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This is a template that I use when I send you your ceremony document. I send you a link to a Goolge Shared Document so we can literally be on the same page at the same time. I'm always updating this trying to make it as user friendly as possible. I want you to have fun and enjoy the process of choosing your ceremony. If that's not for you, no worries! I can ask you a few simple questions and choose a ceremony for you and fill in the details.
This page contains examples of how others have personalized their ceremony, or how I have done it for them. Sometimes it helps to read and see what I'm talking about! Civil CeremonyI think this is a basic wedding ceremony with words most people expect to hear. It's perfect for some people. I think most ceremonies grew from this.
Formal Wedding Ceremony 1What does your wedding officiant say during your wedding ceremony?
I have nick-names for all of my ceremonies. I've always called this one the "poetic" ceremony because it originally had a Shakespeare quote in it. The more I performed the ceremony, the less the quote made sense. I had one couple a few years ago replace the quote. They chose a great quote! But it made me realize they thought the original quote was a little weird to them and they thought they needed to replace it with a different one, So, I took it out. You are welcome to add a quote! This is a beautiful ceremony! I love to perform it, and it does feel like I'm performing poetry. Formal Wedding Ceremony Script 2I consider this to be a more traditional wedding ceremony because of the way it's outlined. It's a non-religious ceremony but it uses the outline of a church service. All the religious wording has been replaced with secular wording.
This wedding ceremony script is a good outline to use if you want to customize your own wedding ceremony script. I've included links to more options for each part. Please check out this guide to Parts of a Wedding Ceremony for more information. You can very easily add scriptures and change the other elements of the ceremony to express your faith. If you said, Victoria, we don't really care, we just want a traditional, non-religious ceremony, this is what I would perform. Formal Wedding Ceremony 3I think this has probably been my most popular wedding ceremony for the past several years. It has the perfect segways to add your own personal touches and love story. Over the past year or so, couples have edited some of the original wording out. When I read their edits, I understood why. The original words were, and are great! But, if you were to sit down and think about the words, they may or may not make sense to you - especially if you have a literal brain. If you have been stalking my website for a while waiting to book your wedding and are wondering..."where is that line, 'standing on a stage looking fancy, holding flowers, and being stared at by nearly anyone who has meant anything to you over the past 20-something years..'" It still exists, and you can have it if you want it, it was just part of the most recent edits. Reason? The bride hands her flowers off at the beginning of the ceremony, so she is no longer holding them, and the 20-something years may not be accurate - I KNOW! LITERAL BRAIN!
Formal Wedding Ceremony 4This is a perfect ceremony when you want something short, sweet, and to the point. I've included all of the traditional elements of a wedding ceremony and you can easily change the "I do's" and ring exchanges to make it more personalized without making it longer. I often perform this ceremony at smaller, informal weddings but a lot of couples having a formal wedding don't want a long ceremony and that's totally OK! It's really not the length of your ceremony, it's the words you choose.
Formal Wedding Ceremony 5 - A Christian-Lite Ceremony with an opening prayer and Christian themes12/12/2022
Formal Wedding Ceremony 5This is a short and sweet more traditional ceremony with Christian elements. Many couples seeking my services as a professional wedding officiant are looking for a balance between the religious practices and beliefs of their families and their less religious lives.
This ceremony has an opening prayer and I've quoted scriptures you usually hear in a wedding but use them in a way that we aren't reading them directly from a bible. Most couples find that to be a happy medium that works for them. You can add more Christian elements to the ceremony if you choose, adding Christian vows, ring blessings, and a Christian unity ceremony like a Unity Candle or God's Cross. You can switch out the final blessing and pronouncement with Christian options as well. I'm not a religious minister. I'm a professional wedding officiant. I'm happy to add the Christian options I provide but I do not write or deliver sermons and I do not administer communion. If you are looking for those options, please find a minister trained in those things to marry you. I have another Christian wedding ceremony option you can read here. It has much more traditional wording with a bit of a Baptist flare. Formal Wedding Ceremony Script 6I don't necessarily think there is anything different about this ceremony than another non-religious ceremony, it just tends to be chosen more by couples that identify as Secular Humanists or Atheists - and it quotes Carl Sagan. I offer a wide variety of ceremonies to help couples find their "tone." I want you to vibe with the words of your ceremony! Some couples are very intentional with the wording of their ceremony and that's important. You might think everyone is intentional with the wording of their ceremony, but they aren't and that's OK too.
Formal Wedding Ceremony Script 7I wrote this ceremony with a couple several years ago. The bride wanted to include her Jewish traditions in the ceremony and it was important to her that the groom's family understood what they were doing. This explains the basic elements of a Jewish wedding in a straightforward way a lot of people appreciate. The version of the 7 Blessings For A Jewish Wedding are an updated version I love so much I include them in other ceremony scripts too!
A lot of couples might just choose to break the glass at the end of their ceremony. A few years ago, the bride insisted on breaking her own glass. It was a two-glass breaking ceremony! You do you!! Formal Wedding Ceremony Script 8Many couples are choosing something a little different for their wedding ceremony. Often, the choice has nothing to do with religious beliefs, it's just because they want something different. When I first started officiating weddings and couples asked for handfastings I thought they were Pagan. While, I do marry pagans and include handfastings in their ceremonies, that is not always the case. More often, it's simply cos-play or because a couple loved it in a movie!
