Spiritual 19 written by Erika and Jarred for their April 15, 2016 ceremony here in Savannah.
By the Bride:
In front of our friends and family gathered here I promise to love you, share hopes, thoughts, and dreams as we build our lives together. You make me laugh, you make me think, and above all, you make me happy.
I promise to encourage and inspire you, to stand by you and stand up for you.
I promise to laugh with you, cry with you, and grow with you. I will hold your hand with every one of our days together.
I promise to be your navigator, best friend, and wife; honor, love, and cherish you through all life’s adventures.
I promise to learn how to check the air in my tires and change the oil in my car-even though you have already shown me countless times.
Wherever we go, we’ll go together.
1 universe, 9 planets, and 196 countries and I had the privilege of meeting you.
I like you and I love you!
-Erika
By the Groom:
When thinking about this wedding vow, and where to begin; I asked myself what promises I wanted to make to you, with our families and friends in assembly, together, with us. But, there are many promises I simply cannot make: I cannot promise to be rich in worldly things. I cannot promise to be faultless. I cannot promise to know what to do when we are faced with adversity. I cannot promise to always be quick-witted and intelligent at times, and I cannot promise to always be a good listener.
But with all those promises I cannot make, I can make these promises: I can promise to provide richness in love, faith, and family. I can promise to admit my mistakes and vow to be honest with you. I can promise to hold tight and never let go; in blue skies and in the storms. I can promise to think sensibly and for the both of us, and I can promise work hard and fight for us.
I want you to see with this, the perfection in the imperfections. Here is why you are my perfection. From what I lack, you provide. In my fault, you fix and forgive. In my delay, you advance. In my incoherence, you are intelligent, and in my forgetfulness, you remember. All of this and more are what makes me fall in love with you each and every day.
Whatever challenge we face; we face together- thick and thin.
I cannot forget it’s the little things, too: I promise to share my fries when you’ve finished all of yours, and are still hungry. I will try and not get annoyed when you whisper questions and comments during movies- yes he can see dead people, no, Andy Dufresne never killed his wife, and the warden is a crook. I will send you texts and silly gifts, not always. Not on schedule- just whenever I want, really.
Together, we will build a home filled with learning, laughter and light. I will laugh with you in times of joy, and comfort you in times of sorrow. I’ll share in your dreams and support you to achieve your goals. I will speak to you with encouragement and appreciate the little things.
With all of this; there is one simple fact that shows me that you will do all these and more for me as we spend the rest of our lives together- and that is, that you already do- since day 1.
You are my best friend, my mentor, my co-author, the Ron to my Harry, and now my Wife and partner.
I will love you forever and always.
-Jarred
Jarred and Erika’s Wedding