My name is Jessamyn West. I was elected Justice of the Peace in Randolph Vermont on November 6, 2012 and re-elected in 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024.
Thirty-eighth ceremony (Hope and Carl) at Carl's home. Had a plan to do the no-ceremony affair by a waterfall at another time but a trip to the ER threatened to put it off for a while (everyone's ok). I offered to come by and sign a few things at Carl's house and we did it that way.
Thirty-seventh ceremony (Erica and Paxton) at the Braintree Hill Meetinghouse. I read one poem.
again and again even though we know love's landscape
and the little churchyard with its lamenting names
and the terrible reticent gorge in which the others
end; again and again the two of us walk out together
under the ancient trees, lay ourselves down again and again
among the flowers and look up into the sky
Thirty-sixth ceremony (Jarret and Jessica) was just a lavender circle, a lovely location and two poems: Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry and an excerpt from September Song by Kurt Weill (Sinatra's version).
Welcome and thank you all for coming. I know it means so much for Cady and Andrew to be able to celebrate this day with their family and friends.
I met the couple last week after emailing a lot over the past few months, just the usual "How did you meet? Have you always lived here?" get to know you stuff. Two of their daughters were running around the kitchen and we sat and talked about the wedding while dodging a big HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY balloon and musing whether Hello Kitty birthday decorations could realistically be repurposed for a wedding.
They talked about their families, who has how many siblings, just how many kids would be here today, the happy colors they'd chosen, how much they were looking forward to seeing everyone.
Bringing everyone together for this celebration is what a wedding is all about, but it was clear after just talking to Andrew and Cady for even a few minutes that they are clearly, so obviously, so joyfully, already family. And it is my honor to be here to help make it official.
Readings
I would like to read a poem from Mark Twain.
These I Can Promise
I cannot promise you a life of sunshine;
I cannot promise you riches, wealth or gold;
I cannot promise you an easy pathway
That leads away from change or growing old.
But I can promise all my heart's devotion;
A smile to chase away your tears of sorrow.
A love that's true and ever growing;
A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow.
Jacklyn Angell will be reading "Yes, I'll Marry You My Dear" by Pam Ayres
(Jacklyn's reading was postponed until the reception because of rain)
Vows
The couple has written their own personal vows.
Andrew, would you like to read your vows to Cady?
(Andrew reads his vows - depending on the vibe maybe mentioning other people may not be able to hear these and THAT'S FINE)
Thank you.
Cady, would you like to read your vows to Andrew?
(Cady reads her vows)
Thank you.
Declaration
Do you Cady take Andrew as your husband will you love him comfort him, cherish him and be his partner in sickness and in health in sorrow and in joy so long as you both shall live?
(I do)
Do you Andrew take Cady as your wife, will you love her comfort her, cherish her and be her partner in sickness and in health in sorrow and in joy so long as you both shall live?
(I do)
Rings
These rings are a symbol of your bond. When you look at your ring, let it be a reminder that this love is a choice you make each day, to nurture and grow together. Let these rings remind you that your partner is always with you, in body and soul.
Andrew place the ring on Cady's finger and repeat after me
"With this ring I join my life with yours."
(With this ring I join my life with yours.)
Cady, place the ring on Andrew's finger and repeat after me
"With this ring I join my life with yours."
(With this ring I join my life with yours.)
Wrap-Up
Cady and Andrew, you've pledged your vows, you've exchanged the symbols of your commitment and your love in front of your friends and family here at your family home. All that's left is to say the final words.
Take a moment to look at each other, in this beautiful place, with your friends and family, and feel everything in your heart and mind right now, in this moment, to keep forever.
(pause postponed because of rain)
By the power vested in me by the State of Vermont, it is my great pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride!
Please join us for appetizers inside the tent while the couple gets their pictures taken.
It is my understanding that the two of you have written your vows to be read privately later today, so we'll just do the official part for now...
Velvet Shoes
Elinor Wylie
Let us walk in the white snow
In a soundless space;
With footsteps quiet and slow,
At a tranquil pace,
Under veils of white lace.
