Handfasting Ceremony Wording Example 2
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This is a ceremony I hdd the pleasure to perform that includes a handfasting and traditional vows. I have changed where the blessings go within the ceremony to fit the couples requests.
Keep in mind all ceremonies can be personalized and can reflect same sex ceremonies as well! You may use my
Build a Ceremony Menu to tailor and customize this ceremony to your liking. You may also want to add a reading or poem to be read by myself or a guests.
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Good afternoon It is my pleasure to welcome you to the wedding of ___ and _____! As we will begin shortly I would ask that those of you with cell phones to please silence them , and while it is ok for you to take photos please stay out of the aisle being careful not to block the professional photographer or other guests, Thank you
Processional-wedding party has entered, and is in place. Bridal music begins. Officiant asks guest to please stand for the bride. Bride is escorted by her father or special person. When bride and escort are at the steps leading up to the platform they stop and wait for the music to fade.
Officiant: Who has the honor of presenting this bride today?
Escort responds: I do or On behalf of all who love her I do.
Escort may give bride a hug/ kiss -groom steps to the bride and shakes escorts hand. Bride hands her bouquet to her maid of honor. If needed maid of honor fixes brides dress. Bride and groom stand facing each other and hold hands-they do not want to have their backs to the guest
The greeting:
Officiant: I address the couple & the guests:
We are honored and grateful to be present here today to witness the sacred vows of marriage between ___ and _____, who were brought together by love’s divine appointment and we rejoice with them as they take their first step in their new life together as husband and wife
On behalf of the bride and groom, I would like to express thanks and gratitude to you, and to all those very important persons involved in their lives that are not with us physically but remain with us spiritually in our hearts. For it is the love, strength, support, and encouragement of all these friends and family that has helped to carry ___ and _____ to this beautiful day. The love that is shared and expressed here today is inseparably joined to the love that has created and molded their unique lives.
Invocation (this is the beginning prayer to “invoke” or ask god to be present and bless this service)
Officiant:
Let us now pause to establish ourselves in the consciousness of the Gods and Goddesses (you may prefer Heavenly Father, Heavenly Host, Heavenly Spirt, the Devine..)
We acknowledge Thy Presence and Thy Power, Blessed Spirit. We give thanks that these two souls have been drawn together, and will be held together by devotion. We give thanks that through this mystical union, these two, now become one, will experience soul satisfaction and fulfillment, and that your blessings are upon them and that your love is expressing through them now and always.
Charge to ___ and _____ (the charge is addressed to the Bride and Groom. It is a preparation for the vows you are about to take)
Officiant:
_____ and ___, the estate of wedlock is a holy one, one not to be entered into lightly, but only under the guidance of Infinite wisdom and the inspiration of a sacred love.
You are entering into a relationship which is the expression of the uniting, harmonizing power of divine love. Marriage is the uniting of two souls already attuned to each other. When there is a true bond such as this, it is proper that public acknowledgement of it be made. We are here to bear witness that both will now become husband and wife, and we believe you are already one in spirit.
May that glory which rests on all who love, rest upon you, bless you, and fill you with happiness and a gracious spirit. May all that is noble and lovely and true abound in your hearts, and abide within you. May it give you strength in all your days together. May you accept life’s rewards and bear its burdens together for all time.
Betrothal/Declaration of intent (this is when you declare your action or intent to marry is a matter of free will)
Officiant:
To _____: _____, do you take ___ to be your wife, to live with her, respect her, and love her with the promise of faithfulness, tenderness, and helpfulness, as long as you both shall live?
_____ Responds: I do
Officiant:
To ___: ___, do you take _____ to be your husband, to live with him, respect him, and love him with the promise of faithfulness, tenderness, and helpfulness as long as you both shall live?
___ Responds: I do
Vows:
Officiant:
Now that you have declared your intentions, I invite you to share your vows with one another.
Officiant: _____, repeat to ___, after me, these words:
___, I have chosen you alone from all the world to be my wedded wife,
(_____ says) ___, I have chosen you alone from all the world to be my wedded wife,
To have and to hold from this day forward,
(_____ says) to have and to hold from this day forward,
For better, for worse,
(_____ says) for better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
(_____ says) for richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
(_____ says) in sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish 'til death do us part.
(_____ says) to love and to cherish 'til death do us part.
___, repeat to _____, after me, these words:
_____, I have chosen you alone from all the world to be my wedded Husband,
(___ says) _____, I have chosen you alone from all the world to be my wedded husband,
To have and to hold from this day forward,
(___ says) to have and to hold from this day forward,
For better, for worse,
(___ says) for better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
(___ says) for richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
(___ says) in sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish 'til death do us part.
(___ says) to love and to cherish 'til death do us part.
Exchange of rings:
Officiant: May we please have the rings At this point the best man will give the rings to the Officiant.
May these rings be blessed with; Air for hopes and dreams; Fire for the spark of love; Water for harmony and healing; And Earth for strength.
