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Anam Cara and Gemstone Ceremony

As the guests arrive, they are each given a small gem to hold during the Celtic Wedding Ceremony.


WELCOME

Friends and family,
what a joy it is to welcome you here, to celebrate and witness the union of ­­­­­­­­­­ ________ and _________.

CONSENT

Some say that marriage is the oldest ritual in the world. As such, it should not be entered into thoughtlessly or lightly, for your future happiness and prosperity depends on what you put into this relationship.

Do you ____________ and _______________ come here of your own free will, accompanied by your families’ blessings, to be united in marriage?

ADDRESS
On this wedding day we celebrate the Celtic spirit of anam cara.
Anam Cara is translated from the Gaelic as “soul friend.”
By solidifying your partnership with your anam cara, you are joined in an ancient and eternal way.

To the ancients, the four elements to be respected and celebrated were earth, water, wind, and fire.

FIRE
The couple lights a candle.
Let your lives continue to burn together as one.
“From every human being, there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven.
And when two souls that are destined to be together find each other, their streams of light flow together,
and a single brighter light goes forth from their united being.”


WATER

The couple take turns to drink from the loving cup, filled with water.
Before there was life, there was water.
Water is life. It sustains us, nourishes us, cleanses us, refreshes us, we are made of it.
And so, drink. Drink to your love you’ve shared in the past, celebrate in your present, and look to in your future.

WIND
The wind is the soul, the spirit, the very breath of life.
Until you die few things will ever be  more intimate than that subtle infusion of air and the touch of lips when you kiss. You have the memory of many kisses between you, and there will be many more!


EARTH
The couple holds a small gem stone in their hands.

We must not forget the rock from which we are hewn, the very earth on which we live.
However fickle and variable the ways of humankind, there lies within us all something solid, unshakeable, unmovable – like a rock.

Take in your hands the stone and find within yourself that piece of sure foundation that you would share with each other, and for a moment close your eyes. Focus on that inner strength as though you could bundle it up in a stone.
Visualize the future you wish for yourselves and engrave it in stone. A moment of silence.


THE RING
The ring is a circle that has no end, and symbolizes the never-ending love that exists between you. The ring is made from precious metals purified by the heat of testing, it is a symbol of the purity of your love for one another. The ring is made of rare gems that radiate brilliance and a quality unlike other ordinary stones, and represents the riches that reside in each of you. May these rings always reflect the light of your love throughout your life together.

VOWS
Celebrant says:  __________, please repeat after me.

I, ____________, take you, ____________, to be my partner in life.
I promise to walk by your side forever,
and to love, help, and encourage you in all that you do.
I will take time to talk with you, to listen to you, and to care for you.
I will share your laughter and your tears.
As your partner, lover, and best friend, Everything I am and everything I have is yours now and forevermore.

Celebrant says:  __________, please repeat after me.

I __________, take you, ___________, to be my partner in life.
I promise to walk by your side forever,
and to love, help, and encourage you in all that you do.
I will take time to talk with you, to listen to you, and to care for you.
I will share your laughter and your tears.
As your partner, lover, and best friend, Everything I am and everything I have is yours now and forevermore.


IRISH BLESSING
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
the rains fall soft upon the fields.
May the Light of friendship guide your paths together.
May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.
May the joy of living for one another
trip a smile from your lips, a twinkle from your eye.
And when eternity beckons
at the end of a life heaped high with love,
may the good lord embrace you
with the arms that have nurtured you
the whole length of your joy-filled days.
May the gracious God hold you both in the palm of his hands.
And, today, may the Spirit of Love
find a dwelling place in your hearts. Amen

PRONOUNCEMENT

____________ and ____________ because you have committed yourselves to each other in marriage, and have demonstrated this by exchanging your vows and giving each other rings, you are now and forever, husband and wife!

 

KISS
You may kiss.

 

PRESENTATION
Ladies and Gentlemen,
it is my privilege to introduce to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. ____________ and ___________.