I did it!

Finally, after much work and deliberation, my dude and I have written a ceremony. Man, it was not easy…but at the same time it turned out not to be as hard as I thought. And I love love love the end result. If you are in the market to write your own ceremony, here are some useful resources.

First, This book: The Wedding Ceremony Planner by Reverend Judith Johnson, PhD.

Full of good advice and sample scripts for all types of weddings. I liberally pulled text from this resource for the vows.

For the readings, I went through the extensive posts on this board on Indie Bride. From traditional readings to humorous readings, if what you are looking for exists, someone probably posted it here. Go forth and read the readings! Here are the two we decided on:

Love by Roy Croft
I love you, not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you.
I love you, not only for what you have made of yourself,
But for what you are making of me.

I love you for the part of me that you bring out;
I love you tor putting your hand into my heaped-up heart and passing over all the foolish, weak things
That you can’t help seeing there,
and for drawing out into the light all the beautiful belongings
that no one else had looked quite far enough to find.

I love you because you are helping me to make of the lumber of my life not a tavern but a temple;
out of the works of my every day not a reproach but a song.

I love you because you have done more than any creed could have done to make me good,
and more than any fate to make me happy.

You have done it without a touch, without a word, without a sign.
You have done it by being yourself.

-and-

This Marriage by Rumi
May these vows and this marriage be blessed.
May it be sweet milk, this marriage, like wine and halvah.
May this marriage offer fruit and shade, like the desert palm.
May this marriage be full of laughter, your every day a day in paradise.

May this marriage be a sign of compassion,
a seal of happiness here and hereafter.
May this marriage have a fair face and a good name,
an omen as welcomed as the moon in a clear blue sky.

Every time I read through the entire ceremony I get a little teary. I am hoping I don’t fall into heaping sobs of happiness during the real deal! The wedding ceremony will include an introduction and welcome by the officiant (my brother), a ring warming ceremony, these 2 readings, the vows, ring exchange and the conclusion. Lickety split, we’re married!