The circle is the symbol of the sun, earth, and universe. It is the symbol of peace. Let this ring be the symbol of unity and peace in which your two lives are joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever you go, return unto one another and to your togetherness
Officiant to _____: And now as a token of your love and of your deep desire to be forever united in heart and soul, you _____, may place a ring on the finger of your bride, and as you do, repeat to her, after me, these words:
I give you this ring,
(_____ says) I give you this ring,
As I give you myself,
(_____ says) as I give you myself,
With love and affection.
(_____ says) with love and affection.
Wear it in peace always
(_____ says) Wear it in peace always.
Officiant to ___: And now as a token of your love and of your deep desire to be forever united in heart and soul, you ___, may place a ring on the finger of your groom, and as you do, repeat to him, after me, these words:
I give you this ring,
(___ says) I give you this ring,
As I give you myself,
(___ says) as I give you myself,
With love and affection.
(___ says) with love and affection.
Wear it in peace always.
(___ says) Wear it in peace always.
By the exchange of these tokens of your love for one another, so are your lives interlaced. What one experiences, so shall the other; as honesty and love builds, so will your bond strengthen and grow.
Handfasting:
Officiant:
A handfasting ceremony is the eternal joining of two people in love. (Officiant will turn to the maid of honor and get the handfasting cord)
Now, I bid you look into one another's eyes and hearts. I ask you now to cross your hands over each other, and take one another's hands.
Officiant wraps the cord around the bride and grooms wrists, binding them together loosely and tying a knot.
_____ and ___, this cord symbolizes so much. It is your life, your love, and the eternal connection that the two of you have found with one another. May you be bound together by your love, now and forever.
In times past it was believed that the human soul shared characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief which assigned virtues to the cardinal directions; East, South, West and North. It is in this tradition that I offer this blessing:
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts from the east -- new beginnings that come each day with the rising sun, communication of the heart, mind, body and soul.
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts of the south -- the light of the heart, the heat of passion, and the warmth of a loving home.
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts of the west -- the rushing excitement of a raging river, the soft and pure cleansing of a rainstorm, and a commitment as deep as the ocean itself.
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts of the north -- a solid foundation on which to build your lives, abundance and growth of your home, and the stability to be found by holding one another at the end of the day.
___ and _____, these four simple blessings will help you on your journey that begins today. However, they are only tools. They are tools which you must use together to create the light, the strength, the infinite energy now and forever of a love you both so richly deserve.
Friends and family I ask you to please send all of your loving energy towards our newly handfasted couple so that they may begin their life together with all of your blessings and warm wishes.
May your lives be full and your hurts be few. May you draw forth, each from the other, the highest and the best. May you express poise, patience and understanding with each other. May your lives blend together in harmony and joy and may you days be good and long upon the earth. By the Winds that bring change, by the Fire of love, by the Seas of fortune and the strength of the Earth, do I bless this union.
Officiant will remove the cord while saying:
The ties of this handfasting are not formed by these cords, or even by the knots connecting them. They are formed instead by your vows, by your pledge, your souls, and your two hearts, now bound together as one.
Either of you may drop the chords, for as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union.
Pronouncement:
Officiant:
Your two hearts now beating as one, your two souls now deeply joined anew - walk forward together, forever hand in hand, May your marriage be a lifelong celebration of love! Now that the rituals are complete, you have made your promises, and exchanged your rings. May your lives together be filled with love and laughter. By the power vested in me as an Officiant and the laws of this state, I now pronounce you husband and wife!
You may kiss the Bride!
(The couple kiss- guests may clap/cheer, Officiant will prompt maid of honor to hand the bride her bouquet. Bride and groom will face their guests).
Officiant:
It is with great honor I present to you for the first time as husband and wife Mr. and Mrs. ______!
Keep in mind all ceremonies can be personalized and can reflect same sex ceremonies as well! You may use my
Build a Ceremony Menu to tailor and customize this ceremony to your liking. You may also want to add a reading or poem to be read by myself or a guests.
******************************************************************************************
Good afternoon It is my pleasure to welcome you to the wedding of ___ and _____! As we will begin shortly I would ask that those of you with cell phones to please silence them , and while it is ok for you to take photos please stay out of the aisle being careful not to block the professional photographer or other guests, Thank you
Processional-wedding party has entered, and is in place. Bridal music begins. Officiant asks guest to please stand for the bride. Bride is escorted by her father or special person. When bride and escort are at the steps leading up to the platform they stop and wait for the music to fade.
Officiant: Who has the honor of presenting this bride today?
Escort responds: I do or On behalf of all who love her I do.
Escort may give bride a hug/ kiss -groom steps to the bride and shakes escorts hand. Bride hands her bouquet to her maid of honor. If needed maid of honor fixes brides dress. Bride and groom stand facing each other and hold hands-they do not want to have their backs to the guest
The greeting:
Officiant: I address the couple & the guests:
We are honored and grateful to be present here today to witness the sacred vows of marriage between ___ and _____, who were brought together by love’s divine appointment and we rejoice with them as they take their first step in their new life together as husband and wife
On behalf of the bride and groom, I would like to express thanks and gratitude to you, and to all those very important persons involved in their lives that are not with us physically but remain with us spiritually in our hearts. For it is the love, strength, support, and encouragement of all these friends and family that has helped to carry ___ and _____ to this beautiful day. The love that is shared and expressed here today is inseparably joined to the love that has created and molded their unique lives.
