Vows

Our first date, a walking tour of downtown Indy and an Indians baseball game

June 2008

A year ago we embarked on a journey to be together or the rest of our lives, to enter the "institution" of marriage and know that we both believed that this was the beginning of a lifetime commitment to each other. Having completed pre marriage counseling a couple months before, I had felt much more confident in our decision to become our own family while also joining together our seperate friends and families as a support system in the walk of life.  Marriage had become such a foreign concept to me after I moved on from my first love, I gave up all the dreams because I did not see them for myself without this person and instead moved away and forged on with my desire to be a career driven woman with the option to date freely and enjoy my life in a whole different light.  To live for my career and not for Love.  Years passed, I met Darren and things changed, and I become more open to different commitment milestones, my desires had shifted and I once again became open to being loved and loving whole heartedly.
This past week all I could think about was our ceremony, the actions, words/vows, thoughts, and knowing that we were being held up by some of the great family and friends in our lives.  The day is such a blur, so much goes on from the beginning of the week to the days after but I never want to forget those vows that I made in God's, our families, and friends presence.  We changed the vows slightly to fit us and what we felt.

Our Vows

Darren and Bea, as you contemplate the making of your vows to each other, realize that from this day forward your destinies will be woven together.  Your joys and struggles will not be known apart from one another. Darren, repeat after me. I, Darren, take thee Bea, to be my wedded wife - - - to have and to hold - - - from this day forward - - - in sickness and in health - - - in prosperity and in need - - - to love and to cherish - - - so long as we both shall live - - - let my heart be your shelter - - - and my arms your home - - - to this I pledge you my faith.
Bea, repeat after me. I, Bea, take thee Darren, to be my wedded husband - - - to have and to hold - - - from this day forward - - - in sickness and in health - - - in prosperity and in need - - - to love and to cherish - - - so long as we both shall live - - - let my heart be your shelter - - - and my arms your home - - - to this I pledge you my faith.

And one of my favorite parts, the Sand Ceremony.  I was very elated with the words that had been used previously and kept all parts.  To see our glass heart filled with sand, the white reminding me that God is our foundation and that I should always lean on him for guidance in our marriage.

Sand Ceremony

Darren and Bea will now come together for the Mixing of the Sands.  Just as Jesus Christ is the Lord of their lives and the Rock of their Salvation, He will now be the solid foundation that holds their marriage firm.  This is symbolized by the white sand in the bottom of the bottle.  Darren and Bea both have sands that symbolize their individual lives.  As they pour their sands together, it shows how their lives – once separate – are now becoming intertwined as one.  Just as it would be impossible to separate these sands once poured, their commitment shall make them inseparable as well.

Its a day I never want to forget.