Declaration of the Vows

I promised to post this a long time ago, but have finally gotten my act together in order to do so.

The middle part of our ceremony, the declaration of the vows, was based in part on an old posting to rec.humor.funny. [JPP] indicates the lines spoken by our officiant, and I think you can figure out who said the [Jim] and [Celia] bits.

[JPP]
Jim…
Will you answer me right now
These questions, as your wedding vow?

[Jim]
Yes, I will answer right now
Your questions as my wedding vow.

[JPP]
Will you take her as your wife?
Will you love her all your life?

[Jim]
Yes, I take her as my wife,
Yes, I’ll love her all my life.

[JPP]
Will you have, and also hold
Just as you have at this time told?

[Jim]
Yes, I will have, and I will hold,
Just as I have at this time told,
Yes, I will love her all my life
As I now take her as my wife.

[JPP]
Will you love through good and bad?
Whether you’re happy or sad?

[Jim]
Yes, I’ll love through good and bad,
Whether we’re happy or sad,
Yes, I will have and I will hold
Just as I have already told,
Yes, I will love her all my life,
Yes, I will take her as my wife!

[JPP]
Will you love her if you’re rich?
Or if you’re poor, and in a ditch?

[Jim]
Yes, I’ll love her if we’re rich,
And I will love her in a ditch,
I’ll love her through good times and bad,
Whether we are happy or sad,
Yes, I will have, and I will hold
(I could have sworn this has been told!)
I promise to love all my life
This woman, as my lawful wife!

[JPP]
Will you love her when you’re fit,
And also when you’re feeling sick?

[Jim]
Yes, I’ll love her when we’re fit,
And when we’re hurt, and when we’re sick,
And I will love her when we’re rich
And I will love her in a ditch
And I will love through good and bad,
And I will love when glad or sad,
And I will have, and I will hold
Ten years from now a thousandfold,
Yes, I will love for my whole life
This lovely woman as my wife!

[JPP]
Will you love with all your heart?
Will you love till death you part?

[Jim]
Yes, I’ll love with all my heart
From now until death do us part,
And I will love her when we’re rich,
And when we’re broke and in a ditch,
And when we’re fit, and when we’re sick,
(Oh, CAN’T we get this finished quick?)
And I will love through good and bad,
And I will love when glad or sad,
And I will have, and I will hold,
And if I might now be so bold,
I’ll love her my entire life,
Yes, I WILL take her as my wife!

[JPP]
Celia…
Will you answer me right now
These questions, as your wedding vow?

[Celia]
Yes, I will answer right now
Your questions as my wedding vow.

[JPP]
Will you take him as your man?
Will you love him best you can?

[Celia]
Yes, I take him as my man.
Yes, l will love him best I can.

[JPP]
Will you have, and also hold
Just as you have at this time told?

[Celia]
Yes, I will have, and I will hold,
Just as I have at this time told,
Yes, I take him as my man.
Yes, l will love him best I can.

[JPP]
Will you love through good and bad?
Whether you’re happy or sad?

[Celia]
Yes, I’ll love through good and bad,
Whether we’re happy or sad,
Yes, I will have and I will hold
Just as I have already told,
Yes, I take him as my man.
Yes, l will love him best I can.

[JPP]
Will you love him if you’re rich?
Or if you’re poor, and in a ditch?

[Celia]
Yes, I’ll love him if we’re rich,
And I will love him in a ditch,
I’ll love him through good times and bad,
Whether we are happy or sad,
Yes, I will have, and I will hold
(I could have sworn this has been told!)
I promise to love as best I can,
my husband, my friend, this handsome man!

[JPP]
Will you love him in the smog,
will you love him on your blog?

[Celia]
In clear weather and in the smog,
when we’re online and on our blogs,
I will love him through thick and thin,
no matter what state we’re in,
Through good and bad,
when glad or sad,
I will have, and I will hold
Ten years from now a thousandfold,
Yes, I will love this man of mine,
For now and forever till the end of time!

[JPP]
Then if you’ll take him as your man,
and if you’ll love him best you can,
And if you’ll take her as your wife,
And if you’ll love her all your life,
And if you both will have and hold,
From now until the stars grow cold,
And if you’ll love through good and bad,
And whether you’re happy or sad,
And love in sickness, and in health,
And when you’re poor, and when in wealth,
And if you’ll love with all your heart,
From now until death do you part,
Yes, if you’ll love her through and through,
Please answer with these words: I do.

[Jim and Celia]
I DO!

When and where

It has come to our attention that some of our invited guests who diligently RSVP’d have subsequently lost track of their invitations, and don’t know when or where things are happening. The ceremony is at 4:30pm in the south courtyard of Union Station. The reception will follow at the adjacent Fred Harvey Room, with cocktails at its bar in between. Here is a map and the directions.

The current forecast is sunny, but cool and possibly windy. The ceremony is outside, so dress accordingly.

One week!

We’re in the home stretch now. We have all our vendors booked and most of them fully paid, The planning is down to final logistics and scheduling. We’ve got a first draft of our ceremony and we’re closing in on final music selections. We have a lot of placecards, menus, signs, programs, and other bits to print, but the materials are all in hand. And then there’s a few more details, but I’m not allowed to tell you about those.

In a week and some hours, we’ll be married. And shortly after that, on our way to Thailand and Hong Kong for a well-deserved decompression from this craziness. I can’t wait.

discounted hotel room rates for our wedding guests

Thanks to one of my bridesmaids Camille, we have discounted room rates of $70 and $76 per night at the Miyako Hotel and the New Otani Hotel for our wedding guests.

So if you’re coming to Los Angeles from out-of-town for our wedding, or you’re from Los Angeles but you don’t want to drive home after our reception, make your reservations at either hotel, but make sure to email us your name, hotel, and the dates you’ve booked. We’ll provide the hotel with our guest list and they’ll make the rate adjustments.

Miyako Hotel ($70/night)
328 East 1st Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
direct: (213)617-2000
reservations: (800) 228-6596

New Otani Hotel & Garden ($76/night)
120 South Los Angeles Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
direct: (213)629-1200
reservations: (800) 639-6826

Thanks again Camille!