Civil Ceremony Scripts
I am open to marrying any couple. It is my goal to meet each couple where they are and help them to have a positive wedding experience. In order to meet you where you are, I approach every wedding with an open mind - I don’t know anything about you until you tell me and that’s only if you choose to tell me. Wedding ceremony scripts have been written for years for brides and grooms. Now, bride and bride or groom and groom are very common. Some couples are choosing to forego traditional gender roles altogether and are using the terms spouse or partner. If you have made the choice to use non-traditional pronouns, please let me know and I am happy to honor your preferences. Any wedding ceremony script can be changed to reflect your personal preferences.
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MANY of my civil ceremonies in my office are couples who JUST want to have their marriage license signed and be legally married. Often they will just sit at my desk and I will ask, "Name, do you take Name to be your Husband/Wife?" You both say "I do." And I pronounce you married. That's it. That's perfectly OK. NO rings required. This is perfectly OK! Just let me know!
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Civil Wedding Ceremony Script 1
We are gathered to unite the two of you in marriage, which is an institution ordained by the state and made honorable by the faithful keeping of good people throughout all ages, and is not to be entered into lightly or unadvisedly.
Do you, Bride/Groom, take Groom/Bride to be your Husband/wife, to love, comfort, and cherish from this day forth?
Yes. Or, I do.
Do you, Groom/Bride, take Bride/Groom to be your wife/husband, to love, comfort, and cherish from this day forth?
Yes. Or, I do.
The couple exchanges rings.
Having thus pledged yourselves each to the other, I do now, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the state of Indiana, pronounce you husband and wife.
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We are gathered to unite the two of you in marriage, which is an institution ordained by the state and made honorable by the faithful keeping of good people throughout all ages, and is not to be entered into lightly or unadvisedly.
Do you, Bride/Groom, take Groom/Bride to be your Husband/wife, to love, comfort, and cherish from this day forth?
Yes. Or, I do.
Do you, Groom/Bride, take Bride/Groom to be your wife/husband, to love, comfort, and cherish from this day forth?
Yes. Or, I do.
The couple exchanges rings.
Having thus pledged yourselves each to the other, I do now, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the state of Indiana, pronounce you husband and wife.
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Civil Wedding Ceremony Script 2
Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together here to join together Bride/Groom in Marriage; which is an honorable estate, and therefore, not entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, soberly and with joy. Into this Estate these two persons present come now to be joined.
Vows
Groom, do you take Bride to be your lawful wedded wife, to live together in the Estate of Matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others keep you only unto her as long as you both shall live?
I do
Bride, do you take Groom to be your lawful wedded husband, to live together in the Estate of Matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others keep you only unto him as long as you both shall live?
I do
Ring Exchange
The marriage ring seals the vows of marriage and represents a promise for eternal and everlasting love.
Groom, please repeat after me I Groom, take thee, Bride, 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 forever. With this ring, I marry you.
Bride, please repeat after me I Bride, take thee, Groom, to be my wedded husband, 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 forever. With this ring, I marry you.
Those whom have chosen to be joined together, let no one put asunder.
Forasmuch as Bride and Groom have consented together in wedlock, and have witnessed the same before this company of witnesses, and there to have given their pledge, each to the other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving a ring, and by joining hands; by the power vested in me by the State of Indiana, I now pronounce you husband and wife.
You may seal this marriage with a kiss.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I now present to you Mr/Mrs ….
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Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together here to join together Bride/Groom in Marriage; which is an honorable estate, and therefore, not entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, soberly and with joy. Into this Estate these two persons present come now to be joined.
Vows
Groom, do you take Bride to be your lawful wedded wife, to live together in the Estate of Matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others keep you only unto her as long as you both shall live?
I do
Bride, do you take Groom to be your lawful wedded husband, to live together in the Estate of Matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others keep you only unto him as long as you both shall live?
I do
Ring Exchange
The marriage ring seals the vows of marriage and represents a promise for eternal and everlasting love.
Groom, please repeat after me I Groom, take thee, Bride, 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 forever. With this ring, I marry you.
