The Ceremony
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Best
Guy:
Best
Gal:
Officiant /
Celebrant:
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Chris Lathan
Gillian Kingsbury
Ari Pollack.
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In Massachusetts
(and, we think, nowhere else), anybody can perform a wedding
ceremony. It's like being a Justice of the Peace for a day.
You get a certificate allowing you to officiate over one
specific wedding. See
Mass.
Gen. L. ch 207, sec. 39. So that's what we're doing. Ari
Pollack, who officiated at this wedding, went to law school
with Mark.
Marriage Ceremony of
Beverly Nance Hay and Mark Bramson Adler
November 11, 2000
Ashland, Massachusetts
Ari:
-
Ladies and Gentlemen, we have come together today
to witness the wedding of Beverly and Mark. While we all
come from different places, backgrounds and views, the
contract of marriage is recognized as sacred to us all.
Our recognition is founded upon the melding of two
individual lives into a stronger, more perfect,
union.
-
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts places few
restrictions on the conduct of a wedding ceremony. The
Commonwealth only requires that we be present as
witnesses to confirm the voluntary and mutual assent of
the bride and groom to the marital union. Their agreement
is evident in their months of planning.
-
As a clear overtone in preparing for this wedding,
Beverly and Mark wish to make this their day, their
weekend, their new beginning. Without clinging to rigid
formalities or extravagant ceremony, they have asked
family and friends to partake in a joyous celebration of
love.
-
As symbols of their commitment to one another,
Beverly and Mark will exchange rings. These rings will
remind both Beverly, Mark, and all of us, of the vows we
witness today.
Bev:
- [Gill passes ring to
Bev.]
-
Mark, today I give you this ring as my pledge of
love and fidelity to you. I take you now to my side and
my give myself to you. I vow to be honest and true to
you, to love, honor and obey you. I pledge this in
health, in illness, in happiness, in sorrow, forever to
the end of our days.
Mark:
- [Chris passes ring to
Mark.]
-
Bev, today I give you this ring as my pledge of
love and fidelity to you. I take you now to my side and
my give myself to you. I make this vow to honor you; to
obey you; to comfort you; to cherish you. I devote myself
to you and I pledge this to you in health; in illness; in
happiness; in sorrow; and forever to the end of our
days.
Ari:
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By the authority vested in me by the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts and by the request of Beverly and Mark,
it is my great honor to declare you now married and to
present you to your family and friends as husband and
wife.
-
Congratulations, this wedding is now complete. You
may now begin your lives together with a
kiss.
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