Lasso and Coin Ceremony
(A hispanic tradition)
We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, The Joining of 2 hearts. In this ceremony today we will witness the joining GROOM/BRIDE and GROOM/BRIDE in marriage. If there is anyone present who has just cause why this couple should not be united let them speak now or forever hold their peace. Who gives this man/woman to be married today (Optional) PLEASE BE SEATED You have come together today so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of God and this community. Christ abundantly blesses your love, he strengthens you so that you may assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity, and so... in the presence of this community. Today we have come together to witness the joining of these two lives. For them, out of the routine of ordinary life, the extraordinary has happened. They met each other, fell in love and are finalizing it with their wedding Today. Romance is fun, but true love is something far more and it is their desire to love each other for life and that is what we are celebrating here today. A good marriage must be created. In marriage the "little" things are the big things. It is never being too old to hold hands. It is remembering to say, ”I love you" at least once a day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is standing together and facing the world. It is speaking words of appreciation, and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is not only marrying the right person -- it is being the right partner VOWS (face each other and hold hands)(repeat after me) I, GROOM/BRIDE take you GROOM/BRIDE to be my husband/wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will trust you and honor you I will laugh with you and cry with you. I will love you faithfully Through the best and the worst, Through the difficult and the easy. Whatever may come I will always be there. As I have given you my hand to hold So I give you my life to keep I, GROOM/BRIDE take you GROOM/BRIDE to be my Husband/Wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will trust you and honor you I will laugh with you and cry with you. I will love you faithfully Through the best and the worst, Through the difficult and the easy. Whatever may come I will always be there. As I have given you my hand to hold So I give you my life to keep Lasso Ceremony (Person 1 and 2 bring up two chairs Groom/Bride and Groom/Bride be seated on two chairs) GROOM/BRIDE and GROOM/BRIDE, I invite person 1 and 2 to place a cord over you. This cord symbolizes an infinite bond of love you share that keeps your relationship strong in the face of adversity, as well as that you both are no longer two, but one in marriage. May this cord remind you to face your life together courageously and to be mutual in support of each other in carrying out your duties and responsibilities as a couple and, may your love grow stronger and bind you closer together through the years. Person 1 and 2, please step forward and remove the Lasso. Thank you. (The Lasso is removed) GROOM/BRIDE and GROOM,/BRIDE please rise. (Person 1 and 2 remove the chairs) GROOM/BRIDE AND GROOM/BRIDE I would ask that you always treat yourself and each other with respect, and remind yourselves often of what brought you together today. Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness and kindness that your marriage deserves. When frustration and difficulty assail your marriage - as they do to every relationship at one time or another - focus on what still seems right between you, not only the part that seems wrong. This way, when clouds of trouble hide the sun in your lives and you lose sight of it for a moment, you can remember that the sun is still there. And if each of you will take responsibility for the quality of your life together, it will be marked by abundance and happiness. I Do’s GROOM/BRIDE, do you take GROOM/BRIDE to be your Husband/Wife? ("I do") Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him/her, forsaking all others and holding only unto him/her forevermore? ("I do") GROOM/BRIDE , do you take GROOM/BRIDE to be your Husband/Wife? ("I do") Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him/her, forsaking all others and holding only unto him/her forevermore? ("I do") Ring Exchange The ring is a symbol of the unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have taken. (repeat after me) I GROOM/BRIDE take thee, GROOM/BRIDE to be my Husband/Wife- To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow, and I promise My love to you. And with this ring, I take you as my Husband/Wife, for as long as we both shall live. I GROOM/BRIDE, take thee GROOM/BRIDE to be my Husband/Wife. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow, and I promise My love to you. And with this ring, I take you as my husband/wife, for as long as we both shall live. Coin Exchange GROOM/BRIDE and GROOM/BRIDE you have just sealed your relationship by the giving and receiving of rings and this is a pledge between two people who agree that they will commit themselves to one another throughout their lives. Now let us do an exchange of the Aras, coins. Originally, there was an understanding of husband as "bread winner" and wife as "home maker" so the coins were given and received not in a spirit of reciprocity but in a give/take relationship. Nowadays the coins are a reminder of good stewardship for all couples; that they will mutually support each other, their children and the world around them. May God bless these coins that symbolizes mutual support and responsibility. (As the couple exchange the coins repeat after me): (GROOM/BRIDE Repeats) GROOM/BRIDE , I give you these coins as a pledge of my dedication to you, the care of our home, and the welfare of our children. (GROOM/BRIDE Repeats) GROOM/BRIDE, I gratefully accept them and make this same pledge to you. Wedding Prayer My dear friends, let us turn to the lord and pray that he will bless GROOM/BRIDE & GROOM/BRIDE united them in true marriage today. Father you have made the union of husband/wife and husband/wife so holy as it symbolizes the marriage of two humans through Christ to God. Look with love upon GROOM/BRIDE & GROOM/BRIDE Fill them both with love for each other, both honoring and respecting each other and always seeing their love as a gift to be treasured. May the commitment which they are making be sacred not only for today but for the rest of their lives. We ask this blessing for them in the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit. Bless their marriage, O God, as they begin their journey down the road of life together. We don't know what lies ahead for the road turns and bends. But help them to make the best of whatever comes their way. Help them to continue to enjoy each other as they did when they first met. Help them to realize that nothing nor no one is perfect and to look for the good in all things and all people including themselves. Help them to respect each other's likes and dislikes, opinions and beliefs, hopes and dreams and fears even though they may not always understand them. Help them to learn from each other and to help each other to grow mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Help them to realize that no matter what happens to them they will hold on to each other and know that things have a way of working out for the good. Help them to create for their children a peaceful, stable home of love as a foundation on which they can build their lives. But most of all, dear God, help them to keep lit the torch of love' that they now share so that by their loving example they may pass on the light of love to their children and to their children's children forever. Amen My dear friends, let us turn to the lord and pray that he will bless GROOM/BRIDE & GROOM/BRIDE united them in true marriage today. Father you have made the union of husband/wife and husband/wife so holy as it symbolizes the marriage of two humans through Christ to God. Look with love upon GROOM/BRIDE & GROOM/BRIDE Fill them both with love for each other, both honoring and respecting each other and always seeing their love as a gift to be treasured. May the commitment which they are making be sacred not only for today but for the rest of their lives. We ask this blessing for them in the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit. Closing To make your relationship work will take love. This is the core of your marriage and why you are here today. It will take trust, to know, that in your hearts, you truly want what is best for each other. It will take dedication, to stay open to one another - and to learn and grow together. It will take faith, to go forward together, without knowing exactly what the future brings. And it will take commitment, to hold true to the journey you both have pledged to today. Now I would like to say a prayer to bless this union and ask that you all bow your heads, May the Lord bless you and keep you both. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious upon you. The Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you peace, happiness, and joy, at this moment, throughout your married life, and forevermore. Amen. By the power vested in me I now pronounce you . . . . . . You may kiss your Groom/Bride. I would like to introduce the happy couple |