Our vows

[WillParkinson]

Greg Trulson is the Justice of the Peace who will be marrying Paul and I. He sent some sample vows and when we chose one he crafted this for us.

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INTRODUCTION

We have gathered here today to witness and celebrate the joining of Paul and Will in an affirmation of their lifelong love and commitment to each other. Through their love for one another, their lives have become richer and fuller, and they are both made stronger. Having found one another and established their relationship, they have come here after 23 years together to give it special significance by celebrating it here today.

DECLARATION

Paul and Will please face each other and hold hands.

Holding each other on this special day, you come to pledge your love and commitment to each other. These hands will work to build a future, as you continue to share your dreams and give support and encouragement to one another. The little things are the big things. It is never going to sleep angry and it is at no time taking the other for granted. It is not looking for perfection in each other, it is accepting each other as you are; both strong as individuals but stronger together.

Paul and Will, what you promise today must be renewed tomorrow and each day that stretches before you. It is the promise of love. A love so innocent that it gives of itself willingly, without hesitation or fear of consequence. A love so profound, that it embraces a lifetime of partnership with only the greatest of joy and anticipation. Understanding that today is a celebration of your devotion and commitment to one another, are you prepared to continue your journey in love as two lives joined as one?

EXCHANGE OF VOWS

I invite you to share your vows with one another. As you do, please repeat after me.

Paul:
I Paul take you Will, to be my partner for life. I promise to love, honor, comfort, and cherish you forever, and to share all that life has to offer.

I will trust you and love you faithfully through the best and the worst, and to give you all of my patience, and affection.

I will accept you and not try to change you.

I will put your needs before mine often and never ask for more than you can give.

I will spend my life trying to make you as happy as you make me.

Will:
I Will take you Paul, to be my partner for life. I promise to love, honor, comfort, and cherish you forever, and to share all that life has to offer.

I will trust you and love you faithfully through the best and the worst, and to give you all of my patience, and affection.

I will accept you and not try to change you.

I will put your needs before mine often and never ask for more than you can give.

I will spend my life trying to make you as happy as you make me.

EXCHANGE OF RINGS

For many years now, rings have served as symbols of a loving relationship. Now Paul and Will come to exchange rings. As often as you see these rings upon your fingers, may you remember the vows you made today and may you renew your determination to make your love last and your relationship grow.

As you place your ring on each other’s finger, please repeat after me:

Will:
Paul, take this ring as a sign of my constant faith and my commitment to our love, and with it my promise of patience and love for the rest of my life.

I pledge to take you as my only love from this day forward: to stand by your side, to listen when you speak, to comfort you when you cry, and to join your laughter with my own.

Paul:
Will, take this ring as a sign of my constant faith and my commitment to our love, and with it my promise of patience and love for the rest of my life.

I pledge to take you as my only love from this day forward: to stand by your side, to listen when you speak, to comfort you when you cry, and to join your laughter with my own.

PRONOUNCEMENT

Inasmuch as Paul and Will have presented themselves and exchanged vows and rings as the symbols of their relationship: by the power that is vested to me by the state of Vermont, I do hereby recognize, certify, and pronounce you legally married and partners for life.

You may now kiss.

[jaxx]

1. I just cried at your wedding to be.

Congratulations and best wishes for a long and happy life together. May your big day, when it comes, be all that you hope for, filled with love.

And thanks for sharing that moment.

[soleft]

2. Yay!!!!!

Congratulations!

[Not Me]

3. Congratulations!

23 years...wishing you many, many more.

[HillWilliam]

4. Greg and Willy are sweet and gentle folks

and they're excellent hosts. You'll love it there. HillbillyBob and I enjoyed our weekend.

Wish we could be there to stand up with you guys. Take our hugs and well-wishes with you.

Write when you can!

:hug:

[HillbillyBob]

5. Congratulations

Greg and Willie are really nice..as HillWilliam has said.

Next trip we will fly into Burlington. it's much closer than having to drive over from Boston

[HillWilliam]

6. Not to mention the traffic.

Our GPS hadn't caught up with the Big Dig. We left Greg and Willy's in plenty of time to make a stop on the way back and still have plenty of time to grab a snack and get on the plane. Oh, nooOOOOooo. We were rockin' all the way up until the last 3 miles before the car rental place. An adventure was had.

I'm laughing NOW. My demeanor wasn't so pleasant then :rofl:

Can't wait to get back to MML. In the spring or early fall this time. This suthren boy doesn't do nawthen "winteh"! But my beloved and I have had over 14 years of adventures and I couldn't imagine adventuring with anyone else. Ever.

Will, travel up to Stowe and walk around. It's an easy drive, very pretty, artsy kinds of stuff to see. You'll pass by Ben and Jerry's (yum!), the Cabot Outlet (yum!), and Vermont Chocolatier (yum! yum!). If you have time, get out into the country and take pics -- it's BEAUTIFUL around there. Greg has lots of maps and tons of information. He loves VT like I love NC and is very knowledgeable of all the best things to see that you might not hear about otherwise.

Enjoy!

PS: I'm verklemmt... I love a wedding.

[Skittles]

7. lovely

wishing you two much happiness :)

[WillParkinson]

8. I must have done something wrong...

I have yet to be threatened by Skittles to have my ass kicked. Guess the love is gone. :p


Thank you for your wishes Skittles and everyone else. They do mean a lot to us.

[Skittles]

9. what? seriously? I've never threatened you????

I WILL KICK YOUR ASS, then I will kick my own for overlooking you Will my sweet! I did send you a Valentine you know; yes INDEED!