Weddingbee Blog

Finally. It was time for the ceremony to begin.

We were getting married.

As I go through the ceremony, I plan to share a few snippets of the actual text, but I will not be posting the ceremony in its entirety. If you’re interested in the full text, just let me know and I’d be happy to share.

Welcome friends and family. These two have known each other for over six years. What started off as just a friendship has led to this moment of commitment. For a while now they have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All of those conversations that were held riding in a car, over a meal, or on long walks—all of 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,” all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart—all these common things, and more, is the reason why we’re here today.

Let’s open in a word of prayer.

Almost immediately after the prayer, my lack of planning with my veil came back to bite me.

That’s right, my veil fell off.

I could feel it slowly slipping down my back throughout the prayer, and moments after BIL Cardy said “Amen,” I realized it wasn’t going to make it. I quickly reached back and grabbed it, passing it off to Sister Cardy as the guests (and Mr. Cardigan…and, let’s be honest, me) all laughed.

It was one of those moments that I totally wish wouldn’t have happened—I loved my veil and really wish I had more photos with it—but there’s nothing I could do about it, so I moved on and forgot about it pretty quickly.

Once the veil fiasco was taken care of, BIL Cardy encouraged Mr. Cardigan and I to turn around and look out at all of the people who were here to support us. He told us to take a moment and soak it all in – all of the planning, the stress, and the worry was over and the fun was about to begin.

He then asked our guests to stand as he read a declaration of support, asking our guests to pledge to continue to love and support us and our marriage.

I vividly remember the swelling of love I felt at that moment. I was so full of excitement and love for Mr. Cardigan, and it was such an incredible feeling to be holding his hand and looking out at all of our friends and family, who were there to celebrate us and our love for one another.

After our guests were seated again, it was time for our first reading. Our friend, Matt, read a selection from “I Like You” by Sandol Stoddard.

I like you because if I am mad at you
Then you are mad at me too.
It’s awful when the other person isn’t.
They are just so nice and hoo-hoo you could just about punch them in the nose.

I like you because
I don’t know why but
Everything that happens
Is nicer with you.
I can’t remember when I didn’t like you
It must have been lonesome then.

The poem is one of my favorites, and never fails to make me laugh and bring tears to my eyes simultaneously. Our guests couldn’t help tearing up a little bit, either, including MIL Cardy.

After Matt finished his reading, BIL Cardy began the marriage address.

A marriage is perhaps the greatest and most challenging adventure of all human relationships. Understand that this ceremony cannot create a marriage. The commitment we celebrate today has been growing in your hearts since the day you met. This ceremony is just a symbol of how far you two have come together and a symbol of the promise that you will make to each other.

A marriage is a promise to stand beside your partner, and give the gift of yourself. You no longer walk alone – meaning your decisions are not just your own to make. Ecclesiastes teaches us that, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. 
But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”

My hope for you two this day is this; that you have many long years to delight in each others company, to feel gratitude for your good fortune in having found and loved each other, and to love and be loved by the friends and family who have come here today to support you.

Next up, it’s time for the vows.

(All photos by She-N-He Photography)

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Need to catch up?

• The Week Before
• The Day Before
• The Rehearsal
• The Morning of the Wedding
• The Gift Exchange
• The Makeup
• The Dress
• The Somethings
• The Bridal Portraits
• The Family Photos
• The Bridal Party
• The Ceremony Details
• The Moments Before
• The Processional
• The Bride’s Walk