Wedding of Catherine Ellis and Lawrence Savell
Sunday, February 14, 1999
The Castle at Tarrytown
Ceremony Written by Catherine & Larry
New York City Criminal Court Judge Donna G. Recant, Officiating
The Procession
["Can You Feel the Love Tonight" played live]
Donna (lights two candles when she arrives)
Larry escorts his mother to seat
Larry escorts Catherine's mother; then waits at front
George, Doug, Big Billy, and Ben take turns seating guests. Guests will wait at front
of room for them to return to seat them. When all guests are seated, George and ushers
stand at front of room, to the right of the altar, with Doug furthest away, then Billy,
then Ben, then George, closest to Larry.
["Pretty Woman" played live]
Susan walks down aisle and stands to the left of the altar, furthest away from altar.
Jenny waits until Sue gets to altar, then walks down and stands next to Sue, closer to
the altar.
Katie waits until Jenny gets to altar, then walks down and stands next to her.
Candace does the same.
Billy (ring-bearer) then joins Karen and Kevin, seated.
Leah (flower girl) then joins Billy, Karen and Kevin.
["Here Comes the Bride" played live]
Catherine and Bill (Catherine hands her bouquet to Candace)
The Convocation (why we're gathered here today)
Mr. and Mrs. Ellis, Mrs. Savell, beloved family and special friends, we welcome you to
celebrate a most joyous occasion: the marriage of Catherine Ellis and Lawrence Savell.
In addition to being the person with the honor of marrying this couple, I am also their
friend, and can speak with personal knowledge about them. They are the embodiment of true
romance, which, matured, became true love. They signify the promise of possibility, the
expectation of joyful surprise.
Catherine and Larry make this wonderful commitment to each other at a later point than
some, having experienced life, and its high moments and low. They have learned what they
truly desire to take them exuberantly through the rest of their lives. And that is each
other.
It is no coincidence that this wedding party contains within it a splendidly large
number of children. They represent the youthful vigor, enthusiasm, and positiveness of new
beginnings like this one, where the future is something to eagerly approach and savor.
Love is a miraculous gift, and this wedding is a celebration of that miracle, a joyful
and electric moment which we are all privileged to witness and share. We smile, we laugh,
we eat, we dance, and we revel in the warmth and magic of this new life-partnership.
We all live in the hope of loving and being truly loved, and any sign of the blossoming
of love is a true inspiration. Their enthusiasm is electric, their belief in the destiny
of their love is inspiring, their great expectations encourage us beyond measure.
The Invocation (we ask that the couple be happy)
We ask that God, Spirits, Cupids, Angels, and/or other stellar beings whose bailiwick
encompasses earthly affairs join with us on this happy day, and proclaim that it be a day
of joyfulness, hope, and good fortune for all of us, but especially for Catherine and
Larry, who come together to demonstrate the wonder of love through the celebration of
their marriage.
We humans basically ask very little: that we love and be loved. But that seemingly
simple desire can be quite challenging to fulfill. Catherine and Larry clearly recognize
and appreciate that elusive goal. At a point before they met when they each just began to
think that perhaps they would never scale that height, to their great surprise and
delight, they have attained it through each other.
We ask the aforementioned higher authorities to give their blessing to this couple, and
to allow them to walk together down the path of life as one, joined in heart, in soul, and
in their complete devotion to each other.
The Address (to the couple: why you're here)
Catherine and Larry, first let us all thank you for inviting us to share in your
happiness, and to witness your love which vibrantly blooms before us. We bask in the glow
of two people who so obviously adore, respect, and encourage one another; who celebrate
each other's unique attributes, abilities, and occasional quirks; who want to wake up and
share each day together; and who ache when business obligations occasionally separate them
at least physically from each other -- although in reality they are never truly apart.
This wonderful and inevitable union is even more enchanting when we consider the odds
that were overcome to make it happen. That a man would, at long last, understand what was
missing in his life, and change the very focus of his life and aspirations to find it.
That he would distill his emotions and dreams into words that would communicate them
honestly and passionately, seasoned, as always, with humor. That a woman of hard-earned
independence and achievement sharing those emotions and dreams would happen upon and
isolate his words from amidst an ocean of language, and that she would at once hear in
them a harmony with the voice that echoed with equal fury within herself. That she would
express her parallel feelings and hopes into words that poignantly responded to his. And,
perhaps most amazingly, that the Post Office would not lose her letter in the mail.
Catherine and Larry met, and realized virtually at once that their meeting was
extraordinary and that their relationship was destined to attain a level unlike any they
had experienced before. And within a year of that first meeting, they stand before us
today, in a ceremony that formally commemorates the life-bond between them.
Catherine and Larry, marriage is, like all aspects of life, a river that has its high
tides and low, a campaign that has its victories and its setbacks, a world that has its
peace and its conflict. This is to be expected. The test of an enduring relationship is
the ability of its two partners to ride out the bumps in the road, to celebrate and
appreciate the wonderful moments, and to find in the darker times the faith to overcome
them, and emerge for the better. And having done so, you will come to recognize the
enduring and indefatigable nature of your commitment to each other, and how there is no
obstacle that you cannot overcome, if you tackle it together, with patience, kindness,
respect, and tenderness.
