The Ceremony

Today, your friends, who are gathered here to witness your marriage and to share in the joy of this wonderful occasion, surround us.

Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no dashing of its hope. It can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that stands, when all else has fallen. We are gathered here today to celebrate the love that you, Mindy and Ray, have for each other and to rejoice with you on this, your wedding day.

As you know, no minister, no priest, no rabbi, no public official can marry you. Only you can marry yourselves, by mutual commitment to love each other and to work toward creating an atmosphere of care, consideration and respect.

On this day of your marriage, you stand somewhat apart from all other human beings. You stand within the charmed circle of your love, and this is as it should be. But love is not meant to be the possession of two people alone. Rather it would serve as a source of common energy, as a form in which you find the strength to live your lives with courage. From this day onward, you must come closer together than ever before; you must love one another in sickness and in health, for better or for worse. However, at the same time, your love should give you the strength to stand apart, to seek out your unique destinies, to make your special contribution to the world that is always part of us and is more than us.

The union you are about to enter is both legal and sacred. Its legality is obvious, but its sacredness may not be so obvious. Its sacredness is ensured by the love that you have for each other, and the love your friends have for you. The solemn vows you take are in the midst of this love and are vows before God. Into the State of Marriage, come now to be united.

Do you Ray take Mindy to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love, cherish, honor and comfort, in sorrow or in joy, in hardship or in ease, to have and to hold for as long as you both shall live? (I do). Ray, as a symbol of your mutual love and understanding and promise to share your lives - please place the ring on Mindy's finger and repeat after me, " With this ring, I thee wed and forever pledge my devotion."

Do you Mindy take Ray to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, cherish, honor and comfort, in sorrow or in joy, in hardship or in ease, to have and to hold for as long as you both shall live? (I do). Mindy, as a symbol of your mutual love and understanding and promise to share your lives - please place the ring on Ray's finger and repeat after me, " With this ring, I thee wed and forever pledge my devotion."

Please join hands: By the act of joining hands, you take unto yourselves the relation of husband and wife. May you be a blessing and comfort to each other, share and help each other in all the changes life brings.

Now, in accordance with the laws of the State of Connecticut and by virtue of the authority vested in me by the State of Connecticut, I pronounce you husband and wife. You came to me as two single people and you now leave as a married couple, united to each other by the binding contract you have just entered. Your cares, your worries, your pleasures and your joys, you must now share with each other. The best of good fortune we wish to you both.

Mike Fortunato
02/27/01