The Greeting
The first words spoken during your ceremony welcome your guests and set the tone for what will follow. A traditional greeting might begin: "We are gathered here in the presence of this company to join together Susan and Bob in the bonds of matrimony...".You might choose to include the story of how you met, a favoured poem or quotation, a wish to your friends and family, or a reading by a friend about love and friendship. Your Celebrant might centre your greeting around your philosophy of compatibility and marriage, saying something such as, "Susan and Bob feel that their lifelong mate should be strong and independent, loving, faithful, devoted, compassionate and most of all, a best friend."
Marriage Declaration
Remember that for all the following ceremonies a marriage declaration must be included
Your Vows
These are the promises that join you together emotionally and publicly and declare your intentions to love, trust and honour each other for ever.
In traditional Christian weddings the bride and groom promise "to have and to hold...for better or for worse...". To write your own vows, ask yourself: "What does marriage mean to me?", "Which promises are the most important to us"?
Consider ideas such as love, trust, honesty, compassion, friendship, forgiveness, fidelity, faith, honour and respect. You might write something such as, "I, Susan, take you Bob, to be my husband. I commit my life to you, embracing all joys and sorrows, all triumphs and hardships. I make this commitment in love, I keep it in faith, I live it in joy, eternally, forever more."
The Exchange of Rings
In traditional weddings each person places the ring on the other person's finger, saying, "With this ring I thee wed". You may, however, want to express what the ring means specifically to you as a couple. While placing the ring on your partner's finger, you might say, "This ring symbolises the unending union of my life with yours. Your dreams are now my dreams. Your hopes are my hopes. Your fears are my concerns. Your affection is my joy. Your love is my blessing."
Blessings and Readings
You can include one or more readings that capture your feelings about marriage. Blessings and readings can appear almost anywhere in the ceremony. They can be an effective way to involve family and friends; they don't have to be read by your Celebrant. You can use poems, your own thoughts.
The Pronouncement
This part of the ceremony declares to your guests that you are legally married. Often the Celebrant will say, "Because you, Susan and Bob, have consented together in this sacred commitment and have declared it before this company of family and friends, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may seal your vows with a kiss! These examples are too brief for an actual ceremony but they give the flavour of what can be done.
Wedding Ceremony of Allyson and David
On behalf of David and Allyson, welcome!
We are here to celebrate the marriage of two special friends. More than a ceremony, this is a significant moment of celebration and personal commitment. The essence of this commitment is the taking of another person in their entirety, as a companion and a friend. It is therefore a decision which is not entered into lightly, but with great consideration and respect. From this day forward you will come closer than ever before. You will promise to love one another in sickness and in health, for better and for worse, but at the same time your love for each other will give you the strength to stand apart to seek your unique destinies.
Please join hands.
David, will you take Allyson to be your wife? Will you commit your life to her, embracing all joys and sorrows, all triumphs and hardships. Will you be there for her when she needs your support. "I will"
Allyson, will you take David to be your husband? Will you commit your life to him, embracing all joys and sorrows, all triumphs and hardships. Will you be there for him when he needs your support. "I will"
Do you have rings to exchange?
These rings are an outward sign of the commitment you have come here to confirm and to celebrate. David, as you place the ring on Allyson's finger, please repeat after me:
With this ring I thee wed
I give you this ring
as a sign of my love and faithfulness.
May all that see
know that you
have been touched by my love.
Allyson, as you place the ring on David's finger, please repeat after me:
With this ring I thee wed
I give you this ring
as a sign of my love and faithfulness.
May all that see
know that you
have been touched by my love.
May you love deeply, laugh heartily, practice patience and smile often. May you dream together, grow, be crazy, give, give in, and trust enough to take. May you see many sunrises, listen to the rain, savour special moments and rediscover each other over and over. May you have health, happiness and a lifetime of rich adventure.
By the power vested in me by laws of Australia I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may seal your vows with a kiss!
Friends, I present to you David and Allyson as husband and wife!
Wedding Ceremony of Kelley and John
On behalf of Kelley and John I would like to thank family and friends for travelling the length and breadth of the land to be here on this day. Welcome.
We are gathered here to celebrate not only the union of two souls — for as many of you know, these two have been joined in spirit for longer than many marriages — but to celebrate this transcendence to a higher union, a union both secular and spiritual.
