September 15, 2007
2:00 PM
Lakeside Presbyterian Church
San Francisco, California
The Marriage Service
Prelude Joyce Moy
Lighting of the Candelabras Kathleen Ue & Erwin’s Uncle Mr. Lo
Seating of the Parents of the Groom (Right side facing front)
David & Yieng-Pin Yeh
Seating of the Mother of the Bride (Left side facing front)
Madeline Lee
Mothers light Individual Candles
Mothers Yieng-Pin Yeh and Madeline Lee
(from votive)
Entrance of the Groom’s Men and Groom
Rev. Kim Nelson, Pastor Don Ng, Groom Erwin Yeh, Best Man Donald Hui, Groom’s Men Marc Giampitri, Alex Lee, Roland Lee, and Jesse Liem
Processional
Bridesmaids Yuko Yogi
Yuki Takasugi
Lolly Tan
Sally Choi
Maid of Honor Katy Lonergan
Flower Girls Samantha Saito
Madison Yue
Ring Bearer Thomas Saito
(Everyone stands)
Bride Bernice Lee and Father of the Bride Warren Lee
(Father of the Bride takes his seat)
Welcome & Opening Prayer Rev. Kim L. Nelson
Presentation of the Bride & Groom Pastor Don Ng
Bernice and Erwin deeply appreciate the rich and warm heritage of their families and especially the love and nurture that they have received from their parents. Acknowledging that God has brought them together, who has the honor of presenting them to be married today?
(Parents stand up)
Parents: “We do.”
Declaration of Intent Rev. Nelson
Scripture Reading 1 Corinthians 13 Rev. Nelson
Special Music The Lord’s Prayer Madeline Lee
Words to the Couple—Being Together
No one would have imagined especially your parents that a girl born in San Francisco and a boy born in Toronto would one day meet, fall in love and are standing here together to be married today. But here we are—true romantic stories like yours do happen and we are here to celebrate the happiness that Bernice and Erwin have for each other.
If I might get your story right, Bernice went to Toronto for a girlfriend’s birthday and through a mutual friend, met Erwin and literally time stopped. They were in another world all by themselves even in the midst of other acquaintances and before they realized it, they have talked all night. They knew it was morning already when they drank orange juice together.
Jesus said, “Have you read that the one who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Matthew 19:4-5) We can say that when Bernice and Erwin talked all night discovering the things they had in common, sharing what they valued and cherished, dreaming about what the future might hold for them, they became one flesh that God has joined together.
All of us who care about you have watched with great interest as this amazing, wondrous love for the past two years has grown between you initially at this unexpected encounter, then by email, and eventually finding opportunities to meet even rearranging business trips to bridge the hundreds of miles that separate San Francisco and Toronto. We have shared your delight, listened to you struggles, and now we celebrate the fulfillment of your hearts’ desire. Today you have gathered together the people who have raised you, taught you, challenged you, encouraged you, stood beside you especially during times of sickness and suffering, and prayed for you.
Jesus is s very wise. He said, “You are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has so joined together, let no one separate.” God made you to be two individual parts of a glorious whole. Nothing and no one must be allowed to come between you: not jobs, friends, family, not even the children you may have one day. You are one. God made you for oneness with each other: spiritual oneness, emotional oneness, physical oneness and in the oneness that you share together—traveling to new places around the world, eating out, watching movies and most importantly to continue to be interested in each other’s interests. Your oneness to enjoy each other is God’s holy wedding gift to you!
Sometimes oneness is a challenge. You each have many demands upon you—Erwin keeping a dental practice successful and Bernice relocating and finding a new job in the field of strategic research. It’s easy to begin taking one another for granted, counting on the kind understanding of the other to smooth over the fact of your inattention. That’s not all bad. A part of the security of marriage is the knowledge that you can take each other’s love and commitment for granted…to a point. And that point is whenever something else repeatedly takes priority over caring for one another.
The only way to be together is to be together. A good marriage requires conversation, and play, and prayer, and reconciliation from conflicts. It requires much negotiating like Erwin likes the clean lines in contemporary furniture while Bernice prefers the comfy of a Pottery Barn sofa that you can sink into. Being together is to be heart to heart and face to face with each other all the time. And regardless of what Homeland Security on either side of the border might throw up to separate this girl from San Francisco and this boy from Toronto, no immigration laws will separate Bernice and Erwin to be married together today.
