The Wedding of
XXX

and

YYY
October 9, 2005
Nothing is worth more
than this day
__Goethe

THE WEDDING OF
XXX
and
YYY

October 9, 2005
Nothing is worth more than this day

— Goethe

Christian Marriage

The deep love of a man and a woman that is expressed in marriage is the most perfect union that we know in this world.

It is the most profound “I Do” that two persons may speak to each other.

It is a complete union of life and love- an intermingling of two lives that now become one.

The marriage union we will witness today is a sacred event. This sacred union is our prayer to God to receive this gift of love, to bless it and perfect it through His Holy Spirit so that this marriage may be a living witness to the love of Christ for his Church.

This marriage speaks of the promise of God’s Presence - the presences that raises this marriage to a new and higher level and reveals the true meaning of Christian love.

The various symbols used in this ceremony today present this meaning to us:

Symbol of the Procession: The bride and groom are led into church, just as their own union they are led into a deep relationship in a life centered in Christ. Christ becomes the focal point of their relationship.

Symbol of the Wedding Ring: The wedding ring is a symbol of the exclusive commitment of this couple. It is a circle without beginning or end and expresses the eternal love to which we are called - a love that finds its model in Jesus Christ.

                  How They Met

Six years ago, XXX and YYY met while working together in the blistering heat collecting the admission fee for a church function. They were both cordial to one another and shared a few laughs. As a result of the event, XXX and YYY became acquaintances and shared jokes in passing, mostly about each other’s fancy shoes.

A mutual friend, Loreene Neal, an earthly angel, vehemently attempted to make a ‘love connection’ between the two. She would often drop little hints to XXX and YYY about what a wonderful couple they would be. Her famous line was ‘he loves fancy shoes and so do you, it’s a match made in heaven.’

Finally, one Sunday morning after worship, she cornered XXX and YYY, and with her angelic smile suggested or should we say demanded that XXX take YYY to brunch. In true XXX fashion, he responded with a curt remark, but obediently, yet reluctantly escorted YYY to brunch. That Sunday, XXX and YYY shared a blissful brunch together at XXX favorite local restaurant, unaware of the inevitable connection that was about to form.
 

About an hour into the date, in true XXX fashion, she was scheduled to be somewhere else within minutes. Not to be rude and cut the date so abruptly, XXX extended an invitation for YYY to join her at her next appointment; a visit with a realtor to scope out a potential property. Upon arriving to the house (which was a total flop), the realtor greeted Xxx, then extended his hand and greeted Ilan, ‘nice to meet you Mr. Xxx.’ From that moment on, Xxx and Ilan (aka Mr. Xxx) began to forge a relationship that would be strongly rooted in loyalty, trust, and understanding.

Since that first date, there has been many special moments shared in that same restaurant, numerous visits with realtors, and many greetings extended to Ilan as Mr. Xxx. This October, Xxx and Ilan will officially become Mr. and Mrs.Xxx, Oops! that’s Mr.and Mrs. xxx!

Loreene has gone home to be with the Lord, but we dedicate this ceremony to her memory and her determination to connect two separate souls that will now lead life as one soul and one being.
 

The Wedding Ceremony

Officiant: Rev. Dr. David L. Kelley, II
Welcome
Prayer
Candlelight Memoriam
Processional
Bridal March
Wedding Message
Recitation of Vows
Exchange of rings
Recessional
Reception Immediately following
At West Side Loft
336 37th Street in Manhattan, 6thfloor
(Public Parking Available )

Our Parents

Parents of the Bride
Ms. XXXX
Mr. YYYY

Parents of the Groom
Mrs. XXX
The Late Mr. XXX

   
****

Bridal Party

Maid of Honor
XXX

Best Man
XXX

Hostesses
XXXX
YYYY

Candlelight Memoriam:

In the spirit of remembrance, we light the candles to honor our friends and family who have passed over and dwell with our Creator. Their presence is invoked, as we ask that they be with us in our thoughts. Each person lighting a candle has a personal connection to those we are honoring.

Oris xxx
In remembrance of
Horace’sGrandparents

XXX
In remembrance of
Xxx’s Grandparents

XXX
In remembrance of XXX

Jourdan Archer-Sizemore

In remembrance of Ron Archer-Sizemore

Alexis Neal
In remembrance of Loreene Neal

                           Dominique Glover
      In remember of Our Friends and Family

                             ***
                         Horace Ilan xxx
          In remembrance of Horace
                     xxx and
                     Dawn xxx

Our Heritage

In nearly all African cultures, the wedding contained much symbolism involving the bringing together of two families. African weddings are a family affair and involve combining of two lives, two families, and two communities. In true essence of our heritage, we will impart several rituals throughout the ceremony to acknowledge our true lineage.

Tasting of the Four Elements

The bride and groom taste four flavors that represent different elements within a relationship. By tasting each of the flavors, the couple symbolically demonstrated that they would be able to get through the hard times in life, and in the end, enjoy the sweetness of their marriage.

Each spice represents an element of life:
(1)  lemon juice for sorrow,
(2)  vinegar for bitterness,
(3)  cayenne pepper for passion,
(4)  honey for sweetness.

Tying The Knot

The bride and groom is literally and symbolically bound together at the wrists during the ceremony. A sash of kente cloth will bind the couple together.

An Illustration of
How A Man and Woman

complement each other:

“He is thought - She is language.

He is Law - She is prudence.

He is reason - She is sense.

He is right - She is duty.

He is author - She is work.

He is patience - She is Peace.

He is will - She is action.

He is mercy - She is gift.

He melody - She is note.

He is fuel - She is fire.

He is sun - She is glory.

 

            
              He is space - She is orbit.

             He is wind - She is motion.

            He is ocean - She is shore.

              He is day - She is night.

             He is lamp - She is light.

            He is owner - She is wealth.

             He is music - She is rhyme.

             He is justice - She is truth.

            He is channel - She is stream.

             He is flagstaff - She is flag.

             He is strength - She is beauty.

                 He is body - She is soul.”

A Special Thank You

To our loving parents, we thank you for your unyielding love and support throughout our lives and this courtship. Your unconditional love for us has demonstrated how we should love each and our family. Your uncompromising faith in God has taught us that all things are possible if we believe. Your tenacity has taught us how to stay steadfast in prayer as we endure tough times. Your gentle smiles and hugs of reassurance have taught us the act of love. Your humor has taught us to enjoy life and its many pleasures and uncertainties. Your tears have taught us how to express our inner feelings, while leaning on God for healing.

We honor you and admire you, for without you this day would not have been possible.

A special thank you to the staff of A Perfect Guest Event Planner Services for making our dream a reality.

To Our Guest

We thank you, each and every one, for joining us this evening. You have added to our happiness in a very special way. As the years shall come and go our dreams will give us pleasure and bring you back to us again in memories to treasure.

With love,
XXX and YYY
October 9, 2005