andreann

Our Cruise Wedding was AMAZING!

 

It is such a wonderful experience, I definitely recommend it.

 

We chose to go with RCCL for several reasons. I have cruised extensively, on Norwegian, Carnival, Princess and Royal Caribbean. In my opinion, RC offers the best value. It is not the cheapest (like Carnival) but it does have some great deals if you book with enough time and is not the most expensive, either. However, the level of accommodations, sevice, food, etc. is fantastic, especially considering the price.

 

I also like the many activities they have, like the rock climbing wall, the surf machine, the ice skating rink. 

 

The Oasis and Allure are the biggest ships in the world, and are really awsome. They have a park with trees and even birds!

However, for a wedding, being that it is such a huge ship, there are also some downfalls that I imagined could occur, so we chose to go with The Liberty, which is still a pretty big ship but small enough to be manageable and (I expected) provide better service for wedding planning.

 

Cruise weddings can be frustrating because it is hard to plan in advance all the little details, and there is not a whole lot of information out there. It can be hard to get a hold of your wedding planner at corporate sometimes, so you have to be patient. 

However it is such a fun, original way to get married that I definitely recommend it!

Our Cruise Wedding was AMAZING!

 

It is such a wonderful experience, I definitely recommend it.

 

We chose to go with RCCL for several reasons. I have cruised extensively, on Norwegian, Carnival, Princess and Royal Caribbean. In my opinion, RC offers the best value. It is not the cheapest (like Carnival) but it does have some great deals if you book with enough time and is not the most expensive, either. However, the level of accommodations, sevice, food, etc. is fantastic, especially considering the price.

 

I also like the many activities they have, like the rock climbing wall, the surf machine, the ice skating rink. 

 

The Oasis and Allure are the biggest ships in the world, and are really awsome. They have a park with trees and even birds!

However, for a wedding, being that it is such a huge ship, there are also some downfalls that I imagined could occur, so we chose to go with The Liberty, which is still a pretty big ship but small enough to be manageable and (I expected) provide better service for wedding planning.

 

Cruise weddings can be frustrating because it is hard to plan in advance all the little details, and there is not a whole lot of information out there. It can be hard to get a hold of your wedding planner at corporate sometimes, so you have to be patient. 

However it is such a fun, original way to get married that I definitely recommend it!

I would love to share mine! Its a jewish catholic mix with hispanic traditions Groom Processional Enter Dave (groom), accompanied by mother (Femiria) and father (Paolo). SONG God bless the open Road Instrumental Rascal Flatts Bridesmaids Processional Enter Rachel and Ariela (bridesmaids), Dan (best man), dancing SONG Rolling Stones Happy Brides Processional Enter Andrea (bride), Angela (mother) and Chris (brother) SONG “Just the way you are†slow version by Bruno Mars Giving away of the Bride Darren: Doubly blessed is the couple that comes to the marriage altar with the approval and blessings of their families and friends. Who has the honor of presenting this woman, as she is married to this man? Chris: I Do (Family is seated) _______________________________________________________________________ Statement of Intention Bride and groom, do you, with family and friends as your witnesses, present yourselves willingly to enter into this marriage, believing the love you share in each other will endure all things? Andrea + Dave: We Do _______________________________________________________________________ Greeting SONG Rusalka (Song of the moon) by A. Dvorak Darren: We are gathered here today in the sight of God and angels, and the presence of friends and loved ones, to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, to give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, and to add our best wishes and blessings to the words which shall unite Andrea and Dave in holy matrimony Lord, behold our family here assembled. We thank you for this place in which we dwell, for the love that unites us, for the peace accorded us this day, for the hope with which we expect tomorrow, for the health, the work, the food, and the bright skies that make our lives delightful; for our friends in all parts of the earth. Marriage Joins Two People in the Circle of Its Love Marriage is a commitment to life, to the best that two people can find and bring out in each other. It offers opportunities for sharing and growth that no other human relationship can equal; a joining that is promised for a lifetime that deepens and enriches every facet of life. Within the circle of its love, marriage encompasses all of life’s most important bonds. A wife and a husband are each other’s best friend, confidant, and partner. Together, their happiness is fuller. When two people pledge to love and care for each other in marriage, they create a spirit unique to themselves, which binds them closer than any spoken or written words. Marriage is a promise, a potential, made in the hearts of two people who love, which takes a lifetime to fulfill. _______________________________________________________________________ The Seven Blessings SONG Flower duet from Lakme Darren: The Chuppah is symbolic of the marriage coming under the Holy covering of God. The covering represents protection, mercy, and grace. Under the chuppah we will bless the couple as they join together from this day forward. I now invite Rachel and Ariela to say the Hebrew version of the blessings. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, boreh p'ri ha-gafen. Blessed is the one who created the fruit of the vine. Bless the two of you who come out of long traditions of struggling to find out what it is to be human. May you be full of the wine of life. May the life force and the knowledge of the human heart always be with you. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, she-hakol barah lichvodo. Blessed is the One. All creation mirrors your splendor and reflects your radiance. Bless the two of you. May the two of you know that all beauty comes from the Great Heart, and may you always live in its radiance. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, yotzer ha-adam. Blessed is the one who created human beings. Bless the two of you. May you know it all–joy beauty, companionship, laughter and ecstasy. May your marriage be strong enough to support you to experience whatever you must as you come to know yourselves and each other. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, asher yatzar et ha-adam betzalmo, b'tzelem dmut tavnito, vehitkon lo mimenu binyan adei ad. Baruch Atah Adonai yotzer ha-adam. Blessed is the one who created Woman and Man in the divine image, so we may live, love and perpetuate life. Bless the two of you. May you delight in the wonder and impossibility of the fact that you are so similar and so different–may the difficulty and enormous pleasure of being a man and woman continually fascinate and engage you and be the source of your bonding. Sos tasis v'tagel ha-akarah, b'kibbutz bane'ha letocha b'simchaa. Baruch Atah Adonai, mesame'ach tzion b'vaneha. Blessed is the one who brings people together and unites the divided. In joy we have come to witness this marriage of many cultures. It is said that everyone gets married at a wedding. Bless the two of you who bring us together through your union today. Sameach te-samach re'im ahuvim, k'samechacha yetzircha b'Gan Eden mi-kedem. Baruch Atah Adonai, mesame'ach chatan v'kalah. Blessed is the one who rejoices that the love between this woman and this man is as the very first love in the Garden. Bless the two of you who recreate the world for us and for yourselves. May your love be as old and as new as the first love, and may you also bring new life, in all its forms, into the world. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, asher barah sasson v'simcha, chatan v'kalah, gila rina, ditza v'chedva, ahava v'achava, v'shalom v're'ut. Me-hera Adonai Eloheinu yishama b'arei yehudah u'vchutzot yerushalayim, kol sasson v'eKol simcha, kol chatan v'ekol kalah, kol mitzhalot chatanim me-chupatam, u'nearim mimishte neginatam. Baruch Atah Adonai mesame'ach chatan im hakalah. Blessed is the creation of joy and celebration, lover and beloved, gladness and jubilation, pleasure and delight, love and solidarity, friendship and peace. Soon may we hear in the streets of the city and the paths of the fields the voice of joy, the voice of gladness, the voice of lover, the voice of beloved, the triumphant voice of lovers from the canopy and the voice of youths from their feasts of song. Blessed is the joy of lovers, one with another. ______________________________________________________________________ Marriage Prayer SONG Debussy Claire De Lune Darren: Father in heaven, You ordained marriage for your children, and you gave us love. We present to You Andrea and Dave, who come this day to be married. May the covenant of love they make be blessed with true devotion and spiritual commitment. We ask that You, God, bless their union May their marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring. May they have happiness, and may they find it making one another happy. May they have love, and may they find it loving one another. _______________________________________________________________________ Readings SONG Amazing Grace Reading #1 by Elise The Prayer by St. Francis of Assisi Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is discord, union; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy; O Divine Master, Grant that we may not so much seek To be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. SONG Menuet from Berenice Reading # 2 by Rodrigo Song of Solomon, the Old Testament Ani Le Dodi Ve Dodi Li I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.
My beloved speaks and says to me: Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance.
 Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is comely. Set me as a seal upon your heart and seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy cruel as the grave.
It flashes are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame.
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly scorned. I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine. _______________________________________________________________________ Sand Ceremony SONG Places I remember Darren: At this time, I would invite the mothers of Andrea and Dave to come forward. I have before me two exceptional women. Each of you has given their lives to creating the beautiful families that stand with us today. It is through your love, sacrifice, and devotion that Andrea and Dave have learned the meaning of family and love. (Femiria + Angela pick up glasses of sand) As you each hold your sand the separate containers of sand represent your lives and your families to this moment; individual and unique. As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one. (Femiria pours beige sand first, then Angela pours turquoise sand, and finally they both pour sand into frame at the same time) Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your family will now united as one. May the union of these two families be blessed with many lifetimes of joy, love, and happiness. _______________________________________________________________________ The Charge SONG Home Instrumental Version Michael Buble Darren: You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. From that moment of yes, to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making commitments in an informal way. All of those conversations that began with, “When we’re marriedâ€, and continued with “I will†and “you will†and “we will†– and those that included “someday†and “somehow†and “maybe†– and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding. The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of promising to one another those hopes and dreams. Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another. Shortly you shall say a few words that will take you across a threshold of life, and things between you will never quite be the same. For after today you shall say to the world –This is my husband. This is my wife. Groom and Bride, in your journey of life together, remind yourselves often of the love that brought you together. Give the highest priority to your love. When challenges come, remember to focus on the love between you and the promises made today. In this way, you can overcome the storms. And when clouds hide the sun in your lives - remember, even if you lose sight of it for a moment, the sun is always there. _______________________________________________________________________ Lasso Ceremony  SONG Pachelbel Canon Romantic Canon in D by Pachelbel Darren: Andrea and Dave have chosen Mr. and Mrs. Dempsey to be the godparents of the wedding. This is a Latin American tradition, where the godparents serve as an example of the type of union the newlywed couple aspires to, a couple who can serve as a role model and offer guidance to build an enduring married life. They will also be the first official witnesses of the marriage covenant. I now invite them to come forward to place the silver lasso, which belonged to Andrea’s paternal grandparents, over the couple. Mr. and Mrs. Dempsey drape the Lasso in the form of an "8" around the shoulders of the Bride and Groom. This cord symbolizes an infinite bond of love you share that keeps your relationship strong in the face of adversity, as well as that you both are no longer two, but one in marriage. May this cord remind you to face your life together courageously and to be mutual in support of each other in carrying out your duties and responsibilities as a couple and, may your love grow stronger and bind you closer together through the years. As you are bound together now, so too your lives and spirits are joined in a union of everlasting love and trust _______________________________________________________________________ The Pledge SONG When I say I do-Matthew west Darren: Do you, Dave take Andrea to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, honour, comfort, and cherish her from this day forward, for as long as you both shall live? Dave: 
I do. Do you, Andrea, take Dave to be your lawful wedded husband, to love, honor, comfort, and cherish him from this day forward, for as long as you both shall live? Andrea: 
I do. _______________________________________________________________________ Exchange of Vows SONG I vow to thee Gustav Holtz As an expression that you are joined together in love - will you please hold one another, as you enter marriage, hand in hand. These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever. Darren: Repeat after me Darren/Dave: I, Dave take you Andrea, to be my lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health; I promise myself to you, from this day forward until death do us part. Darren: Repeat after me Darren/Andrea: I, Andrea take you Dave, to be my lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health; I promise myself to you, from this day forward until death do us part. _______________________________________________________________________ The Promise SONG JS Bach - Prelude no. 1 in C Major Darren: Repeat after me Darren/Andrea/Dave: I promise to give you the best of myself and to ask of you no more than you can give. I promise to honor, admire and respect you. I promise to grow along with you, to be willing to face changes and challenges that life may present. I promise to love you in good times and bad, with all I have, completely and forever. I promise to be your best friend, and to share the rest of my life with you. _______________________________________________________________________ Blessing of the rings SONG Ave Maria- Schubert Darren: Liam, our ring bearer, will now join us for the blessing of the rings. (Liam with Patrick comes forward to give rings) Liam will now pass these rings to the families of Andrea and David and I ask that each family member hold them for a moment, warm them with your love, then pass them on to the next person. I ask that all present voice a silent wish or prayer for this couple, for their marriage and their future together. _______________________________________________________________________ Exchange of rings SONG Butterfly Waltz (Liam and Patrick bring rings back and hands to Darren) Darren: With this ring, I thee wed, with all that I have and all that I am. I give you this ring as a sign of my eternal love and devotion. Dave: With this ring, I thee wed, with all that I have and all that I am. I give you this ring as a sign of my eternal love and devotion. Andrea: With this ring, I thee wed, with all that I have and all that I am. I give you this ring as a sign of my eternal love and devotion. Darren: May these rings be blessed as the symbol of this union. The ring is a symbol of a love that has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have taken, that your lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever you go, may you always return to one another. _______________________________________________________________________ Exchange of Arras SONG Air on the G string-Bach Darren: Andrea and Dave have asked that Dimitri be their arras bearer. Dimitri, please join us for the exchange of Arras. The word “arras†originates from the Hebrew word “arrabâ€, which means to promise. These coins are comprised of 13 jade coins, symbolizing the 13 marriage sacrements: love, trust, commitment, respect, joy, happiness, harmony, wisdom, nurturing, caring, cooperation and peace. In addition, there are 2 silver coins, blessed by Pope John Paul II. The coins symbolize the couple’s promise to share with each other the wealth of love, support, and protection that they will receive in life. May God bless the arras and make their days filled with abundance and prosperity. Dimitri drops 13 pieces of coins (silver or gold) called arras into the Groom's waiting hands. Dave: Andrea, take these arras as a symbol of the unquestionable trust and confidence that I place in you as my beloved wife. From this moment, I will share my life with you; all that I am and all that I have. Dave drops Arras into the Andrea's hands Andrea: Dave, take these arras as a symbol of the unquestionable trust and confidence that I place in you as my beloved wife. From this moment, I will share my life you; all that I am and all that I have. Andrea then puts her hand above the Dave's then drops the arras into his hands again. Dave allows the coins to then be dropped into a plate Dimitri. Darren: May you both let these coins always remind you of the hopes and dreams are now, and forever, shared between you. _______________________________________________________________________ Marriage Blessing SONG You raise me up Josh Groban Darren: Gracious God, richly bless and in the promises that they have made to each other. May they be loyal and engaging companions to each other. Make them a visible symbol of the love that does not wane when the evening comes but is fresh with each new day. And as you bless this special couple this day, bless each union represented here. May the Lord bless you and take care of you: May the Lord be kind and gracious to you: May the Lord look on you with favor and give you peace. _______________________________________________________________________ The Pronouncement SONG Wedding March Mendelsohn Darren: Because Andrea and Dave have desired each other in marriage, and have witnessed this before God and our gathering, affirming their acceptance of the responsibilities of such a union, and have pledged their love and faith to each other, sealing their vows in the giving and receiving of rings, in the sight of God and man. Let all people here and everywhere recognize and respect this holy union, now and forever. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride. (Dave kisses Andrea) _______________________________________________________________________ (Dave steps onto a wrapped piece of glass and smashes it) Breaking of the Glass Darren: May your lives together be longer than it would take to fit the pieces of the broken glass back together again. Mazel tov! Recessional Dave and Andrea walk down the aisle, as the wedding party blows bubbles. SONG Con Te Partiro Andrea Boccelli

