Jordan and Dominic's Wedding Ceremony Script at the Milltop, Noblesville, IN - The Chord of Three Strands

Jordan and Dominic had chosen a traditional wedding ceremony script with Christian elements added to it.  They chose The Cord of Three Strands as their unity ceremony which is based on a passage from the Book of Ecclesiastes but the actual ceremony I wrote for when they braided their cord is non-religious. Many couples are looking for the right mix between Christian and non-religious. 

Jordan and Dominic's Wedding Ceremony Script
 
The Presentation
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Jordan is escorted down the aisle by her father.  He gives her a hug and kiss, shakes Dominic’s hand and places her hand in his.  He steps back and the Officiant asks:

Who gives this woman to be married?

Dad:  Her mother and I do.

Officiant:  Thank you.  

To all:  Please be seated.

Jordan and Dominic are facing each other and holding hands.  Officiant speaks:

I take your hand in mine. It is a symbolic gesture, fraught with meaning throughout centuries of time. It symbolizes friendship and I promise now to be a true and loyal friend to you. It symbolizes union and I promise to keep our union uppermost in my life. It symbolizes help and caring and I promise to be here to help you whenever and however you need me. Most of all, it symbolizes love: joyous love, total and complete. Such a love is what I feel for you.
I take you hand in mine-for this hour, for this day, for this lifetime. 
 
Welcome!  Thank you for joining us today to celebrate and to witness the joining of Jordan and Dominic in marriage. As they promise to love, trust in that love, 
honor one another as individuals, and anticipate with joy spending the rest of their lives together.  Dominic and Jordan, are surrounded by you - their friends and family. Thank you for gathering here to witness their marriage and to share in the joy of this special occasion. 
 
We’d like to take a moment to remember those who are not with us here today. Those who have gone on to greater things.(Moment of Silence)  
 
 Jordan and Dominic, Today, as you two are joined in marriage, there is a vast and unknown future stretching out before you. The possibilities and potentials of your married life are great. We join with you in hoping you make real your dreams!  That you are reborn in each other as you share your loves and dreams, wants and desires and together are enriched by them. Through your commitment to each other, may you grow and nurture a love that makes both of you better people, a love that continues to give you great joy, and also a passion for living that provides you with energy and patience to face the responsibilities of life. There was a time when your lives were two separate paths.  Gradually, they were joined as you grew closer together. Today, you proclaim to the world your choice to stay on the same path together. May you be enriched by the unique view of the other.

The first reading is

John 13:34,35.

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you should love one another. By this, everyone will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”


From "Union"
by Robert Fulghum

"You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or during long walks - all those sentences that began with "When we're married" and continued with "I will and you will and we will" - 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 are about to make are a way of saying to one another, "You know all those things 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, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few years. Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows, you shall say to the world, this- is my husband, this- is my wife

Dominic, do you take Jordan to be your best friend, your faithful partner and one true love?  Do you promise to encourage and inspire her and to love her truly through good times and bad? Will you be there forever?  to laugh with her, to lift her up when she’s down and to love her unconditionally through all your adventures in life together?

Jordan, do you take Dominic to be your best friend, your faithful partner and one true love?  Do you promise to encourage and inspire him and to love him truly through good times and bad? Will you be there forever?  to laugh with him, to lift him up when he’s down and to love him unconditionally through all your adventures in life together?


The rings please…
 
The rings are the universal symbols of marriage.  They mean many things. From now on you will wear these rings and they will remind you...  They will remind you of the endless circle that they are. Like love, there is no beginning and no end.  They will remind you daily that you are married. Sometimes they will remind you of the commitment that you have made - for better or worse.  But, may they always remind you that there is one other person in the world that has pledged to love you forever, through thick and through thin and with all that they have. 
 
please repeat after me....
 
Jordan, I give you this ring with all that I am and all that I ever will be.  Wear it and know that I love you.
 
Dominic, I give you this ring with all that I am and all that I ever will be.  Wear it and know that I love you.


The Chord of 3 Strands

Jordan and Dominic have decided to perform the ceremony of the Chord or Three Strands.  It’s based on the Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4, verse 12 that says “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”  

It states that the two of them together are stronger than they are separate and alone.  We often use the word synergy to say that the sum is greater than the parts. But what is it that actually makes us greater?  What’s that magical ingredient? The ingredient is Love. As a wedding officiant, I do believe that Love is the most powerful force in the universe.  It’s a power we can each lend ourselves to and allow it to be the place from where we operate. We can love ourselves and act in the world from a place of love.  Imagine the world where we all operate from a place of love? No one can speak for the whole world but today, by performing this ceremony Jordan and Dominic are saying that they are going to act from a place of love in their marriage.  They are saying that the power of love is greater than they are and that it’s a power that can make each of them better people and better together as a married couple. As your marriage changes and grows there will be times you wonder about the love that binds you. You may not always feel it and think it is gone.  At those times, I hope you look at this chord and realize it’s still there.  

They have 3 strands here - 3 chords.  One stands for each of them and the third stands for love - the tie that binds.  They will now braid them together.  


Jordan and Dominic come back together and hold hands for the final blessing:  

Ok, now I’d like you to take another deep breath and remember this moment.  This is the ceremony. The point of the day. You have acknowledged your relationship and made commitments to each other for life.  This, is serious stuff. But it’s also the good stuff. It’s the nerves leading up to the moment of the ceremony and the thoughts of “I just want this to be over with so we can party!”  Or, you just want it to be over with in general. But, remember the beauty of this. Remember walking down the aisle to each other and taking each others hands. Remember the comfort you felt because as you joined hands you realized you are in this together.  Even though there are all these people around you, you found your place in it together. It’s the two of you now. And that’s a really good thing. :-) The rest of the evening will be pictures and dancing and eating and drinking and parties. Enjoy! All of you here, remember the pictures really are important.  The activities and the memories of today are important. Enjoy each other. Celebrate Love.  

Jordan and Dominic, May the two of you be blessed by God.  May you be touched by angels. May your hearts stay full, may your spirits be connected, and may you love long and happily in one another's arms.

 I now pronounce you: “Husband and Wife.”
 
You may kiss your bride!

Ladies and gentlemen, Mr and Mrs:....! 
 
May you live happily ever after!


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