"We would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the beautiful ceremony you've provided for us. Our day turned out perfect with the help of you and our friends and family. We would like to keep on touch! You're a wonderful person."
"It has been said that “Great Love involves Great risk”. I want to thank you all for coming today. I commend you for your courage and your support. It shows that your love is stronger than your fear. A marriage that does not fit into the traditional image of, for some, what a marriage should be, can be a bitter sweet occasion. It is supposed to be the happiest of days, as a couple celebrates all that is good in their lives and publicly expresses their hopes and dreams for the future. Yet not all couples are as blessed as Lisa and Julie. For some the tears of joy are joined by tears of sorrow at the absence of their mother or their father. Some don’t even know who will be there as we begin the ceremony. Their reality includes the possibility that these two most important of chairs, will be empty as they walk down the aisle. God bless all of you who choose to accept love in all forms in your lives. Love is something that knows no boundaries. It is not something with exclusive rights to he bestowed upon one group and withheld from another. There is no denying that love is a divinely inspired gift and that the one way to make it even better, is by sharing it with those who are nearest and dearest to us. Lisa and Julie thank you all for being so wonderful and wishing for them, what they would wish for themselves. Will you now all join me in a prayer for peace and love."
~ The Prayer ~
St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)
"Lord, make me an instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;
Grant that we may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen"
“Lisa, you and Julie have waited a long time for this moment.
Will you now tell each other what is in your heart?”
Lisa: “I knew you first as a friend
I loved the way you laughed
We walked a beach of sand
We watched autumn leaves turn tan
I knew you first as a friend”
Julie: “I knew you first as a friend
I loved the way you showed me truth
We watched the sunset yield to the stars
We saw the pictures they painted in the cold night sky
I knew you first as a friend”
Lisa: “I knew you next as a love
I needed you to show me how again
We said one in a million times ten
We said when lightning strikes again
I knew you next as a love”
Julie: “I knew you next as a love
I needed your kind and tender touch
We smile as our children grew together
We cried for the storms we feared they would weather
I knew you next as a love”
Lisa: “I know now we are forever as friends”
Julie: “I know now we are forever as truth”
Lisa: “I know now we are forever as laughter”
Julie: “I know now we are forever as home”
Lisa and Julie: “I know now we are forever as love
In a place where there’s no space and time
I know now you are forever as mine”
“Lisa will you now place the ring on Julie’s finger
and repeat after me please?”
“I Lisa take you Julie to be my wife
I will love you, and honor you,
respect and cherish you
For better or for worse,
For richer or for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
This day and forever more.”
Lisa places the ring on Julie’s finger
“Julie, will you now place the ring on Lisa’s finger
and repeat after me please?”
“I Julie take you Lisa to be my wife
I will love you, and honor you,
respect and cherish you
For better or for worse,
For richer or for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
This day and forever more.”
Julie places the ring on Lisa’s finger
"Lisa and Julie have chosen to share with you a lesser known but no less beautiful version of the Apache blessing as their closing prayer..
May the sun bring you new energy by day,
May the moon softly restore you by night,
May the rain wash away your worries
And the breeze blow new strength into your being,
And all of the days of your life may you walk
Gently through the world and know its beauty.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my honor to present
Lisa and Julie Daye-Evans! You may now seal your commitment
with a kiss!"
Lisa and Julie Kiss and exit to greet their guests!
Their choice of the Historical Chapel for their ceremony added a traditional aspect to an untraditional ceremony. Their letters to one another left not a dry eye in the house. It was a beautiful day for this beautiful couple!
“With Leroy and Steven it was clear right from the start that today would be very much a celebration of everything that is already their life together. Today is the day that Leroy and Steven allow us to share in what is one of the most intimate of human experiences, the pledging of one soul to another for a lifetime. The joy that they feel in their hearts, and the love that they have for one another in some ways is like no other. It is as unique and wonderful as Leroy and Steven themselves are. Yet they share a moment in time with all those who have ever felt the presence of their beloved deep within the core of their own being. The divinely inspired place where souls touch has not boundaries, nor exclusive rights held by and group of people. Such is the gift that Leroy has been given with Steven and Steven with Leroy.
