I love creating ceremonies that are warm, personal and fun. 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. I keep the process relaxed, fun and professional.

To offer you the very best options and flexibility I base my fee on $80.00 per hour. After meeting with you and discussing your needs I can confirm the fee based on what you are after. So come along and meet me at a no-obligation meeting and discuss your plans.

Just to give you a comparison of what you are investing in, if you were to decide to marry at the Registry Office, which is no more than a legal ceremony of approx 10 mins with no input by you - you would expect to pay close to $500.00. 

By investing in a personalised customised process you will have the best possible marriage ceremony based on your needs and requirements and will be enjoyed by yourselves and every guest. (See many testimonials from my clients)

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.

It is with much joy that I share my sons wedding with you all - and it is shared with grateful thanks to Dan and Jess. Please do not reproduce any portion of this ceremony without authorisation.

Wedding of Daniel Cant and Jessica Murphy 3rd Dec 2011 - CONGRATULATIONS.......
Entrance Music – Bella’s Lullaby – Twilight theme

Welcome
Good afternoon everyone. My name is Sally Cant and I am a Civil Celebrant. I am delighted to welcome you all to Immerse Winery today, to witness and share in this most special occasion, the joining in marriage of Daniel Bradley Cant and Jessica Anne Murphy.
As Daniel’s mother and very proudly Jess’s future mother-in-law, I am very privileged to stand here today in this capacity having watched this relationship grow from its inception. So thank you both for inviting me to have this responsibility on your special day.

Choosing the right venue was important to Jess and Daniel – they wanted the ceremony to be personal and intimate, really reflecting who they are and what they care about. They love the outdoors and the country, so this was the perfect location for them.

I’d like to introduce the bridal party today. Alongside Dan is his brother Ben, and his best mates Randal, Matt and Jack.
And here today supporting Jess is her sister Eliza, closest friends Lucy and Leesa, and her soon to be sister-in-law Jess.
Dan and Jess thank you for accepting this important responsibility which I know -  for all of you is a great honour.

A good marriage is unique to every couple. There is no model for a perfect marriage. Finding the right person who shares your meaning of an ideal and blissful married life is the key to it. Between you and your partner, there should be love, trust, respect, open communication, honesty, humility, appreciation and a good sense of humour, sharing of responsibility and absolute commitment and fidelity. A marriage will work when there is no pride between you and your partner and when you can still love each other even during times of distress or when things don't turn out right. You must know how to accept each other’s faults and being able to forgive. Learning to compromise is a must.Another factor that can make your marriage click is to become each other's best friend, and I think that is what you have both done. You share similar goals and hopes like a team and you have respect for each other's families. Most of all, keeping the romance alive by spending time together can certainly make your marriage fulfilling and exciting.Jess and Dan share a very special bond and can’t imagine spending their lives with anyone else. They know the beautiful things marriage brings, and know that it is not always easy. They believe that marriage is about compromise and growth, and letting each other grow as individuals whilst still moving together in the same direction. They also see this commitment as a way of unifying them as a family and this ceremony allows them to make a formal and public commitment of their devotion to each other. They expect to remain as respectful, loving and devoted to each other as they always have been, to grow together as individuals, as a couple and as a family supporting each other throughout their marriage.

When I was writing this ceremony I was thinking about the work that Dan does every day and that marriage is in many ways like a new garden. It is created overtime through a lot of hard work, through knowing when to ask for help, and through having a strong vision and following it through, while always being willing to make compromises along the way.All gardens need to be nurtured through the tests of changing seasons as there will always be times of too much sun or too much rain. This is a natural factor of life. With the correct care and a brave heart, your garden of love will continue to flourish come rain or shine to be enjoyed daily, gazed upon enviously by passers-by, and emulated by generations to come. It will be your continued ability to communicate that will see you withstand the test of time, though those challenges. But as with a garden, dedication and nurturing will always yield reward in the abundance and satisfaction of knowing you’ve worked together to create something truly beautiful.

All of you here today to witness Daniel and Jess’s marriage have played a special role in their lives to date and throughout their relationship and I urge you to continue to love and support them as they begin their journey as a married couple.For two people who have committed their lives to each other in marriage, the lifeblood of their future is found in their shared love, emotional and physical, their friendship with each other and those around them, and their strong values that form the centre of their being and the creation of their own family. Marriage is gift, a gift given to each other that has stood the test of time, from generation to generation.  Marriage is the security within Daniel and Jess’s commitment that binds their lives and blends their families.   Daniel and Jess will look back on today and will be reminded of the importance of having their family and their friends with them to witness their commitment to each other at the beginning of their marriage. 

