first met. How wonderful that a blind date was actually a good experience and successful! An instant chemistry was obvious. The start to this relationship was difficult as both of them were facing challenging times, and so it wasn’t till April the following year that contact was once again initiated when unbeknown to Jens he rang Lisa on the day of her Mum’s funeral. Their feelings for each other developed and one day Lisa woke up and realised that she didn’t want to ‘NOT’ have this guy in her life, and although they didn’t want to rush into anything they knew this was something special.

They have always felt totally comfortable with each other and Jens knew he’d found his ‘soul mate’ and couldn’t wait to see her, given any possible chance. I know that you both feel extremely lucky to have found each other and that you both share that sense of something special that you don’t want to lose. They remember fondly the weekend trips to each other’s place – Langwarrin and Hawthorn, an instant city apartment and their country retreat.

Marriage is not just about love, it’s about commitment and security and both Jens and Lisa look forward to their future being together as a couple. They are both committed to ensuring they grow as individuals, and together as a couple, throughout their marriage. They are determined to learn from the tough times, enjoy and cherish the fun times and most importantly continue to communicate, listen and be open to each other’s thoughts and feelings. They expect loads of fun, laughter and love in their marriage.

They enjoy doing lots together – even shopping, which is quite impressive Jens! They are both social people who love a fun time, socialising with family and friends, and they really enjoy their own company as well, which I believe is very important in a balanced relationship. They love their lazy Sunday mornings where they walk to breakfast, they love their footy – obviously two Collingwood supporters in the one house are there to pick each other up during the inevitable down times … and as a Collingwood supporter myself I know too well they happen regularly.

I think it’s important at a time like this to reflect on what you love about each other that brings you to a decision to marry.

From Jens I heard how much he loves the beautiful, remarkable, loving, giving, person that Lisa is. She has made him appreciate, enjoy and savour every moment of every day for what it is. She puts a smile on his face every day, even when she is not there and he’s just thinking of her. Lisa loves that Jens is able to make her laugh even when she doesn’t really want to. He makes her realise that life is for enjoying, not worrying. He is fun, caring, kind and loving.

Lisa and Jens, your wedding is not just a marriage of two people; it is a marriage of two families brought together by the love you have found. They know that they are fortunate to have loving families and friends. They will never take for granted the support and love they’ve received over the years and into the future.

Getting together at this age in life is never easy. There are many things to consider and although Nicole and Lisa-Monique are both young adults, it was important to both Jens and Lisa that they were comfortable with their relationship and a genuine friendship was formed. Jens and Lisa are especially grateful for the values which have flowed into them from those who have loved them and nurtured them and pointed them along life’s way. I would like to acknowledge Jen’s mother Helma and father Karl and Lisa’s father Doug and mother Bet, who is no longer with us, but certainly here with us in spirit and looking down with great pride today. The heritage each brings to this marriage will continue to be an important element in their lives, but now will be shared between them. We commemorate the merging of these two rich heritages and in memory of those, living and dead, who were part of these heritages.

They look forward to their future together, regardless of whether they are the good times or the more difficult, which occur for all of us – they know they won’t be facing them alone.

Monitum

As a civil celebrant I am authorised to solemnise marriages according to the laws of this country. Marriage is a serious and binding step that we take in a relationship, and it is the voluntary and full commitment of a man and a woman, to the exclusion of all others made with the firm intention that it will last for life.

The Asking

Marriage is entered into, therefore, believing the purpose of our life is the pursuit of happiness, and understanding it is your partnership which takes priority over all other considerations.

If you are prepared now to choose each other as life companions, husband and wife, please indicate the same by joining hands together. Lisa and Jens, do you promise that you will be kind, faithful, affectionate, tender and a true companion during your life together?

Lisa and Jens together: We do.

Vows

Lisa: I ask everyone here today to witness that I Lisa take you Jens to be my husband. Jens – you are my friend, my confidant, my lover. You make me laugh and cry. You are my strength and you always love me, no matter what. You have managed to help me through bad times and I cannot imagine my life without you. Today, I want to make a promise to you and to myself, in front of our friends and family, to love, honour and protect you for all the days of my life.

Jens: I ask everyone here today to witness that I, Jens, take you, Lisa, to be my wife. Lisa, you are my best mate, my soul mate and my ‘happy place’ Everything I do, I enjoy so much more when we are together. You are the most caring, loving and joyful person I have ever met and I feel truly blessed. I look forward to enjoying the rest of our lives together, savouring every day and appreciating how lucky we are. Lisa, I love you with all my heart!

Ring exchange

Rings have come to symbolise eternal love and endless union of body, of mind, and of the spirit. They have been given by lovers to each other as tokens of faith, trust, and hope as well as a tangible sign of a promise given and kept through the days of their lives together. Rings are the only physical symbol that you will take away from this ceremony. You arrive at your ceremony as a single person and you leave as part of a married couple. The rings on your fingers will remain and symbolise to you and the world that you are now part of a married couple. Today Lisa and Jens show their love is true by giving hand to hand the symbol of eternal love.

Jens ring exchange: Lisa, please accept this ring as a symbol of my commitment to you, let it remind you of my eternal love for you and my pride in being your husband.

Lisa ring exchange: Jens, please accept this ring as a symbol of my commitment to you, let it remind you of my eternal love for you and my pride in being your wife.

Declaration

We are gathered here to celebrate love in all its forms, but especially the love that makes a commitment between two people. Marriage is often seen as the highest commitment between two people. Many people choose to live together as partners but quite often a decision is made to take it to this higher level as a way of expressing to each other and their family and friends the special love that they share with each other.

Marriage is finding the person whom you not only love right now, but that you will love tomorrow and the next. Finding love often in unexpected places gives us a sense of finding a home. A home where you are able to share your innermost thoughts and feelings without fear of judgement or retribution. It allows us a safe space to fall if we need to and also a place to be challenged and grow. With this person by your side anything is possible. Without doubt we all go through difficult times, but it is the strength of our relationships that get you through those times. Finding your true love is not always easy. Sometimes it takes a long time to forge that relationship to the point where you both know it will be forever.

Commitment is not a blind vow, it is an act of faith made with your eyes wide open. You make a commitment like this only with someone who sees, listens and loves you for who you are, someone, whom you desire to know better than anyone else, someone whom you want to love unconditionally. Commitment stretches us, it often pushes us past our comfort zone. It invites us to have more faith and find love in unexpected places. It dares us to surrender to something grander than we ever imagined, beyond fear and insecurities. But it can lead us to a place of openness, growth, challenge and grace.

Everyone you have gathered here with you today shares your joy and joins with me in wishing you a long and happy life together.

By the love that has brought you here today, by the vows you have exchanged, and by the integrity of your commitment, in the presence of the witnesses here, it is my very great pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife.

Jens, you may now kiss your bride.

Signing of register Music – ‘It Had To Be You’ (Harry Connick Jr)

Presentation of certificate

Wishing you lots of laughter, hearts full of cheer, and a love that grows deeper each day. On behalf of everyone here today I wish you both the best for your future together. Ladies and Gentlemen – please congratulate our newly married couple, Lisa and Jens.

Music for recessional: ‘When you’re smiling’ (Louis Armstrong)

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