Five years ago, when Leroy and Steven first met, settling down was the farthest thing from their minds, but as they say the best things in life happen when we least expect them. Steven’s personality, his kindness of disposition and giving nature were among the first things that let Leroy know that Steven was the one for him. Or as Leroy himself put it “the heart just followed and I was caught!” For Steven being taken for exactly who he was, perhaps for the first time in his life, and the recognition that he is indeed someone very special brought an overwhelming and radiant
joy that would only grow brighter with time. The beginning of a relationship is when you are each enthralled with who you perceive the other to be. Yet it is far more powerful as you grow and you come to realize that you are truly in awe each of who the other really are. And so do you know each time that feeling arises, that you have indeed chosen the right partner. This is the wonderful place that Leroy and Steven now find themselves in.
Although the roads they traveled to reach this day are not the ones that they would have chosen for themselves, there is nothing from their journey that they would change. Their life now is rich with so many wondrous gifts and blessings. To change any of the past would create a different today. This holds absolutely no interest for either Leroy or Steven. They have transformed the things in their lives that once seemed to be obstacles, into blessings. They are truly life partners. They share everything, and look forward to learning more about both each other and life itself with a sense of wonder and joy rather than one of obligation.
The faith and trust that they have in each other and in their relationship has lead them to the optimum of situations. With the firm base and support that their love provides, they have the faith and confidence to accomplish anything both separately and together and reach new heights that alone would have been only dreams. And why not? After all good people deserve good things in their lives.
focus switches to addressing Leroy and Steven
Today is the public affirmation and acknowledgment of all that you are to each other. Seemingly your relationship will be as it has always been, yet there is a power in the spoken word. May that power bring you all the warmth & closeness, security & comfort, joy & happiness that this world has to offer.
Tammy, will you now come forward to read for us
and to assist me with the ring vows?"
Tammy steps forward and delivers the first reading
"These I Can Promise"
“I cannot promise you a life of sunshine;
I cannot promise riches, wealth, or gold;
I cannot promise you an easy pathway
That leads away from change or growing old.
But I can promise all my heart’s devotion;
A smile to chase away your tears of sorrow;
A love that’s ever true and ever growing;
A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow.”
~ The Ring Vows ~
“Leroy, Do you take Steven to be your Life Partner?
Do you promise to listen always with a kind ear
And speak with an open heart
Never forgetting that you are each
the others most precious gift in this life
In times of celebration and in times of sadness,
Do you vow to support him, and comfort him,
To empower and encourage him, all the days of your lives?”
Leroy: “I do.”
"Will you now place your ring upon his finger as a reminder of your comittment to this promise?"
Tammy hands Leroy the ring which he places on Steven's finger
“Steven, in committing yourself to Leroy,
you must promise to continue to be sensitive to his needs
and to listen when he explains their nature.
You must promise to be there when he needs you
and to do everything in your power to insure his
security, happiness and peace of mind.
You must promise to share with him your joy of living
and to be a loving companion.
Do you so promise?”
Steven: “I do.”
"Will you now place your ring upon his finger as a reminder of your comittment to this promise?"
Tammy hands Steven the ring which he then places on Leroy's finger
"Will you now look into one anothers eyes as Tammy reads the words you have chosen for this moment?"
Tammy delivers the second reading
“I Will Be Here”
by Steven Curtis Chapman
“If in the morning when you wake,
If the sun does not appear,
I will be here.
If in the dark we lose sight of love,
Hold my hand and have no fear,
I will be here.
I will be here,
When you feel like being quiet,
When you need to speak your mind I will listen.
Through the winning, losing, and trying we’ll be together,
And I will be here.
If in the morning when you wake,
If the future is unclear,
I will be here.
As sure as seasons were made for change,
Our lifetimes were made for years,
I will be here.
I will be here,
And you can cry on my shoulder,
When the mirror tells us we’re older.
I will hold you, to watch you grow in beauty,
And tell you all the things you are to me.
We’ll be together and I will be here.
I will be true to the promises I’ve made,
To you and to the one who gave you to me.
I will be here.”
“You may seal your commitment with kiss!”
Grooms Kiss and exit to greet their guests
They were already a family with 2 perfect little angels, what better to do when life is wonderful than celebrate your commitment to make it stay that way forever! Their ceremony took place in the studio where the "Fab Five" film "Queer Eye For The Straight Guy" a little known but very cool Manhattan venue
“Kavita, will you now place this ring upon your beloved’s finger and repeating after me give voice to that which is in your heart?”
“This ring I give you
In token of my love and devotion,
And with my heart,
I pledge to you all that I am.
With this ring, I marry you
and join my life to yours.”
“Letticia, will you now place this ring upon your beloved’s finger and repeating after me give voice to that which is in your heart?”
