{ideas} ceremony structure

i haven't seen a lot of you blogging brides out there write about how their ceremony is going to go..so, i thought i'd throw a little something out there that i've been working on to get you girls thinking about it, if you haven't already. i mean, it really is the most important part of the whole day!

i really want to be sure that the ceremony reflects our love style...simple, sweet, playful, and meaningful:

1. Officiant & Groom enter and stand at front

2. Groomsmen & Father of Bride line up at bottom of stairs and walk girls in following order:
1. Taylor (with Jillian)
2. Bryan (with Diana)
3. Jason (with Miranda)
4. Dad (with me)

3. Officiant starts with:
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice
in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they
will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come
to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the
complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like
a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put
an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see
face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been
fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest
of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 (NRSV)

4. Officiant welcomes the families of the bride and groom and the guests...something like "we are here today because of love. a love that has brought these two young souls together"....or something that ties in the word love from above... (officiant says he's got some ideas for this)

5. Reading by the Brother of the Bride (don't know what this is yet - he's putting it together)

6. Officiant announces that the Bride and Groom have written their own vows

7. Bride reads her vows

8. Groom reads his vows

9. Officiant reads the blessing of the hands:

“These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever. These are the hands that will work alongside yours, as together you build your future. These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch, will comfort you like no other. These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief fills your mind. These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes; tears of sorrow, and as in today, tears of joy. These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children, the hands that will help you to hold your family as one. These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it. And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged, will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.”

10. Exchange of rings

11. Officiant reads final prayer:

"May the Lord bless you and keep you,
May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you,
May God give you grace never to sell yourself short,
Grace to risk something big for something good,
Grace to remember that the world is now too dangerous
for anything but truth; and too small for anything but love.
So, may God take your minds and think through them,
May God take your lips and speak through them,
May God take your hearts and set them on fire.
May God lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen"

12. Officiant states that the groom may kiss the bride and announces the couple as husband and wife.

13. Bride and Groom walk down aisle (followed by wedding party) as guests throw confetti.

14. Celebration time!

eek! what do you think? (i'm so excited!!!)