So be good to each other. We who love you want you to put your relationship first to be together, even if that means that all of Bernice’s family and friends can’t spend as much time with Bernice as we would like because you will be moving to Toronto and that Erwin’s family and friends can’t spend as much time with Erwin as we would like because you will be building a new household with Bernice. We understand.
God has made you for oneness and we are happy. Glory be to God!
Exchange of Vows
Erwin: I, Erwin, take you Bernice,
to be my wedded wife,
To have and to hold
from this day forward,
For better, for worse;
For richer, for poorer;
In sickness and in health;
To love and to cherish,
So long as we both shall live.
Bernice: I, Bernice, take you Erwin,
to be my wedded husband,
To have and to hold
from this day forward,
For better, for worse;
For richer, for poorer;
In sickness and in health;
To love and to cherish,
So long as we both shall live.
Exchange of Rings
For many centuries, a wedding ring has been a symbol of a pledge that those who give a ring intend to live up to the vows and promises made at the time of marriage. A ring is a visible sign of an inward grace that signifies the givers and receivers becoming one in holy marriage through the church of Jesus Christ.
Let us pray. O Lord, enable Erwin and Bernice to be aware of this sacred moment when they receive evidence of their pledge of love and loyalty to one another. May we know your peace and your favor as they begin their new life together, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Erwin: As a sign of my sincere love for you, Bernice,
I give you this ring.
Wear it in the knowledge
that I cherish you
With all of my heart and will.
With God’s help,
I will live up to my promises,
I make to you today.
Bernice: As a sign of my sincere love for you, Erwin,
I give you this ring.
Wear it in the knowledge
that I cherish you
With all of my heart and will.
With God’s help,
I will live up to my promises,
I make to you today.
Lighting of the Unity Candle
Erwin and Bernice’s mothers lit individual candles to symbolize the precious gift of life that they were given when their children were born. Spanning across the years, they along with their fathers supported Erwin and Bernice to this day and will no doubt continue supporting and guiding them in the future!
Now Erwin and Bernice’s individual lives are joined in marriage symbolized by the Unity Candle. They declare that their life together will shine in the world with warmth and brightness for many. The Unity Candle, a keepsake for them to relight on their anniversaries now burns, signifying their new, shared married life.
Special Music Calm as the Night Madeline Lee
Wedding Prayer Rev. Nelson
Announcements
After the recessional, Erwin and Bernice have requested that all family members return to the sanctuary for wedding pictures. Jodette Corello, their wedding coordinator and Groom’s Man Roland Lee will coordinate this time to capture your presence on this special day in their life.
Following this service, you are invited to The Olympic Club for a reception and dinner at 5:00 PM. Additional directions to The Olympic Club are available at the back of the church. Erwin and Bernice will look forward to greeting all of you there.
Declaration of Marriage
Erwin and Bernice, you both came to this ceremony today because of the love that you share. With sincerity you have made sacred promises to each other in the presence of your family, your friends and your God. Live all the days of your lives with this deep desire to be together—sharing hobbies like winter sports which you can do a lot of in Canada, traveling to new places that you have never gone before like Italy, and when the rest of the world may be in a frenzy, lose yourself in each other’s arms and talk until it’s morning.
Erwin and Bernice, because you have publicly made your vows to each other today, have given and received rings as an outward sign of an inward love for each other, and have lit your Unity Candle to signify the oneness you have together in Christ, I as a Minister of the Christian Gospel now declare you to be husband and wife. Joined as one, Erwin and Bernice, you will continue to be blessed by the love that you share, the love you have for God and the love that God has for each of you.
Benediction
May the road of a good life rise to meet you.
May the western wind move you safely to Toronto.
May the same sun that shines in Canada and the United States shine warmly upon your face.
May the life-giving rain fall softly upon the rooftop of your new home until we meet again.
May God Almighty hold you safely in the palm of his hands and grant you double happiness. Amen.
Pronouncement
It is my joy and honor to introduce to you for the very first time, “Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Yeh!”
(Permission to kiss)
Recessional
Postlude
Co-Officiants: Rev. Donald Ng and Rev. Kim Nelson
Pianist: Joyce Moy
Wedding Coordinator: Jodette Corello
Church Wedding Coordinator: Helen Ong