Everyone got in line behind the front door.
"Hey, I just realized the only person missing is Jem." Aja said.
"Not quite. She's here in spirit," Jerrica said, turning around to reveal
a pink stripe on the back of her hair. Everyone laughed, breaking the
nervous tension in the air.
Craig waited on the other side of the door and as the soft strains of piano
music began, he opened the front door. Raya walked first followed by
Shana, Aja, and Kimber. Each woman wore a deep blue tank top and a
matching wrap skirt that tied on the side. They each walked barefoot
across the porch, down the steps, and across the sand. Each woman also
carried a small basket filled with flower petals, which they tossed to the
ground as they walked. A woman in a long white robe stood smiling, holding
a small white book in her hands. To her left was Rory and next to him his
best man. The guests stood on both sides, the entire layout forming a
loose semi-circle. Everyone was dressed in casual, yet elegant clothes.
Some of the women wore long sundresses and the men dressed mainly in khakis
and dress shirts. Rory was wearing a pair of tan Khakis and a white shirt.
He too went barefoot. Then it was time for the bride to come out. Jerrica
stepped onto the front porch. She wore a plain white dress with thin
straps and an empire waist. On her head lay a crown of tiny flowers. She carried a bouquet of white daisies. She smiled tenderly at her love as she saw his face. He looked as though he couldn't breathe, a single tear rolled down his cheek. When Jerrica reached her place in front of the officiate the ceremony began.
"Good afternoon everyone and welcome. Please complete the circle so we may
begin," she said, waiting for the guests to come together before she spoke.
"We are here today to witness the joining of Rory and Jerrica. They are
two souls who have come full circle themselves, just as you have all come
together in this circle, to surround them with your love and friendship..
They met, it seems, a lifetime ago. At the time they were not what you
would call the best of friends," she said. The guests and bridal party
laughed at the memory. "So, as happens, life went on and they lost touch.
Then, just over a year ago, they met again. This time they were older and
wiser and took the time to get to know one another, and pretty soon they
were in love. Which brings us to today. We will start with Rory and
Jerrica reciting vows they wrote themselves." she said, nodding to Rory.
He cleared his throat and looked into Jerrica's eyes.
"Jerrica, when we first met all those years ago I was too foolish and
arrogant to see what was in front of me. I didn't see the beautiful,
smart, funny, caring woman you were and still are. Because of that I spent
too many years alone and almost missed the chance to know you, love you,
and now to become your husband. I have been so blessed to have you in my
life. Today is the beginning of our forever and I do not want to spend a
moment of it without you," he said, choking back tears. He reached up and
brushed the tears from Jerrica's eyes. She took a deep breath before
speaking.
"Rory, I was a very lonely person until one day I bumped into a stranger
who turned out to be someone from my past. That someone was you. You
brought love, laughter, and hope to my life. Not a day goes by where I
don't think about our time together. I especially remember the first time
I woke up next to you, looking at your beautiful face. It was at that
moment that I realized why I was put on this earth. It was so I could love
a man who makes me laugh so hard it hurts. A man who was there to save me
when I needed to be rescued. A man who makes me feel so loved and so
cherished that I don't think there is a moment when I feel lost or alone
anymore. Thank you for being that man," Jerrica said. This time she wiped
the tears from Rory's cheeks. The rustling of tissues and small sniffling
sounds could be heard through the circle of guests.
"Now, the bride and groom will now join hands," the officiate said, as the
bride and groom joined hands. "Rory, do you take Jerrica to be your wife?
To love her, protect her, laugh with her, cry with her, hold her close to
you and cherish her all the days of your life?"
"I do." he whispered reverently.
"And do you Jerrica take Rory to be your husband. To love him, protect
him, laugh with him, cry with him, hold him close to you and cherish him
all the days of your life?"
"I do." she whispered.
"The rings," the officiate said. The best man took the rings and handed
them to her. "May these rings be a symbol of the circle of life that
brought you together and a symbol of your never ending love for one
another."
Rory placed the ring he held on Jerrica's finger. "May this ring bind our
lives together as our hearts are already bound to one another."
Jerrica placed the other ring on Rory's finger. "May this ring bind our
lives together as our hearts are already bound to one another," she said,
wiping a tear from her eyes.
"It is my pleasure to pronounce you, Jerrica and Rory, husband and wife," the officiate said. She then gestured to the guests. "I now present to you, Rory and Jerrica Llewelyn. Rory, you may kiss your bride."
Rory wrapped his arms around Jerrica and slowly lowered his head, pressing
his lips gently to hers. Everyone began to applaud. The bride and groom
took each other's hands and walked across the sand to the house. The
guests waited until the bridal party was gathered on the porch before
heading to their vehicles to go to the reception site. After the pictures
and signing of the marriage certificate the bridal party climbed into a
stretch limousine to head to the reception.
"I can't believe you did it," Kimber cried.
"Do you feel any different?" Shana asked.
"No, maybe it just hasn't hit me yet," Jerrica said.
"How about you Rory?" Aja asked.
"Yes, I do feel different. I feel like my hearts going to burst with
happiness," he said, looking into his new wife's eyes.
"Well, I for one can't wait to get the party started," Kimber said. Everyone laughed as they enjoyed the rest of the ride.
