Location: Aubrey, Texas

Date: November 2015

Setting: The following wedding took place North of Dallas, TX in a newly built, fairly large venue, with large dressing rooms, a kitchen, stage, dance floor, and an outside gazebo on a small man-made hill just to the side of the main venue building. Unfortunately, it rained that day so we performed the ceremony on the large stage inside instead of the originally planned gazebo.

Procession
(Walk as lead of Groomsmen procession to stage)

(Bridal song comes on and everyone stands)

(After bride and groom on stage indicate everyone can sit)

(Tell everyone to silence phones)

(Erica Joins Pablo on Stage)

WELCOME
Dear family and friends, it is my humble privilege to welcome you all to this joyous occasion this afternoon. An occasion to witness the affirming love of Erica and Pablo. Today we send our blessings, our best wishes, our smiles, and our laughs. Today we participate in a historical moment of young love and adventure. Today they, as Erica would say, are FINALLY joining their lives in the union of marriage.

Thank Guests
Erica and Pablo are happy to share this special moment with
you all. Many of you they have known their entire lives and some of you for varied portions of their lives for a myriad of reasons. But regardless of how you may know them, you have all been sources of support leading to this very special day and they want to thank you all for that.

Thanks Parents
In the front rows we have the loving parents of the happy couple. Erica would like to thank her mother and father for providing her with every
opportunity possible and for letting her have the wedding of her
dreams. And Pablo deeply appreciates all the love and support his parents have given him over the years.

Ancestral Tribute
A wedding is generally about creating present day memories for a brilliant future. But it is also a day that the couple would like to momentarily recall and honor family that no longer grace the earth with us. In honorarium of those we love but can only be here in spirit, we pay tribute to them as honored guests of the front row and also as symbolized tokens in Erica’s bouquet. May their presence grace this day, these grounds, this ceremony, this couple, and all of us witness.

BLESSING OF THE MARRIAGE
Me: First, who supports this woman in her decision to marry this man?

Erica’s Parents: We do.

Me: Thank You.

HAND FASTENING RITUAL
The first ritual the bride and groom have chosen to incorporate is a traditional hand fastening ceremony that both of their mothers will conduct. Once in Spanish, followed by once in English. It is a symbolic binding of the hands that inspired the terms “bonds of holy matrimony” and to “tie the knot”. Hands are a connection to the heart, and a hand blessing symbolically brings two hearts together as one.

(Invite Señora NNNN and Señora NNNN to the front)

Me: Now join your hands, and with your hand’s and hearts look into each other’s eyes.

(Teresa recites in Spanish while Delia begins tying 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 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 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.

(Delia recites in English while Teresa completes knot)

Me: May these hands continue to build a loving relationship that lasts a
lifetime. With eyes locked, and hands linked, this ritual is a beautiful
symbol of the union of two hearts, two lives, and two souls.

DECLARATION OF INTENT & VOWS
We now come to the words Erica and Pablo want to hear the most
today…the words that take them across the threshold from being
engaged to being married.

A modern marriage, as most of us understand it, is a fully voluntary commitment. The companionship leading to this day
will be the bedrock of your marriage. The agreement to marry underpins that companionship that will soon be expressed in your own written vows. But before we hear your own individually written vows I will ask you to declare this commitment in front of all of us today.

Me: Pablo NNNN, do you take Erica NNNN to be your
wife, to live with her in marriage, to love her, comfort her, honor and
keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, as long
as you both shall live?

Pablo: I do

Me: And do you Erica NNNN, take Pablo NNNN to be your
husband, to live with him in marriage, to love him, comfort him, honor
and keep him, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, as
long as you both shall live?

Erica: I do

Me: With their publicly declared commitment, the bride and groom would additionally like to express their own individual vows.

(Pablo states vows)

(Erica states vows)

LASSO RITUAL
Pablo and Erica have also chosen to incorporate the lasso ritual into their
wedding ceremony today. The lasso is a wedding ritual in which the
couple is bound together with a ceremonial rosary. The lasso, as well
as all of the gifts given during the ritual have been blessed by the
Catholic Church with the added blessing that the lasso being used today is the same lasso Erica’s parents used for their wedding 34 years ago.

(Invite both sets of God Parents forward to stand at side)

(Cristan’s place pillows before bride and groom)
Erica’s God parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ernesto NNNN are gifting cushions
that the bride and groom will be kneeling on today and Pablo’s god
parents will be lassoing them.

Pablo and Erica, I ask you to hold each others hands and to look into each other’s eyes and jointly confirm all that I am about to ask you.

(Pablo’s god parents begin lassoing)
Me: Will you honor and respect one another, and seek to never break that
honor?
Will you share each other’s pain and seek to ease it?
Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in
this union?
Will you share each other’s laughter, and look for the brightness in life
and the positive in each other?
If you promise the above state “we will”.

Erica & Pablo: We will.

Pablo and Erica, above you are the stars and below you is the earth. Like the stars your love should be a constant source of light, and like the earth, a firm
foundation from which to grow.

(Prayer)
I now ask that everyone bow their heads with guiding thoughts as i say a prayer for the bride and groom.