I shall go shod in silk,
And you in wool,
White as white cow’s milk,
More beautiful
Than the breast of a gull.
We shall walk through the still town
In a windless peace;
We shall step upon white down,
Upon silver fleece,
Upon softer than these.
We shall walk in velvet shoes:
Wherever we go
Silence will fall like dews
On white silence below.
We shall walk in the snow
Do you Allyssa take Ean to be your husband?
[I do]
Do you Ean take Allyssa to be your wife
[I do]
I, Alyssa, take you, Ean, to be my husband. I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honor you all the days of my life.
I, Ean, take you, Allyssa, to be my wife. I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honor you all the days of my life.
[ring exchange]
To each other: with this ring, I thee wed.
With the power vested in me by the State of Vermont and the voters of Randolph it is now my honor and privilege to pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss.
Dearly beloved, we gather here today to celebrate the love between Rose and Skye. Today is not just the joining of two hearts but also a testament to the progress we have made toward equality and the recognition of love in all its forms.
As we witness this beautiful union, we acknowledge that love knows no boundaries, and every individual has the right to love freely and openly. It is a joy and a privilege to be here today, honoring the love that has flourished between Rose and Skye.
It is a profound joy to celebrate this union, which embodies the truth that love, in all its forms, is deserving of honor and respect. To start our ceremony, I would like to share a quote from the author James Baldwin, who wrote: "Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within. I use the word love here not merely in the personal sense, but as a state of being, a way of seeing, and a call to action."
Baldwin’s words remind us that love has the power to free us, to reveal our true selves, and to inspire us toward greater understanding and compassion.
I would now like to invite up Genevieve to share a reading selected by Rose and Skye:
Pablo Neruda Sonnet XVII
I don’t love you as if you were a salt rose, topaz,
or arrow of carnations that propagate fire:
I love you as one loves certain dark things,
secretly, between the shadow and the soul.
I love you as the plant that doesn’t bloom but carries
the light of those flowers, hidden, within itself,
and thanks to your love the tight aroma that arose
from the earth lives dimly in my body.
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,
I love you directly without problems or pride:
I love you like this because I don’t know any other way to love,
except in this form in which there is no I or you,
so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand,
so intimate that when I fall asleep it is your eyes that close.
These words beautifully encapsulate the profound connection that you share, a love that intertwines your very souls. These words capture the essence of love—pure, unconditional, and without barriers. Your journey together reflects this kind of love, one that is truly worthy of celebration.
To reflect on this incredible journey of love, I want to invite Emma to share the a quote from The Velveteen Rabbit
Real isn’t how you are made. It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but really loves you, then you become Real.
Rose and Skye, your love has made you real in each other's eyes. It has transformed you, deepening the richness of your lives together. Phillip Pullman speaks to that togetherness and the recognition of one's own soul calling to the truth in another that has been so central to your relationship from the very beginning. I will invite Sam to share a reading from him.
I will love you forever; whatever happens. Till I die and after I die, and when I find my way out of the land of the dead, I’ll drift about forever, all my atoms, till I find you again… I’ll be looking for you, every moment, every single moment. And when we do find each other again, we’ll cling together so tight that nothing and no one’ll ever tear us apart. Every atom of me and every atom of you… We’ll live in birds and flowers and dragonflies and pine trees and in clouds and in those little specks of light you see floating in sunbeams… And when they use our atoms to make new lives, they won’t just be able to take one, they’ll have to take two, one of you and one of me
The strength of love through time, it speaks to us all. The connection between two people that grows and deepens. The desire, as you often say "to be little old ladies together." To find the beauty and the connection in the daily reminders of love. The following reading my an anonymous author illustrates the joy of the now and the joy of tomorrow. Keep following those future echoes of love: love that is shared; love that echoes; love that balances. Margaret, would you do this reading?
Growing Old Together The Beauty of Love
The question is asked: “Is there anything more beautiful in life than a young couple clasping hands and pure hearts in the path of marriage? Can there be anything more beautiful than young love?”
