Very excited over here!

View quoted message That’s awesome!

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Thanks Erin!

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You're welcome We are proud of it, even though we technically didn't write the whole thing lol we just mashed two together.

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She's fabulous! She also works at the store where I purchased my dress from and was my stylist when I chose my dress. We contacted immediately.

Wow! That is great! I'm happy for you.

AHHHHHH! I love all of this - so amazing Jen - congrats girl, you deserve a big pat of the back and a large glass of wine!

Thank you for sharing your ceremony with us as well, it is truly beautiful and it's really special that you let us have a peek.

Hi Jen, how are you liking your officiant through all seasons? I was looking at using them as well! I know each officiant is different but wanted input/feedback for all seasons

These ARE exciting things! I'm so happy for you to be going into this new chapter of your life with little debt (since I think that's something most of us brides worry about).

Enjoy these last 100 days!

That's so great to hear! I wouldn't say any of that is small things, definitely great when the budget works out, and your ceremony is very beautiful!

We are about 2 weeks away from my wedding, and it is nice to see all the payments coming together. We have a loan if necessary, but doesn't look like we'll be needing it, which is fantastic!

View quoted message Ooooh love that idea for the honeymoon!

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Oh wow! The card games sound like a lot of fun. There are sooooo many ways to raise money now a days. It's so neat.

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It honestly depends where you live on ways they raise money for weddings. I used to live in Manitoba and they do a lot of card games online to raise money and call them socials. Where I live in Ontario, people do stag and doe's or newer trend people do raffles.

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I know! We keep forgetting about this part. We also made a honeymoon registry through the company we booked our honeymoon with that people can donate to online. I feel so much better after all of that.

Happy for you girl! To plan something so stressful and to feel so at ease is amazing! Don't forget you will have some cushion from your envelopes too! You will be in good shape. Yay!

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I've never actually heard of anybody doing a raffle! That's new to me completely. We hold a completely different party called a shag where we live but his parents wanted to throw us a stag and doe in his hometown. Everything has been a little new to me lol

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Aww hahaha thanks for reading!

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Oh didn't realize you did a stag! yea its more of one time thing. People usually have a stag and do it at that or some people skip the stag and only do raffle.

View quoted message That sounds like something you would do at a stag and doe, which we did in August. Not something we would have considered. I feel like once you do one fundraiser you're done and shouldnt keep going.

This is an amazing post! Way to go with being so on top of everything and I'm so happy that financially it is all working out! What a great way to start your life together.

I LOVED writing our ceremony. I wrote all of it using a base template from our vendor as well but altering quite a bit of it. I've put it away a couple months ago and am going to pull it out in about 2 weeks to read it again to see if I'm still happy with it.

That's amazing the taxes helped out with the rest! If it wouldn't have, I would have suggested doing a raffle for beer for the year or something along the lines. It sells well and could do the raffle 1 month before wedding or even a few weeks before. You could still do it to pay for the rest of the honeymoon and have extra incase something pops up you aren't expecting!

That is beautiful. I'm such a sap I teared up reading that... thanks for sharing!!

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Ours talks a lot about the earth... I know that sounds silly but we are both atheist and aren't really into the whole 'spirit' thing. I'll attach it in here for you to read. Just don't mind our names and our officiant's in it lol

Ceremony Sample

Word of welcome

Welcome. My name is Bethany and I have the privilege of performing this marriage ceremony today.

On behalf of Jen and Adrian welcome and thank you for being here. They are delighted that you are here today to share in their joy during this wonderful moment in their lives.

Address to the Assembly

Today their relationship changes. All of us know it will grow, and become stronger and better.

Indeed this day is a day of hope. A day in which Adrian and Jen demonstrate their commitment, devotion, and mutual respect, as well as their trust and love in one another.

You who are gathered here as witnesses are called to continue your support and encouragement as they unite in marriage.

Address to the couple

Jen and Adrian, today you are surrounded by your family and friends, all of whom are gathered to witness your exchange of vows and to share in the joy of this occasion. Let this be a statement of what you mean to each other and the commitment of marriage you will make.

When you love someone, you do not love them all the time in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love and of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in the terror of the ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity, when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity, in freedom.

The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping, even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what was in nostalgia, not forward to what it might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present relationship and accepting it as it is now.