Today is quite appropriate for this celebration, for it is the Vernal Equinox, the time when night and day are in balance; but the darkness of winter will soon give way to the light of spring. For centuries, this day has heralded the arrival of the planting season, a time of growth, and of new life.
Kelley and John are beginning a new season in their life together. Thus far they have shared much — kindred tastes in books, music, and rum; a deep and abiding love not only for each other, but for demented humour and extremely spicy food. The rings they are about to exchange are symbols of their vows to continue to share and enjoy their life together, and to embrace the diversity that makes each of them unique.
John, do you take Kelley to be your wife, vowing to love, honour, support, and respect her?
Kelley, do you take John to be your husband, vowing to love, honour, support, and respect him?
(rings are exchanged)
The following comes from a benediction attributed to the Apaches:
Now you will feel no rain, for you will be shelter to each other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there is no more loneliness, for each of you will be companion to the other. Now you are two bodies, but there is only one life before you. May your days be good and long upon the earth!
I pronounce you husband and wife.
Wedding Ceremony of Linda and Michael
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in the bonds of holy matrimony. Hear the words of the apostle:
Love is very patient, very kind. Love knows no jealousy; love makes no parade, gives itself no airs, is never rude, never selfish, never irritated, never resentful, love is never glad when others go wrong. Love is gladdened by goodness, always slow to expose, always eager to believe the best, always hopeful, always patient. Love never disappears.
Do you, Michael, take this woman, Linda to be your lawful wedded wife, to love and to cherish, to have and to hold for better, for worse, for richer for poorer in sickness and in health, till death shall separate you? - "I do"
Do you Linda, take is this man, Michael to be your lawful wedded husband, to love and to cherish, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer for poorer in sickness and in health, till death shall separate you? "I do" Do you have rings to share ?
Michael as you place the ring on Linda's finger, please repeat after me - "With this ring I thee wed and offer a symbol of my everlasting love".
Linda as you place the ring on Michael's finger please repeat after me - "With this ring I thee wed and offer a symbol of my everlasting love".
The prophet said — Let there be spaces in your togetherness, and let the winds of the heavens dance between you love one another, but make not a bond of love let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another. Of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone even as the strings of a lute are alone through they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping for only the hand of life can contain your hearts. Stand together yet not too near together for the pillars of the temple stand apart and the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.
By the power vested in me by the laws of Australia, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may seal your vows with a kiss!
I present to you Michael and Linda as husband and wife!
Wedding Ceremony of Marie and David
To all the family and friends of Marie and David, we welcome you here today, to share with us, as Marie and David pledge the vows of marriage which unite them in matrimony.
Marriage is one of the most important obligations that any two people commit to in their lifetime. Marriage offers the greatest challenges to overcome, but in return, marriage gives us love, strength and support from one another.
It is the couple who persevere and demonstrate unrelenting patience and faith who obtain the highest form of happiness within their marriage. A good marriage is dependent upon many factors, but the first prerequisite is a strong bond of friendship and respect for one another.
Your love for each other will grow deeper with the passing of each day, but genuine liking for each other, the willingness to accept each others strong and weak points with understanding and respect is the foundation for a strong marriage.
Please join hands. The vows that you are about to exchange serve as a representation of the love you pledge to each other. For it is not the words which you will speak today which will bond you together as one, but it is the inner sense of love and commitment that each of you feels deep within your soul.
David, do you take Marie to be your wedded wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and respect her? Will you share all life has to offer, your hopes and dreams, your achievements and disappointments with her from this day forward? "I will"
Marie, do you take David to be your wedded husband? Will you love him, comfort him, honour and respect him? Will you share all life has to offer, your hopes and dreams, your achievements and disappointments with him from this day forward? "I will"
We are gathered here today in celebration of the marriage of Marie and David, we ask that their marriage be blessed with peace, love and prosperity in all things.
Do you have rings to exchange?
David, will you repeat after me: "With this ring, I thee wed, and offer a symbol of our everlasting love".
Marie, will you repeat after me: "With this ring, I thee wed, and offer a symbol of our everlasting love".
I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may seal your vows with a kiss!
I am pleased to present to you Marie and David as husband and wife !
