#1

In his book The Prophet, Kahlil Ghilbran wrote these words:

The Prophet has said, “You are bound together, and together you shall be forevermore. You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days. Aye, you shall be together in the eternal memory of God.

“But let there be space in your togetherness, and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Stand together, but not too near together, for the pillars of the temple stand apart for greater strength and the oak and cypress cannot grow in each other’s shadow.

“Now light this new fire, a symbol of a new creation…but do not extinguish the old, for you are — and you are —, and that you must always be; but now you are also husband and wife.

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#2

N. and N., the two lighted candies symbolize your separate lives, your separate families and your separate sets of friends. I ask that you each take one candle and that together you light the center candle. The individual candies represent your individual lives before today. Lighting the center candle represents that your two lives are now joined to one light, and represents the joining together of your two families and sets of friends to one.”

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(If Children Are Involved, the following may be added)

“The lighting of the center candle represents not only the union of N. and N. in marriage, but the unity formed in this new family in which your lives will now shine as one family.