Reading 1 Read by Mary-Anne
Excerpt from ‘The Velveteen Rabbit’ by Margery Williams
"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"
"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."
"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit. "Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt." "Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?" "It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

Pledge to Enjoy
Having you all here to share in this ceremony was so important to Jess and Dan. So, as part of this ceremony Jess and Dan would like you to be actively involved and so I will ask you all to make the first vow. Could I ask you all to raise your right hand and repeat after me?…….

I  promise, that I will enjoy today and celebrate the occasion with a glass of champagne.
I will speak to and laugh with friends and strangers and thoroughly enjoy myself.
I will return home with memories of a fabulous day!

Palm Ceremony
Please face each other and hold each other’s 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 ach 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 where fear or grief fills your mind. These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes; tears of sorrow, and tears of joy. These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children. These are 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.

The Story of Dan and Jess
It was in 2009 that Jess and Dan met. The story goes that they met through friends, which is somewhat true - but clearly the story most of us knew was not quite accurate. It appears social media was the instigator in this relationship – and that is very surprising for those of you who know Dan’s earlier aversion to using anything to do with computers!Nonetheless they set themselves up on a blind date after finding each other on face book! Dan saw Jess on a mutual friend’s page and added her as a friend. Jess surprisingly accepted and after a comment about mutual love of chocolate, ended up in a conversation resulting in the exchange of phone numbers and the setting of a dinner date. From the beginning there was an instant attraction to each other.

From the moment they met they knew it was something special but it was after a holiday to Noosa – after only two months of dating – that they knew they loved one another. Jess had invited Dan on this trip to Noosa with a group of her friends. The trip went so well they moved in together the week they got home from that trip and knew that they wanted to be together forever. I remember meeting Jess for the first time back in 2009 – and I felt like I had known her for years – her friendly warm nature was so easy to love. And we could tell by Dan’s behavior that this was something very unique, we had never seen him happier, nor more content and relaxed in a relationship. They have great memories already of their relationship. Their first summer was wonderful – enjoying their first Christmas together with each other’s families, and water skiing trips to Cobram and Lake Eildon.

Dan proposed down on bended knee on the 31st October last year, whilst walking along the boardwalk at St Kilda beach – So excited was he that by the time he got down on bended knee and had the ring ready, he had people in between him and Jess. Which was somewhat embarrassing!Together they are a team – side by side they combine all their strengths to deal with any weaknesses - in the relationship. They love doing things together, whether that be taking the boat out for a water ski, going for a ride of the motorbike, or just sitting outside enjoying the sunshine. They are at their happiest when they are together.

I asked them what they love about each other and their responses were: Daniel loves the way that Jess puts things into perspective. As most people know if there is something he wants or something he needs, he usually has no issue putting himself in debt to get it. Jess has taught him how to actually save money! Something he knew nothing about. He loves the way that Jess is so in charge of everyday things, like getting a phone call at 7am to ask what he wants for dinner, when he hasn’t even thought of what he wants for breakfast. The thing he loves the most about Jess is that no matter what’s going on at any one time she is always there for him. She is the love of his life and he can’t wait to spend the rest of his life with her.

Jess says that Daniel understands her. He loves her unconditionally and will do anything to ensure that she is happy. Dan has taught her not to take life so seriously, to live each day to its fullest and enjoy every minute. Dan will do anything to make her laugh, even at times when she’s annoyed and trying so hard not to. She loves that he is so protective of her and supports her in everything she does. He brightens up each and every day. 

When your best friend makes you smile from the inside and you both decide that life is unimaginable without each other, it is then time to declare it from the rooftops!Looking toward their future they have consciously committed to continuing to nurture a relationship that is loving, inspiring and supportive of each other. They will continue to build their life together, supporting each other through the good and difficult time. They hope to build a family of their own and live and long and happy life together as husband and wife.

Family
Today is much more than the marriage of Daniel and Jess, it is a marriage of two families brought together by the love you have found.  You both come from reasonably big families and you love spending time with every one of them.It is also the formal joining of their families who many months ago gave their support to the marriage of these two beautiful people.  Family is everything to Daniel and Jess. For them family is what makes everything meaningful. They know they are lucky to have families that support and encourage them in their personal life and their work. We would also like to make mention that Jess, Daniel and their families are mindful of people in their lives who are no longer with us, or who are unable to attend today – but know they are here in spirit looking down with much pride today.

