Kelsea & Abhinav had a destination wedding in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and asked this Palm Springs wedding officiant to add in some Hindu flare.
© WeddingOfficiantPalmSprings.com
[When Kelsea’s entrance song starts] Please rise.
[When Kelsea gets to the front with her dad, after dad sits down] You may be seated.
We have come together today to celebrate the union of Kelsea and Ab-in-av. Before we get started, let’s take a minute to just enjoy this beautiful moment. The waves lapping on the shore. The clear, beautiful sky overhead. The palm trees. Kelsea’s amazing dress. What a
perfectly wonderful day to get married in paradise!
Thinking about the commitment to be made here today between Kelsea and Ab-in-av, I refer to the experts. Dr. Bill Doherty said: “I now think of marriage like I think about living in my home state of Minnesota. You move into marriage in the springtime of hope, but eventually arrive at the Minnesota winter, with its cold and darkness. Many of us are tempted to give up and move south at this point, not realizing that maybe we’ve hit a rough spot in a marriage that’s actually above average. The problem with giving up, of course, is that our next marriage will enter its own winter at some point. So do we just keep moving on, or do we make our stand now–with this person, in this season?”
Kelsea and Ab-in-av, while the days of your marriage, I regret to inform you, will not all be as beautiful as today, that is not a reason to jump ship. Even here in paradise, there are hurricanes, tidal waves, mosquitoes, thunderstorms, and let me tell you some insanely humid summers…But Puerto Vallarta continues to be paradise, even under clouds. Your marriage too will be your most valuable asset, even when it’s shadowed by clouds. I want you to soak up the beauty and tranquility of right here, right now and take it with you when you fly back to Seattle. When you find yourself at the end of your patience, which, by the way, is perfectly normal, tap into the bit of Puerto Vallarta you stored away inside. Find strength, hope, and persistence in Vallarta’s energy. Like a rainbow on one of Seattle’s all too common drizzly days, let your memories of paradise today revitalize your love when it should become weary, impatient, or lazy.
Now it’s time for the vows. Ab-in-av repeat after me:
I, Ab-in-av, take you, Kelsea, to be my wife / to be my best friend / my faithful partner / and my one true love / I promise to encourage you and inspire you / to cherish and respect you / and to love you truly / through good times and bad / I will forever be there / to laugh with you / to lift you up when you are down / and to love you unconditionally / through all of our adventures together.
© WeddingOfficiantPalmSprings.com
Kelsea, repeat after me:
I, Kelsea, take you, Ab-in-av, to be my husband / to be my best friend / my faithful partner / and my one true love / I promise to encourage you and inspire you / to cherish and respect you / and to love you truly / through good times and bad / I will forever be there / to laugh with you / to lift you up when you are down / and to love you unconditionally / through all of our adventures together.
Now I would like to bring forward Isha, Ab-in-av’s sister. She is going to lead the couple in the Hindu wedding tradition of the Seven Steps.
And now just one very important question, Ab-in-av…Do you take Kelsea to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love, honor, cherish, and support her–forsaking all others?” [I do.]
And Kelsea, how do you answer…Do you take Ab-in-av to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love, honor, cherish, and support him–forsaking all others?” [I do.]
About 3 years ago, Kelsea and Ab-in-av met at a Super Bowl party at a friend-of-a-friend’s house. Within 5 minutes of introducing themselves, the couple discovered that they were both planning trips to Spain in 6 months. Ab-in-av invited Kelsea to stay with him at a friend’s house in Barcelona. ‘Yea right,’ Kelsea was thinking! ‘I just met you 5 minutes ago, and I’m going to be spending the night with you in a foreign country. I doubt it, buddy!’
But that is exactly what happened. So, I thought, in honor of Kelsea and Ab-in-av’s unlikely rendez-vous in Spain, and even less likely wedding in Mexico, that today they won’t exchange ‘rings,’ they will exchange ‘anillos.’ ‘Anillo,’ of course, is the Spanish word for ring. May we have ‘los anillos,’ please? [Ring bearer presents rings to bride and groom]
© WeddingOfficiantPalmSprings.com
Ab-in-av, take Kelsea’s anillo, and repeat after me.
I give you this anillo / as a symbol of my love / As I place it on your finger / I commit my heart and soul to you / I ask you to wear it / as a reminder of the vows / we have spoken today.
And now, Kelsea, take Ab-in-av’s anillo, and repeat after me.
I give you this anillo / as a symbol of my love / As I place it on your finger / I commit my heart and soul to you / I ask you to wear it / as a reminder of the vows / we have spoken today.
For the final part of the ceremony, I’ll need Kelsea to place her hand flat on the table. [Kelsea puts her hand flat on the table]
And Ab-in-av, can you place your hand on top of Kelsea’s? [Abhinav puts his hand over the top of Kelsea’s]
Before I send you out into the world of matrimony, Kelsea and Ab-in-av, I want to give you just one small piece of advice. Always remember to laugh through the tears or the smiles. On that note, Ab-in-av, do you see where your hand is? [Yes.]
Great…because this is the last time you’ll ever have the upper hand! 🙂 Enjoy it!
[Bride and groom hold hands again]
You’re a good sport, Ab-in-av. You picked a good one, Kelsea. Without further adieu, it is my distinct honor to pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.
[After kiss, couple turns around to face the crowd. Recessional song starts, bride and groom exit, bridal party exits, minister exits]
