Wedding Ceremony
for
Sabrina Leah Renka & Victor LeGrand Lowther
Facilitated by Christine Kraemer, Celebrant
Processional
Note:
Aisle needs to be wide enough for three; Sabrina will be accompanied by both
her parents.
Opening Prayer (Anderson Feri tradition)
Celebrant: Holy Mother, in whom we live, move, and have our being, from you all things emerge and unto you all things return. Blessed be.
Celebrant: You may be seated.
Statement of Intent
Celebrant: Friends, we are gathered here today in joy and celebration, to support the joining of Sabrina and Victor. They have invited us to bear witness to their love, and to affirm their commitment to journey together as friends, lovers, and partners.
Rituals mark important moments of transition. Sabrina and Victor come before us to celebrate their relationship in all its warm, vibrant stability. But they will not leave this space unchanged. Today we give them our support as they enter a new phase in their lives, and turn toward having children and creating a home in which a prosperous family can be built. We envision with them a relationship that retains its passion, fun, and excitement while also becoming ever more comfortable and reliable. We wish them a marriage that they will never take for granted, but that they will both always feel they can count on.
Blessing
Celebrant: I invite you to join me in the congregational blessing.
Celebrant: [making
pentagram with feather] I bless this union with air, for clarity and
intellect.
Congregation: May Sabrina and Victor be
clear of mind, to make wise decisions.
Celebrant: [holding
hand over fire, then making pentagram] I bless this union with fire, for
desire and drive.
Congregation: May Victor and Sabrina have strength of
will, to keep their passion burning.
Celebrant: [making
pentacle with chalice] I bless this union with water, for compassion and
understanding.
Congregation: May Sabrina and Victor be
open of heart, to be gentle with each other in hard times.
Celebrant: [making
pentacle with heavy stone sphere] I bless this union with earth, for
stability and endurance.
Congregation: May Victor and Sabrina have health and
prosperity, to create a nurturing home.
Celebrant: [raising arms] I
call on spirit to bless this couple, in the sacred name of Love.
Congregation: In the name of Life, may they have joy.
Blessed be.
Ring Warming
Celebrant: Victor and Sabrina have asked that the congregation participate in their union through the warming of their rings. Will the ushers present the rings? [Ushers give rings to people in back row.] Hold the ring for a moment and then pass it to your neighbor and forward, remembering an instance of love and connection in your life. These rings are circles, symbols of the endless cycle of life: the turning of the seasons, the waxing and waning of the moon, the movement of the sun across the sky.
Each of us have been or will be children, young people,
adults in our prime, elderly and wise; together we are, have been, or will be
friends, lovers, parents, siblings, grandparents, extended family, chosen
family. We wear many faces in the cycle of life, and all of them may be worn in
love. Let us strive to give a piece of that love to Sabrina and Victor. [Ushers keep an eye on the ring passing
during the readings, make sure rings go where they’re
supposed to. Parents get them last, then they go to Nora and Jody, then Kathy
and Brandon, who will give them to the bride and groom before the vows.]
Presentation and Parental Blessing
Celebrant: Will the parents of the couple come forward?
Celebrant: Sabrina, how do you come here today?
Sabrina: Willingly, and in love and trust. [or similar words; takes parents’ hands]
Celebrant: Paula and Russell, do you support and bless Sabrina’s choice in this union?
Parents: We do.
Celebrant: Victor, how do you come here today?
Victor: Willingly, and in love and trust. [or similar words; takes parents’ hands]
Celebrant: Pam and Ed, do you support and bless Victor’s choice in this union?
Parent: We do.
[Parents sit.]
Binding in Water and Wine
Celebrant: [pours water into chalice] All living things need water. It is the lifeblood of the earth, and even now it courses through us in blood, moistens our skin as sweat, makes our tongues supple. Drink, as a sign that your bodies and hearts are joined in love.
Each, holding cup for other: Drink deeply of me. May you never thirst.
Note: To
minimize spillage, the drinker should put hir hands
over hir partner’s and
direct the movement of the cup hirself.
Celebrant: [adds wine to chalice] Wine is made by human hands, from the crushed fruits of the Goddess’ abundant bounty. It is more than simple sustenance; wine intoxicates, it bursts onto the tongue like a song. It is more than we need, but not necessarily more than we want. Drink, as a sign of your passion for each other, that your bodies and hearts may be joined not just in love, but in ecstasy.
Each, holding cup for each other: Drink deeply of me. May I always give you pleasure.
Vows and Ring Exchange
Pronouncement
Celebrant: Please join hands. [placing hands over theirs] The Goddess proclaims that all acts of love and pleasure are her rituals. By my power as her priestess, I now pronounce you husband and wife.
Kiss
Benediction (adapted
from Robin Morgan)
Celebrant:
Victor and Sabrina,
Blessed
be your brains, that you may conceive of your own
power.
Blessed
be your hands and breasts, that you may give
sustenance to those you love.
Blessed
be your loins, that you may create what you choose to
create.
Blessed
be your knees, that you may bend so as not to break.
Blessed
be your feet, that you may walk in the path of your
highest will. So may it be.
Celebrant: And now, may I present to you… Sabrina & Victor Lowther!
Recessional
Celebrant: The wedding party will pose for pictures just after the ceremony; I invite you to linger and take part in the process before the reception, which will be held [location]. Enjoy!
All materials not otherwise credited are © Copyright 2006 by Christine Hoff Kraemer.