Ceremony Options

My name is Pastor___________________ and it's my privilege to perform this ceremony today.

Who is it that gives this woman in marriage? 

We are gathered here today to join GROOM and BRIDE in Marriage. We gather here today to celebrate their union, and to honor their commitment to not just gaze at one another, but look outward together in the same direction.

Today GROOM and BRIDE proclaim their love to the world, and we rejoice with, and for them.

In marriage, we give ourselves freely and generously into the hands of the one we love, and in doing so, each of us receives the love and trust of the other as our most precious gift.

But even as two people share that gift, it also touches the friends and family members who in various ways support and contribute to the relationship. 

GROOM and BRIDE, we are here to remember and rejoice with you and to recount with one another that it is love that guides us on our path, and to celebrate as you take this journey together. It is in this spirit that you have come here today to exchange these vows.

(EXCHANGE OF VOWS) 

GROOM, please repeat after me:

I GROOM take you BRIDE to be my wife

I promise above all else to live in truth with you and to communicate fully and fearlessly 

I give you my hand and my heart as a sanctuary of warmth and peace and pledge my love, devotion, faith and honor as I join my life to yours.

BRIDE, please repeat after me:

I BRIDE take you GROOM to be my husband

I promise above all else to live in truth with you and to communicate fully and fearlessly I give you my hand and my heart as a sanctuary of warmth and peace and pledge my love, devotion, faith and honor as I join my life to yours.

(EXCHANGE OF RINGS) 

For thousands of years lovers have exchanged rings as a token of their vows. Your rings say that even in your uniqueness you have chosen to be bound together. Let these rings also be a sign that love has substance as well as soul, a present as well as a past, and that despite its occasional sorrows, love is a circle of happiness, wonder and delight. 

GROOM, please take BRIDE's ring and place it on her finger, and repeat after me: 

Just as this circle is without end, my love for you is eternal. Just as it is made of indestructible substance, my commitment to you will never fail.

With this ring I take you to be my trusted confidante and partner for life.

BRIDE, please take GROOM's ring and place it on his finger, and repeat after me:

Just as this circle is without end, my love for you is eternal. Just as it is made of indestructible substance, my commitment to you will never fail.

With this ring I take you to be my trusted confidante and partner for life.

(SIGNING OF MARRIAGE REGISTER AND MARRIAGE LICENSE) 

We will now take a moment to sign the license and register. 

(DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE AND THE KISS) 

GROOM and BRIDE, although I'm officiating here today, it is not truly in my power to sanctify, legitimize or bless your relationship in any way, because the two of you have already done that in your hearts.

So, by joining hands right now and looking into each other’s eyes let it be known that you are joined, body and soul in this lifetime, and that this bond is sacred and eternal. 

Now that you have stood before me and exchanged these rings and these vows, and have agreed to be married according to the beliefs of the Church and the laws of COUNTY/STATE, it gives me great pleasure to pronounce that you are Husband and Wife. GROOM, you may kiss your BRIDE.

(PRESENTATION OF THE COUPLE) 

I would like to introduce for the first time as Husband and Wife, GROOM and BRIDE.

(OPENING WORDS AND WELCOME) 

My name is Pastor _________ and it’s my privilege to perform this ceremony today. We are here to participate in a wedding. By this act we unite GROOM and BRIDE as husband and wife. What we do here today is done in conformity to the laws of the COUNTY/STATE and in the tradition of men and women of all places and times.

(BLESSING, READING OR PRAYER) (Optional) 

(STATEMENT OF INTENT) 

GROOM and BRIDE, you stand before me having requested that I marry you. Do you both do this of your own free will, with no pressure upon you from other persons? 

Groom & Bride answer: "We do." 

(MESSAGE) (Optional) 

(EXCHANGE OF VOWS)

GROOM, please repeat after me. 

I, GROOM, take you, BRIDE, to be my wife.

In this moment I promise before these witnesses to love you and care for you all of our days. 

I accept you with your faults and your strengths. I offer myself with my faults and strengths.

I promise to support you when you need support and to turn to you when I need support. 

I choose you as the one with whom I will spend my life.

BRIDE, please repeat after me. 

I, BRIDE, take you, GROOM, to be my husband.

In this moment I promise before these witnesses to love you and care for you all of our days.

I accept you with your faults and your strengths. I offer myself with my faults and strengths. 

I promise to support you when you need support and to turn to you when I need support.

I choose you as the one with whom I will spend my life.

(EXCHANGE OF RINGS) 

GROOM and BRIDE, you have shared your promises in our presence.

Do you have a token which you wish to exchange at a symbol of those promises? 

Couple replies "We do."

GROOM, will you give your token to BRIDE and repeat these words:

BRIDE, I give you this ring as a constant reminder of the promises we have exchanged today.

BRIDE, will you give your token to GROOM and repeat these words: 

GROOM, I give you this ring as a constant reminder of the promises we have exchanged today. 

(BLESSING, READING OR PRAYER) (Optional) 

(SIGNING OF MARRIAGE REGISTER AND MARRIAGE LICENSE) 

We will now take a moment to sign the license and register. 

(DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE AND THE KISS) 

GROOM and BRIDE you have given and received rings as well as exchanged your promises in my presence. By these acts you have agreed to be married according to the beliefs of the CHURCH/RELIGION and the laws of the COUNTY/STATE. It gives me great pleasure to pronounce that you are Husband and Wife.

GROOM, you may kiss your bride. 