I'm not Pagan. There are more elaborate, traditional, Pagan Handfasting scripts available. I don't feel comfortable performing those - simply because it's not part of my religious background and I don't feel genuine when I do it. This script takes the basic elements of a handfasting and makes it more approachable. You can easily add other elements to this ceremony to make the handfasting part of your wedding ceremony, but not your whole wedding. Formal Wedding Ceremony Script 9I don't perform a lot of Christian ceremonies. I've always assumed that if you are a Christian you have a church you attend and your own religious leader will be the one that marries you. I figured my role as a professional wedding officiant would be to help couples blend religious elements into a more secular ceremony. Well, I was wrong. Turns out, a lot of pastors don't perform wedding ceremonies. Some big box churches provide marriage counseling but they don't perform actual marriages. Many pastors, churches, or religions have strict guidelines about who they will marry. This leaves many couples still wanting a Christian wedding ceremony,
I have been performing this Christian ceremony for many years and I love it! It's definitely got more of a Baptist flare, so it's not for everyone. I get a lot of "Amens!" When I perform this ceremony! I have other ceremonies you can add Christian elements to create a lovely, meaningful, Christian ceremony. If you are a Christian Couple and have a Christian family, this ceremony may be perfect for you! Formal Wedding Ceremony 10I recently performed this ceremony and fell in love with it! The bride wanted to write her own ceremony. She did an amazing job using many options from my ceremony guide. It's a perfect classic ceremony with a romantic love theme. Many wedding ceremonies talk about love and marriage in a traditional, sensible way. This particular ceremony talks about the depth of love a couple can share throughout their marriage in a poetic and beautiful way. If I performed this ceremony every weekend for a year, I would not be the least bit upset by it!
What are the different parts of a wedding ceremony? Maybe you are writing your own wedding ceremony or maybe you are putting together the program for your wedding before you send it off to the printer and you are asking yourself, how exactly does this work? Are there different parts of a ceremony and, what are they called?
The first thing I want to point out is, there is no right or wrong. There are no absolutes. If you are getting married in a church or religious institution, they have a set way of performing a wedding. Ask them what that is and then use their information to print your program. (Trying to decide if you should print a program? Click Here) If you are writing your own ceremony or working with a professional wedding officiant, it’s really up to you what you put in your wedding ceremony. I’ve put this website together for myself and the couples I marry and anyone else who would like to use it. There may be other words people use or have been traditionally used. This is my personal version and it’s always open to revision. I want you to have the wedding ceremony you want and I make suggestions and share my experiences so you have more information to make your own decisions. If I’m your wedding officiant, I look it as my job to support your decisions. The Unplugged CeremonyIt has become very popular to announce an unplugged ceremony. It's when you ask your guests to silence and put away cell phones and refrain from taking pictures during the wedding. There are opinions about this and it can be worded in many different ways. Many venues provide cute signs, or you may choose to invest in one for your ceremony thinking it will do the trick. I think the signs are really cute but I think it's better to say something at the right time during the ceremony so guest actually get the message. This is not for everyone - and for more than one reason. You may know your family better and know it's pointless to ask! Some couples simply ask guests to stay seated during their ceremony instead of standing up and taking pictures. Some couples want you to keep the wedding off of social media. I talked to a photographers that said she offers a discount if you announce an unplugged ceremony! Opening Prayer Option 1 O God, Creator of us all, we thank you for the gift of life, and on this day we thank you especially for the joy that Name and Name have found in each other, and for the promises, they will make before you. Bless all of our families and friends who are present with us on this special occasion. We also remember those who couldn't be here today, particularly (you can name people here if you like). We pray, O God, that you remain with them as a partner in their marriage. Grant to them, and to us all, love and understanding all of our days. Amen Opening Prayer Option 2 Heavenly Father, we gather here together because you have promised that wherever 3 or more are gathered in your name, you will be in the midst of them. We ask for your presence here, as we join Name and Name in marriage. We ask your blessings over this ceremony as Name and Name make their vows to each other. Stand by them throughout their marriage and fill them with your perfect love so that they may grow in their love for you and for each other throughout their marriage and their lives. In Jesus name we pray. Amen Opening Prayer option 3 Father in heaven, You ordained marriage for your children, and you gave us love. We present to You Name and Name, who come this day to be married. May the covenant of love they make be blessed with true devotion and spiritual commitment. We ask that You, God, will give them the ability to keep the covenant they have made. When selfishness shows itself, grant generosity; when mistrust is a temptation, give moral strength; when there is misunderstanding, give patience and gentleness; if suffering becomes a part of their lives, give them a strong faith and an abiding love. Amen. Opening Prayer Option 4 Heavenly Father, we invite you here today as we celebrate the joining of Name and Name in Marriage. We acknowledge and praise you as the creator and source of unconditional and unending love, We pray your loving spirit be poured over this wedding ceremony today. As Name and Name make their vows, promising their unconditional love and faithfulness to each other, may they be reminded, just as your love is poured anew over each of our lives every day, their love for each other is also continually renewed and stregnthened daily. As all of us here witness this joyous and sacred act of marriage, may each of us be encouraged in our own relationships, growing every closer to you, and to each other, cherishing one another and the special love and friendships we share. As we pray for those here today, we also remember those who could not be here today, we know we are all together in spirit, eternally connected through your perfect love. Amen. ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Guide ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Scripts ** Elopement Ceremony Guide ** Elopement Ceremony Scripts ** Parts of a Wedding Ceremony ** Vow Writing Guide ** Unplugged Ceremony ** Opening Prayers ** Welcoming ** Moment of Silence ** Declaration of Support ** About Love and Marriage ** Non-Religious Readings ** Christian Readings ** Secular I-do's! ** Christian I-do-s! ** Ring Meaning ** Ring Blessings ** Secular Ring Exchanges ** Christian Ring Exchanges ** Unity Ceremonies ** Secular Blessings ** Christian Blessings ** The-pronouncement-Secular ** The Pronouncement - Christian **