And the answer is given: “Yes, there is a more beautiful thing.
“It is the spectacle of an old man and an old woman finishing their journey together on that path. Their hands are gnarled but still clasped, their faces are seamed but still radiant; their hearts are physically bowed and tired but still strong with love and devotion. Yes, there is a more beautiful thing than young love. Old love.”
Today, as you stand before your family and friends, remember that you are not only embracing one another but also affirming your right to love and be loved, a right that every human being deserves. Let us celebrate not just your union, but also the strides toward equality that have enabled us to be here together, witnessing this sacred commitment. And let us celebrate the love of family that has made this day possible.
Now, Rose and Skye, please hold hands and turn to each other.
Rose, do you take Skye to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish, in joy and in hardship, for all the days of your life?
[I do.]
And Skye, do you take Rose to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish, in joy and in hardship, for all the days of your life?
[I do.]
May I now have the rings?
These rings are a symbol of your love, a circle unbroken, representing your commitment to one another. They remind us that love, like these rings, is eternal and knows no end.
Rose, as you place this ring on Skye's finger, repeat after me:
“I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and my commitment to you. Just as this ring is a circle with no end, my love for you is eternal.”
And now Skye, as you place this ring on Rose's finger, repeat after me:
“I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and my commitment to you. Just as this ring is a circle with no end, my love for you is eternal.”
In the presence of your family and friends, and by the authority vested in me by the State of Vermont, I am thrilled to pronounce you married! You may now kiss!
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Rose and Skye, united in love!
At first they thought they just wanted a ten word ceremony but then decided on something a little more ceremony-ish but mostly simple and straightforward.
Today we are here to celebrate and formalize the marriage of Dan and Sherrie
—-
This time of year, just past the solstice, when the days are getting shorter and the night are longer, is a period of learning to balance light and dark of learning to let go and accepting the beginning of the yearly and continual cycle of the earth’s rejuvenation.
When we think about and see the season's changes, we grow more appreciative of all the changing beauty that surrounds us and is within us. We hold fast to our memories, reflect on our choices & prepare to hunker down with our loved ones and our loved things.
The snuggling season is nearly upon us.
I'd like to read a short verse from the Vermont poet Jean L. Connor
Receive Them
To see a single iris unfold
its purple fall or to see
a line of iris spread itself
along an old stone wall,
having its own way, while this
June day fills with the bubbly
song of wrens, I count
as no small thing. Even one
block of quarry stone, warmed
in the sun, could be enough
for a June afternoon. Simplify.
One iris, one stone, one bird.
—
Sherrie and Dan, you have a life together. Today is one short day to share your bond and this one single step in this journey.
A marriage is a decision you make once together and then over and over again for the rest of your life.
It’s a process of continuing to become yourselves, together.
With love and trust and hope, saying
You, I love.
You, I want to be with.
You, I will care for, forever.
Your wedding day, is one brief moment in time, and although your vows are spoken in a matter of minutes, they are promises that will last a lifetime.
Do you Dan take Sherrie as your lawfully wedded wife will you love her comfort her, cherish her and be her partner in sickness and in health in sorrow and in joy
so long as you both shall live?
[I do]
Do you Sherrie take Dan as your lawfully wedded husband will you love him comfort him, cherish him and be his partner in sickness and in health in sorrow and in joy
so long as you both shall live?
[I do]
Rings
do you have the rings?
Often we talk about rings not having a beginning or an end. But they do have a beginning. They were made from rocks which were turned into metals which were polished into bands which were chosen and sized and delivered.
Something lovely and meaningful, made from raw materials.
Love is like that. It’s hot, dirty business. It comes from unassuming origins created by imperfect beings. It’s the process, the work, the caring, the creativity and the determination which built it, which made it real
Dan will you now place the ring on Sherrie’s finger and repeat after me please?
With this ring, I thee wed.
[With this ring, I thee wed.]
Sherrie will you now place the ring on Dan’s finger and repeat after me please?
With this ring, I thee wed.
[With this ring, I thee wed.]
