WEDDING VOWS

Nolen’s Vows

When I met you, just over 2 years and 4 months ago, you captured my attention immediately with your encouraging energy and eagerness for friendship. I was drawn to you. We hung out with our friends at the movies and the park. We went to the porch and the opera together. Often these outings concluded with long conversations in the car. As our friendship grew and deepend, you quickly took your place as one of my best and closest friends and as I realized my feelings for you, I realized that I couldn’t lose you. Outside of Saigon Mall, 2 years and 4 days ago, with nervousness gripping my heart, I expressed my desire to move past friendship. A new, more exciting nervousness took my heart when you expressed the same desire.

You brought out a side of me that no one ever has: a silly, care-free side. You allowed me to be myself because you were so authentically yourself.

Juli, you are so authentic
So encouraging
So calming
So outgoing
So beautiful And so loving

Your desire for growth and your desire for my growth is so attractive. There is no one I would rather spend this life with than you.
No one I’d rather struggle with than you.
No one I’d rather celebrate with than you.
No one I’d rather enjoy the mundane with than you. No one I’d rather love and cherish than you.

I promise, I vow,
To love you like Christ loves His bride
To cherish you
To accept you
To be faithful to you
Through all life may bring
Whether poverty or wealth
Whether sadness or joy
Whether sickness or health
In all seasons
Till death parts us
To who you are now, and to who you become, I vow.

Juli’s Vows

Nolen Beach Smith, Through the good times and the bad times, you’re who I want by my side. Whenever I am with you, you remind me to believe in myself, you always push me and grow me. We laugh together (sometimes the hardest I’ve ever laughed) we cry together, (sometimes the hardest I’ve ever cried.) Nolen, you are my best friend. You’re the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning, I miss you when you’re not around, and you’re who I want to see every day and tell everything to. I knew I wanted to promise forever with you for a multitude of reasons. To list a few: Nolen, you are Gospel first and foremost, It is so refreshing! You have always been a breath of fresh air, the way you think about the Bible, theology, and God all the time is awesome, and I can see how God will use that quality in you to create in you a leader of a family that I want to be a part of. 

I adore your spirit of kindness and presence of peace. I love watching you light up when you’re learning something new and exciting. I love how goofy you are, how you jump up and down when you’re excited. I love that we both love music to sing it and create it, and how amazingly talented you are. How fun will our marriage be, a home filled with joyous melodies!

Every day I am able to witness your love for God, myself, and others. I’ll never forget one night when I was extremely sick, you came by; my whole body was in so much pain. You couldn’t do anything to make me feel physically better, but you sat beside my bed, and held my hand until I fell asleep. The selfless love you showed me in that moment! Then and there, I knew I wanted you to be my husband. 

Nolen Beach Smith, from this day forward I promise you these things:

  1. I vow to love you unconditionally. 
  2. I vow to support you, believe in you, and encourage you.
  3. I vow to hold and hug you every day.
  4. I promise to unconditionally accept your faults and your strengths.
  5. I vow to give my whole self to you, without reservation.
  6. I promise to celebrate with you, and to mourn with you.
  7. I vow to sit by your bedside and hold your hand when you’re sick.
  8. I promise to always go to the grocery store with you.
  9. I vow to give you space and time to think when we argue.
  10. I vow to serve you selflessly.
  11. I promise to choose forgiveness over anger.
  12. I vow to choose trust over envy.
  13. I vow not to keep any record of wrong doings.
  14. I promise to learn to be patient when you frustrate me.
  15. I vow to be honest, even when it’s uncomfortable.
  16. I promise to value your opinion and your voice.
  17. I vow to listen to you with compassion and understanding.
  18. I promise to be faithful to you.
  19. I vow to you, my loyalty and my respect.
  20. I promise to seek The Lord every day, so that I can be a selfless loving wife to you.
  21. I vow to pray with you, dream with you, build with you.
  22. I promise to be your friend, your person, your family, your everything.

Nolen Beach Smith, from this day forward I promise you these things.