RON & MARINA

~ WEDDING CEREMONY ~

Celebrant:

Welcomes family & friends, the ceremony will now begin so please turn off your cell phones and beepers, thank you and a special thanks to David Ippolito for the soulful reminder.

INTRODUCTION

Celebrant:

The Great medieval philosopher, Thomas Aquinas, when asked to define true love, said that it was 'to Will the good of the other person.' If you truly love someone, you want their success, their happiness, everything that is best for them. Marina and Ron love each other. They Will each other's good. They Will each other's success, fulfillment and happiness.

When asked ‘What do you love about one another?’ Marina tells us in her own words: "I really love the way he cares for people. Ron is a big-hearted guy. I love how honest and reliable he is. It is unusual to find a person like Ron. He is a true friend and I love his smile." And Ron describes his love for his love: "I love Marina's enthusiasm, and the way she makes me feel very special. I love how she notices beauty around her--birds singing, colorful flowers, a sunny day."

I know that Marina and Ron are gratified that so many of you, their family and friends, have come here to Central Park in New York City to share their wedding celebration. And for those of you from out of town, this in an opportunity for Marina and ron to show you some of what they like about the city that they have made their home.

One of their favorite aspects of New York is the variety, all kinds of shops and museums, all kind of shows and food, and all kinds of people. So perhaps it is only fitting that Ron met his Colombian bride at a barbecue hosted by his Iranian former coworker Ashkan and Ash's Korean wife Amy, who knew Marina from the English classes they had taken together years before. (Amy & Inae's son Kaz is our honored ring bearer.)

Their first date was a David Letterman Show taping. Marina had never seen Late Night, but Belinda (her best friend and roommate from U Penn dental school) had, and encouraged her to go. (Belinda's daughter Anna, Marina’s Goddaughter, is our lovely flower girl.)

A few months went by: Ron and Marina went to watch Ash run the New York Marathon, jogged in Central Park, walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and talked for hours as they walked around Brooklyn, and socialized with friends from all over the world.

Their months together became years, and now (we don't have time to go through all the other dates, home cooked dinners, meeting in random cities across America, and the drive back from Seattle, among others) we find this beautiful couple celebrating their wedding day with so many people who are special to them.

Marina, with all the love in her heart, feels that their inspiration lies within the very community gathered here today. In her own words she says "Our family and friends make this moment come alive for us. Our families coming together and embracing our marriage make us feel so very much loved: My engagement ring is Ron's Grandmother Pearl's ring, and this beautiful dress I'm wearing is his mother's wedding dress -- what an honor."

Ron & Marina have assessed happily that their relationship is for life. They have found each other, they like each other, they love each other, they want it to last, they intend it to last, they Will it to last. So...on this New York Landscape of Love we celebrate Ron and Marina's wonderful inspiration!

~

READING 1

Celebrant:

Central to that inspiration is the way that Marina and Ron are simultaneously friends and lovers. Luciano and Cleo, dear friends for many years, will read the poem "My Friend" as a dedication to both of you on this very special day.

My Friend ~ Luciano

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.

Mi Amigo ~ Cleo

Yo te amo

no solo por lo que tu eres

sino por lo que soy

cuando estoy contigo.

Yo te amo

no solo por lo que

tu haz hecho de ti mismo

sino por lo que tu estas haciendo de mi.

Yo te amo

porque tu haz hecho más

de lo que cualquier credo hubiese podido hacer

para hacerme bien, y más de lo

que cualquier destino hubiese podido hacer

para hacerme feliz.

Tu lo haz hecho sin tocarme

sin una palabra

sin una sena

tu lo haz hecho

siendo tu mismo.

READING

Celebrant:

As a blessing for the union we are witnessing today, Toni and Alberto will read for us the "Apache Wedding Prayer" whose unknown author was among those who first settled this continent. Toni, who came from Michigan to be with us today, has known Ron since their years together in High School. Alberto, who lives in New Jersey, is Marina's cousin and has been a friend and help to her since she first moved to this country.

"The Apache Wedding Prayer" ~ Toni

Now you will feel no rain,

for each of you will be shelter for the other.

Now you will feel no cold,

for each will be warmth for the other

Now you will feel no loneliness,

for each of you will be companion to the other.

Now you are two persons,

but there are three lives before you:

his life, her life, and your life together.

May beauty surround you both

on the journey ahead and through all the years.

May happiness be your companion

to the place where the river meets the sun.

Go now to your dwelling

to enter into the days of your life together.

And may your days be good

And long upon the earth.

“La oracion del matrimonio apache” ~ Alberto

Ahora ustedes no sentirán lluvia

porque cada uno será un refugio para el otro.

Ahora ustedes no sentirán frío

porque cada uno será calor para el otro.

Ahora ustedes no sentirán soledad

porque cada uno será compañía para el otro.

Ahora ustedes son dos personas

pero hay tres vidas ante ustedes:

la vida de él, la vida de ella, y su vida juntos.

Ojalá que la belleza los rodee a los dos

en el camino que empiezan y a través de los años.

Ojalá que la felicidad sea su compañía

Hacia el lugar donde el río encuentra el sol.

Vayan ahora a su hogar

para comenzar los días de su vida juntos.

Y ojalá que sus días sean buenos

y duraderos sobre la tierra.

PRESENTATION

Celebrant:

Today we honor one of the deepest relationships in life as Marina's parents, Jairo and Louisa, present their daughter to be married to Ron. It is important to Marina that her parents stand beside her today, and present her to Ron in marriage. Marina also wishes to thank her Father and Mother for all of their encouragement and love throughout the years -- especially today. Her parents have traveled so far from their home in Colombia to be with their loving daughter and son-in-law on their wedding day!

