Sheri Anne Byrne & Eben Merriam Haber
July 16, 2005
Welcome. Please, take a moment to look around you. We are
gathered here today in this magnificent grove of ancient trees to
witness and celebrate the marriage of Sheri and Eben. Just as these
trees are evidence of the persistance and strength of life, marriage is
evidence of the persistance and determination of people to join
together to share their lives; their joys and sorrows, strengths
and weaknesses, hopes and dreams. Eben and Sheri's love for each
other inspires them to make this commitment, but it is your love,
friendship, and support that gives them the strength to uphold this
commitment, now and in the future.
We'll have a reading now by Vicki Tripp of an adaptation of the poem
"The Silken Tent" by Robert Frost.
Love is as in a field a silken tent
At midday when a sunny summer breeze
Has dried the dew and all its ropes relent,
So that in guys it gently sways at ease,
And its supporting central cedar pole,
That is its pinnacle to heavenward
And signifies the sureness of its soul,
Seems to owe naught to any single cord,
But strictly held by none, is loosely bound
By countless silken ties of love and thought
To everything on earth the compass round,
And only by one's going slightly taut
In the capriciousness of summer air
Is of the least imbalance made aware.
While this is a joyous occasion, we would like to pause for a moment to
remember those family and friends who are no longer with us, people
whom we loved and with whom we would have loved to share this
day. By remembering them now they can be with us in our hearts.
Bach Cello Suite #1, Prelude
(Moderato).
For Sheri and Eben, marriage is a statement that no matter what
comes along in their lives, they believe they have the love, strength,
and flexibility to adapt and remain true to each other. No Matter
What. That is a strong statement, but it is the essence of a
lifetime commitment. People change and grow throughout their
lives, and love, understanding, and often hard work are required to
keep a marriage strong. In marrying, Sheri and Eben pledge to
this undertaking with all their hearts.
The author of "The Little Prince" wrote:
"Life has taught us that love does not
consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the
same direction"
Poem (ee comings), to be read by Andrew:
I carry your heart (I carry it in my
heart)
I am never without it--for where ever you go,
I go, my darling.
Here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than
soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
I carry your heart(I carry it in my heart)
Eben, will you take Sheri for your lawfully wedded wife? Will you
love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health,
in adversity and prosperity, for better or worse throughout all the
days of your life?
Sheri, will you take Eben for your lawfully wedded husband? Will
you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in
health, in adversity and prosperity, for better or worse throughout all
the days of your life?
The wedding ring dates back nearly 5000 years to ancient
Egypt. They wore rings on the third finger of the left hand
believing it had the closest connection to the heart. The
ring?s shape has always been seen as an ideal symbol for marriage, as
one English scholar wrote 300 years ago:
"The form of the ring being circular,
that is, round, and without end, importeth this much, that mutual love
and hearty affection should roundly flow from one to the other, as in a
circle, and that continually for ever."
As they exchange rings, may their love flow around, one to the other,
continually for ever.
Eben, please place and hold the ring on the ring finger of Sheri's left
hand and repeat after me.
"This ring I thee give
in token and pledge
of my constant faith
and enduring love.
With this ring I thee wed."
Sheri, please place and hold the ring on the ring finger of Eben's left
hand and repeat after me.
"This ring I thee give
in token and pledge
of my constant faith
and enduring love.
With this ring I thee wed."
By virtue of the authority vested in me as deputy commissioner
of civil marriages by the State of California, I now pronounce you
husband and wife.
You may kiss the bride.
Ladies and Gentlemen: I give you the Habers