“I give you this ring.
Wear it with love and joy.
As this ring has no end,
Neither shall my love for you.
I choose you to be my wife
This day and forevermore.”
They picked The Thatched Cottage in Centerport for their celebration and it could not have been more perfect. Above is actually their thank you card, and below is their ceremony
“Today is a celebration of the most intimate of human experiences, the sacred space created when there is a union of souls. This has both a sublime quality and a part that speaks to the very core of the human experience. Sharon and Lisa share a common bond with every human who has ever felt the presence of their beloved within their own spirit. They also share a moment in time with all of those who in the real tangible, physical, day to day world, have found the one person they could share it all with. The joys and the sorrows, the triumphs and the tragedies, the large and the small are all theirs together. Not only are we here for the celebration of the joining of these two wonderful people, but to get a glimpse of what this truly means from their perspective. To this end they have written Personal Vows to one another. I invite you now to share with them as they reveal their innermost selves both to each other and to all of you.”
Sharon and Lisa speak their hearts
“This is the place in the ceremony where I’d usually go into all the intimate details that make everyone all teary eyed but all Sharon and Lisa have already done that with their beautiful letters to one another.
When Sharon and Lisa first came to discuss what would be said today their presence lit up the room. Their joy was self evident, and this is exactly what they wished to share with you today, all their joy and wonder and excitement and most of all their love. One can’t help but notice it! Yet for a relationship to thrive it is not only about finding the right partner, it is also about becoming the right partner. Becoming is not something that happens over night nor does it just happen by accident. It was four years ago yesterday as a matter of fact that Sharon and Lisa began their journey. Sharon has always known just what the important things in a relationship are, and Lisa believes in their passion and spiritual interconnectivity. They share a deep and abiding sense of mutual respect, loyalty, trust, and appreciation for one another. They and the quality of life they have together has become more than they could have aspired to on their own, yet it is no less than they each deserve. It is just a taste of what their future shall hold. Always seeking the good and the beautiful both in life, and in their relationship, Sharon and Lisa brighten everything touched by the warmth of their love with an inner beauty which can only be rivaled by the radiance of their physical beauty that we see today."
~ Lighting of Incense ~
“Sharon and Lisa have chosen at this time to light incense because they wanted their ceremony to include an aspect of ritual. They wanted something that would mirror the way their hearts soar when they are together, and they way their spirits intertwine always.”
“I would ask that you now hold in your hands the incense that you are about to light and to bring to mind the great gift that you are to one another. Think about your future with the many happy years of togetherness you shall share. Think of all that you would wish for yourselves coming to fruition. Know that the love you share this very moment is eternal.”
Sharon and Lisa embody the incense with their love and hopes
“Will all of you now join with them in seeing their dreams come true? As you do so remember that it is the greatest prayer you can offer today”
Sharon and Lisa step up to the altar, light the incense,
place them in the vessel and then return to place
~ Ring Vows ~
“Sharon, there are certain things that you can do to help to ensure that you and Lisa live a long and happy life together.....
Do you promise to love her, honor her,
respect her and cherish her, all the days of your life?
Do you promise to continue to be loving, affectionate,
faithful, loyal, honest and trustworthy?
Do you Sharon take Lisa to be your beloved partner in life?
For better or worse, For richer or poorer,
In sickness and health
For as long as you both shall live?
Sharon: “I do!”
“Will you place the ring upon Lisa’s finger as a symbol of this promise”
Sharon places the ring on Lisa’s finger
“Lisa, there are certain things that you can do to help to ensure that you and Sharon live a long and happy life together.....
Do you promise to love her, honor her,
respect her and cherish her, all the days of your life?
Do you promise to continue to be loving, affectionate,
faithful, loyal, honest and trustworthy?
Do you Lisa take Sharon to be your beloved partner in life?
For better or worse, For richer or poorer,
In sickness and health
For as long as you both shall live?
Lisa: “I do!”
“Will you place the ring upon Sharon’s finger as a symbol of this promise”
Lisa places the ring on Sharon’s finger
“You are now as your hearts have always known you to be,
Beloved Partners both in and for Life!
You may both kiss your beautiful Bride!”
This was the best backyard wedding ever! Totally upscale yet it still felt like all the guests were invited into their hearts and their home.
