Jeff and Tiff's Wedding In Mexico : April 29, 2005
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The wedding ceremony, officiated by Rebecca Whitworth, is below.
"I’ve experienced much in this life as a woman, but one of the greatest honors and greatest requests of me was to be asked to marry Tiffany and Jeff. I felt unworthy, scared I wouldn’t be enough, and was new to the Tribe. Many family and tribe members didn’t know me well. Tiffany and Jeff embraced all I had done and who I was, and allowed me so graciously into their lives. For this I am in gratitude.” ~ Rebecca
WELCOME ALL TO THE MARRIAGE OF Tiffany Lynn Halsema and Jeffrey Alan Elo.
We are together in this beautiful place to celebrate a spiritual union that embodies love’s most profound possibilities. Tiffany and Jeff wanted to invite you here because of their connectedness to water and to the beach. I’d like to welcome all of you here to this place where they have chosen to be married. It is with great joy for us to witness this gorgeous couple celebrate their love for each other.
Love is the highest spiritual work. Love is both immanent and transcendent. And it is love, kindled by romance and clasped by heartfelt marriage vows, that has the capacity to deliver a supportive partnership and an emotional bonding.
Tiffany and Jeff, welcome to your Wedding Day.
For those of you who haven’t heard their story, here is a brief description of how Tiffany and Jeff met.
Tiffany and Jeff originally met through the tribe at Ariel’s loft. Jeff remembers how cute she was. Over the next few months, they saw each other at tribe functions a few times. They would flirt when they saw each other and nothing quite came of it.
Then, they started dating months later. Neither one was looking for much at the time since they both had just gotten out of relationships. In spite of that, they were always together at each other’s houses.
Tiffany left for a trip and during that time they both came to realize how much they missed each other and that they had not been apart for more than a day at a time since that lovely night in November of 2001. When she came back from her trip, they both expressed their love for one another.
This was the beginning of their deep love that organically grew and this is how we all got here today.
Tiffany and Jeff, please take a minute and turn around to view your friends and family who are here to completely support your union. This is a very precious moment and one you will never forget.
(FOUR PEOPLE TALK: Ariel, Greg, Paige, Tiffany’s mother Mary)
Love is a great thing. Love is sweet. Nothing is sweeter, nothing happier, nothing wider, nothing fuller, nothing stronger. Love alone lightens what is heavy, carries burden without being burdened. Love keeps watch and is never unaware. We ask of you Tiffany and Jeff to let us know how we can support you and love you best. As your friends and family, we want ONLY THE BEST from life for you, and we promise to do our best to honor you.
Tiffany and Jeff, it is such an honor to be standing here with you on the most important day of your life. I asked many questions of Tiffany and Jeff in the weeks leading up today, yet here’s what I SAW: I saw two friends, two BEST friends in love with each other and who love each other unconditionally.
What they did share with me was the following: “We don’t need each other to be whole, but we complement each other, and we are better together. I feel like I’ve learned so much from her and Tiffany has learned from me.”
I also asked each of them to share what they loved most about each other. This was truly fun because neither one of them have heard this until now.
Are you ready?
WHAT TIFFANY LOVES ABOUT JEFF
I admire his thought process.
His calming nature.
His brilliant mind.
His understanding.
He taught me how to LOVE without holding back.
He is sincere and honest (at times to a fault).
He is selfless.
He has the kindest heart.
I love his warm and sensitive nature.
I love that he supports my endeavors, challenges me to never give up and is always there for me.
He is strong, loving, loving, and loving…
I love that it has been three and one-half years and our love keeps getting stronger.
We’re great people as individuals, but we’re better together and we continue to grow to new heights.
I've learned so much from Jeff.
He is my love, my best friend and life partner.
WHAT JEFF LOVES ABOUT TIFFANY
-she purrs
-she's extremely thoughtful
-she's such a social butterfly
-her smile
-she's fun
-she has a cheer for every occasion
-she'll just be silly with me sometimes
-she always cheers me up if I'm down (see cheering)
-she's a world-class snuggler
-she's very open minded ;)
-shares my love of travel
-she wears leg warmers whenever possible
-she's beautiful
-she shares my love of music
-she appreciates my inner geek
-she wanted to get married on the beach
-she's a fellow Gemini
-when she's away from me my heart longs for her (we've spent almost no time apart since we've been together)
-she calls me 'loveball' sometimes for some reason.
-she will stand next to me to face any challenge, and she is my partner in all things.
Marriage begins in the giving of words and is celebrated with ceremony.
I graciously ask you both, in the presence of your family and friends, to remember these words and the meaning they hold for you.
I graciously ask you to remember that Love, Respect and Trust for each other are the foundation of maintaining a happy and long-lasting marriage. With these you can succeed in any endeavor.
Most importantly, remember to LOVE, LAUGH AND LIVE fully with each other everyday, as much as possible.
And lastly, I ask you both to always remember to listen to one another. It is by listening that you hold the other in your heart. This is where we truly see ourselves and each other.
It is by living these vows that your fulfillment and joy in each other and in yourselves will increase with every passing year.
Now Tiffany and Jeff are you ready to take your marriage vows?
Jeff: Repeat after me.
I, Jeff, take you, Tiffany, to be my wife,
to be my equal,
to be the companion of my heart,
to have and to hold me,
and to cry with me.
to love, laugh and live fully with me.
Tiffany: Repeat after me.
I, Tiffany, take you, Jeff, to be my husband,
to be my equal,
to be the companion of my heart,
to have and to hold me,
and to cry with me.
to love, laugh and live fully with me.
The Rings Please.
Rings are an ancient symbol, blessed and simple. They are round like the sun, like the eye, like arms that embrace. They are circles, for love that is given that comes back round again and again. Therefore, may these symbols remind you that your love, like the sun, illuminates; like the eye, must see clearly; and that your love, like arms, embrace to give comfort to one another.
Jeff please repeat after me:
Tiffany, with this ring I thee wed.
Tiffany please repeat after me:
Jeff, with this ring I thee wed.
Under this springtime sun, with you all as witness, I now pronounce you absolutely married, as husband and wife.
“Go deeper than love,” D. H. Lawrence wrote, “for the soul has greater depths.”
I welcome you to drink from this cup of sweet Nectar symbolic of the sweetness of this day and your eternal love.
With all of this said on this day of April 29, 2005, please do kiss each other.
Let’s all celebrate together this union with love and laughter.
***
On a lighter note, I couldn't resist including a clip I found taken during the boat ride to the wedding site:
