Our ceremony was officiated by Rev. Julia Aegerter, of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Evansville. We wrote the ceremony, so it was more personal, and reflected how we feel for each other and marriage.

Our ceremony is below.

Good Morning, my name is Julia Aegerter, and on behalf of Levi and Pamela, I bid you welcome. We are here today to participate in a most joyous occasion, to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, by acknowledging the wedding of two, who have stood apart, but come now in our presence to declare their love and be united in marriage.

Levi and Pamela, you have come here today to celebrate the love you have for each other. We share in this with you by giving recognition of your decision to accept each other as husband and wife. You come now, into this state of marriage, to be united.

Now, who presents this woman to be married to this man? (Dad says, "I do," and then joins Mom.)

Statement to Bride and Groom

Levi and Pamela, today you are surrounded by your family and friends, all of whom have gathered her to witness your marriage and to share in the joy of this occasion.

Today you make a giant step of courage, of commitment, to communicate love, to understand, and to grow. But, marriage is not only a commitment between lovers, it is also an agreement between two friends. Allow each other time to be an individual, respect each other's wishes as well as each other's dreams.

This ceremony is not magic. It will not create a relationship that does not already exist. Real love is something beyond the warmth and glow, the excitement and romance, of being deeply in love. It is caring as much about the welfare and happiness of your partner as about your own. Real love is not a total absorption into each other, it is looking outward in the same direction together.

Love will make your burdens lighter because you can divide them. It will make joys more intense because you can share them. Love makes you stronger, so you can be involved with life in ways you dare not risk alone. Now is a time for being certain of your love for one another, and your desire for that love to last forever.

Vows

Levi and Pamela, it is a great joy and pleasure for me to be standing here with you on this momentous day, to share in your marriage ceremony, and witness the lifelong commitment you are making to one another.

I must remind you that the vows you are about to say to each other belong entirely to you. The words I speak have no magical powers, and nothing I can say or do on this day can ultimately make your marriage endure with beauty, fidelity, and joy. Only you, by the integrity and diligence of your love, can make these vows last.

Levi, please take Pamela's right hand and repeat after me: (by phrase)

Pamela, with all my heart I take you to be my wife.
I will love you through the good and the bad,
through the joy and the sorrow.
I will try to be understanding, and to trust in you completely.
I will make you a part of me, and in turn, become a part of you.
We will be equal partners throughout the years,
so long as we both shall live.

Levi, do you take Pamela to be your wife, and will you pledge your trust to her, in all love and honor, offering encouragement and companionship, and cherish her in the bond of marriage? If so, say, "I do."

Pamela, please take Levi's right hand and repeat after me: (by phrase)

Levi, with all my heart I take you to be my husband.
I will love you through the good and the bad,
through the joy and the sorrow.
I will try to be understanding, and to trust in you completely.
I will make you a part of me, and in turn, become a part of you.
We will be equal partners throughout the years,
so long as we both shall live.

Pamela, do you take Levi to be your husband, and will you pledge your trust to him, in all love and honor, offering encouragement and companionship, and cherish him in the bond of marriage? If so, say, "I do."

Exchange of Rings

May I have the rings, please? (Adam gives the rings.)

Rings are made precious by our wearing them. They carry our meaning; they say who we are; where we have been, and where we are going. They become us; they reflect us; they are a symbol of our truest essence.

Your wedding rings are most special because they say that even in your uniqueness you have chosen to be bonded, to allow the presence of another human being to enhance who you are. Your rings carry the potent double message: "We are individuals, and yet we belong; we are not alone." As you wear them through time, they will reflect not only who you are, but also the union you are making, and the fact that through the rest of your lives each of you will be imprinted by the other, yet as yourselves remain. May these rings always call to mind the freedom and the power of this love.

Levi, as you place this ring on Pamela's finger, please repeat after me: (by phrase)

I give you this ring as a sign that I choose you above all others to be my beloved.
Wear it as a reminder that I love you every day of your life.

Pamela, as you place this ring on Levi's finger, please repeat after me: (by phrase)

I give you this ring as a sign that I choose you above all others to be my beloved.
Wear it as a reminder that I love you every day of your life.

These two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever they go, may they always return to one another in their togetherness. May these two rings symbolize the spirit of undying love in the hearts of both of them.

Pronouncement

Levi and Pamela, you have told me, and everyone gathered here today, that you deeply love each other. You have formed your own union in friendship, in respect for one another, and in love.

May all that you have already become, which has brought you to this day, and all you will become as a consequence of it, in the lifelong joining of your hearts and minds continue to show you your purpose. May you live long and happily, fulfilling all that you are.

By the authority vested in me by the Unitarian Universalist Association, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife.

You may seal your vows with a kiss.

Family and friends, it is with great pleasure that I present to you Levi and Pamela Grove, Husband and Wife.