Welcoming Words Option 1 Welcome! We are gathered here today to celebrate and to witness the joining of Name and Name in marriage. As they promise to love, trust in that love, honor one another as individuals, and anticipate with joy spending the rest of their lives together. They are surrounded by you - their friends and family. Thank you for gathering here to witness their marriage and to share in the joy of this special occasion. Welcoming Words Option 2 Welcome Everyone! Thank you for traveling from far and wide to be here today as Name and Name are joined in Marriage. Each of you has played an important part in their lives helping to make them the people they are. Your love for them has fueled the fire for them to find the true and lasting love that we celebrate today. They are grateful for each you and are honored by your presence here with them today. Welcoming Words Option 3 We are gathered here today to witness and celebrate an act of deep love. Name and Name, in their devotion, respect, and love for each other wish to unite in marriage, and to dedicate themselves to each other’s happiness and well-being as life mates and partners. On behalf of them, I welcome you all. Although this is their day, it is also a tribute to all of you. For knowing you and interacting with you has helped to make them who they needed to be to find each other. They would like to thank you all for that. You all hold a place in their hearts reserved for those that they have chosen to call Family and Friends and they are deeply grateful for each and every one of you here today. ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Guide ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Scripts ** Elopement Ceremony Guide ** Elopement Ceremony Scripts ** Parts of a Wedding Ceremony ** Vow Writing Guide ** Unplugged Ceremony ** Opening Prayers ** Welcoming ** Moment of Silence ** Declaration of Support ** About Love and Marriage ** Non-Religious Readings ** Christian Readings ** Secular I-do's! ** Christian I-do-s! ** Ring Meaning ** Ring Blessings ** Secular Ring Exchanges ** Christian Ring Exchanges ** Unity Ceremonies ** Secular Blessings ** Christian Blessings ** The-pronouncement-Secular ** The Pronouncement - Christian **
Diversity Statement 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 will be happy to honor your preferences. Any wedding ceremony script can be changed to reflect those personal preferences. Moment of Silence Option 1 At this time, we would like to take a moment to remember those who are not here with us today. Those who could not be here or those who have gone on to greater things (or those who are deeply missed). We know that they are here with us in spirit. (We can list names here if you like) Can add: We know their force is with us, always. Moment of Silence Option 2 At this time, we'd like to ask for a moment of silence to remember those who are no longer here with us. Even though they're not physically present, they are a key part of the foundation that makes Name and Name the people they are today. We cherish our memories of them and all others who live on in our hearts. Moment of Silence Options 3 This day will be filled with love and joy and laughter and will pass more quickly than can be imagined. The couple has requested a brief pause to reflect and absorb this moment in their lives; to look, listen, and feel; to fix these sensations in their memories for years to come. Let’s also take this moment to remember those who are not here with us today. Those who were unable to be here and those who have gone on to greater things. We know they are here with us in spirit. ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Guide ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Scripts ** Elopement Ceremony Guide ** Elopement Ceremony Scripts ** Parts of a Wedding Ceremony ** Vow Writing Guide ** Unplugged Ceremony ** Opening Prayers ** Welcoming ** Moment of Silence ** Declaration of Support ** About Love and Marriage ** Non-Religious Readings ** Christian Readings ** Secular I-do's! ** Christian I-do-s! ** Ring Meaning ** Ring Blessings ** Secular Ring Exchanges ** Christian Ring Exchanges ** Unity Ceremonies ** Secular Blessings ** Christian Blessings ** The-pronouncement-Secular ** The Pronouncement - Christian **
The marriage of Name and Name brings together two different families and their two unique story lines. Today, a new chapter in their lives begins to unfold. Although this relationship was formed out of the love these two have found in each other, their marriage will ultimately be blessed by the support of their families. At this time, I formally ask for that blessing. Name’s Mother and father, Name and Name, do you offer this couple your goodwill? Do you welcome Name as a member of your family and give him/her/them your love and affection? Parents: We do. Name’s Mother and father, Name and Name, do you offer this couple your goodwill? Do you welcome Name as a member of your family and give him/her/them your love and affection? Parents: We do. All of you here present, As these two people join together in marriage, they ask for the support and love of not only their families, but of their friends as well. On this day, they ask that you be more than only Friends, family and honored guests, will you recognize this special union as well? Welcoming the marriage of Name and Name into your lives? If so, please say, “we will.” Thank you! ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Guide ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Scripts ** Elopement Ceremony Guide ** Elopement Ceremony Scripts ** Parts of a Wedding Ceremony ** Vow Writing Guide ** Unplugged Ceremony ** Opening Prayers ** Welcoming ** Moment of Silence ** Declaration of Support ** About Love and Marriage ** Non-Religious Readings ** Christian Readings ** Secular I-do's! ** Christian I-do-s! ** Ring Meaning ** Ring Blessings ** Secular Ring Exchanges ** Christian Ring Exchanges ** Unity Ceremonies ** Secular Blessings ** Christian Blessings ** The-pronouncement-Secular ** The Pronouncement - Christian **
Words about Love and Marriage Option 1 Name and Name, Today, as you two are joined in marriage, there is a vast and unknown future stretching out before you. The possibilities and potentials of your married life are great. We join with you in hoping you make real your dreams! That you are reborn in each other as you share your loves and dreams, wants and desires and together are enriched by them. Through your commitment to each other, may you grow and nurture a love that makes both of you better people, a love that continues to give you great joy, and also a passion for living that provides you with energy and patience to face the responsibilities of life.There was a time when your lives were two separate paths. Gradually, they were joined as you grew closer together. Today, you proclaim to the world your choice to stay on the same path together. Words about Love and Marriage Option 2 Love has brought Name and Name together. But what do we mean by love? When we love, we see things other people do not. We see beneath the surface to the qualities, which make our beloved special and unique. To see with loving eyes, is to know inner beauty. And to be loved is to be known, as we are known to no other. We who love, can look at each other’s life and say, “I touched his life,” or, “I touched her life,” just as an artist might say, “I touched this canvas.” “Those brushstrokes in the comer of this magnificent mural, those are mine. I was a part of this life, and it is a part of me.” Marriage is to belong to each other through a unique and diverse collaboration, like two threads crossing in different directions, yet weaving one tapestry together. The secret of love and marriage is to be in love and in trust, to know in your hearts that you want only the best for each other. It takes dedication, to stay open to one another, to learn and grow, even when it is difficult to do so. And it takes faith, to go forward together without knowing what the future holds for you both. The true art of married life is an intimate, interpersonal journey. It is a mutual enrichment, a give and take between two personalities, which diminishes neither, but enhances both It is, ultimately, the emergence