The Wedding Script That Told Our Story

This isn’t one of my usual blog entries. I simply want to preserve, for the record, the draft prepared by our officiant, Sam Gardner, for the wedding of Keith and me, held on November 10, 2025, on the rooftop of Hotel do Chiado in Lisbon, Portugal.

After meeting us on a video call last September—and through countless email exchanges and shared stories—she came to understand who we are as a couple. She managed to capture what was uniquely ours and transform it into something universal, something that, we hope, can resonate across ages. The ceremony she crafted bridged the personal and the timeless.

We also want to express our thanks to everyone who sent messages for us. Sam didn’t read them one by one, but she shared the spirit of what they contained—the affection, the hopes, and the joy behind each note—before placing them in the keepsake box. They now sit alongside our vows, waiting for us to revisit them when we want to remember how deeply we were held by the people who care about us.

Sharing her full script below, both as a memento and because it framed our wedding day with a clarity and grace we could not have written ourselves.

Hotel Do Chiado
Lisbon, Portugal
Monday, 10th November 2025, 11am

1. Introduction to Legal Ceremony
2. Legal Ceremony
3. Introduction to Symbolic Ceremony 
4. Messages from friends 
5. Declaration of Intentions (wedding vows)
6. Personal Vows, Keepsake Box and Exchanging of Bracelets 
7. Hand Binding

1. Introduction to Legal Ceremony

Today is about love—deep, unshakable, and true.

Here in these beautiful surroundings, far from the noise of judgement and limitation, two souls stand together—not to ask for permission, but to declare what already is – a love that has bloomed in courage, grown through adversity, and stood the test of time.

‘Kahit anong gawin nila, bandera ko’y di tutumba’

Though your home country does not yet honour your union, you honour each other. In the way you hold hands without fear. In the way you’ve chosen each other over and over. And in the way you’ve made a life of joy, laughter, and quiet resistance together, claiming what has always been yours – a love that is sacred, a bond that is unbreakable.
This moment—this beautiful, intentional moment, is forever yours. Because love rises, love survives, and love wins.

You will now be legally married by the Portuguese registrar and then we will
celebrate your commitment to each other with a symbolic ceremony.

2. Legal Ceremony 

3. Introduction to Symbolic Ceremony 

Randy, Keith – with open hearts, you stand side by side — not to start something new, but to give voice and ceremony to what has long been sacred between you. It’s a celebration, an honouring of a love that has already proven itself, over and over again, for 18 years.

You met through mutual friends—curious about each other, but life had you on separate paths. Then, in 2007, something shifted. You both found yourselves single, and Randy, you were very sure of what you wanted. You stepped forward with honesty and hope.

Keith, even in your hesitation, you saw something true. And just one month later, it was you who surprised Randy—not just by saying yes, but by having rings made, engraved with your names and the date that changed everything: November 10th. Which is now your wedding day – a cherished anniversary of both your promise and your vow.

From those early days, you began building a life together. A life of choice, of laughter, of commitment—not just in the grand declarations, but in the everyday things: the shared space, the hard conversations, the rituals that ground you—like ending each day with “I love you very much.”

You’ve lived through seasons. You’ve grown together. You’ve taught each other what it means to love and be loved—not perfectly, but faithfully.

Keith, your quiet honesty, your integrity, and your deep thoughtfulness bring calm and safety into Randy’s life.

Randy, your warmth, your unwavering love, and your belief in this partnership gives Keith strength, joy, and pride.

Today is about taking a pause to acknowledge all that you’ve already built — the stability, the growth, and the deep connection that has already carried you through so much. It’s a celebration of how far you’ve come, and your joy and excitement in a shared future and a deep desire to find your way back to each other, no matter where in the world you may be. 

4. Messages from friends 

Today is a day of great joy for the friends who love you. I’d like to now share some messages from them. I will now place them in this box for you to read later. 

5. Declaration of Intentions (Wedding Vows)
  
Just moments ago, you were officially married in the eyes of the law — now you have the chance to honour what this marriage truly means to you both. This part of the ceremony isn’t about paperwork or legalities. It’s about choice — the choice to stand together, to commit to each other openly and wholeheartedly, and to speak the promises that reflect the life you’re choosing to build together.
 
