The Ceremony

Many people at the ceremony have asked for a copy of our words. Here they are. And thank you for all you who made our special day even more wonderful.

FATHER ROBBERT

Friends … Family … Loved Ones … welcome to the Life Partner Commitment Ceremony of Donna-Lane Nelson and Rick Adams.

My name is Robbert Auer, and I am honored they have asked me to preside over this afternoon’s very special event.

First, thank you for being here with D-L and Rick today. They know that making the journey took considerable effort for many of you, including some who crossed an ocean, and for this they are deeply grateful.

You are the most important people in their lives. The times and conversations you have had with D-L and Rick helped make them who they needed to become for each other. You have shared in their best and worst days, their joy and sadness. You are an irreplaceable part of their yesterdays, their today, and their tomorrows. Though you may not live around the corner, you are always in their hearts.

We are all here to witness two people publicly join hands and bind together their love. Love, in its infinite form, cannot be pursued. Nor can it be taken away. It can only be discovered and embraced.

A loving, caring, committed relationship is not about perfection … it is about accepting human frailty while wholly trusting each other to strive for the ‘Us’ of a uniquely shared vision without sacrificing the “I” of individual values.

The union of souls in which two people pledge to each other their higher selves is the most sacred gift of all, and the universe smiles upon such soul-mates, showering them and us with blessings.

Donna-Lane and Rick have chosen for their ceremony to perform the ancient rite of hand-fasting, a ceremony that originated more than 1700 years ago and was popular in medieval times. The Old Norse term “hand festa” can be translated as “to make a commitment by joining hands.”

Today we celebrate two strong and independent souls coming together in love, two hearts beating in a single rhythm.

RICK

Donna-Lane … You are my soul-mate, my life partner. I loved you from the moment we met. And now we have been given a remarkable second chance to be together.

I intend to devote the rest of my life to making you happy.

You did not need me in your life. You have an abundance of people who love you, and whom you love.

You have welcomed me into that very special circle and I will do everything I can to be worthy of your trust.

I want to bring you joy and laughter.

I want to brush away your tears, to comfort you in pain or sorrow.

I promise to support you in your aspirations, challenge you to be the person you want to be, honor and respect your individuality, and love you with my whole heart and soul.

I adore you. I cherish you. I love you.

Je t’adore. Je te chéris. Je t'aime.‏

DONNA-LANE

Rick…I cannot give you my heart today for you already have it.

You came back into my life when it was full and you made it even fuller.

I know you’ve made tremendous changes so we can blend our lives, and every day in every way I promise that I will make you glad you did.

I want to encourage you in your great strengths: your kindness, your lovingness, your creativity, your warmth.

I will be there for you when clouds cross our horizons, and together we will find the sun even on the darkest days.

I loved you, I love you, I will love you.

Je t'aimais, Je t'aime, je t'aimerai.

(Father Robbert places the two rings on the long knife – the larger ring first, the smaller on top)

FATHER ROBBERT

And now the rings.

The ring finger on the left hand has been traditional through the ages. People believed there is a vein that runs directly from the ring finger to the heart.

As a circle, a ring is an ideal symbol of love. It has no beginning and no end. It is infinite, as is love.

Now, Donna-Lane and Rick, I bid you to gaze into one another’s eyes and hearts.

Rick, please place the ring on Donna-Lane’s finger.

Do you promise to respect and honor Donna-Lane, share her hopes and dreams, celebrate her achievements, nurture her through difficult times, accept and adapt to the person she is and will become, and endeavor each day to love her more than the day before?

RICK

I will. (Rick to D-L): For the girl thou were and for the woman thou art, I shall from this day forth, take thee, Donna-Lane, to be my wife.

FATHER ROBBERT

Donna-Lane, please place the ring on Rick’s finger.

Do you promise to respect and honor Rick, share his hopes and dreams, celebrate his achievements, nurture him through difficult times, accept and adapt to the person he is and will become, and endeavor each day to love him more than the day before?

DONNA-LANE

I will. For the boy thou were and for the man thou art, I shall from this day forth, take thee, Rick, to be my husband.

FATHER ROBBERT

The vows of love have been spoken.

Llara, please come forward

(Father Robbert holds up ribbons for audience to see)

The hand-fasting will be done with these three ribbons, Donna-Lane and Rick, please take one another’s hands.

Llara, please take these ribbons and tie it around both their hands. (Llara ties Donna-Lane’s right hand to Rick’s left.)

The ribbons represent gold, silver and platinum.

Gold symbolizes the true meaning of real love.

Silver represents the memories that are captured in your love.

Platinum, as the rarest of metals, illustrates the preciousness of love.

Thank you, Llara.

(Llara take seat)

Now, please turn to face your friends.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the happy couple, now publicly committed to one another in their pledge of love and life partnership … true soul-mates … Donna-Lane and Rick.