of something greater than the individuals could never be alone. Words about Love and Marriage Option 3 Today there will be no dearly beloved, no betrothed, and no ancient rhyme of the married. Today there are no dead languages to solemnize vows that are very much alive and will remain so for a lifetime. Today promises become permanent and friends become family. However, this day is not about the words spoken or the rings exchanged, nor is it about grand pronouncements and recessional marches. This day – the day of Name and Name’s wedding – is about love. It's been said, “If love is not all, then it is nothing: this principle, and its opposite, collide down all the years of my breathless tale.” Name and Name, your breathless tale is about to begin. If love is not all, then it is nothing. Its opposite – If love is all, then it is everything – is going to be the basis for every aspect of your relationship. All you have to do is simply love one another and that love shows through in everything you do for one another, how you treat each other, in good times and bad. Love isn’t just a word; it’s an action. Love isn’t something you say, it’s something you do. Love is genuine, honest, and open, compassionate and kind, passionate and blind, love doesn’t know space or time, nor look through jealous eyes, and in the modified words of Paul in his letter to the Corinthians, “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never dies.” There are many different kinds of love, almost if not all of which are represented here today. There is romantic love, the love of parents and children, of brothers and sisters and family, and love among friends. Not only do Name and Name love one another romantically – and they do, you can see it in every look, every touch, every moment they’re together – they also love one another as friends. That love and enjoyment of each other as best friends will sustain them through this marriage. In addition, the love collectively in this room, from friends and family, will help sustain and support the promises they make today. All of us here will help solidify this bond, as these two individuals are joined in marriage.This new journey will be at times richly rewarding and extremely difficult, but, most importantly, it will be a journey you take together. Marriage is much more than your signatures on a legal contract. You are promising, in front of all these people you love, that you want to be with each other and only each other for the rest of your lives, and that you will do everything in your power to honor the promises you are making here today.For their part, the people who love you will also do everything in their power to try to help you hold up your end of the bargain. Words about Love and Marriage Option 4 Marriage symbolizes the intimate sharing of two lives. This sharing must not diminish, but enhance the individuality of each partner. You do not shed your individuality, for that is what brought you together in the first place. Marriage is the loving declaration that you should be no other than yourself. A lasting marriage is not stagnant. The relationship and each individual are continually growing and developing. Your understanding of each other deepens and evolves. It is not this ceremony or the state of being married that will truly join and hold you together, but your ongoing commitment to your relationship and to the kind of life you wish to make together. In this way, your marriage will not be just a symbol; it will be more than that. It will be an action, something you work actively on every day. Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again. Colors seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life. Words about Love and Marriage Option 5 Name and Name, your love for each other is what has brought you to this day and it will be the foundation of your marriage and your life together. May your love create a safe haven for you both on the journey that lies ahead of you. Remember to 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. Words About Love And Marriage Option 6 Marriage is the beginning of a new life, a chance at fulfilling long held dreams, and an opportunity for great personal and spiritual growth. Marriage endures through the ages of trends and fads. Marriage thrives, and continues to live as a promise of a beautiful dream come true. As long as individuals are drawn together by love, marriage will be a natural unfolding of that relationship. Feelings come alive at a wedding. Great happiness, some sadness, some apprehension and sometimes pure relief! There is an acute awareness that something special, something that goes to the very heart of life, is about to happen. Something is gone forever, and something is born, brand new and tender; something to be nurtured and cared for, protected and cherished, challenged and strengthened. A strong and resilient marriage is not an escape from the world but a contribution to it. Name and Name, may you now combine and strengthen your gifts, to be offered as a distinct and beautiful gift to the world; for the world is in need of the beautiful, and the good, and nothing is better suited to evoke that than a good marriage. And now you stand before this loving community of family and friends, ready to acknowledge to the world: this is the one with whom I choose to create the rest of my life. ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Guide ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Scripts ** Elopement Ceremony Guide ** Elopement Ceremony Scripts ** Parts of a Wedding Ceremony ** Vow Writing Guide ** Unplugged Ceremony ** Opening Prayers ** Welcoming ** Moment of Silence ** Declaration of Support ** About Love and Marriage ** Non-Religious Readings ** Christian Readings ** Secular I-do's! ** Christian I-do-s! ** Ring Meaning ** Ring Blessings ** Secular Ring Exchanges ** Christian Ring Exchanges ** Unity Ceremonies ** Secular Blessings ** Christian Blessings ** The-pronouncement-Secular ** The Pronouncement - Christian **
from "Union" by Robert Fulghum "You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or during long walks - all those sentences that began with "When we're married" and continued with "I will and you will and we will" - those late night talks that included "someday and somehow and maybe"- and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding. The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, "You know all those things we've promised and hoped and dreamed- well, I meant it all, every word." Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another- acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few years. Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows, you shall say to the world, this- is my husband, this- is my wife” The Art of Marriage Wilferd A. Peterson Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens. A good marriage must be created. In the art of marriage, the little things are the big things… It is never being too old to hold hands. It is remembering to say “I love you” at least once a day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is at no time taking the other for granted; the courtship should not end with the honeymoon, it should continue through all the years. It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives. It is standing together facing the world. It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family. It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy. It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is not looking for perfection in each other. It is cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding, and a sense of humor. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is finding room for the things of the spirit. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual, and the obligation is reciprocal. It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner. It is discovering what marriage can be, at its best. Why Marriage? By Mary Nichols-Haining Because to the depths of me, I long to love one person, With all my heart, my soul, my mind, my body. Because I need a forever friend to trust with the intimacies of me, who won't hold them against me, Who loves me when I'm unlikable, who sees the small child in me, and who looks for the divine potential of me. Because I need to cuddle in the warmth of the night with someone who thanks God for me, with someone I feel blessed to hold. Because marriage means opportunity to grow in love and friendship, because marriage is a discipline to be added to a list of achievements, because marriage do not fail, people fail when they enter into marriage expecting another to make them whole. Because knowing this, I promise myself to take full responsibility for my spiritual, mental and physical wholeness. I create me. I take half of the responsibility for my spiritual, mental and physical wholeness. I create me. I take half of the responsibility for my marriage. Together we create our marriage. Because of this understanding, the possibilities are limitless. Ultimate Geek Mashup Compiler Unknown We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love. Love is the moment before you’re frozen in carbonite, when the girl you’ve had your eye on finally admits what you always knew. Love is when you say, “I know”. Love is do, or do not, there is not try. Wuv…twu wuv…goes on forever and ever. And always says “As you wish”. Love is not cupid’s Arrow, it’s a green one. It happens in a Flash, and makes you feel like you can leap tall buildings in a single bound. It’s a shield, a smash, a hammer, and an iron suit. You should always be in love. Unless you can be Batman. Then you should be Batman. Love is the Ron Swanson of emotions. There is nothing stronger, except Ron Swanson. When it comes to love, treat yo-self. Love says “Take my hand, we’ll make it I swear”. Love is like a prayer. It’s the great American hero, Kevin Bacon, teaching a small town that it’s our time, it’s our time to dance. Love is 1.21 gigawatts. It makes us drive 88 miles per hour, speeding towards our Density. It’s dogs and cats living together…mass hysteria. It’s more powerful than a T-Rex, and almost majestic. Love is our happy thought. Love is magic. Love is asking “After all this time?” and knowing the answer will be “Always." I Love You by Roy Croft I love you, not only for what you are but for what I am when I am with you. I love you, not only for what you have made of yourself but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out; I love you for putting your hand into my heaped-up heart and passing over all the foolish, weak things that you can’t help dimly seeing there, and for drawing out into the light all the beautiful belongings that no one else had looked quite far enough to find. I love you because you are helping me to make of the lumber of my life, not a tavern, but a temple; out of the works of my every day not a reproach, but a song. I love you because you have done more than any creed could have done to make me good and more than any fate could have done to make me happy. You have done it without a touch, without a word, without a sign. You have done it by being yourself. Perhaps that is what being a friend means, after all. These words were written by the one and only Mr. Fred Rogers. You are never too old and it's never too late to hear his message. When we love a person, we accept him or her exactly as is: the lovely with the unlovely, the strong along with the fearful, the true mixed in with the facade. And of course the only way we can do it is by accepting ourselves that way. ... It’s what’s inside us that matters most. You can really love someone else when you really love yourself. ... As human beings our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is, that each of us has something that no one else has or ever will have. Something inside which is unique to all time. It’s our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression. ... Love isn’t a state of perfect caring. It is an active noun, like struggle. To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now, and to go on caring, even through times that may bring us pain. A passage from Kurt Vonnegut’s “A man without a country” p. 132. "But I had a good uncle, my late Uncle Alex. He was my father’s kid brother, a childless graduate of Harvard who was an honest life insurance salesman in Indianapolis. He was well-read and wise. And his principal complaint about other human beings was that they so seldom noticed it when they were happy. So, when we were drinking lemonade under an apple tree in the summer, say, and talking lazily about this and that, almost buzzing like honeybees, Uncle Alex would suddenly interrupt the agreeable blather to exclaim, if this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is. So, I do the same now, and so do my kids and grand kids. And I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, if this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is." Gravitation Albert Einstein "Gravitation cannot be held responsible for people falling in love. How on earth can you explain in terms of chemistry and physics so important a biological phenomenon as first love? Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That’s relativity." Destiny Author, Unknown Destiny is a mysterious thing. No matter what you do or where you go, you cannot avoid it. And, no matter how hard you try, even putting forth your greatest effort, you can’t force it to happen before it's time. This occasion we witness today is the destiny of two souls. There is not a force in the universe that could have kept you apart, and there is nothing they could have done to come together sooner. Each of you had to live your lives, lives that were stepping stones that have led to this moment in time, this uniting of hearts and minds that shall be forever more. This occasion we celebrate today is the destiny of two souls. Yes, destiny is a marvelous and mysterious thing. He’s Not Perfect by Bob Marley He’s not perfect. You aren’t either, and the two of you will never be perfect. But if he can make you laugh at least once, causes you to think twice, and if he admits to being human and making mistakes, hold onto him and give him the most you can. He isn’t going to quote poetry, he’s not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break. Don’t hurt him, don’t change him, and don’t expect for more than he can give. Don’t analyze. Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he’s not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don’t exist, but there’s always one guy that is perfect for you. A book passage from Carl Sagan Consider our planet. On it, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever lived, lived out their lives. The aggregate of all our joys and sufferings, thousands of confident religions, ideologies and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilizations, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every hopeful child, every mother and father, every inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every superstar, every supreme leader, every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived here on a mote of dust, suspended in a sunbeam. The earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Once we lose our fear of being tiny, we find ourselves on the threshold of a vast and awesome Universe which dwarfs -- in time, in space, and in potential -- the tidy anthropocentric proscenium of our ancestors. And for small creatures such as we, this vastness is made bearable only through love. Marry The One Author unknown Marry the one who doesn’t mind doing dishes . . . or the laundry, or the cooking, or who will jump into home improvements to make a house a home or whatever needs to be done. Marry the one who will support you in everything that matters to your heart, from your silliest ideas to your grandest