Performed a Classic Spiritual Wedding Ceremony for a great couple at the Short Sands Gazebo Saturday Evening. Things didn’t start out smoothly, as the couple left their marriage license at their hotel room in Ogunquit. I ended up driving the groom back to the hotel room to get it (due to the fact that they had arrived by trolly and it would be quicker for me to drive him). Along the way, we ran into a couple of road issues, but we got back in about 40 minutes and the ceremony went off without a hitch! It included a family Sand Ceremony involving their 4 children. Here is the text of that ceremony:
We are all members of one family – God’s family.
Today as Stephen & Nicole have sealed their commitment to each other with the exchange of rings they too make a commitment to their children.
We recognize the significant role that [childern’s names] play in this marriage celebrated today.
They will now join Nicole & Stephen in this commitment to each other by contributing a part of each individual person into one blended family.
Today, this relationship is symbolized through the pouring of these individual containers of sand, each representing a member of the family in all that they were, all that they are, and all that they will ever be into the center container.
As each individual’s sand is poured into the family’s one united common container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one…
[Family members pour sand into container]
Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into their individual containers, so will become the bond with your family.
Best Wishes Stephen & Nicole!