—-
With the power vested in me by the State of Vermont and the voters of Randolph it is now my honor and privilege to pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss.
A 20th anniversary vow renewal for some longtime friends.
Friends, thank you so much for joining us today!
Some of you were at Kevin and Karen’s wedding 20 years ago. And some of you have become part of their family along this beautiful journey they’re on!
Whether you’re an old friend or new one, welcome! We’re so grateful you’re here today, as Kevin and Karen renew their commitment to each other.
For many of us, marriage feels like a ‘final destination.’ After years of searching for our soulmate, when we finally find them and get to celebrate that love with a wedding -- it seems like the most extraordinary gift we can think of! It was certainly an extraordinary gift for these two!
But then something even more extraordinary happened…
Kevin and Karen began to build a life together. They encountered new challenges they’d never faced alone and discovered new joys they’d never even dreamed of! They made a home as a family and filled it with laughter and warmth. (and cats of course!)
They learned that marriage is so much mo
re than a destination… it’s the start of a full and wonderful life.
So today, they celebrate that with you, and renew the vows they made on their wedding day.
Let’s give them our love and support!
Kevin and Karen, when you were first joined in matrimony 20 years ago, you did not know what life had in store for you.
You promised to love, honor and cherish one another through life's highs and lows. You've persevered through the blessings and challenges that have come your way over the years, and today you're here to reaffirm your vows of love and respect for each other.
May you continue to strive to be sensitive to each other’s needs,to be open and understanding with each other,To share your thoughts, your feelings, and your experiences with each other.Today, you renew your promise to try always tobring out the qualities of forgiveness, compassion, and integrity in yourselves and in each other.May you continue to cherish each other’s uniqueness. Continue to share in life's joys and remain steadfast and comfort each other through life's sorrows.
As you celebrate your marriage and reflect on your shared journey, do you now wish to reaffirm the marriage vows you committed to 20 years ago?
[We do.]
Please face each other and join hands.
Kevin, will you continue to have Karen as your wedded spouse and continue to be committed to this loving marriage?
Kevin: I will.
Kevin, please repeat after me:
I, Kevin, promise to love and honor you,
To support you through good times and bad.
To shoulder your burdens as if they were my own,
And to celebrate each joyful success by your side.
I promise to treat you with kindness, compassion, and patience,
And to remain honest and faithful,
This day and every day forward,
As your loving friend and husband.
Karen, will you continue to have Kevin as your wedded spouse and continue to be committed to this loving marriage?
Karen: I will.
Karen, please repeat after me:
I, Karen, promise to love and honor you,
To support you through good times and bad.
To shoulder your burdens as if they were my own,
And to celebrate each joyful success by your side.
I promise to treat you with kindness, compassion, and patience,
And to remain honest and faithful,
This day and every day forward,
As your loving friend and wife.
[Kevin and Karen exchange personal statements]
Kevin & Karen together repeat after me:
Today, I reaffirm my promise to love and honor you all the days of my life, to be loyal, faithful, patient, kind, and worthy of your trust. Today, I renew my commitment to stand beside you, as a friend, lover, and spouse.
June reads
The Art of Marriage
by Wilfred A. Peterson
Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens. A good marriage must be created. In the art of 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 at no time taking the other for granted; the courtship should not end with the honeymoon; it should continue through all the years.
It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives. It is standing together facing the world. It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.
It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of Joy. It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not looking for perfection in each other. It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humor. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, the dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner. It is discovering what marriage can be at its best!
Kevin and Karen, today you renewed your marriage vows and reaffirmed your shared love for one another. With pleasure, I now conclude this vow renewal ceremony. You may now share a kiss as a sign of your enduring affection and love.
Jumping the Broom
[Neil sets up the broom.]
Kevin and Karen have now chosen to participate in the ritual of Jumping the Broom. This is a ceremony uniquely remembered “from its inception, as a practice used by people who are ostracized and oppressed by the broader nation, state or kingdom,” according to Tyler D. Parry, an assistant professor of African American and African diaspora studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Dr. Parry, the author also of “Jumping the Broom: The Surprising Multicultural Origins of a Black Wedding Ritual,” traced the tradition back to at least the 18th century, when it was largely practiced by marginalized populations in Europe, he said, “such as traveling communities like the British Romani, rural Welsh communities, Irish individuals and various other people who lived on the margins of the British Isles.”