The Consecration (may your desires be fulfilled)
Catherine and Larry, we extend to you our most heartfelt and genuine hopes that all
your desires be fulfilled, and that you two go forward from this day emboldened with the
realization that you each have a devoted life partner to accompany you on your path.
May your joining to each other nevertheless allow your unique individuality and
personality to continue to thrive, and be enhanced by the symbiosis of your partnership.
May your love mature and develop as the seasons of life pass. May you never cease to
increase your appreciation, respect, and awe of each other. May your humor always lighten
your step, and may your wonder always illuminate your way.
["All I Ask of You" played live]
The Expression of Intent (do you take each other?)
Catherine and Larry, at this point I ask you to verbalize your sacred commitment to
each other, to express your acceptance of the privilege of matrimony, in the presence of
your cherished family and close friends.
Do you Larry, wish to marry Catherine, to happily cherish and hold her above all and
have her as your bride, wife, life-partner, and best buddy, faithfully and forsaking all
others, for as long as you shall live?
Larry: I do.
Do you Catherine, wish to marry Larry, to happily cherish and hold him above all and
have him as your groom, husband, life-partner, and best buddy, faithfully and forsaking
all others, for as long as you shall live?
Catherine: I do.
Now you may say to each other the words you have prepared for this moment.
The Vows
Larry: Catherine, I vow always and completely to love you, to respect you, to be
faithful to you, to protect you, and to support you in all your endeavors. I vow always to
be your best friend, to stand by your side when and if we experience any crises or
challenges, as well as when we enjoy our successes. I vow to cherish and nourish your many
special qualities -- your independence, your style, your passion, your compassion, and
your sense of humor. I vow always to keep your life interesting, and to do my very best to
make you happy. And I vow never to forget how long it took me to find you, how wonderfully
my life changed when I found you, and how lucky and happy I am to be with you and to spend
my life with you.
Catherine: Larry, I love you. On this Valentine's Day, I give my heart to
you. Your love has provided me with vision and depth beyond the reaches of my years. Now,
with you by my side, my goals are clear, my hopes are high, and my life is full of
purpose. I accept you as my best friend, my lover and my companion from this day forward.
It is a miracle that you understand me and accept my flaws. I will base my life with you
on love and caring. I will be considerate of your wishes and desires, and respect your
integrity and intentions. I will support your dreams and goals, and strive to keep our
lives well acquainted with laughter, joy, and surprises. Where there are troubles, I will
stand beside you; where there are storms, we will weather them together. I will never stop
giving thanks that we found each other.
The Blessing of the Rings (what they mean)
These rings in their circular shape signify the circle of life, that everything is part
of a whole, and that life and love truly have no beginning or end to them.
These rings are composed of precious metals, forged by time and effort. They signify
the richness of your devotion and affection, and the hardening journey by which you
reached this shining moment.
These rings are exchanged by you as a token of your unending bond. They are worn as a
public proclamation of your commitment, a marker that says, "this person truly loves
and is loved."
The Exchanging of the Rings (with this ring . . .)
Larry: Dearest Catherine, with this ring I pledge to you my life and my
soul, my heart and my mind, my hopes and my dreams, my support and my counsel, my pride
and my love, my faithfulness and trust, and I will cherish you, from this day forth, and
forever.
Catherine: Larry, I accept this ring as a symbol of our love and I wear it
proudly as your wife.
Catherine: Dearest Larry, with this ring I pledge to you my life and my
soul, my heart and my mind, my hopes and my dreams, my support and my counsel, my pride
and my love, my faithfulness and trust, and I will cherish you, from this day forth, and
forever.
Larry: Catherine, I accept this ring as a symbol of our love and I wear it
proudly as your husband.
Unity Candle Lighting
["In My Life" played live]
May the brightness of the candle you light together shine throughout your lives, giving
you courage and reassurance in the darkness. May its warmth give you shelter from the
cold. And may its energy fill your spirits with strength and joy.
The Pronouncement of Marriage
Catherine and Larry, now that you have shown us the example of your love and
celebrated your union by giving each other these sacred rings, by the power vested in me
by the State of New York and in equal measure by the love and support of all witnessing
this wondrous event today, it is with great joy and happiness that I now pronounce you
husband and wife. Kissing may now commence.
["This Magic Moment" played live]
The Kiss (10-15 minutes maximum)
The Benediction (the final flourish)
May each day be a reaffirmation of the vows and commitments you have made today. May
time strengthen the intricate and powerful weave of the fabric that joins you together.
Depart in peace, in love, and with the supreme comfort that, whatever the road ahead
may bring, you both have a devoted and loving fellow traveler who will always be by your
side.
[CD of orchestral version of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" played boldly]