(INTRODUCTION AND PRESENTATION OF THE COUPLE) 

Ladies and Gentleman, it is my pleasure to introduce as husband and wife, GROOM and BRIDE.

(OPENING WORDS AND WELCOME)

My name is Pastor ___________and it is my privilege to be invited here today to perform this ceremony.

We are gathered here today in the sight of GOD to witness the giving and receiving of Marriage Vows for BRIDE and GROOM.

(EXCHANGE OF VOWS)

Minister to BRIDE:

Do you BRIDE take this man GROOM to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good time and bad, for richer or poorer, keeping solely unto him for as long as you both shall live? 

BRIDE: I do 

Minister to GROOM: 

Do you GROOM take this woman BRIDE to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold in sickness and in health, in good time and bad, for richer or poorer, keeping solely unto her for as long as you both shall live? 

GROOM: I do 

(EXCHANGE OF RINGS) 

Minister to Couple: 

Do you have a token of your intention to honor your vows? 

Couple: 

Yes, rings Minister to Couple:

May I have the rings please? 

Minister to Couple: -

With these rings you share together, a love so close to last forever. On this special day, let nothing keep this love apart. 

GROOM to BRIDE: 

BRIDE, you are the one I wish to dream with, walk side by side with, hand in hand and heart to heart. With this ring I give you all my love. 

BRIDE to GROOM: 

GROOM, you are the one I wish to dream with, walk side by side with, hand in hand and heart to heart. With this ring I give you all my love.

(BLESSING, READING OR PRAYER) (Optional)

Dear God, today we are gathered with BRIDE and GROOM, giving to each, their vows in marriage. From this day forward may their lives be intertwined forever, blessed in faith, filled with compassion, understanding and especially love. And so it is. Amen. 

(SIGNING OF MARRIAGE REGISTER AND MARRIAGE LICENSE)

We will now take a moment to sign the license and register. 

(DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE AND THE KISS)

GROOM and BRIDE, in the sight of God, family and friends, I now pronounce you husband and wife. GROOM, you may kiss your BRIDE. 

(INTRODUCTION AND PRESENTATION OF THE COUPLE)

Ladies and Gentleman, it is now my pleasure to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. BRIDE AND GROOM LAST NAME.

This ceremony is perfect for elopements and very small weddings.

(GREETING AND WELCOMING WORDS) 

GROOM and BRIDE, you have come here to this beautiful place to make a commitment to one another. A commitment of love and friendship, and a commitment to share your life together as husband and wife. 

Today, the vows you will take are beautiful words representing even more beautiful intentions. But you will find as you live these vows over the years, investing your time and your love and your commitment to one another, the happy times of your life will be twice as joyous, because there will be someone to share those joys with.

Marriage is an expression of love and respect between two people, and trust and faith in the future. But the union of husband and wife is also an alliance against the challenges and difficulties of life. A promise that when life gets tough, it will only be half as bad, because there will be someone by your side to help carry the burden. And when life grants you happiness, it will be more joyous because you have someone to share it with. 

For those times when life presents all of us with challenges, I would like to offer you the serenity prayer to remember: Grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. 

(STATEMENT OF INTENT)

GROOM and BRIDE, you stand before me having requested that I marry you. Do you both do this of your own free will, with no pressure upon you from other persons? (We do) 

(EXCHANGE OF VOWS) 

The vows you will now take are a solemn pledge of love and affirm your love for one another as you join in marriage. Please face each other and join hands. 

GROOM/BRIDE, if it is your wish to be the wife/husband of BRIDE/GROOM, then please repeat after me:

I, GROOM/BRIDE, take you, GROOM/BRIDE, to be my husband/wife I promise to encourage and inspire you, 

To laugh with you and to comfort you in sad times.

I promise to love you when life seems easy and when it seems hard, 

When our love is simple, and when it is an effort.

I take you, with all your faults and your strengths,

As I offer myself to you with my faults and my strengths.

I will help you when you need help,

And will turn to you when I need help.

I choose you as the person with whom I will spend my life.

These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life. 

BRIDE and GROOM, may your love be based on freedom. For though your hands touch, it is your hearts that hold. Love is not a wall; it is a bridge. Love does not confine; it sets you free. It leads, as a pathway, winding, to places unknown and mysterious. With love to light the way, you can meet any challenge together. 

(EXCHANGE OF RINGS) 

GROOM and BRIDE, you have shared promises here in my presence. Do you have a token or symbol which you wish to exchange? (We do) 

Your rings are precious because you wear them with love. They symbolize your commitment in marriage. They remind you of who you are, where you've been and where you are going. As you wear them through time, they will reflect not only who you are as individuals, but also who you are as a couple.

GROOM/BRIDE, please give your ring to BRIDE/GROOM and repeat these words: 

GROOM/BRIDE, you are the love of my life.

And you are my very best friend.

This ring I give you, is a symbol of my love.

I pledge to share with you my heart, 

My life and my love, from this day forward.

(SIGNING OF MARRIAGE REGISTER AND MARRIAGE LICENSE)

(DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE AND THE KISS)

GROOM and BRIDE, you have expressed your commitment to one another, and exchanged rings so that you never forget where you have been and where you are going. By these acts you have become husband and wife. According to the laws of the State of_______ and the authority vested in me, I hereby pronounce that you are husband and wife. 

You may seal your promise with a kiss. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. GROOM and BRIDE!

If there are special requests or cultural traditions that you would like to add to the ceremony or if you have something special in mind that is different from what is listed, I will be happy to work with you.

This day is about the two of you and GOD. I want to help you make it memorable.