The ceremony will be held at the Bertolin Barn on October 17, 2009. It will be officiated by Reverend Gabrielle Ellis Woods of Denver. www.mindfulmarriageconsultants.com.

Here is a rough draft of the ceremony we wrote ourselves. It was pieced together by our own words, and some pieces and parts were written by our officiant, Gabrielle.

The Welcome (Gabrielle):
Friends, family, and loved ones! Sam and Leslie welcome you to share in this special occasion where they will officially devote themselves to one another through marriage. They are grateful that so many of you were able to travel far and wide to join them in this joyous occasion. They are thankful that you are here, making a visible effort to support them on their life’s journey together. Please have a seat at your table and enjoy the music played by Josh Bennett, the groom’s brother, as we start our ceremony.

Processional:
• “Forever” by Ben Harper- Josh Bennett on guitar
• Sam will escort his parents (Gary and Connie) down the aisle to their seats
• Bridesmaids/MOH will proceed down the aisle followed by Leslie, escorted by her father (Scott) and mother (Debby)
• All in one song (short aisle)
• Bride’s parents “gives” Leslie to Sam (Is this in the right place or should this go in the next section????)

The Giving in Marriage (Gabrielle):
And now, I would like to ask, who gives their support and love to Leslie and Sam as they enter into marriage? (Leslie’s and Sam’s parents (standing) simultaneously say “We do.”)

The Meaning of Marriage (Gabrielle):
For Leslie and Sam, marriage is a continuation of the loving foundation they have already begun building with their close bonds through their love for one another. In an effort to strengthen these bonds, they have decided to complete their commitment to one another by making it official! Marriage is a celebration of the kind of love that rejuvenates the spirit and inspires us to better ourselves. Today, Sam and Leslie proclaim their love for one another to the world. Together, they continue the loving foundation they have already begun, while looking forward to the future with a partner by their side. As we gather here to rejoice with them, we extend our deepest blessings for the journey that still lies ahead of them.

Reading #1:
Gabrielle: We will now hear a reading from ___________.

A quote from Paulo Coelho from Leslie’s favorite book, “The Alchemist”:
"When he looked into her dark eyes, and saw that her lips were poised between a laugh and silence, he learned the most important part of the language that all the world spoke -- the language that everyone on earth was capable of understanding in their heart. It was love. Something older than humanity, more ancient than the desert. Something that exerted the same force whenever two pairs of eyes met, as had theirs here at the well. She smiled, and that was certainly an omen -- the omen he had been awaiting, without even knowing he was, for all his life. The omen he had sought to find with his sheep and in his books, in the crystals and in the silence of the desert…It was the pure Language of the World. It required no explanation, just as the universe needs none as it travels through endless time. What the boy felt at that moment was that he was in the presence of the only woman in his life, and that, with no need for words, she recognized the same thing. He was more certain of it than of anything in the world… when you know that language [of love], it’s easy to understand that someone in the world awaits you, whether it’s in the middle of the desert or in some great city. Without such love, one’s dreams would have no meaning."

Vows (Gabrielle w/ Leslie and Sam):
At this time, we will proceed to the vows that Leslie and Sam have written to convey their commitment to one another.

Do you pledge to continue to connect with another and strive to be better communicators, sharing both the good and the bad?

“We do.”

Do you pledge to be willing to continue to try new things as you grow older together, cultivate a sense of adventure, be willing to take risks- physically, mentally, and spiritually- in order to strive to be better people?

“We do.”

Do you pledge to remain patient in times of disagreement or frustration, with one another, as well as the world around you?

“We do.”

Do you pledge to compromise with one another as necessary, working as a team as you build your life together?

“We do.”

Do you pledge to continue to grow and respect one another as individuals, while at the same time strengthening the bond the two of you share?

“We do.”

Do you pledge to strive to help guide each other through the challenges that life will present, as well as support and celebrate the good times together?

“We do.”

The Exchange of Rings: (Best Man, Lindsey, will have both bands.)
Gabrielle: Just as nature and life is cyclical, these bands represent unbroken circles. Sam and Leslie will now exchange rings as a symbol of their unending love, dedication, patience, and commitment to one another.

(Lindsey hands Sam’s ring to Leslie. Leslie takes the ring and places on Sam’s finger as she says:)
Leslie: Sam, I give you this ring as a token of my promise to honor and love all that we share in the past, present, and future.

(Lindsey hands Leslie’s ring to Sam. Sam takes the ring and places on Leslie’s finger as he says:)

Sam: Leslie, I give you this ring as a token of my promise to honor and love all that we share in the past, present, and future.

Reading #2:
Gabrielle: Sam and Leslie’s friend _____________ will now read a quote.

In a letter written by Mark Twain to Olivia Langdon Clemens on their wedding day:
[This] will be the mightiest day in the history of our lives, the holiest, and the most generous toward us both--for it makes two fractional lives a whole; it gives two purposeless lives a work, and doubles the strength of each whereby to perform it; it gives two questioning natures a reason for living, and something to live for; it will give a new gladness to the sunshine, a new fragrance to the flowers, a new beauty to the earth, a new mystery to life; and it will give a new revelation to love, a new depth to sorrow, a new impulse to worship. On this day the scales will fall from our eyes and we shall look upon a new world.

Remembering those who cannot be with us (Gabrielle):
At this time we shall take a moment to acknowledge the love, support, and blessings of all those who could not be with us here today. We honor those who we feel are here in spirit and celebrate with them as well.

The Pronouncement (Gabrielle):
By the power vested in me by the state of Colorado and more importantly, by the trust given to me by Leslie and Sam, I now pronounce you husband and wife!

The Kiss (Gabrielle):
Ladies and gentlemen! I now give you Sam and Leslie Bennett! You may now kiss the bride!

The Recessional:
• Sam and Leslie exit to “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz via the ipod
• Groomsmen escort the bridesmaids out to the lobby
• After wedding party exits, Gabrielle announces: You are all welcome to mingle amongst yourselves in the barn for a cocktail hour. The bar is officially open!