We are gathered at this place to witness the formal joining in the legal state of matrimony of Elisabeth June Kushner and Lise Elli Kreps, according to the order and the custom prevailing, and under the authority given and provided by the Government of the Province of British Columbia.
Five years ago today, Els and Lise celebrated their union in a joyous ceremony. At that time, they pledged their vows to each other before nearly 100 of their friends and family members, and became married in their hearts, although the law did not recognize their marriage. They have embarked upon their life-long companionship and commitment to each other and to their daughter Sarah. Today, we rejoice that we can now make their marriage official.
Marriage requires a generous sharing of the help and comfort that spouses ought to have from one another, through whatever circumstances of sickness or health, joy or sorrow, prosperity or adversity, the lives of these contracting parties may experience.
Marriage is a state of giving rather than taking, of offering rather than receiving, for it requires the giving of one’s self to support the marriage, the home in which it may flourish, and the good that may result from it in the family and the community.
I charge and require of you both in the presence of these witnesses, that if either of you know of any legal impediment to this marriage, you do now reveal the same.
Elisabeth, please repeat after me:
I solemnly declare that I do not know of any lawful impediment why I, Elisabeth. may not be joined in matrimony to Lise.
Lise, please repeat after me:
I solemnly declare that I do not know of any lawful impediment why I, Lise, may not be joined in matrimony to Elisabeth.
There having been no impediment declared or admitted, I charge you to answer these questions.
Do you, Elisabeth, undertake to afford to Lise the love of your person, the comfort of your companionship, and the patience of your understanding; and to share with her equally of the necessities of life as they may be earned or enjoyed by yourself; to respect the dignity of her person, her own inalienable personal rights, and to recognize her right of counsel and consultation upon all matters relating to the present or the future of the household established by this marriage?
Answer: I do
Do you, Lise, undertake to afford to Elisabeth the love of your person, the comfort of your companionship, and the patience of your understanding; and to share with her equally of the necessities of life as they may be earned or enjoyed by yourself; to respect the dignity of her person, her own inalienable personal rights, and to recognize her right of counsel and consultation upon all matters relating to the present or the future of the household established by this marriage?
Answer: I do
Elisabeth and Lise, join your right hands. Elisabeth, repeat after me:
I call on those present to witness that I, Elisabeth, take Lise to be my lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, in whatever circumstances or experience life may hold for us.
Lise, repeat after me:
I call on those present to witness that I, Lise, take Elisabeth to be my lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, in whatever circumstances or experience life may hold for us.
As long as four millenia ago, goldsmiths used circles to represent the sun, the eternal, and the divine. In the Jewish tradition, the exchange of rings or other objects of value is what makes the marriage binding. Five years ago, Els and Lise exchanged these rings in their commitment ceremony. Today they exchange their rings again, to make their marriage legally binding.
The ring Els gives Lise was made by her grandfather, Boris, for my grandmother, Rose. The ring Lise gives Els was worn by her great-grandmother Kamma as her wedding ring until she passed away at age 96.
By exchanging these family rings, each of you has made a covenant with the other, and each brought the other into her family and its history. In your future together, these rings will always remind you that each family has entrusted you to care for the other, and for the future of your family together.
Let Lise place the ring on the third finger of Elisabeth's left hand, repeating after me.
Elisabeth, with this ring, I promise to cherish you for yourself; to give you my support, my friendship, and my best attention; to trust and be trustworthy; to hold you first and foremost in my heart as my spouse; to love and honour you always.
Let Elisabeth say after me:
Lise, this ring is a token of my promise to cherish you for yourself, to give you my support, my friendship, and my best attention; to trust and be trustworthy; to hold you first and foremost in my heart as my spouse; to love and honour you always.
And now, forasmuch as you Elisabeth and Lise have consented in legal wedlock, and have declared your solemn intention in this company, before these witnesses, and in my presence; and have exchanged these rings as the pledge of your troth to each other; now upon the authority vested in me by the Province of British Columbia, it gives me great pleasure to pronounce that you are a legally-married couple.