I would love to share mine! Its a jewish catholic mix with hispanic traditions Groom Processional Enter Dave (groom), accompanied by mother (Femiria) and father (Paolo). SONG God bless the open Road Instrumental Rascal Flatts Bridesmaids Processional Enter Rachel and Ariela (bridesmaids), Dan (best man), dancing SONG Rolling Stones Happy Brides Processional Enter Andrea (bride), Angela (mother) and Chris (brother) SONG “Just the way you are†slow version by Bruno Mars Giving away of the Bride Darren: Doubly blessed is the couple that comes to the marriage altar with the approval and blessings of their families and friends. Who has the honor of presenting this woman, as she is married to this man? Chris: I Do (Family is seated) _______________________________________________________________________ Statement of Intention Bride and groom, do you, with family and friends as your witnesses, present yourselves willingly to enter into this marriage, believing the love you share in each other will endure all things? Andrea + Dave: We Do _______________________________________________________________________ Greeting SONG Rusalka (Song of the moon) by A. Dvorak Darren: We are gathered here today in the sight of God and angels, and the presence of friends and loved ones, to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, to give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, and to add our best wishes and blessings to the words which shall unite Andrea and Dave in holy matrimony Lord, behold our family here assembled. We thank you for this place in which we dwell, for the love that unites us, for the peace accorded us this day, for the hope with which we expect tomorrow, for the health, the work, the food, and the bright skies that make our lives delightful; for our friends in all parts of the earth. Marriage Joins Two People in the Circle of Its Love Marriage is a commitment to life, to the best that two people can find and bring out in each other. It offers opportunities for sharing and growth that no other human relationship can equal; a joining that is promised for a lifetime that deepens and enriches every facet of life. Within the circle of its love, marriage encompasses all of life’s most important bonds. A wife and a husband are each other’s best friend, confidant, and partner. Together, their happiness is fuller. When two people pledge to love and care for each other in marriage, they create a spirit unique to themselves, which binds them closer than any spoken or written words. Marriage is a promise, a potential, made in the hearts of two people who love, which takes a lifetime to fulfill. _______________________________________________________________________ The Seven Blessings SONG Flower duet from Lakme Darren: The Chuppah is symbolic of the marriage coming under the Holy covering of God. The covering represents protection, mercy, and grace. Under the chuppah we will bless the couple as they join together from this day forward. I now invite Rachel and Ariela to say the Hebrew version of the blessings. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, boreh p'ri ha-gafen. Blessed is the one who created the fruit of the vine. Bless the two of you who come out of long traditions of struggling to find out what it is to be human. May you be full of the wine of life. May the life force and the knowledge of the human heart always be with you. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, she-hakol barah lichvodo. Blessed is the One. All creation mirrors your splendor and reflects your radiance. Bless the two of you. May the two of you know that all beauty comes from the Great Heart, and may you always live in its radiance. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, yotzer ha-adam. Blessed is the one who created human beings. Bless the two of you. May you know it all–joy beauty, companionship, laughter and ecstasy. May your marriage be strong enough to support you to experience whatever you must as you come to know yourselves and each other. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, asher yatzar et ha-adam betzalmo, b'tzelem dmut tavnito, vehitkon lo mimenu binyan adei ad. Baruch Atah Adonai yotzer ha-adam. Blessed is the one who created Woman and Man in the divine image, so we may live, love and perpetuate life. Bless the two of you. May you delight in the wonder and impossibility of the fact that you are so similar and so different–may the difficulty and enormous pleasure of being a man and woman continually fascinate and engage you and be the source of your bonding. Sos tasis v'tagel ha-akarah, b'kibbutz bane'ha letocha b'simchaa. Baruch Atah Adonai, mesame'ach tzion b'vaneha. Blessed is the one who brings people together and unites the divided. In joy we have come to witness this marriage of many cultures. It is said that everyone gets married at a wedding. Bless the two of you who bring us together through your union today. Sameach te-samach re'im ahuvim, k'samechacha yetzircha b'Gan Eden mi-kedem. Baruch Atah Adonai, mesame'ach chatan v'kalah. Blessed is the one who rejoices that the love between this woman and this man is as the very first love in the Garden. Bless the two of you who recreate the world for us and for yourselves. May your love be as old and as new as the first love, and may you also bring new life, in all its forms, into the world. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, asher barah sasson v'simcha, chatan v'kalah, gila rina, ditza v'chedva, ahava v'achava, v'shalom v're'ut. Me-hera Adonai Eloheinu yishama b'arei yehudah u'vchutzot yerushalayim, kol sasson v'eKol simcha, kol chatan v'ekol kalah, kol mitzhalot chatanim me-chupatam, u'nearim mimishte neginatam. Baruch Atah Adonai mesame'ach chatan im hakalah. Blessed is the creation of joy and celebration, lover and beloved, gladness and jubilation, pleasure and delight, love and solidarity, friendship and peace. Soon may we hear in the streets of the city and the paths of the fields the voice of joy, the voice of gladness, the voice of lover, the voice of beloved, the triumphant voice of lovers from the canopy and the voice of youths from their feasts of song. Blessed is the joy of lovers, one with another. ______________________________________________________________________ Marriage Prayer SONG Debussy Claire De Lune Darren: Father in heaven, You ordained marriage for your children, and you gave us love. We present to You Andrea and Dave, who come this day to be married. May the covenant of love they make be blessed with true devotion and spiritual commitment. We ask that You, God, bless their union May their marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring. May they have happiness, and may they find it making one another happy. May they have love, and may they find it loving one another. _______________________________________________________________________ Readings SONG Amazing Grace Reading #1 by Elise The Prayer by St. Francis of Assisi Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is discord, union; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy; O Divine Master, Grant that we may not so much seek To be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. SONG Menuet from Berenice Reading # 2 by Rodrigo Song of Solomon, the Old Testament Ani Le Dodi Ve Dodi Li I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.
My beloved speaks and says to me: Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance.
 Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is comely. Set me as a seal upon your heart and seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy cruel as the grave.
It flashes are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame.
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly scorned. I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine. _______________________________________________________________________ Sand Ceremony SONG Places I remember Darren: At this time, I would invite the mothers of Andrea and Dave to come forward. I have before me two exceptional women. Each of you has given their lives to creating the beautiful families that stand with us today. It is through your love, sacrifice, and devotion that Andrea and Dave have learned the meaning of family and love. (Femiria + Angela pick up glasses of sand) As you each hold your sand the separate containers of sand represent your lives and your families to this moment; individual and unique. As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one. (Femiria pours beige sand first, then Angela pours turquoise sand, and finally they both pour sand into frame at the same time) Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your family will now united as one. May the union of these two families be blessed with many lifetimes of joy, love, and happiness. _______________________________________________________________________ The Charge SONG Home Instrumental Version Michael Buble Darren: You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. From that moment of yes, to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making commitments in an informal way. All of those conversations that began with, “When we’re marriedâ€, and continued with “I will†and “you will†and “we will†– and those that included “someday†and “somehow†and “maybe†– and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding. The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of promising to one another those hopes and dreams. Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another. Shortly you shall say a few words that will take you across a threshold of life, and things between you will never quite be the same. For after today you shall say to the world –This is my husband. This is my wife. Groom and Bride, in your journey of life together, remind yourselves often of the love that brought you together. Give the highest priority to your love. When challenges come, remember to focus on the love between you and the promises made today. In this way, you can overcome the storms. And when clouds hide the sun in your lives - remember, even if you lose sight of it for a moment, the sun is always there. _______________________________________________________________________ Lasso Ceremony  SONG Pachelbel Canon Romantic Canon in D by Pachelbel Darren: Andrea and Dave have chosen Mr. and Mrs. Dempsey to be the godparents of the wedding. This is a Latin American tradition, where the godparents serve as an example of the type of union the newlywed couple aspires to, a couple who can serve as a role model and offer guidance to build an enduring married life. They will also be the first official witnesses of the marriage covenant. I now invite them to come forward to place the silver lasso, which belonged to Andrea’s paternal grandparents, over the couple. Mr. and Mrs. Dempsey drape the Lasso in the form of an "8" around the shoulders of the Bride and Groom. This cord symbolizes an infinite bond of love you share that keeps your relationship strong in the face of adversity, as well as that you both are no longer two, but one in marriage. May this cord remind you to face your life together courageously and to be mutual in support of each other in carrying out your duties and responsibilities as a couple and, may your love grow stronger and bind you closer together through the years. As you are bound together now, so too your lives and spirits are joined in a union of everlasting love and trust _______________________________________________________________________ The Pledge SONG When I say I do-Matthew west Darren: Do you, Dave take Andrea to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, honour, comfort, and cherish her from this day forward, for as long as you both shall live? Dave: 
I do. Do you, Andrea, take Dave to be your lawful wedded husband, to love, honor, comfort, and cherish him from this day forward, for as long as you both shall live? Andrea: 
I do. _______________________________________________________________________ Exchange of Vows SONG I vow to thee Gustav Holtz As an expression that you are joined together in love - will you please hold one another, as you enter marriage, hand in hand. These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever. Darren: Repeat after me Darren/Dave: I, Dave take you Andrea, to be my lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health; I promise myself to you, from this day forward until death do us part. Darren: Repeat after me Darren/Andrea: I, Andrea take you Dave, to be my lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health; I promise myself to you, from this day forward until death do us part. _______________________________________________________________________ The Promise SONG JS Bach - Prelude no. 1 in C Major Darren: Repeat after me Darren/Andrea/Dave: I promise to give you the best of myself and to ask of you no more than you can give. I promise to honor, admire and respect you. I promise to grow along with you, to be willing to face changes and challenges that life may present. I promise to love you in good times and bad, with all I have, completely and forever. I promise to be your best friend, and to share the rest of my life with you. _______________________________________________________________________ Blessing of the rings SONG Ave Maria- Schubert Darren: Liam, our ring bearer, will now join us for the blessing of the rings. (Liam with Patrick comes forward to give rings) Liam will now pass these rings to the families of Andrea and David and I ask that each family member hold them for a moment, warm them with your love, then pass them on to the next person. I ask that all present voice a silent wish or prayer for this couple, for their marriage and their future together. _______________________________________________________________________ Exchange of rings SONG Butterfly Waltz (Liam and Patrick bring rings back and hands to Darren) Darren: With this ring, I thee wed, with all that I have and all that I am. I give you this ring as a sign of my eternal love and devotion. Dave: With this ring, I thee wed, with all that I have and all that I am. I give you this ring as a sign of my eternal love and devotion. Andrea: With this ring, I thee wed, with all that I have and all that I am. I give you this ring as a sign of my eternal love and devotion. Darren: May these rings be blessed as the symbol of this union. The ring is a symbol of a love that has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have taken, that your lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever you go, may you always return to one another. _______________________________________________________________________ Exchange of Arras SONG Air on the G string-Bach Darren: Andrea and Dave have asked that Dimitri be their arras bearer. Dimitri, please join us for the exchange of Arras. The word “arras†originates from the Hebrew word “arrabâ€, which means to promise. These coins are comprised of 13 jade coins, symbolizing the 13 marriage sacrements: love, trust, commitment, respect, joy, happiness, harmony, wisdom, nurturing, caring, cooperation and peace. In addition, there are 2 silver coins, blessed by Pope John Paul II. The coins symbolize the couple’s promise to share with each other the wealth of love, support, and protection that they will receive in life. May God bless the arras and make their days filled with abundance and prosperity. Dimitri drops 13 pieces of coins (silver or gold) called arras into the Groom's waiting hands. Dave: Andrea, take these arras as a symbol of the unquestionable trust and confidence that I place in you as my beloved wife. From this moment, I will share my life with you; all that I am and all that I have. Dave drops Arras into the Andrea's hands Andrea: Dave, take these arras as a symbol of the unquestionable trust and confidence that I place in you as my beloved wife. From this moment, I will share my life you; all that I am and all that I have. Andrea then puts her hand above the Dave's then drops the arras into his hands again. Dave allows the coins to then be dropped into a plate Dimitri. Darren: May you both let these coins always remind you of the hopes and dreams are now, and forever, shared between you. _______________________________________________________________________ Marriage Blessing SONG You raise me up Josh Groban Darren: Gracious God, richly bless and in the promises that they have made to each other. May they be loyal and engaging companions to each other. Make them a visible symbol of the love that does not wane when the evening comes but is fresh with each new day. And as you bless this special couple this day, bless each union represented here. May the Lord bless you and take care of you: May the Lord be kind and gracious to you: May the Lord look on you with favor and give you peace. _______________________________________________________________________ The Pronouncement SONG Wedding March Mendelsohn Darren: Because Andrea and Dave have desired each other in marriage, and have witnessed this before God and our gathering, affirming their acceptance of the responsibilities of such a union, and have pledged their love and faith to each other, sealing their vows in the giving and receiving of rings, in the sight of God and man. Let all people here and everywhere recognize and respect this holy union, now and forever. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride. (Dave kisses Andrea) _______________________________________________________________________ (Dave steps onto a wrapped piece of glass and smashes it) Breaking of the Glass Darren: May your lives together be longer than it would take to fit the pieces of the broken glass back together again. Mazel tov! Recessional Dave and Andrea walk down the aisle, as the wedding party blows bubbles. SONG Con Te Partiro Andrea Boccelli

