Sam and Troy are getting married in a Quaker Ceremony. The ceremony is in the style of a Quaker marriage, which may be unfamiliar to many of you. We’re excited to join in the tradition of the McKinstry side of Troy’s family, a long line of Pennsylvania Quakers.

We hope you find the experience to be welcoming and joyful; the Quakers are officially called the Society of Friends after all.

A Quaker wedding ceremony is similar to a Quaker meeting, so there is no priest or minister. Sam and Troy will marry each other in the presence of their loved ones. Anyone who feels moved to offer a message to Sam and Troy may do so. All present will sign a wedding certificate signifying that they were witnesses to the marriage. Sam and Troy will hang the certificate prominently in their home, as a reminder of the declarations they made, and of the people with whom they shared that moment of their lives. It’s a tradition that’s beautiful in it’s simplicity.

To start, Katie McKinstry, Troy’s cousin, will welcome everyone to the ceremony. After a short period of silent reflection, Sam and Troy will rise, take one another’s hands, and give their vows to each other. They will then sign their wedding certificate, which Katie will read out loud.

After the reading, anyone present may offer a message to Sam, Troy, and the gatherer community. Messages don’t need to be polished, and can be expressed through memories, stories, music, readings, or poetry. They can be touching, sentimental, instructive, or even humorous.  If you wish to offer a message, please rise, wait for a microphone, and share it clearly with the meeting. It is best to leave some silent time for reflection between messages, so everyone can appreciate what each person has said. The length of messages will vary but they can be as brief as a few sentences or as long as ~5-7min.

The meeting will close when Katie shakes the hand of her neighbor. Everyone can then rise, shake hands with, and greet those around them.