Wedding Ceremony of Sheryl and Allan
Family and friends, Sheryl and Allan wish to welcome you to witness and share their joy today. You have shared and contributed to their lives in the past, and by witnessing their marriage ceremony today, Sheryl and Allan ask you to commit yourselves to their future.
Sheryl and Allan, marriage is not be entered into lightly but with certainty, with mutual respect, and with a sense of reverence which includes, humour and joy. On this day of your marriage you stand somewhat apart from all other human beings. You stand within the charmed circle of your love, and this is as it should be.
Love is not meant to be the possession of two people alone. Rather it should serve as a source of common energy, and give you strength to live your lives with courage. From this day forward you will come closer together than ever before, you will promise to love one another in sickness and in health, for better and for worse, but the same time your love will give you the strength to stand apart to seek your unique destinies.
Please join hands.
Allan, do you pledge to share your life openly with Sheryl, to speak the truth to her in love, to honour and tenderly care for her, to cherish, and encourage her growth and fulfilment through all the changes of your life? "I do".
Sheryl, do you pledge to share your life openly with Allan, to speak the truth to him in love, to honour and tenderly care for him, to cherish and encourage his growth and fulfilment through all the changes of your life? "I do".
Do you have rings to exchange?
Allan please repeat after me. "Sheryl, I give you this ring, as a part of me, to encircle not just your finger, but your whole being. I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness. In doing this, I take you as my wife".
Sheryl, please repeat after me. "Allan, I give you this ring as a part of me, to encircle not just your finger, but your whole being. I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness. In doing this, I take you as my husband".
May you love deeply, laugh heartily, practice patience, and smile often. May you dream together, grow, be crazy, give, give in, and trust enough to take. May you see many sunrises, listen to the rain, savour special moments. May you rediscover each other, listen carefully and always have open hearts.
You may seal your vows with a kiss! I am happy to be the first to present Sheryl and Allan as husband and wife!
Wedding Ceremony of Elizabeth and David
Today you are surrounded by your family, all of whom are gathered to witness your marriage and to share in the joy of this occasion, which should be one of the most memorable and happy days of your life.
You each bring to this marriage your own personality and spirit which is uniquely your own to form a union created by friendship, respect and love. Although marriage symbolises the intimate sharing of two lives, it should not diminish but enhance each individual's spirit. A lasting marriage should continually grow in understanding and respect. Consideration of each other's feelings and needs grows out of truly caring for the other. Because of this caring, it is possible to share the joys and successes as well as the sorrows and failures.
You must give of each other in love but not give yourself away. A good and balanced relationship is one in which neither person is overpowered or absorbed by the other. It is a union that is equal in strength and fragility which is born and reborn over the years.
As it is the custom on this occasion to and receive gifts, David and Elizabeth wish these gifts for each other:
-
Steadily deepening love which grows in mutual respect and unselfishness
-
A measure of patience as they learn about each other
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The ability to communicate that they may be saved from hurtful words spoken in anger or grudges nurtured in silence
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A sense of humour that they may laugh at themselves and with others
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The strength and courage as they face life's sorrows
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A sense of values to care more for people than possessions, for honour more than honours, and for a home rather than a house
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And a good memory that they may remember the path that led them to each other
As you know no minister, priest, or public official can marry you. Only you can marry each other by making a mutual commitment to each other. The vows you are about to exchange represent your pledge to each other. For it is not the words that bind you together as one, but it is the love and commitment each of you feel within your soul.
David, do you take Elizabeth to be your wedded wife? Will you love, comfort, honour and respect her? Will you share all life has to offer, your hopes and dreams, your achievements and disappointments with her from this day forward?
Elizabeth, do you take David to be your wedded husband? Will you love, comfort, honour, and respect him? Will you share all life has to offer, your hopes and dreams, your achievements and disappointments with him from this day forward?
The vows that have been exchanged are but words that are fleeting and the sound of them is soon gone. The wedding rings become an enduring symbol of the promises which have been made.
David, will you repeat after me: "With this ring I thee wed, as a symbol of my commitment to you".
Elizabeth, will you repeat after me: "With this ring I thee wed, as a symbol of my commitment to you".
I now pronounce you husband and wife. Live long and prosper! |
