Wedding Vows

Here is a copy of the wedding vows Lisa and I wrote together, and gave to the preacher to read to us so we could answer "We Do" to them.  This ceremony itself was a total of nine minutes.  Very short and sweet, but encapsulated everything we wanted.

I stood with the preacher, and watched my Best Man and the Maid of Honor walk in, followed by the Groomsman and Bride's Maid (who were a married couple), followed by Lisa who was walked by CJ.  Upon reaching the altar and after the prayer, we had a small ceremony to invite me to be CJ's stepfather:

We've come together to not only join Dan and Lisa in matrimony, but to incorporate Dan into Lisa and CJ's life. 

From this day forward, Dan, do you promise to honor and protect CJ as your own daughter, to love and cherish her as your own daughter, and though you cannot replace her father, be her step-father in his stead?

DAN ANSWER 

Then please give her a token of the sacred promise you have made this day. 

DAN GIVES NECKLACE

CJ then gave Lisa to me, and we  moved on into the ceremony.  The preacher read these vows to us, which we had prepared, and we said I DO to them at the end.  (honestly, I kind of goofed up, and forgot to note to the preacher where to stop and answer, but it still read thusly:)

Do you vow to honor and cherish, not only each other, but all of your dreams and aspirations.  To love each other in every way you both want and need.  To continue, every day to strive to deserve each other? 

Do you vow to never be afraid to tell each other when you are wrong, and to always listen to the other because you may very well be wrong? 

Do you vow to inspire each other as best you can, and to push each other in all of each other's pursuits, no matter how crazy they may be? 

Do you promise to respect each other's ideas and ideals, no matter how crazy, because you trust each other's genius as much as you trust your love for each other, and that this will always be the case, from this day forward? 

DAN & LISA ANSWER 

Your dreams and goals are now one.  Life has led you both to each other, through all the ups and downs, all the pain and failure, all the success and redemption, it has all led you to each other and this day. 

ASK FOR RING

Then, while we held the rings on each other fingers, we wrote this section to agree to as well:

Do you ____ take ____ as your lawfully wedded ____
To share in this life through all its trials, tribulations, triumphs, and success?  To share in all the beauty of this existence and whatever may lay beyond?

ANSWER

After that, the preacher turned to his own notes, that Lisa had selected ahead of time.  She loved the part where the preacher says that the two are now one, and that when you talk about one, you talk about the other.

All in all it was a beautiful ceremony.  We loved the whole thing, and it was amazing to see all my friends come up from Texas to see the event.  I was humbled, moved, and married to an amazing woman.

--Dan

P.S. Here's a special surprise....

That's the video of our wedding on youtube in high definition.  I hope you enjoy viewing our special day, if you chose to.