The Wedding Ceremony and Vows of
Clairyce A. Dolson and William E. Gaston, Oct 11, 1998
Presiding Minister: Rev Richard Harris

Welcome Family and Friends. As most of you probably know, one year ago today Bill and Clairyce met face-to-face for the first time. During this year they have come to love each other deeply, and now they stand before you and before God to exchange the vows that will bind them, one unto the other, as husband and wife.

Marriage is more than a legal contract, it is a holy state, consecrated by God, that recognizes the fullest expression of love between two people... their pledge to spend the rest of their lives caring for each other. In the Bible, God calls our attention to the strength and power of love numerous times. It is apparent that God instituted marriage as a holy state as a reflection of His own unconditional love for us. We are all blessed by the opportunity to bear witness to this ceremony, and as God’s instrument in this union, it is my duty and my pleasure to address my next comments to them and then administer their vows.

Bill, Clairyce... Authors and poets have struggled for millennia to capture in writing the ability of love to heal, to transform, and to transcend human existence. Shakespeare wrote:
Let us not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments.
Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove:
O, no! It is an ever-fixed mark, which looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.
Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks within his bending sickle’s compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, but bears it out, even to the edge of doom.

Love is many things to many people, a marvelous and mysterious force. And you two are proof that love is not reserved for the young. The experiences, good and bad, in your lives thus far have given you a mature perspective and deep appreciation for the love you have found in each other. It is a testimonial to the resilience of the human heart and spirit, and defines what love is.

Love is faith. The innermost secrets of the self have let down their defenses. It is an open door to the soul, the most precious possession of all. I charge you to protect the trust placed in each of you by the other, and never betray it. Support each other in times of emotional need or difficult circumstance. Offer each other warm reassurance when faced with uncertainty.

Love is a bond. It is truly the strongest of bonds, yet for all its strengths, love is also delicate and requires care, as do the roses that you have chosen as a symbol of your love. I charge you both to nurture your bond. Keep it healthy with frequent expressions of romantic love and caring. Tell and show each other often how much you love each other in all the different and wonderful ways there are to communicate.

Love is a journey. Your journey began when you met, and progressed from friendship, to courtship, and will now continue as a partnership. I charge you to make the most of your journey. Appreciate each other’s individuality. Encourage each other’s goals. Celebrate your accomplishments as individuals and as a couple. Let your love and lives evolve, and not only at home, because as you travel, if you only gaze into each other’s eyes you will stumble, so instead, look forward together in the same direction.

Love is balance. A good and balanced relationship is one in which neither person feels left out or overpowered by the other. I charge you to give of yourselves in equal measure. Let your strengths and weaknesses compensate for each other’s. Find that marvelous point between individuality and union that simultaneously gives both of you the greatest reach and support.

Love is commitment. Marriage is different than any other relationship a couple can experience. Two lives truly become one. I charge you to commit yourselves fully to your responsibilities to each other. Think of yourselves as a single entity. Draw upon your combined strengths… your love, your zest for life, and above all, a good sense of humor… when faced with difficult times.

And finally, speaking of difficult times, despite the way you feel right now love is NOT always perfect! Never take each other for granted. Say please. And thank you. And may I. And most importantly, never withhold your feelings from each other, especially when you feel down, or disappointed, or misunderstood. You each have the power to comfort the other as no one else can… use it! It will make you stronger and more secure. I charge you to use times of adversity as opportunities to strengthen your love. Be a safe haven for each other, in all things.

Bill, you are about to make a solemn vow before God. A relationship that is thus consecrated should be entered into reverently, with a full understanding of the privileges and obligations of a Christian marriage. This woman is about to become the partner of your life, your queen, and the only recipient of your faithful love. She will look only to you in her hour of need. Provide for her, show her your love every day, let your gentleness be her constant trust, and your strength of character her greatest security.

Clairyce, you too, with your vow, will enter into a solemn relationship before God. This man is about to become the partner of your life, your king. He will look only to you for solace in his time of trial. Support and defend him, brighten his every day with your smile, let your voice be his trusted counselor, and your faithfulness his greatest source of peace.

Please face each other now and join hands. Bill, do you take Clairyce, in the presence of these witnesses, according to the laws of this state, and before God, to be your lawfully wedded wife? *I DO*

Clairyce, do you take Bill, in the presence of these witnesses, according to the laws of this state, and before God, to be your lawfully wedded husband? *I DO*

Bill, what do you give Clairyce as a symbol of your love? (Bill gets ring from Ed)
As you place the ring on her finger, repeat after me:

CLAIRYCE ANN DOLSON, with this ring I thee wed.
I will be your partner in life and love.
I will respect you and trust you.
I will cherish you above all others.
I will stand fast at your side in good times or bad.
I will care for your health and our home.
I will always be here for you, and will never let you down.
I will be your best friend, your husband.

Clairyce, what do you give Bill as a symbol of your love? (Clairyce gets ring from Ronnie)
As you place the ring on his finger, repeat after me:

WILLIAM ERVIN GASTON, with this ring I thee wed.
I will be your partner in life and love.
I will respect you and trust you.
I will cherish you above all others.
I will stand fast at your side in good times or bad.
I will care for your health and our home.
I will always be here for you, and I will never let you down.
I will be your best friend, your wife.

The rings you have exchanged are outward symbols of the bond which now exists between you. The rings are a circle... they have no beginning, nor do they have an end. Endless and everlasting, so may your love remain.

And now, Bill and Clairyce, please turn and look at your friends and family, who you asked to be here with you on this special day. They represent a circle too, a circle you can count on for support and fellowship, and they will likewise count upon you. In the circle of life, we are all part of one another, so let those smaller circles, your wedding rings, remind you of them also.

We ask Almighty God to guide and protect this couple through all the years of their lives. May He grant them and their loved ones contentment and peace. May their years together be blessed, and may their love serve as an inspiration to others.

Forasmuch as the two of you have consented to join together in wedlock, and have pledged yourselves to each other in the presence of God and in the sight of these witnesses: By the authority vested in me as a minister, in accordance with the laws of the State of California, but most of all, as a testament of the love you have expressed for each other, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

And now, as we all know, one thing remains to complete this ceremony. The bride and groom must seal the pledges they made in their marriage vows, and they must do so in the sight of this company! So... Bill, please kiss your bride. (He does!)

It is now my privilege and pleasure to present to you for the very first time in public, MR and MRS GASTON.