FULL Wedding Ceremony Video at The Barn at Fairview Acres - Alec + Mallory || Illinois Videographer

I don't know, you look like you've done this before. Who gives this woman to be married to this man? Her mother and I. On behalf of Mallory and Alec, we welcome you today. Such a beautiful day. We're so thankful for that. Good to have each of you with us. As we begin today, let's look to the Lord in prayer. Heavenly Father, thank you for what you have begun. And Lord, this began a few months ago, and you continue to give your increase, your direction, your blessing to Alec and Mallory, and we thank you for that. As they come together today, Lord, to renew their vows, we are so thankful for this day and for your very instrumental part in it. Thank you, Lord. We commit this couple to you, and we commit this day to you. We ask for your presence with us. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Get the roses. I'll move out of the way. Yeah, you're going to have to help her, girls. She's got to come all the way up here. You know, it says in Psalm 127 that children are a heritage from the Lord. But when you get to be a little older and you get married, you guys go ahead. I'll talk, and you guys do what you're going to do here. When you get to be a little older and you get married, all of a sudden you realize that to the kids, parents are a heritage to the kids, and especially to grandparents. Grandparents are a heritage. And there are some grandparents that were not able to be here today. And these flowers that are being laid out, these flowers that are being given today are in memory of Barb and Kenneth Meisner, Don Michelson, and John Higgs. And then there are also those that just were not able to make the trip today, and they mean so much to these two. And they wanted to be thinking of them and remembering them as well. Lorraine Michelson and Bill and Colleen Gehrman. Just very special people and so thankful for what we draw from as we get married and as we grow. We draw from mom and dad. We draw from grandma and grandpa. And that turns around and becomes a rich heritage to you guys. You both have much to be thankful for in that. Let me do a little recap here about Alec and Mallory. They met, actually, in 2014 at Monmouth College. They actually met on freshman move-in day. They started dating six years ago on October 28 and have been together ever since. Mallory is from Mazan, Illinois, and Alec is from Farmington, Illinois. So after they both graduated from Monmouth College, they spent two years being in kind of a long-distance relationship. Mallory was going to school to get her master's in social work, and Alec was starting his career in banking. Then last fall, on September 14, Alec took Mallory down by the East Peoria Riverfront Gazebo, where he proposed and had a lock made for them to place on the fence surrounding the gazebo. That must be kind of a tradition. Yeah, good, good, good tradition. I like it, yeah. Good stuff. As many of you know, they plan to get married with a huge celebration on June 27. However, as has happened with so many people due to the pandemic, they had to come up with a plan B. Even though the two did not get to have the wedding that they dreamed of, they were able to get married on their original date, surrounded by their immediate family. And as I recall, as we stood here, we were also surrounded by rain that kept coming out of that direction. We were all in there, ready to come out here and abort. And so all the girls quick grabbed towels and had to dry all the chairs off. And then we came out, and we did things really quick, because another one was coming from that direction. We ushered everybody back in. You know, lots of things that we have to take as they come. And that's a part of marriage, isn't it? That's a lesson that these guys have already had to start learning. But it's good lessons to learn. Ever since saying I do, the two have been pretty busy. They bought a house in Peoria. They learned how to have close next door neighbors. They tackled living together and figured out how to cook meals, which Mallory is still working on. In addition, Mallory started a new job in the area and convinced Alec to get an adorable kitten named Biscuit. Yeah. Is the cat in the house? Still in the house. Lord be with you. Appreciate that. The things we do for marriage. Here we go. Yeah. Even though the past three months have not been what the couple had originally planned on, they learned that they're not in control of a lot of things. And we just have to deal with things as they come. And actually, those things make us stronger. So we're thankful for that. And we're thankful that God is in control of it all, most of all. One of the things that is so special about today is that Mallory's college roommate, Rebecca Jones, is here. And she has agreed to do a reading. And I'm going to call on Rebecca at this time. So for those of you who don't know me, my name is Rebecca Jones. I was Mallory's roommate for three years at Monmouth College. Over that time, we had quite some time to go ahead and bond with each other. And one of the things that we bonded with most was our shared love for cats, like Biscuit. So Mallory asked me if I could say a few words. So here goes nothing. This is called, Why Falling in Love is Like Owning a Cat. First of all, it's a big responsibility, especially during a national pandemic. So think long and hard before deciding on love. On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security. When you're home alone at night and you have love on watch, investigating every eerie sound, like the creaks of a brand new home you're not quite familiar with, no one is going to mess with you on the West Haven neighborhood block, especially because crooks and muggers think that love is unpredictable, thanks to its fiery temper. They know that they would be, as Mal says, asking for a baskin. That's trademark of Tiger King. Love needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy. Love does not like being left alone, even if it is hunting season, Alec. You got to do what you got to do. But come home and love is always happy to see you. It may scratch up a few things accidentally, because let's face it, love can be pretty accident prone. But you can never be mad at love for long. Is love good all the time? No. It can be bad. Sometimes it can be very bad. Love makes messes, such as the mess Did not know that was in there. Love leaves you little surprises here and there. Love needs a lot of cleaning up after, like Alec's stinky socks that don't quite make it into the hamper. That's fair. Sometimes you just want to get love fixed, if you know what I mean. Sometimes you want to spray love with a spray bottle, not so much to cause pain or to get love soaked, just to let it know, don't you ever do that again. Throw your things on the kitchen island and love will hide them from you again and again and again. But most of all, love needs love. And it needs lots of it. And in return, love loves you and it never stops, just like the love Mallory has for Biscuit. I mean Alec. I'm sorry. Love you guys. I'm used to it. Sorry. Very good, Rebecca. Very good. Couple of verses for you today. And I can honestly say I have never used this verse at a wedding before. But from John chapter 16, verse 33, Jesus says, I have told you these things so that in me, you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world. And then from John 14, Jesus says, peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Do not be afraid. This has been a crazy year. And I mean, who would have thought by October, we'd still be in the middle of this thing? And there's a lot of disappointments. There's a lot of uncertainties. There's a lot of frustrations. And you guys have had to find that out firsthand from the very beginning. And I don't say that to discourage you at all. I say that to affirm that God is at work in you guys. And I don't know if I'd say sadly, but as difficult as it may be, one of the ways that God works in us the most is through difficult, frustrating, uncertain, all these kinds of things that you guys have already been experiencing. Disappointments, you get all ready to go, and the parade gets rained on, like we saw before, figuratively speaking. But I mean, that happens all the time. And I encourage you guys to let God do the molding in you that He wants to do, because He loves you guys very much. And He wants more than anything to mold you and shape you into His image, because the two of you together can be a greater witness for Him than you can be by yourself. God's picture of marriage, God's vision of marriage is two people coming together in such a way that they would demonstrate what God's love looks like. The unconditional love that you have for each other is modeled for us in God. And the way that we are called to forgive each other, like God forgives us, and God promises He will never leave us or forsake us, and we make that commitment in marriage that I will stay with you forever. We have a picture at home that says the perfect marriage is just two imperfect people who refuse to give up on each other. And you guys have gotten started in that already. I think it was your father that made the comment, it's not every wedding that you can go to, that as you walk in, the couple's wedding picture is already on the table. So see, this is good. Good observation by your dad there, and good point. But God does give peace. And God gives peace through difficulty and struggles. And He uses those things to draw us closer to Him and make us stronger. It's a good thing. Alec and Mallory, are you guys ready to exchange your vows? I know you've already done them before you got memorized. I won't screw it up like I did last night. It was so cold last night. It was, do you, do you, OK, let's get out of here. And we won't go quite that fast this time. But we do begin. Alec and Mallory, inasmuch as marriage is a holy estate ordained by God to be held in honor by all, those who enter therein should weigh with reverent minds what the word of God teaches concerning this estate. In regard to the sacredness of marriage, our Lord Jesus said, have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder. What we really do today is we renew these vows, don't we? Alec, I will begin with you. I ask you, Alec, in the presence of God and this assembly here today, will you have Mallory here present to be your wedded wife? If so, answer, I will. I will. Will you live with her according to God's holy word, love and honor her, and alike in good and evil days, keep yourself only unto her until death do you part? If so, answer, I will. I will. In like manner also I ask you, Mallory, will you have Alec here present to be your wedded husband? If so, answer, I will. I will. Will you live with him according to God's holy word, love and honor him, and alike in good and evil days, keep yourself only unto him until death do you part? If so, answer, I will. I will. Alec, will you repeat after me? I, Alec. Take you, Mallory. To be my wedded wife. To have and to hold. From this day forward. For better, for worse. For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health. To love and to cherish. Till death us do part. Till death us apart. I butcher it every time. It's all right. just stay together according to God's holy word according to God's holy word and thereto and thereto I pledge you I pledge you my faithfulness my faithfulness that's on me Mallory I'll ask you now do you take Alec your present to be your wedded husband you have it to hold from this day forward from this day forward for better for worse for richer for poorer for rich or for poor in sickness and in health in sickness and in health to love and to cherish love and to cherish till death us do part till death us do part according to God's holy word according to God's holy word and thereto and thereto I pledge you I pledge you my faithfulness my faithfulness great job yeah thank you sir all right I will give you Mallory's ring okay if you put the ring back on her finger repeat after me Mallory Mallory receive this ring receive this ring as a pledge and token as a pledge and token of wedded love of wedded love and faithfulness and faithfulness okay Alex's ring finger okay Alec Alec receive this ring receive this ring as a pledge and token as a pledge and token of wedded love of wedded love and faithfulness and faithfulness Alec and Mallory in as much as you have agreed to live together in holy wedlock and have affirmed your vows today and have witnessed the same before God and this assembly and have joined your right hands and token thereof I pronounce you husband and wife in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit amen I know you guys have been married for three months but I'd still love to pray for you you join your right hands now you guys hold hands and then I'll it's yeah nobody's hands are warm today I don't know Heavenly Father thank you thank you for the joy that there is in Jesus thank you Lord for how when we come together and we look to you for our every need you are there you are faithful and you love us with an everlasting love Father strengthen these two continue the work that you have already begun in them bless them use them lead them mold and shape them into the image of what your vision is for them as married couple thank you Lord in Jesus name we pray amen it is now my distinct privilege to introduce to you for the second time mr. and mrs. Alec Higgs