Author: NH Justice of the Peace John Scuto

Had the pleasure of performing my first wedding at the Mombo last Saturday. This is a great little restaurant and the perfect place for a wedding ceremony. When I first arrived, the power was out (due to weather conditions) but it came back on about 5 minutes afterward. The Custom Wedding Ceremony created by the couple was a delight to perform and went very smoothly. It featured a couple of readings – one by the Groom’s grandmother and the second by the Bride’s brother. The ceremony also included a Community Affirmation where the guests pledged to support the couple in their marriage. Here are the words to the Affirmation:

Celebrant: Friends and family, you occupy an important place in this couple’s lives.

It is in your company that these two have learned the lessons of friendship, of the tremendous act of giving one’s love to another, and they ask your blessing, as well, over their marriage.

Now that their life is entering a new phase, your role will be different, but not diminished.

And so on this, their wedding day, Siobhan and Geoffry ask you to remain steadfast, reaching out to them in times of trouble, helping them to celebrate their achievements and their joys.

Wherever your own destiny may carry you, we ask that you continue to include them in your lives.

If you will do this, please answer “We will.”

Guests: We will!

No special colors for this ceremony, but there was certainly a festive holiday atmosphere! Congratulations, Geoffry & Siobhan!

 

Performed a Classic Ceremony for a great couple at Buckley’s Great Steaks on the Saturday before Christmas. Never did one here before. The couple had a small rustic room for their ceremony, and it was very nicely decorated for the holidays. The Flower Girl was cute as a button! Color was maroon. Best Wishes Jeff & Kim!

Presided over a quick elopement ceremony on the banks of the Exeter River last Thursday. Best Wishes, Cassy & Shawn!

Presided over an elopement at the McDonnell Conservation Area yesterday. The place where we do ceremonies is snowcovered, but the river is still flowing and not yet frozen. Congrats, Cassy & Shawn!

Presided over a quick elopement ceremony on the bank of the Exeter River on Wednesday. It was really cold and the ground was snow covered, but the setting was beautiful with the water rushing by the snow-covered trees. Congratulations, Nick & Brittany!

Wed a beautiful couple in a Classic Spiritual Wedding Ceremony at the groom’s parent’s home in Salem on Monday evening. The ceremony was attended by about 10 close family members. Color was red. Best Wishes Cameron & Regina!

If you’re getting married in Portsmouth, Rye, New Castle, North Hampton, Hampton, Seabrook, Greenland, Hampton Falls, Stratham, NH; Salisbury, Newburyport, Newbury, Rowley, Ipswich, MA; or York, ME and you book our JP Services in December, the reduced fee for a completely Custom Designed Ceremony starts at the special rate of $150. Wedding Officiant attendance at wedding rehearsals is $50. For ceremonies that require the Officiant’s attendance at the rehearsal, a Professional Ceremony Coordinator is provided at either the rehearsal or ceremony at no additional charge for ceremonies with large wedding parties at venues without a wedding coordinator.

Married a wonderful couple in a Classic Spiritual Ceremony at Zorvino’s on Saturday. The ceremony featured The Lord’s Prayer and the colors were champagne, blush, and sage green. Best Wishes Rob & Chelsea!

Performed a wedding ceremony for a great couple on Hampton Beach Saturday. It was really cold on the beach Saturday, but the couple’s love kept us warm! The ceremony featured a Sand Ceremony that included the couple’s beautiful little daughter. Best of Luck Eric, Jessie & Lililynn!

Here are the words to the Sand Ceremony:

We are all members of one family – the human family.

Today, as Jessie and Eric have sealed their commitment to each other with the exchange of rings, they too make a commitment to their child.

We recognize the significant role that Lililynn plays in this marriage celebrated today.

She will now join Eric and Jessie in this commitment to each other by contributing a part of herself to 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.

Presided over two quick elopement ceremonies at the McDonnell Conservation Area over the weekend. On the second of the two, the groom led us right down to the bank of the river for the ceremony. Usually I wed folks on the landing above the bank, but it was cool to venture down there, and I’m going to offer that option to other brave couples from now on. Congrats Yahaira & Israel, and Jay & Stacie!