The Wedding (Complete)

Ch 7: The Vows

“I do,” I said, smiling from ear to ear.

“Do you promise to love her and care for her?”

“I do,” I said as I glanced at Claire.

“And now, Levi has his own vows to say . . . Levi.” Ian nodded at me to begin. I pulled out the small piece of paper that held my vows that I finished writing that morning.

“Claire,” I squeezed her hand and she smiled, “to be honest, I don’t know how long I’ve known I’ve loved you,” she laughed quietly. “But I do know I have cared about you and loved you in one way or another for as long as I can remember. Granted, I didn’t always recognize that,” Claire chuckled. “This care has deepened over the years until now, when it has become a love with all of my heart. We have been through so much together and I am looking forward to a lifetime to go through together, although hopefully nothing quite like what we’ve been through in the past year,” she smiled sadly at me and squeezed my hand, reassuring me. I paused for a moment to take a deep breath and focus back on our wedding and not on what happened seven months ago. “I am excited to spend a lifetime loving you. I love you, Claire.” I kept looking into her eyes and I could see tears forming, but I knew they wouldn’t spill over. I continued looking into her eyes: her beautiful blue eyes.

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Claire's POV

“I am excited to spend a lifetime loving you. I love you, Claire.” He kept looking into my eyes and I could feel tears forming, but I wouldn’t let them spill over. I looked into the wonderful emerald eyes that I had fallen in love with.

“That’s really sweet, Levi. Now,” Ian turned to face me, “Claire Elizabeth Harms, do you take Levi James Kacka to be your husband: in sickness and health, for richer and poorer, during the good and the bad, all the days of your life?”

“I do,” I said; already ready to have the ceremony be done with.

“Do you promise to love and care for him?”

“I do.”

“Now, like Levi, Claire has her own vows to say . . . Claire,” Ian said, nodding towards me to begin.

“Levi, I have loved you for a long time. I remember when you moved to our elementary school and quickly became Aaron’s best friend. At first you were just another annoyance around the house: one that drove me nuts to no end,” Levi laughed. “But you also quickly became like another brother, another person I loved. But my junior year of high school I began to realize that you weren’t like a brother to me; you were something very different. I realized I liked you. A lot. And then, one day, you chose me. I became your girlfriend and I loved every minute of it,” I smiled and squeezed his hand.

“The eight months that I was in Europe was so much fun but it was complete torture to not see you or be near you. At first I couldn’t really figure out why and then I gave in and admitted that I had fallen in love with the most wonderful, loving, and caring man. Since I have known you, we have been through so much together. And I cannot wait to go through so much more . . . together. Though, hopefully nothing quite like what we have been through already. Levi, I love you with all of my heart and I always will.”

“That was beautiful Claire. Now it is time for the exchange of rings. May I have the rings, Aaron?” Aaron fumbled in his coat inside pocket and finally pulled the two boxes out and handed them to Ian. Ian took them and opened one for Levi. Levi took the two rings—my engagement ring and the wedding band itself—out as he held my left hand.

“The wedding ring is a symbol of eternity. It is an outward sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two hearts in endless love. Now let us pray.

“Father, bless the giving and receiving of these rings. May Levi and Claire abide in Your peace and grow in their knowledge of Your presence through their loving union. May the seamless circle of these rings become the symbol of their endless love and serve to remind them of the holy union they have entered into today to be faithful, loving, and kind to each other. Dear God, may they live in Your grace and be forever true to this union. Amen.”

“Amen,” the crowd (as well as Levi and I) whispered.

“And now as a token of your love and of your deep desire to be forever united in heart and soul, you, Levi James Kacka may place the rings on the finger of your bride.” Levi looked into my eyes and smiled as he slid the rings onto my finger.

“Claire Elizabeth Harms, receive and wear this ring as a symbol of my trust, respect, and love for you as well as my faithfulness forever to you. With all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, with this ring, I thee wed.”

“By the same token, Claire Elizabeth Harms, you may place the ring on the finger of your groom.” Ian held out and opened the other black box for me. I took the ring and looked into Levi’s eyes as I slid it onto his finger.

“Levi James Kacka, receive and wear this ring as a symbol of my trust, respect, and love for you as well as my faithfulness forever to you. With all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, with this ring, I thee wed.”