~

THE ASKING

Celebrant: Standing now in this community’s presence, we prepare to formally unite Marina and Ron in matrimony. I will ask each of them to commit in English; Marina's loving brother Juan will translate the “Asking of the Bride and Groom’s Hand in Marriage” into Spanish.

Celebrant to Groom: Ron and Marina, face each other, hold hands and repeat after me.

Jon,

Will you take Marina to be your lawful wedded wife?

Will you love and respect her, comfort her,

Honor and keep her, in sickness and in health,

And, forsaking all others, keep only onto her,

So you can genuinely share your life together,

As long as you both shall live?

Groom: I do.

Jaun translates:

Acepta usted a Marina para que sea su esposa?

La amara, respetara y confortara,

La honrara y la mantendrá a su lado en la salud y en la enfermedad,

Y promete serle fiel, para que puedan genuinamente compartir sus vidas,

Hasta que la muerte los separe?

Groom: Si

Celebrant to Bride:

Marina,

Will you take Ron to be your lawful wedded husband?

Will you love and respect him, comfort him,

Honor and keep him, in sickness and in health,

And, forsaking all others, keep only onto him,

So you can genuinely share your life together,

as long as you both shall live?

Bride: I do.

Juan translates:

Acepta usted a Ron para que sea su esposo?

Lo amara, respetara y confortara,

Lo honrara y lo mantendrá a su lado en la salud y en la enfermedad,

Y promete serle fiel, para que puedan genuinamente compartir sus vidas,

Hasta que la muerte los separe?

Bride: Si

VOWS

Celebrant to Groom:

Ron, repeat after me…

I, Ron, take you, Marina, as my wife.

I pledge to share my life openly with you,

To speak the truth to you in love.

I promise to honor and tenderly care for you,

To cherish and encourage your own fulfillment as an individual,

For the rest of my life.

Juan to Groom:

Yo, Ron,

te acepto,

Marina,

como mi esposa,

Y prometo compartir

mi vida abiertamente contigo,

decirte la verdad con amor,

prometo honrarte

y cuidarte tiernamente,

cultivar y promover

tu realización

como persona,

por el resto de mi vida.

Celebrant to Bride:

Marina, repeat after me…

I, Marina, take you Ron, as my husband.

I pledge to share my life openly with you,

To speak the truth to you in love.

I promise to honor and tenderly care for you,

To cherish and encourage your own fulfillment as an individual,

For the rest of my life.

Juan to Bride:

Yo, Marina, te acepto, Ron, como mi esposo,

Y prometo compartir mi vida abiertamente contigo,

decirte la verdad con amor,

prometo honrarte y cuidarte tiernamente,

cultivar y promover tu realización como persona,

Por el resto de mi vida.

~

RING CEREMONY

Celebrant:

The rings Marina and Ron will present to each other are perfectly round, with no beginning and no end. So may their love go on forever.

Celebrant to Groom:

Ron repeat after me…

Marina,

With this ring,

I thee wed.

Take and wear it as a pledge of my love,

and as a symbol of all we share.

Celebrant to Bride:

Marina repeat after me…

Ron,

With this ring,

I thee wed.

Take and wear it as a pledge of my love,

and as a symbol of all we share.

~

SHARING OF THE WINE

Celebrant:

Love makes burdens lighter because you divide them; it makes joys more intense because you share them. It makes you stronger so you can reach out and become involved with life in ways you would never dare risk alone. The glass of wine you are about to share is symbolic of the overflowing cup that life provides you.

Ron and Marina, as you share this wine now, you promise to share all that the future may bring. All the sweetness the cup of life may hold for you should be sweeter because you drink it together; and whatever drops of bitterness it may contain should be lessened because they are shared. On behalf of all your family and friends we wish you all the blessings that life can bring -- joy and gladness, love and companionship, happiness and prosperity, contentment and peace, all the days of your life.

THE SIGNING

Celebrant:

I now ask the Groom’s sisters, Renee, Janet, Susan, and Tara, and the Bride’s brothers, Jaun and Alan, to come forward and sign Marina and Ron’s marriage certificate.

~

WEDDING BLESSING

Celebrant:

In the words of Spanish writer, Jose Marti:

In Spanish:

“El amor

nace

con el placer de contemplarse,

se alimenta

con la necesidad de verse,

y concluye

con la imposibilidad

de separarse”.

In English:

“Love is born

with the pleasure of looking at each other,

it is fed

with the necessity

of seeing each other,

it is concluded with the impossibility

of ever being apart.”

~

DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE

Celebrant:

Marina and Ron have proclaimed before all of us that they will live together in marriage. They have made promises to each other. They have symbolized their union by joining hands, taking vows, sharing wine, and exchanging rings. Therefore, on behalf of the community, I now declare them to be husband and wife.

And now to conclude our ceremony, Ron has chosen to break the glass, in his family's tradition. Of the many different interpretations of this tradition, our favorite is the idea that it will bring good luck to the newly married couple. And as Ron breaks the glass on the count of tres', I invite you ALL to join me in wishing them good luck by shouting out... "Mazel Tov!” or “congratulations!" Ready?! uno....dos....tres...

Ron and Marina -- as if you needed my permission! -- you may kiss your spouse!

~ Here Ends the Ceremony, and Here Begins a Life of Love & Joy ~