dreams. Marry the one who pulls you away from the sink and into a dance in the kitchen. Marry the one who pays attention and is thoughtful with your wants and needs. Marry the one who’s willing and happy to binge your favorite show. Each and every season. Marry the one who leaps into parenting with both feet. Who loves the children and is willing to learn with an open heart. Who through the hard days, gains their trust and love in return. Marry the one who teases playfully, sneaks extra kisses, holds your hand in public, and says “I love you” unabashedly. Marry the one who makes you feel beautiful. Who laughs with you. Who comforts you when you cry. Marry the one who shows up every day—when life is great, when it’s miserable, when it’s everything in between. Marry the one who’s willing to brave the rollercoaster—the ups and downs of marriage. Marry the one who knows love is a choice more than it is a feeling. The one who will choose love, even when it’s hard. The one who will choose YOU, especially when you wouldn’t choose yourself. Marry the one who’ll walk beside you all the way through. Through the late nights with sick children. Through the early mornings for the stressful job. Through weight gain and gray hair and wrinkles. Through the moments when you’re at your worst. Through weeks, and months, and maybe even YEARS of pain or distance. Through real sickness. Financial troubles. Old age. Devastating loss. Through the moments of wondering if the feeling can ever truly be captured again. Marry the kind one. The GOOD one. The one who hears you, and sees you, and validates your feelings. Marry the one who knows you deeply and who loves you as you are . . . the one who will spend a lifetime trying to be the partner you deserve. Marry that one . . . and BE that one . . . for the one you are marrying. Thoughts In a Garden R. Gerhardt This is a special place, a place where people have brought beautiful living plants, here to establish them, to nurture and care for them, that they may forever surround us with the beauty we now see. And into this place where we stand, you have brought something beautiful — the relationship that is becoming your marriage. Here you are declaring it and pledging it, promising to establish and nurture it. We are aware of the special beauty between the two of you, just as we are aware of the special beauty of this place. We are with you now in this appropriate place to celebrate your relationship as it is and as it is yet to be, and in doing so, we ask only that you remember how your life together will have the same seasons and needs as this garden. There will be growth like spring and loss like fall; there will be giving as the blossoming flower, and rest as the seed beneath the snow. All the seasons will be yours, but remember, too, that gardens are not must happenings. The more wonderful the garden, the more skilled the gardener. So you will have to care deeply for the life that is yours together, and nurture it. You will have to appreciate your differences and cultivate them. You will have to take care of yourself, if for no other reason than out of love for the other. And you will need the support of family and friends to reach full growth. As you caringly chose this place to declare your marriage, so remember it's lessons for your life together through the seasons that are yours to share. And may those seasons bring you and yours joy and happiness. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin Louis de Bernieres Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your root was so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being in love, which any fool can do. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Those that truly love have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two. Marriage Joins Two People In The Circle Of Its Love Edmund O'Neill Marriage is a commitment to life, the best that two people can find and bring out in each other. It offers opportunities for sharing and growth that no other relationship can equal. It is a physical and an emotional joining that is promised for a lifetime. Within the circle of its love, marriage encompasses all of life’s most important relationships. A wife and a husband are each other’s best friend, confidant, lover, teacher, listener and critic. And there may come times when one partner is heartbroken or ailing and the love of the other may resemble the tender caring of a parent for a child. Marriage deepens and enriches every facet of life. Happiness is fuller, memories are fresher, commitment is stronger, even anger is felt more strongly, and passes away more quickly. Marriage understands and forgives the mistakes life is unable to avoid. It encourages and nurtures new life, new experiences, and new ways of expressing a love that is deeper than life. When two people pledge their love and care for each other in marriage, they create a spirit unique unto themselves which binds them closer than any spoken or written words. Marriage is a promise, a potential made in the hearts of two people who love each other and takes a lifetime to fulfill. A History of Love Diane Ackerman Love. What a small word we use for an idea so immense and powerful it has altered the flow of history, calmed monsters, kindled works of art, cheered the forlorn, turned tough guys to mush, consoled the enslaved, driven strong women mad, glorified the humble, fuelled national scandals, bankrupted robber barons, and made mincemeat of kings. How can love's spaciousness be conveyed in the narrow confines of one syllable? Love is an ancient delirium, a desire older than civilization, with taproots stretching deep into dark and mysterious days.The heart is a living museum. In each of its galleries, no matter how narrow or dimly lit, preserved forever like wondrous diatoms, are our moments of loving and being loved. Love Is Friendship Set On Fire Laura Hendricks Love is friendship caught fire; it is quiet, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection, and makes allowances for human weaknesses. Love is content with the present, hopes for the future, and does not brood over the past. It is the day-in and day-out chronicles of irritations, problems, compromises, small disappointments, big victories, and working toward common goals. If you have love in your life, it can make up for a great many things you lack. If you do not have it, no matter what else there is, it is not enough. The Giraffe and the Monkey Daniel Thompson Wherever we go Whatever we do Whenever there’s me I hope that there’s you. Now Money is Funny, it can make people odd. You forget to be happy, and you live for your job And fashion, is a passion, beset with a flaw You can dress to excess, but you’ll always need more And a muscle toned body, may sound like a dream But no body is better, than chocolate ice cream What I’m trying to say, is that happiness grows Not through your wages, or body or clothes But in laughter and love, and in sharing your life. In the arms of another as husband and wife. So when you find someone who’s weird just like you Who laughs when you’re stupid and who makes you laugh too. When you sit on the sofa, not hiding your flaws. As imperfectly perfect, as the hand that holds yours. When the fortune of kings, or purse of a beggar. Won’t change how it feels, just being together. When a cuddle and cuppa is all that you need…. Well then… you’ve found something quite special indeed. Wherever we go Whatever we do Whenever there’s me I hope that there’s you. I Belong in Your Arms Deborah Bridea I belong in your arms. Finally, I have found a place into which I fit perfectly, safely and securely with no doubts, no fears, no sadness, no tears. This place is filled with happiness and laughter, yet it is spacious enough to allow me the freedom to move around, to live my life and be myself. This wonderful place, which I never believed really existed, I have found finally. Inside your arms, inside your heart, inside your love. ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Guide ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Scripts ** Elopement Ceremony Guide ** Elopement Ceremony Scripts ** Parts of a Wedding Ceremony ** Vow Writing Guide ** Unplugged Ceremony ** Opening Prayers ** Welcoming ** Moment of Silence ** Declaration of Support ** About Love and Marriage ** Non-Religious Readings ** Christian Readings ** Secular I-do's! ** Christian I-do-s! ** Ring Meaning ** Ring Blessings ** Secular Ring Exchanges ** Christian Ring Exchanges ** Unity Ceremonies ** Secular Blessings ** Christian Blessings ** The-pronouncement-Secular ** The Pronouncement - Christian **
