Ceremony Script

Becker:

Any of you in the audience who happen to know me, probably know well of my cynicism. But despite my own cynical nature, I'm a firm believer in the strength that love gives people. That love helps them to stand when the weight of the world would otherwise break them. Love implores us to be better, to accomplish feats which we thought were never possible. Love inspires kindness and the creation of beauty, which many of us share with the world. Love is the fiercest and yet, the most tender expression of the soul. And today we're all here to bear witness to the love of Ari and Addela as they are joined in holy matrimony.

Please remember that love, laughter, and open communication are the foundations of a happy and enduring home. The man and woman who can laugh at their love, who can kiss with smiles and embrace with chuckles, will outlast in mutual affection all the throat-lumpy, cow-eyed couples of their acquaintance. No love retains its perennial bloom like the love with a funny bone.

Do you Ari, take this woman, Addela, to be your lawful and wedded wife?  Do you promise to love her, and comfort her, to honor her and keep her in sickness and in health, in prosperity and adversity, and forsaking all others, be faithful to her, as long as you both shall live?

Ari:

I do.

Becker:

Do you, Addela, take this man, Ari, to be your lawful and wedded husband?  Do you promise to love him and comfort him, to honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, in prosperity and adversity, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him, as long you both shall live?

Addela:

I do.

Ari & Addela face each other

Ari:

Life has been good to us.

Thank you so much for accepting me as the man that I am.  I can’t tell you how much it means to me that although I’m willing to compromise a situation to make you happy, I never have to compromise myself.  That freedom is invaluable, and it’s important to me that you know how amazing you are for being so understanding.  To all listening now, you can trust that I’ve tested that ability to be understanding on a pretty regular basis.

Early on in our relationship, realizing that you weren’t just a great woman, but also a great friend, was amazing.  You’re so caring towards everyone around you.  I love that you understand my friends are my family away from family, and you’ve become an intrinsic part of it.  It’s clear to me they love you deeply, and that support solidifies that fact that I know you’re the woman I want to spend the rest of my days with.

You’re stronger then you give yourself credit for, but you never shy away from your challenges.  The way you tackle life’s trials is so admirable.  Even when something seems overwhelming, you grit your teeth and power through, and at the end of it all you always persevere, to take the next step of life with grace and determination.  Whenever I think about what a perfect woman is, your face encompasses my thoughts.

When I think about my life in the long-term, I can’t imagine sharing the journey with anyone else.  There’s no one who could be a better mother for my future children, or a more beautiful wife.

I won’t pretend that I can always be a perfect man.  There may be times when I’m short-sighted, and miss something of importance.  However, I vow without a doubt in my mind that I will always love you, and be willing to work together to create a life which benefits us both.  I also vow I will never try to stifle you or your goals.  I vow that regardless of what life throws our way, I will always be standing beside you with all of my soul.

I look back at every rough patch I’ve had in my life and realize that it’s what made me a man worthy of being with you.  Every step I’ve taken has simply brought me one step closer to being able to love you as much as I do, and be devoted to our future together.

I believe that many people have the opportunity to find true love, but are unable to open up enough to accept it.  Few are as lucky as us to have the chance to fully embrace it, and be granted its endless rewards.

Thank you for making me believe.

Addela:

Ari, I am so grateful to have you in my life, as my friend, as my love, as my partner in crime.  You make me smile just by thinking of you.  You make me laugh, even when I’m angry.  A useful survival trait.  You hold me, and I feel safe and secure, and loved just for who I am, and sometimes in spite of who I am.  I love your confidence and uncompromising sense of self.  I love your realism and empathy for others.  I love your grin.  We have made so many happy memories together already, and I can’t wait to make millions more.

Becker asks for the rings. Ari & Addela each repeat.

With this ring, I vow to live with you and laugh with you, to stand by your side and sleep in your arms, to bring out the best in you, and, for you, to be the most I can be.  I will follow anywhere and everywhere you lead, hand in hand and heart in heart.

Becker:

Now that you have joined yourselves in solemn matrimony, may you strive all of your lives to meet the commitment with the same love and devotion that you now possess.

By virtue of the authority vested in me as a commissioner of civil marriages of the State of Ca., and for the county of Alameda, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife. Kiss her dude.