Groom Processional Enter Dave (groom), accompanied by mother (Femiria) and father (Paolo). SONG God bless the open Road Instrumental Rascal Flatts Bridesmaids Processional Enter Rachel and Ariela (bridesmaids), Dan (best man), dancing SONG Rolling Stones Happy Brides Processional Enter Andrea (bride), Angela (mother) and Chris (brother) SONG “Just the way you are†slow version by Bruno Mars Giving away of the Bride Darren: Doubly blessed is the couple that comes to the marriage altar with the approval and blessings of their families and friends. Who has the honor of presenting this woman, as she is married to this man? Chris: I Do (Family is seated) _______________________________________________________________________ Statement of Intention Bride and groom, do you, with family and friends as your witnesses, present yourselves willingly to enter into this marriage, believing the love you share in each other will endure all things? Andrea + Dave: We Do _______________________________________________________________________ Greeting SONG Rusalka (Song of the moon) by A. Dvorak Darren: We are gathered here today in the sight of God and angels, and the presence of friends and loved ones, to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, to give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, and to add our best wishes and blessings to the words which shall unite Andrea and Dave in holy matrimony Lord, behold our family here assembled. We thank you for this place in which we dwell, for the love that unites us, for the peace accorded us this day, for the hope with which we expect tomorrow, for the health, the work, the food, and the bright skies that make our lives delightful; for our friends in all parts of the earth. Marriage Joins Two People in the Circle of Its Love Marriage is a commitment to life, to the best that two people can find and bring out in each other. It offers opportunities for sharing and growth that no other human relationship can equal; a joining that is promised for a lifetime that deepens and enriches every facet of life. Within the circle of its love, marriage encompasses all of life’s most important bonds. A wife and a husband are each other’s best friend, confidant, and partner. Together, their happiness is fuller. When two people pledge to love and care for each other in marriage, they create a spirit unique to themselves, which binds them closer than any spoken or written words. Marriage is a promise, a potential, made in the hearts of two people who love, which takes a lifetime to fulfill. _______________________________________________________________________ The Seven Blessings SONG Flower duet from Lakme Darren: The Chuppah is symbolic of the marriage coming under the Holy covering of God. The covering represents protection, mercy, and grace. Under the chuppah we will bless the couple as they join together from this day forward. I now invite Rachel and Ariela to say the Hebrew version of the blessings. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, boreh p'ri ha-gafen. Blessed is the one who created the fruit of the vine. Bless the two of you who come out of long traditions of struggling to find out what it is to be human. May you be full of the wine of life. May the life force and the knowledge of the human heart always be with you. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, she-hakol barah lichvodo. Blessed is the One. All creation mirrors your splendor and reflects your radiance. Bless the two of you. May the two of you know that all beauty comes from the Great Heart, and may you always live in its radiance. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, yotzer ha-adam. Blessed is the one who created human beings. Bless the two of you. May you know it all–joy beauty, companionship, laughter and ecstasy. May your marriage be strong enough to support you to experience whatever you must as you come to know yourselves and each other. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, asher yatzar et ha-adam betzalmo, b'tzelem dmut tavnito, vehitkon lo mimenu binyan adei ad. Baruch Atah Adonai yotzer ha-adam. Blessed is the one who created Woman and Man in the divine image, so we may live, love and perpetuate life. Bless the two of you. May you delight in the wonder and impossibility of the fact that you are so similar and so different–may the difficulty and enormous pleasure of being a man and woman continually fascinate and engage you and be the source of your bonding. Sos tasis v'tagel ha-akarah, b'kibbutz bane'ha letocha b'simchaa. Baruch Atah Adonai, mesame'ach tzion b'vaneha. Blessed is the one who brings people together and unites the divided. In joy we have come to witness this marriage of many cultures. It is said that everyone gets married at a wedding. Bless the two of you who bring us together through your union today. Sameach te-samach re'im ahuvim, k'samechacha yetzircha b'Gan Eden mi-kedem. Baruch Atah Adonai, mesame'ach chatan v'kalah. Blessed is the one who rejoices that the love between this woman and this man is as the very first love in the Garden. Bless the two of you who recreate the world for us and for yourselves. May your love be as old and as new as the first love, and may you also bring new life, in all its forms, into the world. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, asher barah sasson v'simcha, chatan v'kalah, gila rina, ditza v'chedva, ahava v'achava, v'shalom v're'ut. Me-hera Adonai Eloheinu yishama b'arei yehudah u'vchutzot yerushalayim, kol sasson v'eKol simcha, kol chatan v'ekol kalah, kol mitzhalot chatanim me-chupatam, u'nearim mimishte neginatam. Baruch Atah Adonai mesame'ach chatan im hakalah. Blessed is the creation of joy and celebration, lover and beloved, gladness and jubilation, pleasure and delight, love and solidarity, friendship and peace. Soon may we hear in the streets of the city and the paths of the fields the voice of joy, the voice of gladness, the voice of lover, the voice of beloved, the triumphant voice of lovers from the canopy and the voice of youths from their feasts of song. Blessed is the joy of lovers, one with another. ______________________________________________________________________ Marriage Prayer SONG Debussy Claire De Lune Darren: Father in heaven, You ordained marriage for your children, and you gave us love. We present to You Andrea and Dave, who come this day to be married. May the covenant of love they make be blessed with true devotion and spiritual commitment. We ask that You, God, bless their union May their marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring. May they have happiness, and may they find it making one another happy. May they have love, and may they find it loving one another. _______________________________________________________________________ Readings SONG Amazing Grace Reading #1 by Elise The Prayer by St. Francis of Assisi Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is discord, union; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy; O Divine Master, Grant that we may not so much seek To be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. SONG Menuet from Berenice Reading # 2 by Rodrigo Song of Solomon, the Old Testament Ani Le Dodi Ve Dodi Li I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.
My beloved speaks and says to me: Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance.
 Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is comely. Set me as a seal upon your heart and seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy cruel as the grave.
It flashes are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame.
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly scorned. I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine. _______________________________________________________________________ Sand Ceremony SONG Places I remember Darren: At this time, I would invite the mothers of Andrea and Dave to come forward. I have before me two exceptional women. Each of you has given their lives to creating the beautiful families that stand with us today. It is through your love, sacrifice, and devotion that Andrea and Dave have learned the meaning of family and love. (Femiria + Angela pick up glasses of sand) As you each hold your sand the separate containers of sand represent your lives and your families to this moment; individual and unique. As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one. (Femiria pours beige sand first, then Angela pours turquoise sand, and finally they both pour sand into frame at the same time) Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your family will now united as one. May the union of these two families be blessed with many lifetimes of joy, love, and happiness. _______________________________________________________________________ The Charge SONG Home Instrumental Version Michael Buble Darren: You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. From that moment of yes, to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making commitments in an informal way. All of those conversations that began with, “When we’re marriedâ€, and continued with “I will†and “you will†and “we will†– and those that included “someday†and “somehow†and “maybe†– and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding. The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of promising to one another those hopes and dreams. Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another. Shortly you shall say a few words that will take you across a threshold of life, and things between you will never quite be the same. For after today you shall say to the world –This is my husband. This is my wife. Groom and Bride, in your journey of life together, remind yourselves often of the love that brought you together. Give the highest priority to your love. When challenges come, remember to focus on the love between you and the promises made today. In this way, you can overcome the storms. And when clouds hide the sun in your lives - remember, even if you lose sight of it for a moment, the sun is always there. _______________________________________________________________________ Lasso Ceremony  SONG Pachelbel Canon Romantic Canon in D by Pachelbel Darren: Andrea and Dave have chosen Mr. and Mrs. Dempsey to be the godparents of the wedding. This is a Latin American tradition, where the godparents serve as an example of the type of union the newlywed couple aspires to, a couple who can serve as a role model and offer guidance to build an enduring married life. They will also be the first official witnesses of the marriage covenant. I now invite them to come forward to place the silver lasso, which belonged to Andrea’s paternal grandparents, over the couple. Mr. and Mrs. Dempsey drape the Lasso in the form of an "8" around the shoulders of the Bride and Groom. This cord symbolizes an infinite bond of love you share that keeps your relationship strong in the face of adversity, as well as that you both are no longer two, but one in marriage. May this cord remind you to face your life together courageously and to be mutual in support of each other in carrying out your duties and responsibilities as a couple and, may your love grow stronger and bind you closer together through the years. As you are bound together now, so too your lives and spirits are joined in a union of everlasting love and trust _______________________________________________________________________ The Pledge SONG When I say I do-Matthew west Darren: Do you, Dave take Andrea to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, honour, comfort, and cherish her from this day forward, for as long as you both shall live? Dave: 
I do. Do you, Andrea, take Dave to be your lawful wedded husband, to love, honor, comfort, and cherish him from this day forward, for as long as you both shall live? Andrea: 
I do. _______________________________________________________________________ Exchange of Vows SONG I vow to thee Gustav Holtz As an expression that you are joined together in love - will you please hold one another, as you enter marriage, hand in hand. These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever. Darren: Repeat after me Darren/Dave: I, Dave take you Andrea, to be my lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health; I promise myself to you, from this day forward until death do us part. Darren: Repeat after me Darren/Andrea: I, Andrea take you Dave, to be my lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health; I promise myself to you, from this day forward until death do us part. _______________________________________________________________________ The Promise SONG JS Bach - Prelude no. 1 in C Major Darren: Repeat after me Darren/Andrea/Dave: I promise to give you the best of myself and to ask of you no more than you can give. I promise to honor, admire and respect you. I promise to grow along with you, to be willing to face changes and challenges that life may present. I promise to love you in good times and bad, with all I have, completely and forever. I promise to be your best friend, and to share the rest of my life with you. _______________________________________________________________________ Blessing of the rings SONG Ave Maria- Schubert Darren: Liam, our ring bearer, will now join us for the blessing of the rings. (Liam with Patrick comes forward to give rings) Liam will now pass these rings to the families of Andrea and David and I ask that each family member hold them for a moment, warm them with your love, then pass them on to the next person. I ask that all present voice a silent wish or prayer for this couple, for their marriage and their future together. _______________________________________________________________________ Exchange of rings SONG Butterfly Waltz (Liam and Patrick bring rings back and hands to Darren) Darren: With this ring, I thee wed, with all that I have and all that I am. I give you this ring as a sign of my eternal love and devotion. Dave: With this ring, I thee wed, with all that I have and all that I am. I give you this ring as a sign of my eternal love and devotion. Andrea: With this ring, I thee wed, with all that I have and all that I am. I give you this ring as a sign of my eternal love and devotion. Darren: May these rings be blessed as the symbol of this union. The ring is a symbol of a love that has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have taken, that your lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever you go, may you always return to one another. _______________________________________________________________________ Exchange of Arras SONG Air on the G string-Bach Darren: Andrea and Dave have asked that Dimitri be their arras bearer. Dimitri, please join us for the exchange of Arras. The word “arras†originates from the Hebrew word “arrabâ€, which means to promise. These coins are comprised of 13 jade coins, symbolizing the 13 marriage sacrements: love, trust, commitment, respect, joy, happiness, harmony, wisdom, nurturing, caring, cooperation and peace. In addition, there are 2 silver coins, blessed by Pope John Paul II. The coins symbolize the couple’s promise to share with each other the wealth of love, support, and protection that they will receive in life. May God bless the arras and make their days filled with abundance and prosperity. Dimitri drops 13 pieces of coins (silver or gold) called arras into the Groom's waiting hands. Dave: Andrea, take these arras as a symbol of the unquestionable trust and confidence that I place in you as my beloved wife. From this moment, I will share my life with you; all that I am and all that I have. Dave drops Arras into the Andrea's hands Andrea: Dave, take these arras as a symbol of the unquestionable trust and confidence that I place in you as my beloved wife. From this moment, I will share my life you; all that I am and all that I have. Andrea then puts her hand above the Dave's then drops the arras into his hands again. Dave allows the coins to then be dropped into a plate Dimitri. Darren: May you both let these coins always remind you of the hopes and dreams are now, and forever, shared between you. _______________________________________________________________________ Marriage Blessing SONG You raise me up Josh Groban Darren: Gracious God, richly bless and in the promises that they have made to each other. May they be loyal and engaging companions to each other. Make them a visible symbol of the love that does not wane when the evening comes but is fresh with each new day. And as you bless this special couple this day, bless each union represented here. May the Lord bless you and take care of you: May the Lord be kind and gracious to you: May the Lord look on you with favor and give you peace. _______________________________________________________________________ The Pronouncement SONG Wedding March Mendelsohn Darren: Because Andrea and Dave have desired each other in marriage, and have witnessed this before God and our gathering, affirming their acceptance of the responsibilities of such a union, and have pledged their love and faith to each other, sealing their vows in the giving and receiving of rings, in the sight of God and man. Let all people here and everywhere recognize and respect this holy union, now and forever. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride. (Dave kisses Andrea) _______________________________________________________________________ (Dave steps onto a wrapped piece of glass and smashes it) Breaking of the Glass Darren: May your lives together be longer than it would take to fit the pieces of the broken glass back together again. Mazel tov! Recessional Dave and Andrea walk down the aisle, as the wedding party blows bubbles. SONG Con Te Partiro Andrea Boccelli

