Cam and Jen Wedding Ceremony

(I blame cam for the divorce)

Opening

Today is a celebration, but we know that. 

We can spot a celebration a mile off. 

We love celebration so much that we have holidays like opposite day and eat ice cream for breakfast day. 

It dilutes the celebrations that matter, because when everything’s celebrated, nothing is. 

But despite this fetish, there’s one celebration that will never lose its gusto.

The celebration of love. 

That’s why you’re both standing up here. 

That’s why you risked allowing me to voice a weirdly cynical introduction of celebrations to all the people closest to you. 

Love is why you’re all here, to watch Jen and Cam, or Jam as I like to call them as of now, take a leap. 

Because we’ve all been in or ached over love. We all know our own versions of swoon and scorn.

Because no matter our education, social status, ethnicity, or religion, love is something that brings people everywhere together. 

While we sometimes might not think so, we do deserve to love, and to be loved, because even though we’re all capable of some pretty atrocious things, love can make us more.

Love is the only universal medium of story left, and we flock to it because our minds work in stories.

And we all have own love stories. 

Some fleeting, some full. 

Some unwritten, some unrequited.

Moments of disappointment, sadness and dread alongside these intense moments of hope, adventure, infatuation, altruism and jubilation. 

That’s really what this moment is about. 

We’re all here because we know those moments, in our own way, and want all of those moments for you. 

Because we can’t define love without struggle. We need the balance of hardship to recognize moments of love.

That’s why while today is in fact a celebration, it’s also a vigil of love. 

It’s a time to pause, look back, and smile at all the moments, good and bad, that brought Jam here. 

Together and forever. 

And it’s a time to pause for the future as well. 

A time to look ahead at all the rich moments of their relationship to come. 

And we’re all thrilled that you’ve chosen us to share in one of your relationship’s most important moments. 

Just as you’re here to be a beacon of love to the rest of us, we’re here to give you the thumbs up to go forth, to be proud of how you two have evolved from Cam and Jen to Jam, and to remind you that love isn’t this commercialized happily ever after. 

Love is the unique experience of writing your story.

And doing it together. 

It’s never been this lone, defining moment. 

It’s every moment. 

Sure, it’s the ‘I love you’s, the lease signings and the engagement, the wedding and the honeymoon, but it’s also those millions of smaller moments that make you two, you two. 

It’s falling asleep next to each other.

It’s making a new meal or canning some Jam together.

It’s getting a hug after a bad day at work.

It’s bickering for the comfort of familiarity.

It’s patiently waiting for him, OR HER, to finish playing videogames when American Horror Story is about to start.

It’s understanding her, OR HIS, fantasy to fill the house with animals of all kinds.

These all fuse into one sweet, spreadable stream of Jam. 

Love Jam. 

And try as I might to describe their love, to describe love at all, with my own questionable sense of humor, I fail.

Because love is meant to be felt, not described.

But we love to try to describe love, even though it sounds trite, because words make love sound trite. 

Because words always screw up what you're trying to say.

But even though love looks different to everyone, we can all see it when it’s there. 

And it’s here.

With Jam.

Reading

Now Chelsea would like to share with Jam a reading she’s prepared. 

Chelsea?

Vows

Thanks, Chelsea.

That was awesome.

Jam, you're about to make promises to each other that you intend to keep. 

You're going to vow to take care of each other, to stand up for one another, and find happiness in the other. 

There's a simple premise to each of these promises: you're vowing to be there. 

You're teaming up and saying to the other, "Every experience I’ll have, I want you to be a part of."

You fell in love by chance, but you're here today because you're making a choice. 

You’re both choosing each other. 

You've chosen to be with someone who enhances you, who makes you think, makes you smile.

Someone who makes you more emotional [looks to Cam].

Or more pragmatic [looks to Jen].

And because you know I’ll mess it up, you’ve prepared your own vows to give to each other. Jen, would you like to start?

---Jens vows

put them here pwease

Now Cam, go ahead little teacup

--Cams vows

put them here pwease

Exchange of Rings

And, finally, for the exchanging of rings.

You’ve both chosen to wear rings as a reminder of these vows you’ve made to each other. 

The wedding band is meant to symbolize immortal love, because circles are thought to have no beginning and no end. 

They’re a portal to the future. 

The space inside a gateway to things both known and unknown. 

But these rings did have a beginning. 

They were once raw metal, harvested from the earth, heated and shaped by a craftsman, and given value according to the market. 

That’s not value, that’s merchantry. 

Their real value is derived in this moment. 

Because the promises you’ve made give these bands power. 

You name them as pieces of yourself that you give to the other.

To remind them that you’re always there with them.

Now, you’re going to place these bands on each other’s left ring fingers.

This tradition was passed down from the Romans, who thought that a large vein in the ring finger - the Vena Amoris - was the strongest link to the heart. 

So cam if you’d take the ring from Brett, and repeat after me. 

“Jen, I give you this ring”

--

“As I give to you all that I am”

---

“And accept from you, all that you are”

You may now place your immortal gateway on Jen’s heartfinger. 

Jen, if you’d take the ring from Brett, and repeat after me.

“Cam, I give you this ring”

--

“As I give to you all that I am”

---

“And accept from you, all that you are”

You may now place your immortal gateway on Cam’s heartfinger.

Declaration of Marriage

Jam.

Friends and fam.

By the power vested in me by the State of Ohio and the American Marriage Ministry, I now pronounce you wife and husband. You may now kiss the groom.

And now, for the very first time, I’m honored to present to you….. Mr. and Mrs. Young!