Diversity Statement 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 will be happy to honor your preferences. Any wedding ceremony script can be changed to reflect those personal preferences. 1 Corinthians: 13 NIV If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Based on 1 Corinthians: 13 GOD IS LOVE. May you have His kind of love for each other. LOVE IS PATIENT AND KIND. May you be able to lovingly overlook each other’s faults and weaknesses. LOVE IS NOT JEALOUS OR BOASTFUL. May you seek praise for each other and not for yourselves. LOVE IS NOT ARROGANT OR RUDE. May you give of yourselves for each other’s needs and treat one another with utmost respect. LOVE DOES NOT INSIST ON ITS OWN WAY. May you genuinely listen to each other with a willingness to be wrong yourselves. LOVE IS NOT IRRITABLE OR RESENTFUL. May you be tolerant of each other’s moods, always ready to forgive, never holding a grudge. LOVE DOES NOT REJOICE AT WRONG BUT REJOICES IN THE RIGHT. May you experience happiness because of each other’s triumphs and successes. LOVE BEARS ALL THINGS. May you seek to understand each other’s differences, knowing you will stick together through it all. LOVE HOPES ALL THINGS. May you always expect the best in each situation, regardless of temporary setbacks. LOVE ENDURES ALL THINGS. May you never give up your commitment to work on improving your relationship. LOVE NEVER ENDS. May you spend the rest of your lives together enjoying God’s love. GOD IS LOVE. Ecclesiastes 4: 7-12 NIV The Chord of 3 Strands Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil,yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless—a miserable business! Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ruth 1:16-17 But Ruth said, “Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God; where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if even death parts me from you. Song Of Solomon 2:10-13 My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. Song Of Solomon 8:6-7 Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly scorned. The Prayer of St. Francis Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. True Love Author, Unknown Love can always conquer Whatever discord brings and love can also cover a multitude of things. Don’t you underestimate what love can ever do, for love is God eternal and His love can renew. What is cold and lifeless, now lost all hope and died, for love can breathe new meaning and give it back new life. Please don’t give up on love when it seems that all is lost, for there is always hope if we’re prepared to pay the cost. For love is always worth it no matter how much the price, for love will be much stronger when we trust in Jesus Christ. So let God have full reign, let Him live within your heart then you will know true love, for this He will impart. Treat Yourselves and Each Other with Respect Treat yourselves and each other with respect, and remind yourselves often of what brought you together. Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness, and kindness that your connection deserves. When frustration, difficulties, and fear assail your relationship, as they threaten all relationships at one time or another, remember to focus on what is right between you, not only the part which seems wrong. In this way, you can ride out the storms when clouds hide the face of the sun in your lives... remembering that even if you lose sight of it for a moment, the sun is still there. And if each of you takes responsibility for the quality of your life together, it will be marked by abundance and delight. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Guide ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Scripts ** Elopement Ceremony Guide ** Elopement Ceremony Scripts ** Parts of a Wedding Ceremony ** Vow Writing Guide ** Unplugged Ceremony ** Opening Prayers ** Welcoming ** Moment of Silence ** Declaration of Support ** About Love and Marriage ** Non-Religious Readings ** Christian Readings ** Secular I-do's! ** Christian I-do-s! ** Ring Meaning ** Ring Blessings ** Secular Ring Exchanges ** Christian Ring Exchanges ** Unity Ceremonies ** Secular Blessings ** Christian Blessings ** The-pronouncement-Secular ** The Pronouncement - Christian **
Diversity Statement 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 will be happy to honor your preferences. Any wedding ceremony script can be changed to reflect those personal preferences. Declaration of Intent Option 1 Name, do you take Name, to be your Wife/Husband/Partner in Marriage To have and to hold, For better, for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others from this day forward, until death do you part?* *You can also end with: Forever and always. From now until the end of time. For all your days. To infinity and beyond! Declaration of Intent Option 2 Name, from this day onward, do you choose Name to be your Wife/Husband/Partner-in-Marriage, your best friend and your only love? To live together, play together and laugh together; To work by his/her/their side and dream in his/her/their arms; To fill his/her/their heart and feed her soul; To always seek out the best in his/her/their Always loving his/her/their with all your heart, until the end of your forever? If so, Say, “I do!” Declaration of Intent Option 3 Will you, Name, keep Name as your favorite person — to laugh with him/her/them, go on adventures with him/her/them, support him/her/them through life's tough moments, be proud of him/her/them, grow old with him/her/them and find new reasons to love him/her/them every day? Name: I will. Will you, Name, keep Name as your favorite person — to laugh with him/her/them, go on adventures with him/her/them, support him/her/them through life's tough moments, be proud of him/her/them, grow old with him/her/them and find new reasons to love him/her/them every day? Name: I will. Will you, both, be each other's partners from this day forward? Will you bring out the best in one another, share your happiest moments together, and love each other absolutely — for the rest of this lifetime and for whatever may come next? Both: We will. Declaration of Intent Option 4 Name, do you take Name, to be the Husband/wife/life-partner of your days, the companion of your heart and the friend of your life? To stand united in the face of adversity and bask together in the light of good fortune? With these words spoken, and all those as yet unspoken, do you wish to marry Name and join your lives together? Name: I do Declaration of Intent Option 5 Name and Name, by coming here today, you have reached a crossroads in your lives. You’re turning away from your yesterdays and looking ahead to your tomorrows. Your past is a distant memory. Your future awaiting adventure. It is a new dawn, a new commitment, a new life. The bonds you are forging today will change your lives forever. Do you, Name, promise to take Name to be your Husband/Wife/Partner-in-life? To play with him/her/them and care for him/her/them ; to make him/her/them laugh, and let him/her/them cry? To offer your best counsel and give your sincerest support with all the love you have to give? Name: I do Is it your choice that Name be the one with whom you wish to spend your life? Name: It is Declaration of Intent Option 6 I know that I am here today