Groom Processional Enter Dave (groom), accompanied by mother (Femiria) and father (Paolo). SONG God bless the open Road Instrumental Rascal Flatts Bridesmaids Processional Enter Rachel and Ariela (bridesmaids), Dan (best man), dancing SONG Rolling Stones Happy Brides Processional Enter Andrea (bride), Angela (mother) and Chris (brother) SONG “Just the way you are†slow version by Bruno Mars Giving away of the Bride Darren: Doubly blessed is the couple that comes to the marriage altar with the approval and blessings of their families and friends. Who has the honor of presenting this woman, as she is married to this man? Chris: I Do (Family is seated) _______________________________________________________________________ Statement of Intention Bride and groom, do you, with family and friends as your witnesses, present yourselves willingly to enter into this marriage, believing the love you share in each other will endure all things? Andrea + Dave: We Do _______________________________________________________________________ Greeting SONG Rusalka (Song of the moon) by A. Dvorak Darren: We are gathered here today in the sight of God and angels, and the presence of friends and loved ones, to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, to give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, and to add our best wishes and blessings to the words which shall unite Andrea and Dave in holy matrimony Lord, behold our family here assembled. We thank you for this place in which we dwell, for the love that unites us, for the peace accorded us this day, for the hope with which we expect tomorrow, for the health, the work, the food, and the bright skies that make our lives delightful; for our friends in all parts of the earth. Marriage Joins Two People in the Circle of Its Love Marriage is a commitment to life, to the best that two people can find and bring out in each other. It offers opportunities for sharing and growth that no other human relationship can equal; a joining that is promised for a lifetime that deepens and enriches every facet of life. Within the circle of its love, marriage encompasses all of life’s most important bonds. A wife and a husband are each other’s best friend, confidant, and partner. Together, their happiness is fuller. When two people pledge to love and care for each other in marriage, they create a spirit unique to themselves, which binds them closer than any spoken or written words. Marriage is a promise, a potential, made in the hearts of two people who love, which takes a lifetime to fulfill. _______________________________________________________________________ The Seven Blessings SONG Flower duet from Lakme Darren: The Chuppah is symbolic of the marriage coming under the Holy covering of God. The covering represents protection, mercy, and grace. Under the chuppah we will bless the couple as they join together from this day forward. I now invite Rachel and Ariela to say the Hebrew version of the blessings. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, boreh p'ri ha-gafen. Blessed is the one who created the fruit of the vine. Bless the two of you who come out of long traditions of struggling to find out what it is to be human. May you be full of the wine of life. May the life force and the knowledge of the human heart always be with you. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, she-hakol barah lichvodo. Blessed is the One. All creation mirrors your splendor and reflects your radiance. Bless the two of you. May the two of you know that all beauty comes from the Great Heart, and may you always live in its radiance. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, yotzer ha-adam. Blessed is the one who created human beings. Bless the two of you. May you know it all–joy beauty, companionship, laughter and ecstasy. May your marriage be strong enough to support you to experience whatever you must as you come to know yourselves and each other. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, asher yatzar et ha-adam betzalmo, b'tzelem dmut tavnito, vehitkon lo mimenu binyan adei ad. Baruch Atah Adonai yotzer ha-adam. Blessed is the one who created Woman and Man in the divine image, so we may live, love and perpetuate life. Bless the two of you. May you delight in the wonder and impossibility of the fact that you are so similar and so different–may the difficulty and enormous pleasure of being a man and woman continually fascinate and engage you and be the source of your bonding. Sos tasis v'tagel ha-akarah, b'kibbutz bane'ha letocha b'simchaa. Baruch Atah Adonai, mesame'ach tzion b'vaneha. Blessed is the one who brings people together and unites the divided. In joy we have come to witness this marriage of many cultures. It is said that everyone gets married at a wedding. Bless the two of you who bring us together through your union today. Sameach te-samach re'im ahuvim, k'samechacha yetzircha b'Gan Eden mi-kedem. Baruch Atah Adonai, mesame'ach chatan v'kalah. Blessed is the one who rejoices that the love between this woman and this man is as the very first love in the Garden. Bless the two of you who recreate the world for us and for yourselves. May your love be as old and as new as the first love, and may you also bring new life, in all its forms, into the world. Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha-Olam, asher barah sasson v'simcha, chatan v'kalah, gila rina, ditza v'chedva, ahava v'achava, v'shalom v're'ut. Me-hera Adonai Eloheinu yishama b'arei yehudah u'vchutzot yerushalayim, kol sasson v'eKol simcha, kol chatan v'ekol kalah, kol mitzhalot chatanim me-chupatam, u'nearim mimishte neginatam. Baruch Atah Adonai mesame'ach chatan im hakalah. Blessed is the creation of joy and celebration, lover and beloved, gladness and jubilation, pleasure and delight, love and solidarity, friendship and peace. Soon may we hear in the streets of the city and the paths of the fields the voice of joy, the voice of gladness, the voice of lover, the voice of beloved, the triumphant voice of lovers from the canopy and the voice of youths from their feasts of song. Blessed is the joy of lovers, one with another. ______________________________________________________________________ Marriage Prayer SONG Debussy Claire De Lune Darren: Father in heaven, You ordained marriage for your children, and you gave us love. We present to You Andrea and Dave, who come this day to be married. May the covenant of love they make be blessed with true devotion and spiritual commitment. We ask that You, God, bless their union May their marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring. May they have happiness, and may they find it making one another happy. May they have love, and may they find it loving one another. _______________________________________________________________________ Readings SONG Amazing Grace Reading #1 by Elise The Prayer by St. Francis of Assisi Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is discord, union; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy; O Divine Master, Grant that we may not so much seek To be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. SONG Menuet from Berenice Reading # 2 by Rodrigo Song of Solomon, the Old Testament Ani Le Dodi Ve Dodi Li I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.
My beloved speaks and says to me: Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance.
 Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is comely. Set me as a seal upon your heart and seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy cruel as the grave.
It flashes are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame.
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly scorned. I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine. _______________________________________________________________________ Sand Ceremony SONG Places I remember Darren: At this time, I would invite the mothers of Andrea and Dave to come forward. I have before me two exceptional women. Each of you has given their lives to creating the beautiful families that stand with us today. It is through your love, sacrifice, and devotion that Andrea and Dave have learned the meaning of family and love. (Femiria + Angela pick up glasses of sand) As you each hold your sand the separate containers of sand represent your lives and your families to this moment; individual and unique. As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one. (Femiria pours beige sand first, then Angela pours turquoise sand, and finally they both pour sand into frame at the same time) Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your family will now united as one. May the union of these two families be blessed with many lifetimes of joy, love, and happiness. _______________________________________________________________________ The Charge SONG Home Instrumental Version Michael Buble Darren: You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. From that moment of yes, to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making commitments in an informal way. All of those conversations that began with, “When we’re marriedâ€, and continued with “I will†and “you will†and “we will†– and those that included “someday†and “somehow†and “maybe†– and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding. The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of promising to one another those hopes and dreams. Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another. Shortly you shall say a few words that will take you across a threshold of life, and things between you will never quite be the same. For after today you shall say to the world –This is my husband. This is my wife. Groom and Bride, in your journey of life together, remind yourselves often of the love that brought you together. Give the highest priority to your love. When challenges come, remember to focus on the love between you and the promises made today. In this way, you can overcome the storms. And when clouds hide the sun in your lives - remember, even if you lose sight of it for a moment, the sun is always there. _______________________________________________________________________ Lasso Ceremony  SONG Pachelbel Canon Romantic Canon in D by Pachelbel Darren: Andrea and Dave have chosen Mr. and Mrs. Dempsey to be the godparents of the wedding. This is a Latin American tradition, where the godparents serve as an example of the type of union the newlywed couple aspires to, a couple who can serve as a role model and offer guidance to build an enduring married life. They will also be the first official witnesses of the marriage covenant. I now invite them to come forward to place the silver lasso, which belonged to Andrea’s paternal grandparents, over the couple. Mr. and Mrs. Dempsey drape the Lasso in the form of an "8" around the shoulders of the Bride and Groom. This cord symbolizes an infinite bond of love you share that keeps your relationship strong in the face of adversity, as well as that you both are no longer two, but one in marriage. May this cord remind you to face your life together courageously and to be mutual in support of each other in carrying out your duties and responsibilities as a couple and, may your love grow stronger and bind you closer together through the years. As you are bound together now, so too your lives and spirits are joined in a union of everlasting love and trust _______________________________________________________________________ The Pledge SONG When I say I do-Matthew west Darren: Do you, Dave take Andrea to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, honour, comfort, and cherish her from this day forward, for as long as you both shall live? Dave: 
I do. Do you, Andrea, take Dave to be your lawful wedded husband, to love, honor, comfort, and cherish him from this day forward, for as long as you both shall live? Andrea: 
I do. _______________________________________________________________________ Exchange of Vows SONG I vow to thee Gustav Holtz As an expression that you are joined together in love - will you please hold one another, as you enter marriage, hand in hand. These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever. Darren: Repeat after me Darren/Dave: I, Dave take you Andrea, to be my lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health; I promise myself to you, from this day forward until death do us part. Darren: Repeat after me Darren/Andrea: I, Andrea take you Dave, to be my lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health; I promise myself to you, from this day forward until death do us part. _______________________________________________________________________ The Promise SONG JS Bach - Prelude no. 1 in C Major Darren: Repeat after me Darren/Andrea/Dave: I promise to give you the best of myself and to ask of you no more than you can give. I promise to honor, admire and respect you. I promise to grow along with you, to be willing to face changes and challenges that life may present. I promise to love you in good times and bad, with all I have, completely and forever. I promise to be your best friend, and to share the rest of my life with you. _______________________________________________________________________ Blessing of the rings SONG Ave Maria- Schubert Darren: Liam, our ring bearer, will now join us for the blessing of the rings. (Liam with Patrick comes forward to give rings) Liam will now pass these rings to the families of Andrea and David and I ask that each family member hold them for a moment, warm them with your love, then pass them on to the next person. I ask that all present voice a silent wish or prayer for this couple, for their marriage and their future together. _______________________________________________________________________ Exchange of rings SONG Butterfly Waltz (Liam and Patrick bring rings back and hands to Darren) Darren: With this ring, I thee wed, with all that I have and all that I am. I give you this ring as a sign of my eternal love and devotion. Dave: With this ring, I thee wed, with all that I have and all that I am. I give you this ring as a sign of my eternal love and devotion. Andrea: With this ring, I thee wed, with all that I have and all that I am. I give you this ring as a sign of my eternal love and devotion. Darren: May these rings be blessed as the symbol of this union. The ring is a symbol of a love that has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have taken, that your lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever you go, may you always return to one another. _______________________________________________________________________ Exchange of Arras SONG Air on the G string-Bach Darren: Andrea and Dave have asked that Dimitri be their arras bearer. Dimitri, please join us for the exchange of Arras. The word “arras†originates from the Hebrew word “arrabâ€, which means to promise. These coins are comprised of 13 jade coins, symbolizing the 13 marriage sacrements: love, trust, commitment, respect, joy, happiness, harmony, wisdom, nurturing, caring, cooperation and peace. In addition, there are 2 silver coins, blessed by Pope John Paul II. The coins symbolize the couple’s promise to share with each other the wealth of love, support, and protection that they will receive in life. May God bless the arras and make their days filled with abundance and prosperity. Dimitri drops 13 pieces of coins (silver or gold) called arras into the Groom's waiting hands. Dave: Andrea, take these arras as a symbol of the unquestionable trust and confidence that I place in you as my beloved wife. From this moment, I will share my life with you; all that I am and all that I have. Dave drops Arras into the Andrea's hands Andrea: Dave, take these arras as a symbol of the unquestionable trust and confidence that I place in you as my beloved wife. From this moment, I will share my life you; all that I am and all that I have. Andrea then puts her hand above the Dave's then drops the arras into his hands again. Dave allows the coins to then be dropped into a plate Dimitri. Darren: May you both let these coins always remind you of the hopes and dreams are now, and forever, shared between you. _______________________________________________________________________ Marriage Blessing SONG You raise me up Josh Groban Darren: Gracious God, richly bless and in the promises that they have made to each other. May they be loyal and engaging companions to each other. Make them a visible symbol of the love that does not wane when the evening comes but is fresh with each new day. And as you bless this special couple this day, bless each union represented here. May the Lord bless you and take care of you: May the Lord be kind and gracious to you: May the Lord look on you with favor and give you peace. _______________________________________________________________________ The Pronouncement SONG Wedding March Mendelsohn Darren: Because Andrea and Dave have desired each other in marriage, and have witnessed this before God and our gathering, affirming their acceptance of the responsibilities of such a union, and have pledged their love and faith to each other, sealing their vows in the giving and receiving of rings, in the sight of God and man. Let all people here and everywhere recognize and respect this holy union, now and forever. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride. (Dave kisses Andrea) _______________________________________________________________________ (Dave steps onto a wrapped piece of glass and smashes it) Breaking of the Glass Darren: May your lives together be longer than it would take to fit the pieces of the broken glass back together again. Mazel tov! Recessional Dave and Andrea walk down the aisle, as the wedding party blows bubbles. SONG Con Te Partiro Andrea Boccelli