Always remember that your love can prevail. It can be the miracle that invites you to learn, to blossom, and to expand your horizons.

This ceremony today is a most serious covenant made before all of us as witnesses.

From your new marriage relationship can come the nurture and strength you two need to face the world. Only from this moment on you will face the world together in a new way.

Reading

Now a reading that expresses the sense of joy and love on this occasion. These two are dedicating it to one another. It is called 'To My Friend':

I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you.

I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me.

I love you because you have done more than any creed could have done to make me good, and more than any fate could have done to make me happy.

You have done it without a touch, without a word, without a sign.

You have done it by being yourself.

Perhaps that’s what being a friend means, after all.

The Expression of Intent and Consent

Adrian and Jen, know now before you go further that since your lives have crossed in this life, you have formed eternal bonds. As you seek to enter this state of matrimony you should strive to make real ideals that give meaning to this ceremony and to the sanctity of marriage. With full awareness, know that within this circle you are declaring your intent before your friends and family as witnesses.

The promises made today greatly strengthen your union and will cross the years and lives of each soul’s growth. Do you seek to enter this ceremony?

Jen and Adrian: Yes.

Officiant: Adrian and Jen, please look into each other’s eyes and hold hands.

Now just a few questions. First for you Adrian.

Adrian, you have chosen Jen to be your wife. Will you love and respect her? Will you be honest with her always? Will you stand by her through whatever may come? (Answer: 'I will')

Jen, you have chosen Adrian to be your husband. Will you love and respect him? Will you be honest with him always? Will you stand by him through whatever may come? (Answer: 'I will')

And do you both promise to make the necessary adjustments in your personal lives in order that you may continue to live in a harmonious relationship together? (Answer: 'We do')

The Affirmation of Family and Friends

Now, in the spirit of joy and affirmation, I want to ask your families and friends a question:

Do you, the families and friends of Adrian and Jen, give them your blessing and support, wishing them a wonderful life together? (All answer: ‘We do’)

The Exchange of vows

Jen and Adrian, we now come to your vows. May I remind you that saying your vows is one thing but nothing is more challenging than living them day by day. What you promise today must be renewed tomorrow and each day that stretches out before you.

Adrian, please repeat after me:

In the presence of our family and friends I Adrian choose you Jen to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, to love and to cherish, and to be faithful to you alone.

This is my solemn vow.

Now, Jen, please repeat after me:

In the presence of our family and friends, I Jen choose you Adrian to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, to love and to cherish, and to be faithful to you alone. This is my solemn vow.

The giving and receiving of rings

I will now ask you to seal the vows you share with each other by the giving and receiving of rings. The perfect circle of the ring symbolizes eternity. The precious metal came from the ground as a rough ore and was heated and purified, shaped and polished. Something beautiful was made from raw elements. Love is like that. It comes from humble beginnings, made by imperfect beings. It is the process of making something beautiful where there was once nothing at all.

Adrian, please repeat after me: Jen, I give you this ring, that you may wear it, as a symbol of the vows, we have made this day. I pledge you my love and respect, my laughter and my tears. With all that I am I honour you.

Now, Jen, please repeat after me:

Adrian, I give you this ring that you may wear it as a symbol of the vows we have made this day. I pledge you my love and respect, my laughter and my tears. With all that I am I honour you.

Now may those who wear these rings live in love all their days.

Affirmation of the marriage

The bond of marriage is not formed by these rings, but rather by the vows you have made. For always you hold in your own hands the fate of this union. Above you are stars and below you is earth. Like stars your love should be a constant source of light, and like the earth, a firm foundation from which to grow.

May these hands be blessed this day. May they always hold each other. May they have the strength to hang on during the storms of stress and the dark of disillusionment. May they remain tender and gentle as they nurture each other in their wondrous love. May they build a relationship founded in love, and rich in caring. May these hands be healer, protector, shelter, and guide for each other.

Declaration of Marriage

Adrian and Jen, we have heard your promise to share your lives in marriage. We recognize and respect the covenant of marriage you have made here this day before each one of us as witnesses.

Therefore, on behalf of all of those present, and by the strength of your own love, I pronounce you married.

You may seal your vows with a kiss.

That's so exciting! Coming up fast and feeling good I'm so happy for you!

I'd love to see your sample ceremony. We are non-religious and stuck a bit on the ceremony as we're not very creative *laughs*.