Monitum
As a civil Celebrant I am authorized by the laws of Australia to conduct this ceremony. In the presence of your family and friends I am required to remind you publicly of the solemn and serious nature of the relationship you are about to enter. Our laws define Marriage as a binding relationship between a man and a woman, entered into freely, excluding all others, and it is entered into with the firm intention that it will last for life.

The Asking
With the understanding of what you are consenting to, I ask you both.
Do you come to this relationship of your own free will, to love each other?
Do you promise to be faithful, tender and true to each other and your marriage throughout your lifetime?
Both reply-   We Do

Vows
Dan: I ask everyone here today to witness that I Daniel take you Jessica to be my lawful wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow and forever.
Jess: I ask everyone here today to witness that I Jessica take you Daniel to be my lawful husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow and forever.

Ring ExchangePresentation of Rings by Ben
A wedding ring is a recognizable symbol of love.
The wedding ring is the most famous and instantly recognisable symbol of the joining of a man and a woman as husband and wife in the institution of marriage.The ring is of course a circle and is the symbol of eternity. It had no beginning and no end. The hole in the centre of the ring is not just space either; it is important in its own right as the symbol of the gateway, or door; leading to things and events both known and unknown.It is not difficult therefore, to see how the ring and the gift of a ring is associated with love, in the hope that this most worthy of emotions could take on the characteristics of the circle and capture eternity.

Dan
Jess, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment. Let it always remind you that this is my promise for a lifetime.

Jess
Daniel, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment. Let it always remind you that this is my promise for a lifetime.

Reading 2 – Read by Bianca
I Carry You In My Heart By E. E. Cummings
I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)
I am never without it (anywhere I go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling
I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)
I want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
And it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
And whatever a sun will always sing is you Here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
And this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart I carry your heart  (I carry it in my heart)

Declaration
I think falling in love is rather like being lost and then finding a ‘safe place’ that we call ‘home’. Leaving behind everything that was, for everything that is yet to come. From the first step we are changed forever and our life becomes reshaped from that moment onwards. The very best gift we can give to anyone is the experience of love, either in friendship, in our relationships or in marriage. When we give love, we soon discover that we receive more love in return. “Give a little, receive a lot” may seem a strange phenomenon to many of us. But love, unlike money, need not be saved to make a fortune. For our investment will reap loving rewards over and over, throughout the years.

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 and loves you for who you are, 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 if we allow ourselves to be courageous and take this step it can lead us to a place of openness, growth, challenge and grace.

Today Dan and Jess presented themselves to be joined in marriage, and most of us agree there is no greater commitment made between two people.As they embark on their new journey as husband and wife, Dan and Jess will embrace their life as it unfolds before them. They will continue to meet the challenges, celebrate their achievements and be strengthened by their commitment of love and family values.Making a marriage work is a mutual effort by the couples and it takes work. Don't forget that the ultimate foundation that will make it work is the friendship you have formed and the LOVE that you both shared from the time you two met and made plans for spending your lives together forever as husband and wife. So, don't let that love fade away!
By the vows that you made to each other it is my greatest pleasure in the presence of your friends and family to pronounce you Husband and Wife.
I now invite you to share your first kiss as husband and wife.

Signing of Register
Music – I’ll be – by Edwin McCain
Ladies and Gentlemen Daniel and Jess and Ben and Geraldine  will now sign the register. While they do this please enjoy the music.

Presentation of Marriage Certificate
Please Stand
Ladies and Gentlemen Dan and Jess will be heading off for photos shortly and may not catch up with everyone until you meet again at 5.30pm at Sutherland Estate which is just 5 klms up the highway on the right just past DeBortoli.Having been a celebrant for 16 years and married thousands of couples I can say that today is one of the most special ceremonies I have had the pleasure of conducting.Daniel and Jess we are at the end of your wedding ceremony. Along with your family and friends I congratulate you both on your commitment to be married and wish you ongoing love and happiness for the rest of your lives. We look forward to watching you both grow as individuals and as a family and will be there to support you every step of the way. Ladies and Gentleman it is with my greatest pleasure that I ask you to please welcome Mr and Mrs Daniel and Jessica Cant  - our newlyweds.

Recessional
Music – Somebody like you – by Keith Urban

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 authorized by law to solemnise this ceremony according to the laws of Australia. Lisa and Jens, before you are joined together in marriage in my presence and in the presence your family and friends here today I am bound to remind you publicly of the solemn, the serious and the binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter. Marriage, is the voluntary and full commitment of a man and a woman, made in the deepest sense to the exclusion of all others, entered into 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 lawful wedded husband. Jen,  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 lawful wedded 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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