Here is the song program with links PRELUDE Beautiful Day-U2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ytVW3WG72o Bubbly- Colbie Caillat

One and Only- Adele CEREMONY Groom Processional Enter Dave (groom), accompanied by mother (Femiria) and father (Paolo). SONG God bless the open Road Instrumental Rascal Flatts Bridesmaids Processional Enter Rachel and Ariela (bridesmaids), Dan (best man), dancing SONG Rolling Stones Happy Brides Processional Enter Andrea (bride), Angela (mother) and Chris (brother) SONG “Just the way you are†slow version by Bruno Mars Greeting SONG Rusalka (Song of the moon) by A. Dvorak The Seven Blessings SONG Flower duet from Lakme Marriage Prayer SONG Debussy Claire De Lune Readings Reading #1 by Elise The Prayer by St. Francis of Assisi SONG Amazing Grace http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzdwwX3_SI4 Reading # 2 by Rodrigo Song of Solomon, the Old Testament SONG Menuet from Berenice http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFxE5GlYhiQ Sand Ceremony SONG Places I remember instrumental slow version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDSOcH0fjXk The Charge SONG Home Instrumental Version Michael Buble http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3XwuJtYX4M Lasso Ceremony SONG Pachelbel Canon Romantic Canon in D by Pachelbel The Pledge When I say I do-Matthew west Exchange of Vows SONG I vow to thee Gustav Holtz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piNcmR-2h5U The Promise SONG JS Bach - Prelude no. 1 in C Major http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98Rh0jbTh0U Blessing of the rings SONG Ave Maria- Schubert http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCucnn-95nY Exchange of rings SONG Butterfly Waltz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqCdKOdX5FQ Exchange of Arras SONG Air on the G string-Bach http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2j-frfK-yg Marriage Blessing SONG You raise me up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzcJAtJwJuc The Pronouncement & breaking of glass SONG Wedding march mendehlson piano http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DArtRyNDgzQ Recessional SONG Con Te Partiro Andrea Boccelli http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyngvnYF3uc POSTLUDE/ COCKTAIL Valentine- Kina Gannis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ngru3yCF9HU I wanna love you- Bob Marley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk9Oy6iOv-4