"Hey, I just realized the only person missing is Jem." Aja said.
"Not quite. She's here in spirit," Jerrica said, turning around to reveal
a pink stripe on the back of her hair. Everyone laughed, breaking the
nervous tension in the air.
Craig waited on the other side of the door and as the soft strains of piano
music began, he opened the front door. Raya walked first followed by
Shana, Aja, and Kimber. Each woman wore a deep blue tank top and a
matching wrap skirt that tied on the side. They each walked barefoot
across the porch, down the steps, and across the sand. Each woman also
carried a small basket filled with flower petals, which they tossed to the
ground as they walked. A woman in a long white robe stood smiling, holding
a small white book in her hands. To her left was Rory and next to him his
best man. The guests stood on both sides, the entire layout forming a
loose semi-circle. Everyone was dressed in casual, yet elegant clothes.
Some of the women wore long sundresses and the men dressed mainly in khakis
and dress shirts. Rory was wearing a pair of tan Khakis and a white shirt.
He too went barefoot. Then it was time for the bride to come out. Jerrica
stepped onto the front porch. She wore a plain white dress with thin
straps and an empire waist. On her head lay a crown of tiny flowers. She carried a bouquet of white daisies. She smiled tenderly at her love as she saw his face. He looked as though he couldn't breathe, a single tear rolled down his cheek. When Jerrica reached her place in front of the officiate the ceremony began.
"Good afternoon everyone and welcome. Please complete the circle so we may
begin," she said, waiting for the guests to come together before she spoke.
"We are here today to witness the joining of Rory and Jerrica. They are
two souls who have come full circle themselves, just as you have all come
together in this circle, to surround them with your love and friendship..
They met, it seems, a lifetime ago. At the time they were not what you
would call the best of friends," she said. The guests and bridal party
laughed at the memory. "So, as happens, life went on and they lost touch.
Then, just over a year ago, they met again. This time they were older and
wiser and took the time to get to know one another, and pretty soon they
were in love. Which brings us to today. We will start with Rory and
Jerrica reciting vows they wrote themselves." she said, nodding to Rory.
He cleared his throat and looked into Jerrica's eyes.
"Jerrica, when we first met all those years ago I was too foolish and
arrogant to see what was in front of me. I didn't see the beautiful,
smart, funny, caring woman you were and still are. Because of that I spent
too many years alone and almost missed the chance to know you, love you,
and now to become your husband. I have been so blessed to have you in my
life. Today is the beginning of our forever and I do not want to spend a
moment of it without you," he said, choking back tears. He reached up and
brushed the tears from Jerrica's eyes. She took a deep breath before
speaking.
"Rory, I was a very lonely person until one day I bumped into a stranger
who turned out to be someone from my past. That someone was you. You
brought love, laughter, and hope to my life. Not a day goes by where I
don't think about our time together. I especially remember the first time
I woke up next to you, looking at your beautiful face. It was at that
moment that I realized why I was put on this earth. It was so I could love
a man who makes me laugh so hard it hurts. A man who was there to save me
when I needed to be rescued. A man who makes me feel so loved and so
cherished that I don't think there is a moment when I feel lost or alone
anymore. Thank you for being that man," Jerrica said. This time she wiped
the tears from Rory's cheeks. The rustling of tissues and small sniffling
sounds could be heard through the circle of guests.
"Now, the bride and groom will now join hands," the officiate said, as the
bride and groom joined hands. "Rory, do you take Jerrica to be your wife?
To love her, protect her, laugh with her, cry with her, hold her close to
you and cherish her all the days of your life?"
"I do." he whispered reverently.
"And do you Jerrica take Rory to be your husband. To love him, protect
him, laugh with him, cry with him, hold him close to you and cherish him
all the days of your life?"
"I do." she whispered.
"The rings," the officiate said. The best man took the rings and handed
them to her. "May these rings be a symbol of the circle of life that
brought you together and a symbol of your never ending love for one
another."
Rory placed the ring he held on Jerrica's finger. "May this ring bind our
lives together as our hearts are already bound to one another."
Jerrica placed the other ring on Rory's finger. "May this ring bind our
lives together as our hearts are already bound to one another," she said,
wiping a tear from her eyes.
"It is my pleasure to pronounce you, Jerrica and Rory, husband and wife," the officiate said. She then gestured to the guests. "I now present to you, Rory and Jerrica Llewelyn. Rory, you may kiss your bride."
Rory wrapped his arms around Jerrica and slowly lowered his head, pressing
his lips gently to hers. Everyone began to applaud. The bride and groom
took each other's hands and walked across the sand to the house. The
guests waited until the bridal party was gathered on the porch before
heading to their vehicles to go to the reception site. After the pictures
and signing of the marriage certificate the bridal party climbed into a
stretch limousine to head to the reception.
"I can't believe you did it," Kimber cried.
"Do you feel any different?" Shana asked.
"No, maybe it just hasn't hit me yet," Jerrica said.
"How about you Rory?" Aja asked.
"Yes, I do feel different. I feel like my hearts going to burst with
happiness," he said, looking into his new wife's eyes.
"Well, I for one can't wait to get the party started," Kimber said. Everyone laughed as they enjoyed the rest of the ride.