stop CRYING..get the d**n vows out!

I have my couples e-mail their vows to me. If one is way too short or one is way too long, I let that person know so s/he can make adjustments.

I officiated one short-notice wedding where I did not get their vows ahead of time. The groom read his and they were lovely. Then I turned to the bride. She said, "Ditto." It turned out that was their thing.

We did "boxed" vows that we picked out but we wrote a why I love you section. And to be honest I botched that part way more than the section I wrote and read.

Things to know...I don't think of myself as a crier but turns out I am. My husband is totally a crier compared to other gents I know.

We did a first look and I cried some and the husband didn't tear up at all.

My husband teared up through out the ceremony from the moment I walked in... but kept it pretty much together during the part we wrote and read (did I mention he hates hates hates public speaking...and even just standing in front of people)

I was a crying mess through the whole ceremony (I had wrote the whole thing and hearing it all was just so very touching!)...the moment I heard his special song playing outside of the entrance of the ceremony space I was tears...and more tears. So the tears were also part of the why I love you part but not in an awful way. I did pull it together at some parts of the ceremony to smile and even laugh but mostly it was just a teary mess with non working waterproof mascara the whole time. But I don't know if that was such a bad thing. The feedback I have gotten from guests is that our whole ceremony was soooo touching and that there wasn't a dry eye in the audience either.

This is what I wrote and said and it really didn't feel too long or even hard to read.

(Husbands Name) I love you because you were brave enough to spend 15 hours with me when we first met. I love you because you are perfect to lean into when I am sleeping and protect me from buggies when we are sitting around campfires. I love how you rub my back, hold my hand, kiss my cheek. I love you because you cared for Jack (my dog) like your own and cried with me when he passed. I love you because you are pretty on the outside and awesome on the inside. I love you because I am always a priority to you. I love you because you shovel the sidewalk and forget to take out the garbage along with me. I love you because you are a grown up and a man I am proud to know let alone lucky to share my days with. I love you because you are willing to go on adventures with me but also just as happy to cuddle on the couch watching a movie. I love that you like movies just as much as I do, even if they aren’t the same movies. I love you because even though you say you are a listener...you can talk with me all night long. I love you because you make me laugh all the time! I love you because you say the word partner in response to what you want in a wife. My love for you is filled with joy and happiness that I think is written on my face to all that know me. I feel beyond all of my love for you I really like who you are as a person. I like the man you are to the world not just to me. How lucky am I that you feel the same way about me...I look at you and think you are my forever. (Husbands Name) you are a keeper and I am very happy to be marrying you today in front of our friends and family and in such a beautiful place in the world. Today, will one day only be a memory for us but I hope we can hold each other 50 years from now and still have the excitement we feel for each other on this day. I am excited to share my journey with you and also my forever.