Here is the song program with links PRELUDE Beautiful Day-U2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ytVW3WG72o Bubbly- Colbie Caillat

One and Only- Adele CEREMONY Groom Processional Enter Dave (groom), accompanied by mother (Femiria) and father (Paolo). SONG God bless the open Road Instrumental Rascal Flatts Bridesmaids Processional Enter Rachel and Ariela (bridesmaids), Dan (best man), dancing SONG Rolling Stones Happy Brides Processional Enter Andrea (bride), Angela (mother) and Chris (brother) SONG “Just the way you are†slow version by Bruno Mars Greeting SONG Rusalka (Song of the moon) by A. Dvorak The Seven Blessings SONG Flower duet from Lakme Marriage Prayer SONG Debussy Claire De Lune Readings Reading #1 by Elise The Prayer by St. Francis of Assisi SONG Amazing Grace http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzdwwX3_SI4 Reading # 2 by Rodrigo Song of Solomon, the Old Testament SONG Menuet from Berenice http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFxE5GlYhiQ Sand Ceremony SONG Places I remember instrumental slow version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDSOcH0fjXk The Charge SONG Home Instrumental Version Michael Buble http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3XwuJtYX4M Lasso Ceremony SONG Pachelbel Canon Romantic Canon in D by Pachelbel The Pledge When I say I do-Matthew west Exchange of Vows SONG I vow to thee Gustav Holtz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piNcmR-2h5U The Promise SONG JS Bach - Prelude no. 1 in C Major http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98Rh0jbTh0U Blessing of the rings SONG Ave Maria- Schubert http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCucnn-95nY Exchange of rings SONG Butterfly Waltz http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqCdKOdX5FQ Exchange of Arras SONG Air on the G string-Bach http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2j-frfK-yg Marriage Blessing SONG You raise me up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzcJAtJwJuc The Pronouncement & breaking of glass SONG Wedding march mendehlson piano http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DArtRyNDgzQ Recessional SONG Con Te Partiro Andrea Boccelli http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyngvnYF3uc POSTLUDE/ COCKTAIL Valentine- Kina Gannis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ngru3yCF9HU I wanna love you- Bob Marley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk9Oy6iOv-4

Per te partiro by Andrea Boccelli

Per te partiro by Andrea Boccelli

Originally Posted by CrystalnOmar 

 

Hello Everyone,  I was wondering if anyone had information on who to contact for a private wedding at the aqueducts in Rose Hall.  I love the location and I have heard that it's affiliated with the Hilton or Iberostar, but I will not be staying at those resorts.  If anyone has a contact for this I would be so appreciative.  Thank you 

Hi CrystalnOmar

 

I worked directly with Rose Hall Developments through O'Neisha Brown

[email protected]

 

She was absolutely a dream. Through a few phone calls and many emails, she set everything up perfectly. I sent her "inspiration" shots of my canopy and the wedding was even more beautiful than the inspiration.

 

I ended up choosing the gazebo because the aqueducts look similar to the ruins from where I'm from in Guatemala, so I wanted something different, but my husband loved the area.  

Dear Adreann! I would like to order the same dress from dhgate-linlin5518 that you did (your TTD gown). I wrote you a private message about that, would you be so kind to reply my message? Thank you so much

Hi! Did you get my pm? I sent you links and info! Let me know...

I will be renewing my vows but my REAL wedding in December of 2014 on Disney Dream Cruise. I can't wait. We will be having our kids, grandkids ( I am a very young grandma of 46) and friends join us on the ship. We are getting married on the ship in the Bahamas. I do have a question for all of you. I am having an argument with one of my daughters. She is upset that I am not just wanting to wear a sundress and get it over with. Since this is my Real first wedding I would like to wear a Princess type gown and since it is going to be the week before Christmas I would like the girls that are standing up to wear red. She is having a fit!  Is there a rule book on renewing vows and what you are supposed to wear? Can someone give me your opinion on this subject?? Would love reading them.

Nana Get the dress you love! I wore a simple dress for my beach cerony but it still was a fitted mermaid with crinoline underneath. For the reception on board I wore a dropped waist with train full of flouncy layers and lace and beaded with pearls and onyx. Not only did I love it and so did everybody else especially my husband. You do feel extra special with it on, and if you don't like being the center of attention, having random people clap and cheer and hug you, go for it! You deserve to have your day and whatever makes you happy do it! Enjoy every moment, just don't do it to "get it over with". We ended up going dancing to the nightclub until 4:30 am we didn't want it to end! Congratulations! Have a blast!

Andreann, The cruise package comes with a photographer and photos and did you have to hire them separately to do your TTD and wedding?? How did that work for you??

We worked through image, the company that owns the photography onboard. It was a short and early shoot because the photographer had other commitments related to ship, but it was great! I wasn't so sure at first since we had never met him before, phillippino guy called Dominador JR Peralta. But the images were fantastic. I would have liked more time, but after ceremony in Jamaica (he came along as well as his assistant) we had some time to get some good shots shoreside. Unless you want to pay for a ticket and stateroom for your own photographer (plus a weeks worth of hours!). It's they way to go. I don't know any other way to get all the shots you want. We paid around $2k to get ALL the images, but they have other packages. I quotes photographers just for Jamaica ceremony and the best deal I found was $800 for two hours. This was a much better value for everything we got. I'd say at least 90 shots are fantastic, and all of them were really good. This guy is supposedly the best they have for weddings.