Marriage requires falling in love many times with the same person. As you continue to navigate the ups and downs of life together, you will need strength, courage, patience and a really good sense of humour. Let your marriage be the compass that guides you as you continue to love and support each other, respect each other’s differences, give each other security and roots but the freedom to explore the world and your place in it. 

Within marriage, we entrust our deepest selves into the loving care of another. I will ask you now to reaffirm your commitment to each other in marriage:

Do you, Keith, take Randy as your husband, offering him your love and encouragement, your trust and respect, as together you create your future? (“I do”)

Do you, Randy, take Keith as your husband, offering him your love and encouragement, your trust and respect, as together you create your future? (“I do”) 

6. Personal Vows, Keepsake Box and Exchanging of Bracelets

You have chosen to walk this remarkable journey hand in hand, promising to love and support each other unconditionally. Please now make your promises to each
other. 

Keith’s Vow

When I was young, I never thought I’d live to see this day—to stand here, and marry the person I love. Back then, it felt impossible for people like us. But today, we’re here—free, seen, and finally allowed to love openly and completely.

Eighteen years ago, when our paths crossed, it felt like I had already touched heaven. In your eyes, I found calm. In your smile, I found home. From that moment, my heart just knew—it was you.

You’ve been my strength when I felt weak, my laughter on the hardest days, and my peace when everything else felt loud. You love so fully, so selflessly. You see only the good in others, and through you, I’ve learned to be gentler, kinder, and more patient.

Because of you, I’ve become a better person. You’ve given me a kind of happiness I never thought I’d deserve—and I thank life every day for you.

So today, I promise to keep choosing you. In every joy, in every challenge, in every tomorrow. You are my home, my heart, my forever. And today, I give you all of me—again, and always.

Randy’s Vow

Eighteen years ago, on November 10, we began this journey together. I never imagined that one day we would stand here, in a place that recognizes what our own country still cannot. I know that what we’re doing today won’t change our legal status back home, but over time I’ve come to understand that this moment still matters — that there is value in a public proclamation of something we’ve long known to be true.

Our relationship began with an exchange of rings. Today, eighteen years later, we add to that with an exchange of bracelets — another symbol of the bond we’ve built and continue to strengthen.

After all these years, we’re still learning new things about each other. We still get into small misunderstandings, but also still find new ways to laugh, to grow, and to love. The love we have is real, tested by time and made stronger by every challenge we’ve faced together.

Today, I promise to keep building on that love — to keep choosing you, to keep listening, and to keep working on being the partner you deserve.

I know how deeply you value family, and with this union, I’m proud to say that I am now, officially and in every way that matters, your family.

I love you— and I always will.

Please now place your vows in this keepsake box, which you can to return to when you want to reflect, reconnect, or draw strength from the foundation of your love.

These bracelets are a symbol of the love that already unites your two hearts. May they remind you always that no matter what happens in life, you will never have to face it alone. You will always have a place to belong within each other.

7. Hand Binding 

We now come to a beautiful and ancient ritual—the hand binding ceremony – which symbolises the joining of your hands and hearts, the intertwining of your lives, and the promise to support and cherish one another.

As your hands are gently bound together, may it remind you of the strength you create when you are united, the trust you build as you walk side by side, and the love that will hold you close through all of life’s journeys.

This simple yet profound act marks not only the beginning of your married life, but also the deep connection and commitment you share. Let this moment be a sacred reminder that your lives are now beautifully and forever intertwined.

8. Pronouncement and Kiss

Now, as we bring this ceremony to a close, let’s pause and acknowledge the power of what you’ve just promised each other — your steadfast commitment, rooted in gratitude, courage, and joy.

You are each other’s one and only love. You give true meaning to each other’s lives, and as long as you have each other, that is enough.

In the days and years ahead, may you continue to find comfort in each other’s arms, and may your love be your shelter — a safe place to return to, no matter what the world brings. You have already shown strength in adversity, already proven that your love can endure, it can thrive when tested.

Whatever storms may come, know that your love is enough to help you through. You can rely on each other, not just in the moments of celebration like this one, but in the quiet, ordinary, and sometimes difficult days that make up a life together.

So continue to love each other — fiercely, patiently, and without hesitation — for all your days.

Because truly, there is no greater joy than to walk through this life with the one who knows you fully, holds you bravely, and stands by you no matter what. 

With all my heart, I wish you a lifetime of love, laughter, and peace. 

You are husbands. Now, and always.