“Katherine and Kim wish to welcome you all to their ceremony and to their home. In the midst of our hectic lives there is no greater gift that we can give, than the gift of time. They know that your taking the time, and making the journey, took considerable effort for a good many of you and they wanted you all to know the deep appreciation and gratitude that they feel in their hearts for this. All of you here are the most important people in their lives. You have shared their best and worst days and you are an irreplaceable part of their yesterdays, their today, and all of their tomorrows. Of course they know that you know this, but much in the same way that some things are better left unsaid, other things really do need to be spoken of. This holds particularly true on such a special day as today is for Katherine and Kim.
Katherine and Kim would like to take a moment now to honor their grandparents from past and present, especially you Gram. You have always showed more care and regard for them and for their happiness than you have for social morays and the laws of polite society. For this they are grateful beyond words so they wish to offer you this long standing symbol of love, this rose, as a thank you for all the unconditional love and support that you have offered them.”
Brides bring Grandmother the rose
~ Love Letters ~
“Today is a celebration of the most intimate of human experiences, the sacred space created when there is a union of souls has both a sublime quality and a part that speaks to the very core of the human experience. Katherine and Kim share a common bond with every human who has ever felt the presence of their beloved within their own spirit. They also share a moment in time with all of those who in the real tangible, physical, day to day world, have found the one person they could share it all with. The joys and the sorrows, the triumphs and the tragedies, the large and the small are all theirs together. Not only are we here for the celebration of the joining of these two wonderful people, but to get a glimpse of what this truly means from their perspective. To this end they have chosen to share with you these words.”
Katherine’s Letter to Kim
“I promise to love you forever, To be faithful to you,
To be supportive of any choices that you make.
And to Cheers you before every meal
and drink we have together. Every night I close my eyes,
I go to sleep thinking of you.
I wake each morning with you on my mind.
I can’t stop thinking of you,
you are with me all the time every day.
I knew the first few days that we spent together
that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you.
I loved you then, now, and always.
You continue to surprise me with your kindness
and your love for me.
I still get weak in the knees when you kiss me
or butterflies in my stomach when you hold me.
You are the most beautiful person in the world
and I want to thank you for choosing me
as your Life Partner.”
Kim’s Letter to Katherine
"For my Forever Love
When I look at you I see many things, I see my partner
the one I wake up with and come home to...
The one I need by my side
and in my heart when life gets tough...
The one who gets my jokes and shares my laughter
and isn’t embarrasses when I act silly...
When I look at you I see the promise of a future
filled with such tender knowing love....
Your the one I want to share my life with my very best friend."
~ Katherine and Kim ~
“Katherine and Kim had known one another for years, and share a wealth of reference points that they have each acquired separately. Were the fates being kind to them by putting off their interest in one another till they were ready for the kind of relationship that they now share? No one can say for sure but there they were, neither of them in a place where they were looking for a relationship, when they found themselves gazing into the eyes of their past, their present and their future. It is funny what time and real life can do to two people who once thought that they would be ill suited for one another.
Katherine and Kim want for themselves all the traditional ties that keep people going strong as the years pass. They love their home, their business, and look forward to raising a family of their own. They can see themselves in their minds eye, an old couple sitting on their porch, with their grand children playing in the yard. They are still holding hands and when they look into one another’s eyes they can still see one another as they are today. For their true beauty lies in their commitment, their honesty, their trust and in their love.
For Katherine and Kim faithfulness is an important aspect of their relationship. The word itself has a much larger meaning that has a sense of longevity about it. It is not only a physical thing it is an emotional commitment. It is a devotion to the nurturing of one another’s spirit and the spirit of their union. It means expecting and accepting imperfection, and human frailty and knowing that these things will never tarnish the way the fundamentally view one another. It means that rather than obeying blindly the wishes of one or another, they can say: ‘I expect and I accept that on occasion you will anger me as I will anger you, and that you will hurt me as I will hurt you, but I know in my heart that between us there is love and affection and friendship that is stronger. And I trust that no pain is ever caused out of ill will, or malice, or pettiness just as I trust that we are together for a reason and that we will never throw each other away. I trust that at our best we will live together in love and joy and harmony, and at our worst we will fight, with, and for, and beside each other for the greater good, without fear of abandonment.’ That which is to be obeyed is the divinely inspired desire to be together for a lifetime. And believe it or not Katherine and Kim actually enjoy the work that it takes to stay together for from that work comes comfort, security, trust and all of the other wonderful things that will lead them to the fulfillment of their dreams.
addressing Katherine and Kim
Today is the public affirmation and acknowledgment of all that you are to each other. Seemingly your relationship will be as it has always been, yet there is a power in the spoken word. May that power bring you all the warmth and closeness, security and comfort, joy and happiness that this world has to offer.”