as the officiant of your wedding. However, that is really just to make it legal. What you are really doing today is making a public proclamation of your love. Here, in front of these witnesses who will hopefully stand by you. And, even beyond that, you are here to make these promises to each other. Take this moment to look into each other’s eyes - because it is nearly impossible to look into each other’s eyes and lie. But even more so, by looking into each other’s eyes you are looking into each other’s soul’s. That is where your love for each other truly flows from. Take this time to have your souls speak in their language as I speak these words... Name and Name? Do you choose to be husband/wife/partners in life? Do You promise to give the best of yourselves and to ask for no more than you can give? Do you promise to respect one another as your own person and to realize that your interests, needs and desires are no less important than the other’s? Do you promise to share your time and attention, and to bring joy, strength and imagination to your relationship? Do you promise to keep yourselves open to each other, to allow the other see through the windows of your world and into your innermost fears and feelings, secrets and dreams? Do you promise to grow along alongside each other, willing to face changes as you both change in order to keep your relationship alive and exciting? Do you promise to love one another in good times and in bad, with all you have to give, and all you feel inside, in the only way you know how ... completely and forever? Name, do you take Name to be your husband/wife/partner in life? Name, do you take Name to be your husband/wife/partner in life? Declaration of Intent Option 7 Name and Name, On this day do you affirm the love that the two of you share, looking to the future to deepen and strengthen it? Will you affirm that love in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph. Together will you dream and break bread? When you stumble will you restore one another? Will you share all things, serving one another and your fellow man? Will you cherish and respect, comfort and encourage one another? Be open with one another, and stay with one another as long as you both shall live, bound by your love? Name, do you choose Name to be your Husband/Wife/Partner-in-marriage, your friend, and your love? Name, do you choose Name to be your Husband/Wife/Partner-in-marriage, your friend, and your love? Declaration of Intent Option 8 Name, do you take Name to be your best friend, your faithful partner and one true love? Do you promise to encourage and inspire him/her/them and to love him/her/them truly through good times and bad? Will you be there forever? to laugh with him/her/them, to lift her up when him/her/them’s down and to love him/her/them unconditionally through all your adventures in life together? Declaration of Intent Option 9 Name and Name, do you, with your family and friends as your witnesses, present yourselves willingly and of your own accord to be joined in marriage? We do Will you promise to care for each other in the joys and sorrows of life, come what may, and to share the responsibility for growth and enrichment of your life together? We will Name, please repeat after me: I, Name, take you Name, to be my Husband/Wife/Partner-in-marriage I give to you in the presence of these witnesses My promise to stay by your side, In sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, As well as through the good times and the bad. I promise to love you without reservation, Comfort you in times of distress Encourage you to achieve all of your goals, Laugh with you and cry with you, Grow with you in mind and spirit Always be open and honest with you, And cherish you for as long as we both shall live Declaration of Intent Option 10 Do you, Name, promise to give Name, your deepest love, and your truest thoughts,As you create a home together that is a place of joy and comfort, being his/her/their faithful champion, partner, and best friend? Do you commit yourself to Name in Marriage? Declaration of Intent Option 11 Do you, Name, take, Name, to be your partner for life. Do you promise to walk by her/his/their side forever, and to love, help, and encourage her/him/them in all she/he/they(do) does? Do you promise to take time to talk with her/him/them, to listen to her/him/them, and to care for her/him/them? Will you share her/his/their laughter, and her/his/their tears, as her/his/their partner, lover, and best friend? Declaration of Intent Option 12 Name, will you keep Name as your partner, favorite person, and best friend for life - to live together, play together, and laugh together? To respect him/her/them, be proud of him/her/them, and find new reasons to love him/her/them every day? To always give him/her/them your unconditional love, unwavering support, and, above all else, the freedom to be himself/herself/themselves? To build with him/her/them a life that is full of love, laughter, happiness, commitment, respect, and growth? ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Guide ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Scripts ** Elopement Ceremony Guide ** Elopement Ceremony Scripts ** Parts of a Wedding Ceremony ** Vow Writing Guide ** Unplugged Ceremony ** Opening Prayers ** Welcoming ** Moment of Silence ** Declaration of Support ** About Love and Marriage ** Non-Religious Readings ** Christian Readings ** Secular I-do's! ** Christian I-do-s! ** Ring Meaning ** Ring Blessings ** Secular Ring Exchanges ** Christian Ring Exchanges ** Unity Ceremonies ** Secular Blessings ** Christian Blessings ** The-pronouncement-Secular ** The Pronouncement - Christian **
Christian Vow Option 1 Groom/Bride, will you have this woman/man to be your wedded wife/husband/spouse to live together after God's ordinance in the Holy Estate of matrimony? Will you love her/him/them? Comfort her/him/them, honor and keep her/him/them, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others keep thee only unto her/him/them as long as you both shall live? Please repeat after me: In the name of God, I, Name, take you, Name, to be my wife/husband/spouse, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow. Christian Vow Option 2 I, Name, take you, Name, to be my wife/husband/spouse, and these things I promise you: I will be faithful to you and honest with you; I will respect, trust, help, and care for you; I will share my life with you; I will forgive you as we have been forgiven; and I will try with you better to understand ourselves, the world, and God; through the best and worst of what is to come, and as long as we live. Christian Vow Option 3 In the presence of God and these our friends I, Name, take you, Name, to be my husband/wife/spouse, promising with Divine assistance to be unto thee a loving and faithful husband/wife/spouse so long as we both shall live. Christian Vow Option 4 Catholic Wedding Vows Name and Name, have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage? Will you honor each other as husband and wife for the rest of your lives? Will you accept children lovingly from God, and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church? You will respond with either "I will" or "yes," then continue onto the vows themselves: I, Name, take you, Name, to be my husband/wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Guide ** Formal Wedding Ceremony Scripts ** Elopement Ceremony Guide ** Elopement Ceremony Scripts ** Parts of a Wedding Ceremony ** Vow Writing Guide ** Unplugged Ceremony ** Opening Prayers ** Welcoming ** Moment of Silence ** Declaration of Support ** About Love and Marriage ** Non-Religious Readings ** Christian Readings ** Secular I-do's! ** Christian I-do-s! ** Ring Meaning ** Ring Blessings ** Secular Ring Exchanges ** Christian Ring Exchanges ** Unity Ceremonies ** Secular Blessings ** Christian Blessings ** The-pronouncement-Secular ** The Pronouncement - Christian **
The Marry Me In Indy! |