Blended Family Wedding Ceremony Script (With Kids)

Tomas walks in with Ava. Then Eli walks Rachel down the aisle. Ava and Eli stand off to one side, next to a small table with a framed puzzle on it.

Please sit down. Thank you.

Good evening, everybody. My name's Phil. I've known Rachel since she was twelve, when my daughter brought her home after school one day, and I've been lucky enough to watch her grow up.

Rachel and Tomas asked me to say something right at the start. Today is a wedding for two people, and it's also a day for four. Ava and Eli are a big part of why we're here, and they're a big part of this ceremony. So if you see them moving around up here, that's on purpose. Rachel's mom, Carol, is in the front row with the tissues, and Tomas's parents drove up this morning, so the whole family is here.

Rachel and Tomas have both been married before. That doesn't need to be more than a sentence. What I will say is that people who marry a second time know exactly what they're promising. They've seen hard years. They decided to do this anyway, with their eyes wide open, and I find that very hopeful.

Rachel and Tomas met four years ago in the pickup line at Eli's elementary school. Eli was in kindergarten. Ava was in fifth grade. Tomas's car was in front of Rachel's every afternoon, and every afternoon the line stalled, because the crossing guard stopped to chat with him. One day Rachel finally got out of her car to see what was taking so long. Tomas was holding the crossing guard's coffee while she tied her shoe.

They started talking in that line. A few months later, the first winter they were dating, Tomas brought over a thousand-piece puzzle of a lighthouse. He thought it would be a good way for the four of them to spend time together without anyone having to make conversation. It took six weeks. It took over Rachel's dining room table, and everybody ate dinner on the couch for a month and a half.

At the very end, one piece was missing. They looked everywhere. Three days later, Eli admitted he'd had it in his pocket the whole time, because he didn't want the puzzle to be finished. He didn't want the Sunday nights to stop.

They didn't stop. They've done eleven puzzles since then. Ava is the edge-piece expert. Eli does the sky, which nobody else wants to do. Rachel sorts by color, and Tomas is in charge of snacks, which he says is the most important job.

I watched Rachel raise Eli on her own for a long time, and I watched her do it well. She's careful about who she lets in. So when she brought Tomas around, I paid attention.

Here's what I saw. Tomas never once tried to rush it. He waited for Eli to decide when he was ready to hold his hand in a parking lot. He sat through two hours of a school play to see Eli say one line. And Rachel, I watched you learn which of Ava's hoodies are off limits, and drive her to swim practice at 5:30 in the morning without making a big deal of it. Ava told me you're the only adult who doesn't talk during the car ride, and she meant it as a compliment.

Ava, Eli, I've watched you two as well. That first year, you mostly ignored each other, which is what siblings do anyway. Then last summer, Ava taught Eli to ride a bike without training wheels in the church parking lot. She didn't tell anybody. She just showed up one Sunday with Eli riding next to her.

Rachel and Tomas have written vows for each other. Tomas, go ahead.

Tomas reads his vows. Then Rachel reads hers.

Ava, Eli, can you come stand up here with your parents for a minute?

Ava and Eli come forward and stand between Rachel and Tomas.

Rachel and Tomas want to make a promise to the two of you, out loud, in front of everybody. You don't have to say anything back. Just listen.

Rachel: Ava, Eli, we promise to love you both, all the way, no matter what.

Tomas: We promise to listen to you, to be honest with you, and to show up for the big things and the small ones.

Rachel: We promise you'll always have a place at our table.

Tomas: Even when it's covered in puzzle pieces.

Eli nods. Ava rolls her eyes and smiles anyway.

Ava and Eli are holding the rings today.

Eli hands Tomas the ring for Rachel. Ava hands Rachel the ring for Tomas.

Tomas, place the ring on Rachel's finger and repeat after me.

Tomas: Rachel, I give you this ring. I choose you, and I choose our family, every day.

Rachel, place the ring on Tomas's finger and repeat after me.

Rachel: Tomas, I give you this ring. I choose you, and I choose our family, every day.

There's one more thing. On the table over here is a puzzle the four of them finished last week. It's a picture of the lake where Tomas proposed. It's all done except for four pieces, one for each of them.

Rachel, Tomas, Ava, and Eli each place one piece in the frame. Eli goes last.

Eli, I was told to check your pockets first. Okay. It's finished. This puzzle is going to hang in their hallway, so every time they walk past it, they'll see the day the four of them finished it together.

Tomas, do you take Rachel to be your wife, to love her, to be honest with her, to stand beside her and raise this family with her, for the rest of your life?

Tomas: I do.

Rachel, do you take Tomas to be your husband, to love him, to be honest with him, to stand beside him and raise this family with him, for the rest of your life?

Rachel: I do.

Rachel and Tomas, you've made your promises to each other and to Ava and Eli. By the power vested in me by [the State of ___], I pronounce you married.

You may kiss.

They kiss. Eli covers his eyes.

Everyone, please stand for Rachel and Tomas, and for Ava and Eli.

The four of them walk back down the aisle together.

Phil, Rachel, Tomas, and two witnesses sign the license. The framed puzzle goes on the gift table so guests can see it.