Me: Bless the marriage of Pablo and Erica as they begin their journey
down the road of life together. God, we are grateful to you for
helping them to make the best of whatever comes their way.
We are thankful that they can continue to enjoy each other as they did
when they first met and for helping them to realize that nothing nor no
one is perfect and to look for the good in all things and in all people,
including themselves. Thank you for helping them to respect and accept each others opinions, beliefs, hopes, dreams and fears.
Thank you for helping them to learn from each other and to help each
other grow mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Thank you for helping them to realize that no matter what happens to
them they will hold on to each other and know that things have a way
of working out for the good. Thank you as you help them to create a life for their children of a peaceful and stable home of foundational love.
But most of all, dear God, thank you for helping them to keep lit the
flame of love’ that they now share, so that by their loving example they
may pass on the light of love to their children and to their children’s
children forever and ever. Amen.

All: Amen

(Pablo’s god parents remove lasso)

PRESENTATION OF BIBLE, ROSARY, AND ARRAS
I now ask Mr. and Mrs. Daniel NNNN and Mr. and Mrs. Pete
NNNN to come forward to present their gifts to the bride and groom.

(Ramirez’ Present Bible and Rosary as I speak)
First, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel NNNN will present Erica and Pablo with their
bible and rosary that will sit by their bedside each night to keep God in
their marriage and to pass on the word of God to their children.

(Ornelas’ Give Arras to Pablo as I speak)
Second, Mr. and Mrs. Pete Ornelas will present the arras or coins to Pablo and Erica that they will exchange between each other.

Originally there was an understanding of the husband as the “bread
winner” and the wife as the “home maker” so the arras were given and
received not in a spirit of reciprocity but in a give and take relationship.
Nowadays the arras are a reminder of good stewardship for all
couples; that they will mutually support each other, their children and
the world around them. May God bless these coins that symbolize
mutual support and responsibility.

Pablo, pass these arras to Erica and repeat these words.

Me: Erica, I give you these coins as a pledge —

Pablo: Erica, I give you these coins as a pledge —

Me: — of my dedication to you —

Pablo: — of my dedication to you —

Me: — and to the care of our home —

Pablo: — and to the care of our home —

Me: — and the welfare of our future children.

Pablo: — and the welfare of our future children.

Now Erica repeat after me.

Me: I gracefully accept them.

Erica: I gracefully accept them.

(Erica Passes Arras back to Pablo)

Me: And I too give you these coins as a pledge —

Erica: And I too give you these coins as a pledge —

Me: — of my dedication to you —

Erica: — of my dedication to you —

Me: — and to the care of our home —

Erica: — and to the care of our home —

Me: — and the welfare of our future children.

Erica: — and the welfare of our future children.

(Pablo gives Arras back to Gracie to place on table)

EXCHANGE OF WEDDING RINGS
Erica and Pablo will now exchange rings. The custom of wearing the ring on the ring finger, as we call it, derives from the ancient misconception that the vein running from this finger was the finger that led directly to the heart. The wearing of the ring is a visible sign that they have committed themselves to one
another.

(Signal to David to give Erica’s Ring to Pablo)

Pablo, please take Erica’s hand and repeat these words.

Me: I give you this ring —

Pablo: I give you this ring —

Me: — as a symbol of my love and devotion to you —

Pablo: — as a symbol of my love and devotion to you —

Me: — for today, tomorrow, and for all the days to come.

Pablo: — for today, tomorrow, and for all the days to come.

Me: I pledge to you all that I am —

Pablo: I pledge to you all that I am —

Me: — and all that I will ever be as your husband.

Pablo: — and all that I will ever be as your husband.

Me: With this ring, I gladly marry you —

Pablo: With this ring, I gladly marry you —

Me: — and join my life, my heart and my soul to yours.

Pablo: — and join my life, my heart and my soul to yours.

(Pablo places ring on Erica’s finger)

(Signal to David to give Pablo’s ring to Erica)

Erica, please take Pablo’s hand and repeat these words.

Me: I give you this ring —

Erica: I give you this ring —

Me: — as a symbol of my love and devotion to you —

Erica: — as a symbol of my love and devotion to you —

Me: — for today, tomorrow, and for all the days to come.

Erica: — for today, tomorrow, and for all the days to come.

Me: I pledge to you all that I am —

Erica: I pledge to you all that I am —

Me: — and all that I will ever be as your wife.

Erica: — and all that I will ever be as your wife.

Me: With this ring, I gladly marry you —

Erica: With this ring, I gladly marry you —

Me: — and join my life, my heart and my soul to yours.

Erica: — and join my life, my heart and my soul to yours.

(Erica places ring on Pablo’s finger)

CLOSING THOUGHTS
Erica and Pablo, I will close with some final words for you.

“You have known each other from the first glance as acquaintances
to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry.
From that moment of yes, too this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making commitments in an informal way. All of those conversations that were held in a car, or over a meal, or during long walks – all those conversations that began with, ‘When we’re married’, and continued with ‘I will’ and ‘you will’ and ‘we will’– all those late night talks that included ‘someday’ and ‘somehow” and ‘maybe’– and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. ‘All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding.
‘The symbolic vows that you have made are a way of saying to one another,
‘You know all those things that 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, dancing partner, even teacher, for you have learned much from one another these past few years. Now you’re stepping across a threshold of life, and things between you will never quite be the same.
‘For starting today you shall say to the world – ‘This is my husband.’ ‘This is my wife.’

LEGAL PRONOUNCEMENT
And so with that said and with the power vested in me by the great State of Texas, it is my honor to pronounce as husband and wife. Pablo, you may FINALLY kiss your bride!

(Pablo kisses Erica)

(Cheers)

ANNOUNCE COUPLE
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to present the newlyweds – Mr.
and Mrs. Pablo NNNN.

(Couple walks back down aisle)

(Bridesmaids and Groomsmen walk back down aisle)

(I end the procession back down the aisle)

END