H

Hi everyone! Glad to find a thread with some recent and upcoming cruise brides! I am hoping to possibly have a summer 2013 cruise wedding but i have sooo many questions! I see it's been a little while since anyone has posted here but hopefully some of you can come back to answer some of the questions I have. Can some of you share how you have planned your wedding events for the day? Anyone getting married on island with a reception on the ship? That's what I'm hoping for!!!

Hi Emily Did you decide what to do for your wedding yet? I got married in Rose Hall Jamaica and it was amazing! We all cruised on the Liberty of The Seas RC and had the cocktail reception/dinner onboard. Let me know if you need any ideas/help! I had a wonderful experience and really learned alot! Will be happy to share any info.

Thanks Andreann! That gives me some comfort.

Tandtglass I would seriously recommend getting on the same ship on the cruise prior to wedding cruise if its within your budget. It made the experience much less stressful. We were able to meet with group coordinator, dj, resturant manager, etc. And have everything ready. I even made our centerpieces! We organized OOT bags and gave them to coordinator to be delivered. By the time everybody cam onboard, my (now husband) and I had sorted everything plus had time to relax and rest. We were actually able to enjoy the wedding cruise. And it was a hreat bonding experience for us to be working on weddingy things on the pre wedding cruise. We even had two of the onboard dancers teach us a waltz-salsa routine for our first dance! How has it turned out calling and emailing up the chain of command? Let me know if you need any info Id be happy to help!

Hi ladies! I just had my cruise wedding last week on Royal Carribeam Liberty of the Seas. We did the ceremony in Rose Hall, working directly through Rose Hall Development ( they own and manage all of the properties that hotels and golf course are on, the great house, etc.). I must say that the wedding came out PERFECTLY, working with Rose Hall was a dream. I worked with a coordinator named O'Neisha who was fantastic. However, the cruise part was trickier and confusing at times. Fortunately my husband has worked with RC for years (he lived on ships working for 10 years, too) so I had alot of insider info available that most brides probably wouldnt normally have access too. IE we booked photgrapher through onboard photography company, had the side room In the dining room set up for our dress rehearsal, had OOT bags deliveres to staterooms through guest services/housekeeping. I will say that once you are working with the onboard coordinator its really easy but getting the info beforehand is harder, as is getting info before booking anything. I would love to help anyone who is struggling, especially if you are considering RC simply because thats where I did mine and where most of my info and contacts are with. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have my fiancees help with the cruise planning part! After having been in that position of frustration I would love to share any info I can with future cruise brides. I am also going to reach out regarding the royal romance department with all the improvements they could work on because I know that many brides are not happy with service, so if any of you have suggestions/comments please let me know. Feel free to email me [email protected]

TTD trash the dress. Photos in the water or getting dressed messed up! I did it pre wedding with a dress i didnt like enough for actual wedding... Many brides do it agter with real dresses.

Depending on your budget and the amount of people you have, you might want to buy out the specialty restaurant. I think RC Chops Steakhouse and Portofino is like $2,500 or $3,000 for the whole place. Probably seat around 80-100 with staggered serving. That way you can have the room all night and decorate as you like, and probably set up some sort pf music or dj etc. you will have a different group coordinator onboard than the one that works with you before hand. They prove to be more helpful than corporate BUT if you need something special (ie I wanted manzanita tree arrangements) I suggest you bring it with you and give it to them once onboard. They also have lounges that you can book out for very reasonable open bar charge, like $10 pp. If youre booking the restaurant you can try and get in touch with manager once onboard, he helped us plan set menu and had them printed, set up our table runners and centerpieces, etc. We didnt like the band available so went with dj. We talked to dj once onboard as well, met him at the club and gave him list of songs and then had a couple of calls to follow up. Since you wont have time to do that, I would recommend, if you can budget it, going on the same ship and doing the cruise before your wedding cruise. It will give you and your fiancee (or bridesmaid or mom or whoever) chance to talk to everyone and organize. This was the best thing we could do. Once we sorted everything on the pre wedding cruise, we were able to relax and enjoy actual wedding cruise. You need to really be on top of corporate group coordinators in order to get them to communicate with you Just harass them with emails and calls. I would also speak to different ones when I called instead of asking for my coordinator. Once they realized it was the same person I think they figured it was better to help me out or I would confuse everyone and create double work. Maybe not the best strategy but basically I was a pain in the butt.

I bought a dress from dhgate for $150!

Kara Do you know what ship you will be on? We worked with the photography manager onboard, do you have a group coordinator yet? He might be able to send you the contact info, or send me your email and Ill try and get you in touch with them.

Or any info we have found!? There is little 2 no info out there for cruise weddings. I thought it would be great for us 2013/2014 2 share what we r planning on doing. I am planning on getting married aboard Carnival not sure what ship yet (haven't gotten that far) in July 2014. I am from NJ so I like the idea that we can leave from Baltimore or NY. Saves my guests n us lots of money. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the passport STD's and boarding pass STD's. Also like that u can use them as STD's or actual invites. I also saw someone mailed out a box STD 2 all her guests with a piggy bank inside, cute idea. Not sure which one i will go with n I love that I can make them myself just have 2 figure out how!!! Lol I saw someone said that they reserved the restaurant onboard for their guests after the reception 2 have a sit down dinner for maybe $25 pp which doesn't seem bad at all I really like that idea. I reallllly wish I could bring on a photography bc I don't want 2 pay out my rear end for pics that may not be all that nice :-/ has anyone heard anything about the photographers? I just can't wait... Any sites that u frequent for cruise weddings or just any sites u love let us know Kara Excited July 2014 Bride2be!!!

We used the onboard photography company, its called Image on Royal Caribbean. They were very reasonable especially si ce we had a TTD shoot in Labadee, then the ceremony and getting ready pics in the morning, and a cocktail and reception in the evening. I would go with the onboard photographer or you will miss alot of moments on the ship.

We started planning in january of this year for our cruise on The Liberty of the Seas and everything came out perfect. I hired ONeisha Brown from Rose Hall Development for the ceremony in Jamaica. They have really great packages and totally nailed it. Everything was done via email and skype and it was better than I could have imagined. It was 11 am ship time, 10am local time. We didn't know if there would be time for a reception so we just had a toast at Rose Hall followed by lunch at Scotchies, a local jerk pork and chicken place, and headed to the ship. We got there at around 3, right on time. We probably could have done a lunch or some apps at Rose Hall. We did a cocktail that evening that ended up costing $400 for 40 people to book the entire lounge and have a dj play. We had our first dance, and wedding-y things there. We even hired two of the dancers from the crew to help us with our first dance, which started as a waltz, halfway through he dipped me and then we did a salsa routine that ended with me jumping into his arms. It was awesome. Then we had dinner at the italian restaurant. They set up the centerpieces I brought onboard (manzanita trees with silk flowers, fresh flowers are not allowed due to health requirements). Family style apps included antipasto, tuna carpaccio, and shrimp risotto. Mains wew a choice of lobster-scallop skewers, rack of lamb, or filet, with family style sides of mushroom pappardele and ceasar salad. Dessert was tiramisu or tartufo de cioccolatto AND they made ma a very nice white chocolate wedding cake. The cover per person is $20 plus wines (they have bottles starting at $29) Everything was fantastic. After dinner we headed to the latin bar for salsa dancing and then to the nightclub. We danced until 4am. It was a champagne wedding on a beer budget and you would have never known. All our guests loved it. We also had a dress rehearsal in the side dining room set up for us, where we did a roast and toast. They set up a projector for us. The day before the wedding, we did a TTD shoot at Labadee. We used the photographer from the ship, the company is called image. He was the best! My wedding cruise is exactly what you are describing! Not only was the wedding day itself unbelievable, but the whole week was a blast and full of activities and time to bond with friends and family. If you have any questions let me know! I would be happy to help.

Once you are onboard, plan to meet with the group coordinator. Once we did that, everything went smoothly. The problem was communication before the cruise, but we booked the cruise on the same ship immediately before the wedding cruise so my fiancee and I could meet with everyone. They did a great job, but its hard not to have everything coordinated before you set sail.

I coordinated the ceremony in jamaica with the planner from Rose Hall Development, and the reception through the group coordinator onboard. Both were fantastic, but we had to wait until we were on the ship to really coordinate anything for the reception. The ceremony at Cinammon Hill at Rose Hall was unbelievable. We did the Liberty of the Seas 5 day cruise, had a TTD photoshoot in labadee before the wedding in Jamaica. We went on the same ship for the cruise immediately before to set everything up. I prepared OOT bags, which were delivered by group coordinator to staterooms for $2 per bag. He also printed our itineraries. We used Image, the onboard photography company, and they were incredible. The photographer did pur TTD shoot, wedding in the morning at jamaica, and evening reception. We had a cocktail for everyone before dinner. It was about $400 for 40 people including dj and open bar. We had our first dance etc during that time. Then we did dinner at the italian restaurant Portofino and had dancing at the latin club and then nightclub. The dress rehearsal was done in the side dining room, so we were able to set up everything, including a projector, for our roast and toast dinner. It was an unbelievable experience. I am very happy with how things went. We had 40 people total and everyone had a blast.