As Europeans who had jumped over brooms at their weddings came to the United States, so too did the ritual. It was soon adopted by another marginalized population: enslaved people in the American South. “While broomsticks were used in some West African ceremonies,” Dr. Parry said the earliest documented examples of people of African descent jumping over a broom in the U.S. are from the 1800s.
Because enslaved Africans generally had no legal right to marry before the Civil War, they saw jumping the broom as a symbolic way to recognize their unions. In time, Dr. Parry said, that population “innovated, reinvented and reimagined jumping the broom in a way that was fulfilling to them.” The practice has since come to signify sweeping away the old and welcoming the new, the joining of two families and showing respect to ancestors.
“The legacy of African Americans choosing commitment in a time when they were seen by America as three-fifths of a human being can’t be overlooked. And the irony of a similar tradition existing in Kevin’s Irish ancestry brings the tradition full circle to this couple, today.
Kevin and Karen jump the broom
Kevin and Karen would like to thank each one of you for sharing this celebration with them. They would also like to acknowledge loved ones who are no longer physically with us. Their memories will always be cherished and remembered. We are certain they are here with us today in spirit.
Today we are here to celebrate the marriage of Philip ___ and Katrina ___
Thank you, friends and family for being here, and for others who are joining us virtually.
—-
This time of year, Autumn, when the days are getting shorter and the night are longer, is a period of learning to balance light and dark of learning to let go and accepting the beginning of the yearly and continual cycle of the earth’s rejuvenation.
When we think about and see Autumn’s changes, we grow more appreciative of all the changing beauty that surrounds us and is within us. We hold fast to our memories, reflect on our choices & prepare to hunker down with our loved ones and our loved things.
The snuggling season is nearly upon us.
—-
I'd like to read some lyrics from an Autumn song I like. It's originally by Kurt Weill, but then Frank Sinatra made it his own.
September Song
It's a long, long while
From May to December
But the days grow short
When you reach September
The autumn weather turns
The leaves to flame
And I haven't got time
For the waiting game
And the days turn to gold
As they grow few
And these few golden days
I'd spend with you
These few precious days
I'd spend with you
—-
Katrina and Philip, you have a life, you have a family. Today is one short day to share your bond and this one step with the people who matter to you.
A marriage is a decision you make once together and then over and over again for the rest of your life.
It’s a process of continuing to become yourselves, together.
With love and trust and hope, saying
You, I love.
You, I want to be with.
You, I will care for, forever.
—-
Your wedding day, is one brief moment in time, and although your vows are spoken in a matter of minutes, they are promises that will last a lifetime.
Do you Philip take Katrina as your lawfully wedded wife…. will you love her comfort her, cherish her and be her partner in sickness and in health in sorrow and in joy
so long as you both shall live?
[I do]
Do you Katrina take Philip as your lawfully wedded husband…. will you love him comfort him, cherish him and be his partner in sickness and in health in sorrow and in joy
so long as you both shall live?
[I do]
—-
Rings
do you have the rings?
Often we talk about rings not having a beginning or an end. But they do have a beginning. They were made from rocks which were turned into metals which were polished into bands which were chosen and sized and delivered.
Something lovely and meaningful, made from raw materials.
Love is like that. It’s hot, dirty business. It comes from unassuming origins created by imperfect beings. It’s the process, the work, the caring, the creativity and the determination which built it, which made it real
Philip will you now place the ring on Katrina’s finger and repeat after me please?
With this ring, I thee wed.
[With this ring, I thee wed.]
Katrina will you now place the ring on Philip’s finger and repeat after me please?
With this ring, I thee wed.
[With this ring, I thee wed.]
—-
With the power vested in me by the State of Vermont and the voters of Randolph it is now my honor and privilege to pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss.
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