Bride, please repeat after me I Bride, take thee, Groom, to be my wedded husband, 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 forever. With this ring, I marry you.
Those whom have chosen to be joined together, let no one put asunder.
Forasmuch as Bride and Groom have consented together in wedlock, and have witnessed the same before this company of witnesses, and there to have given their pledge, each to the other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving a ring, and by joining hands; by the power vested in me by the State of Indiana, I now pronounce you husband and wife.
You may seal this marriage with a kiss.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I now present to you Mr/Mrs ….
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Civil Wedding Ceremony Script 3
A wedding is such a wonderful occasion filled with hopes, dreams and excitement. We are here today to celebrate the love that Bride and Groom have for each other, and to recognize and witness their decision to journey forward in their lives as marriage partners.
May your love create a safe haven for you both on the journey that lies ahead of you. Lead with your hearts and take the time to do the simple things that will nurture your love. Deeply listen to each other—to your dreams, and to your frustrations. Be helpmates. Be playful in finding new ways to give your love anew to each other every day.
Let your love be an inspiration to others to reach for what is good within us all. May your love be so abundant that you have plenty to share with the rest of us as well. It is your love that has brought us together here today. May it grow deeper and sweeter with each passing year.
Vows
Do you, Bride take, Groom to be your partner for life. Do you promise to walk by her side forever, and to love, help, and encourage her in all she does? Do you promise to take time to talk with her, to listen to her, and to care for her? Will you share her laughter, and her tears, as her partner, lover, and best friend? Do you take her as your lawfully wedded wife for now and forevermore?
Do you, Groom take, Bride to be your partner for life. Do you promise to walk by her side forever, and to love, help, and encourage her in all she does? Do you promise to take time to talk with her, to listen to her, and to care for her? Will you share her laughter, and her tears, as her partner, lover and best friend? Do you take her as your lawfully wedded wife for now and forevermore?
Rings
And now, seal your promises with these rings, the symbol of your life shared together.
Groom, please repeat after me:
Bride, this ring I give as token and pledge, as a sign of my love and devotion. With this ring, I thee wed.
Bride, please repeat after me:
Groom, this ring I give as token and pledge, as a sign of my love and devotion. With this ring, I thee wed.
Bride and Groom, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you married. You may kiss!
A wedding is such a wonderful occasion filled with hopes, dreams and excitement. We are here today to celebrate the love that Bride and Groom have for each other, and to recognize and witness their decision to journey forward in their lives as marriage partners.
May your love create a safe haven for you both on the journey that lies ahead of you. Lead with your hearts and take the time to do the simple things that will nurture your love. Deeply listen to each other—to your dreams, and to your frustrations. Be helpmates. Be playful in finding new ways to give your love anew to each other every day.
Let your love be an inspiration to others to reach for what is good within us all. May your love be so abundant that you have plenty to share with the rest of us as well. It is your love that has brought us together here today. May it grow deeper and sweeter with each passing year.
Vows
Do you, Bride take, Groom to be your partner for life. Do you promise to walk by her side forever, and to love, help, and encourage her in all she does? Do you promise to take time to talk with her, to listen to her, and to care for her? Will you share her laughter, and her tears, as her partner, lover, and best friend? Do you take her as your lawfully wedded wife for now and forevermore?
Do you, Groom take, Bride to be your partner for life. Do you promise to walk by her side forever, and to love, help, and encourage her in all she does? Do you promise to take time to talk with her, to listen to her, and to care for her? Will you share her laughter, and her tears, as her partner, lover and best friend? Do you take her as your lawfully wedded wife for now and forevermore?
Rings
And now, seal your promises with these rings, the symbol of your life shared together.
Groom, please repeat after me:
Bride, this ring I give as token and pledge, as a sign of my love and devotion. With this ring, I thee wed.
Bride, please repeat after me:
Groom, this ring I give as token and pledge, as a sign of my love and devotion. With this ring, I thee wed.
Bride and Groom, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you married. You may kiss!