~ The Rings ~
“May I have the rings please?”
“Katherine and Kim have chosen to exchange rings as an outward symbol
of the inner connection that their souls share.
The 13th century Sufi poet Jellaluden Rumi once wrote:
“The minute I heard my first love story I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere, they’re in each other all along.
This beautifully expresses their connection to the circle as a symbol of eternity and to their vows as that which will bring into manifestation that which their souls have always known.
The ring finger of the left hand, the side of the body that holds the heart, has long been used for the wedding band because for centuries people believed that there was a vein that ran directly from that finger to the heart. They also believed that the words inscribed on the inside of the band, that pressed against the flesh, would resonate over and over, like the circumference of the band itself, through to the heart and soul of both giver and receiver. Katherine and Kim have chosen the words Live, Laugh, and Love to be those words.”
~ Ring Vows ~
“Kim, there are certain things that you can do to help to ensure that you and Katherine live a long and happy life together.....
You are truly an amazing woman, you are as beautiful on the inside as you are from afar, and yet you seem somehow unaware of the wonder that it is to be a part of your life. Your Pride, your Fearlessness and Determination in life are inspiring. The capacity that you have to give Unconditional Love, your Ability to forgive and forget and to let things go, and your Love for your family are also a thing of great and rare beauty. Leading by example, the gift of your love and support has the overall ability to make Katherine a better person. She asks that you remember these things as important as time passes for they are but some of the many wonderful qualities that make her wish to spend a lifetime by your side.
Katherine also asks that you continue teaching her patience, Calling her on her craziness, Spinning her on the dance floor and dancing with her to Color Me Badd, Picking her up when she is down, Rubbing her back to let her know that you are there. And that you forever share with her your Laughter and Smiles, The good morning and good night kisses, The hand holding, The Hugs, The Mutual Adoration and of course your Obsession with sneakers.
Katherine looks forward to all of your days together. To a lifetime of Compromising, Cherishing, Loving, Caring, Forgiving, Planning, Holding each other, Supporting each other, and Faithfulness. To working hard towards your future and your goals, raising beautiful children together, vacationing and finding a vacation home, Spending holidays with your families. Katherine looks forward to the day that you spend your 50th anniversary together and to all that will go into each and every day that it will take to get there.
Do you promise to do and remember these things in the spirit of love and joy and hope that brings you here today And do you take Katherine to be your beloved partner in life?”
Kim: “I do.”
“Will you now place your ring upon Katherine‘s finger?”
Kim places the ring half way on to Katherine’s finger pauses for a moment then places the ring the rest of the way on to Katherine’s finger
“Katherine, there are certain things that you can do to help to ensure that you and Kim live a long and happy life together.....
All of the little things that you do express a caring and a desire to truly be a partner lover and friend. There is a genuineness, a selflessness, to your commitment that shows even in the way that you wake Kim up early in the morning just to spend time with her. It shows in your honesty, your faithfulness and your ability to support Kim even when you disagree, being there not to say ‘I told you so’. You laugh at her jokes and you have the ability to make her smile when she is sad. Kim asks that you remember these things as important as the years pass for these are but some of the many gifts that your presence brings to her life, and but some of the reasons why she wishes to spend a lifetime by your side.
In looking toward future the possibilities seem endless. Kim looks forward to your building of a life together, your children, and to the honest and open communication that shall as the years pass shall truly make you one in your heart and soul.
Do you promise to do and remember these things in the spirit of love and joy and hope that brings you here today And do you take Kim to be your beloved partner in life?”
Katherine: “I do.”
“Will you now place your ring upon Kim‘s finger?”
Katherine places the ring half way on to Kim’s finger pauses for a moment then places the ring the rest of the way on to Katherine’s finger
~ Closing Reading and Presentation ~
“The vows you have just taken, pledging love,
mean far more than mere words ever can.
May their gentle spirit move in you.
May your years fulfill the beauty
of the feelings expressed today.
And may you always put these vows
above the things that make life smaller.
As you have spoken your hearts and your pledges to one another have been made, you may now seal your commitment with a kiss!
Katherine and Kim kiss
Ladies and gentlemen may I present Kim and Katherine Dean-Stahl!”
Katherine and Kim exit to greet their guests!
516-785-4191
Anytime!
