my wedding: our day

And here we are.  Greeting my husband to be at the end of the aisle.  That is always my favorite at weddings, watching the groom.  And he greeted me with the sweetest, most nervous smile.

The nostalgia of an unforeseen love and future stays with me, through the words I chose for the day.  So I wanted to share them with here.  I loved every part of the day.  (Especially when he grabbed my face for the kiss!)  But I wanted to share the ceremony and the two songs that meant so much to us leading up to the day.  All of these words still are the world.

The words of Song of Solomon 8:6-7 were written on the front of our wedding program, in Hebrew, were sung by friends in an arrangement by Rene Clausen, and read outloud by a Christian mentor couple at the  end of the ceremony.

Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.

Never could a bride imagine what is in store for her marriage.  More joy, more tears, less me.  My prayer is that I continue to put Christ and my husband before myself.  I’ve never loved my husband more than I do today, this moment. And I am so grateful that God chose him for me to mold me and use me and shape me into the person He desires for me to be.

The Wedding Ceremony

Prelude   

Processional “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us”  Bradbury

Bridal Processional  “Christ is Made the Sure Foundation”  Purcell

Call to Worship & Prayer 

Declaration of Intent

Giving of Bride

Worship “Holy Holy Holy” Heber

Responsive Scripture Reading Jeremiah 32: 38-41, Isaiah 43:1-3

Duet “O Perfect Love” Gurney

Scripture Reading  Philippians 2:1-11, Ephesians 5:22-33 

Wedding Homily   

Ensemble “Set Me as a Seal” Clausen

Vows 

Exchange of Rings

Vows for a Christian Home

Congregational Vow

Lighting of the Unity Candle

“Before the Throne of God Above”  Bancroft

Scripture Reading Psalm 91, Song of Solomon 2:8-14, 8:3, 6-7

Prayer of Blessing 

Closing Hymn “Crown Him with Many Crowns”  Bridges

Pronouncement 

Benediction

Presentation of the Couple

Recessional “Praise the Lord” Karg-Elert

And the song that played during our reception slideshow, pictures of us, A Page is Turned by Bebo Norman:

A page is turned by the wind to a boy in curly grin 
With a world to conquer at the age of ten 
But as history unfolds and the storybook is told 
He finds salvation but not at the hands of man 

And the God of second chance 
Picked him up and He let him dance 
Through a world that is not kind 
And all this time, preparing him the one 
To hold him up when he comes undone 
Beneath the storm, beneath the sun 
And now a man, here you stand, your day has come 

A page is turned in this world to reveal a little girl 
With a heart that’s bigger, as it is unfurled 
By the language in her soul, that’s teaching her to grow 
With a careful cover of love that will not fail 

And the God of second chance 
Picked her up and He let her dance 
Through a world that isn’t kind 
And all this time, preparing her the one 
To hold her up when she comes undone 
Beneath the storm, beneath the sun 
And grown up tall, here you are, your day has come 

Beneath the air of autumn, she took him by his hand 
And warm within the ardor, she took his heart instead 
And high upon the mountain, he asked her for her hand, just for her hand 

A page is turned in this life, He’s making her his wife 
And there is no secret to the Source of this much life 
When the Grace that falls like rain is washing them again 
Just a chance to somehow rise above this land 

Where the God of second chance 
Will pick them up and He’ll let them dance 
Through a world that is not kind 
And all this time, they’re sharing with the One 
That holds them up when they come undone 
Beneath the storm, beneath the sun 
And once again, here you stand, your day has come

And the song we first danced to as man and wife, Lay Down Beside Me by Alison Krauss & John Waite.

I’ve spent my life looking for you
Finding my way wasn’t easy to do
But I knew there was you all the while
And its been worth every mile

So lay down beside me, love me and hide me
Kiss all the hurtin’ of this world away
Hold me so close that I feel your heartbeat
And don’t ever wander away

Mornings and evenings all were the same
There was no music till I heard your name
But I knew when I saw you smile
Now I can rest for awhile

So lay down beside me, love me and hide me
Kiss all the hurtin’ of this world away
Hold me so close that I feel your heartbeat
And don’t ever wander away

It means so much to me to share these words and pictures with you today.  Blessings.  ♥

Our wedding:

the dress

the flowers