Introduction
I would like to welcome all of you here today to bear witness to what has to be the longest engagement I have ever heard of-- 21 years! 21 years ago Eric asked Carol to be his forever and 21 year ago Carol said yes. In those 21 years they have merged 2 sets of kids, a four of beloved grandchildren and two decades worth of memories all leading up to this very moment signifying that the promise that each of them made to one another may have been delayed, but by God, they meant what they said!
Who gives this woman away to be wed to this man? “My brother and I do.
As you can tell from the extended engagement and likely the coolest wedding apparel I have been privy to wear Carol and Eric are not your cookie cutter coup`le. So when I asked Carol to detail her love story: she did not disappoint. The two met in a factory in a flyover state. Initially Carol thought Eric was crass or in her words an “asshole” but all of that changed with a few spirits and one fateful fall in a bush. Carol says a relationship just happened-- I like to say that the stars aligned, the world was right and despite their best efforts they had found their person in a world that offers no apologies for being cruel and unapologetic.
In their 21 years, the two have faced it all. That include unexpected pregnancies, feline consolation prizes and countless losses of loved ones. But they did it together- hand in hand, with love in their hearts and with renewed dedication in relationship.
At this time I would like to ask that all of you bow your heads as we recognize the loss of all of the loved ones that can not be here in person on this momentous day but that are undoubtedly in spirit.
Amen.
Reading
I would like to share with you all an Extract from a Letter by Johnny Cash to June Carter
‘We get old and get used to each other. We think alike. We read each other's minds. We know what the other wants without asking. Sometimes we irritate each other a little bit.
Maybe sometimes we take each other for granted. But once in a while, like today, I meditate on it and realise how lucky I am to share my life with the greatest woman I ever met.’
Vows
Carol and Eric Please join hands
Carol, please repeat after me
Eric, today I take you as my wedded husband
I vow not to drink your adult drinks, even though I am thirsty and your drink is literally right there.
I Vow to love you, honor you, but not obey, because that's a little creepy.
I vow to grow old and crusty with you, to flip the bird at teenagers, and to talk endlessly about the old days when things were better, cheaper, and generally more wholesome.
I vow to be your co-pilot, your navigator, and to bring snacks on our road-trip through life.
I vow to laugh, for real, at your every joke and tell you how very stupid it is. I love you that much.
Eric please repeat after me
Carol, today I take you as my wedded wife
I vow not to drink your adult drinks, even though I am thirsty and your drink is literally right there.
I Vow to love you, honor you, but not obey, because that's a little creepy.
I vow to grow old and crusty with you, to flip the bird at teenagers, and to talk endlessly about the old days when things were better, cheaper, and generally more wholesome.
I vow to be your co-pilot, your navigator, and to bring snacks on our road-trip through life.
I vow to laugh, for real, at your every joke and tell you how very stupid it is. I love you that much.
Reading
A Marriage by Mark Twain
A marriage makes of two fractional lives a whole;
It gives two purposeless lives a work,
And doubles the strength of each to perform it.
It gives to two questioning natures a reason for living
And something to live for.
It will give new gladness to the sunshine,
A new fragrance to the flowers, a new beauty to the earth
And a new mystery to life.
Rings
May I have the rings please
Carol, please place the ring on Eric’s left ring finger and repeat after me
Eric, “You are the love of my life, and you are my very best friend.”
“I give you this ring to wear as a symbol of my enduring love, my eternal faith, and my undying devotion. It is an outward reminder of our inner unity.”
“This ring I give to you as a token of my love and devotion to you. I pledge to you all that I am and all that I will ever be as yours. With this ring, I gladly marry you and join my life to yours.”
Eric place the ring on Carol’s left ring finger and repeat after me; repeat after me
Eric, “You are the love of my life, and you are my very best friend.”
“I give you this ring to wear as a symbol of my enduring love, my eternal faith, and my undying devotion. It is an outward reminder of our inner unity.”
“This ring I give to you as a token of my love and devotion to you. I pledge to you all that I am and all that I will ever be as yours. With this ring, I gladly marry you and join my life to yours.”
Friends and family, in our correspondences Carol shared with me how significant the number 27 is to her. While she has every reason to love the number 27, fate would have it that today is in fact the 30th. Carol, life is about change. It is about adjusting and just like marriage it is about learning to love and adapt to new traditions. In this spirit I have compiled a list of awesome things about the number 30 so that you have reason to change your lucky number. Here are 5 amazing facts about the number 30
#1- In Bingo, the ball 30 is known as “Dirty Gertie, Blind 30
#2- In Back to The Future, Marty McFly traveled 30 years back in time.
#4-When a married couple reaches 30 years of marriage it is known as their Pearl Wedding Anniversary.
#5-The number 30 has a lot to do with how we measure time. The number of minutes in an hour is divisible by thirty. The number of seconds in a minute is divisible by thirty. The average number of days on a calendar month is thirty.
Let you measure your time by remembering the special nature of the number 30 because after 21 years you said I do to your best friend, your soulmate, the universe’s answer to your forever on none other than June 30!
Pronouncement of Marriage
Carl and Eric, because you two came here today intending to recommit yourselves to one another, because you joined hands and made solemn vows and exchanged rings to remind you of those vows of recommitment, and you are now joined once more as partners in mutual love and respect, according to the powers vested in me and the highest power of the land and the sea;
I now pronounce you husband and wife! Eric, you have been patient for 21 years please kiss your beautiful wife!
Ladies and gentlemen, It is my pleasure to exalt in celebration Mr. Deavers and Mrs. Nuckols-Deaver !
Play Crazy Train and Rock out down to the ocean! (Love that!)