Invocation (this is the beginning prayer to “invoke” or ask god to be present and bless this service)
Officiant:
Let us now pause to establish ourselves in the consciousness of the Gods and Goddesses (you may prefer Heavenly Father, Heavenly Host, Heavenly Spirt, the Devine..)
We acknowledge Thy Presence and Thy Power, Blessed Spirit. We give thanks that these two souls have been drawn together, and will be held together by devotion. We give thanks that through this mystical union, these two, now become one, will experience soul satisfaction and fulfillment, and that your blessings are upon them and that your love is expressing through them now and always.
Charge to ___ and _____ (the charge is addressed to the Bride and Groom. It is a preparation for the vows you are about to take)
Officiant:
_____ and ___, the estate of wedlock is a holy one, one not to be entered into lightly, but only under the guidance of Infinite wisdom and the inspiration of a sacred love.
You are entering into a relationship which is the expression of the uniting, harmonizing power of divine love. Marriage is the uniting of two souls already attuned to each other. When there is a true bond such as this, it is proper that public acknowledgement of it be made. We are here to bear witness that both will now become husband and wife, and we believe you are already one in spirit.
May that glory which rests on all who love, rest upon you, bless you, and fill you with happiness and a gracious spirit. May all that is noble and lovely and true abound in your hearts, and abide within you. May it give you strength in all your days together. May you accept life’s rewards and bear its burdens together for all time.
Betrothal/Declaration of intent (this is when you declare your action or intent to marry is a matter of free will)
Officiant:
To _____: _____, do you take ___ to be your wife, to live with her, respect her, and love her with the promise of faithfulness, tenderness, and helpfulness, as long as you both shall live?
_____ Responds: I do
Officiant:
To ___: ___, do you take _____ to be your husband, to live with him, respect him, and love him with the promise of faithfulness, tenderness, and helpfulness as long as you both shall live?
___ Responds: I do
Vows:
Officiant:
Now that you have declared your intentions, I invite you to share your vows with one another.
Officiant: _____, repeat to ___, after me, these words:
___, I have chosen you alone from all the world to be my wedded wife,
(_____ says) ___, I have chosen you alone from all the world to be my wedded wife,
To have and to hold from this day forward,
(_____ says) to have and to hold from this day forward,
For better, for worse,
(_____ says) for better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
(_____ says) for richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
(_____ says) in sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish 'til death do us part.
(_____ says) to love and to cherish 'til death do us part.
___, repeat to _____, after me, these words:
_____, I have chosen you alone from all the world to be my wedded Husband,
(___ says) _____, I have chosen you alone from all the world to be my wedded husband,
To have and to hold from this day forward,
(___ says) to have and to hold from this day forward,
For better, for worse,
(___ says) for better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
(___ says) for richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
(___ says) in sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish 'til death do us part.
(___ says) to love and to cherish 'til death do us part.
Exchange of rings:
Officiant: May we please have the rings At this point the best man will give the rings to the Officiant.
May these rings be blessed with; Air for hopes and dreams; Fire for the spark of love; Water for harmony and healing; And Earth for strength.
The circle is the symbol of the sun, earth, and universe. It is the symbol of peace. Let this ring be the symbol of unity and peace in which your two lives are joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever you go, return unto one another and to your togetherness
Officiant to _____: And now as a token of your love and of your deep desire to be forever united in heart and soul, you _____, may place a ring on the finger of your bride, and as you do, repeat to her, after me, these words:
I give you this ring,
(_____ says) I give you this ring,
As I give you myself,
(_____ says) as I give you myself,
With love and affection.
(_____ says) with love and affection.
Wear it in peace always
(_____ says) Wear it in peace always.
Officiant to ___: And now as a token of your love and of your deep desire to be forever united in heart and soul, you ___, may place a ring on the finger of your groom, and as you do, repeat to him, after me, these words:
I give you this ring,
(___ says) I give you this ring,
As I give you myself,
(___ says) as I give you myself,
With love and affection.
(___ says) with love and affection.
Wear it in peace always.
(___ says) Wear it in peace always.
By the exchange of these tokens of your love for one another, so are your lives interlaced. What one experiences, so shall the other; as honesty and love builds, so will your bond strengthen and grow.
Handfasting:
Officiant:
A handfasting ceremony is the eternal joining of two people in love. (Officiant will turn to the maid of honor and get the handfasting cord)
Now, I bid you look into one another's eyes and hearts. I ask you now to cross your hands over each other, and take one another's hands.
Officiant wraps the cord around the bride and grooms wrists, binding them together loosely and tying a knot.
_____ and ___, this cord symbolizes so much. It is your life, your love, and the eternal connection that the two of you have found with one another. May you be bound together by your love, now and forever.
In times past it was believed that the human soul shared characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief which assigned virtues to the cardinal directions; East, South, West and North. It is in this tradition that I offer this blessing:
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts from the east -- new beginnings that come each day with the rising sun, communication of the heart, mind, body and soul.
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts of the south -- the light of the heart, the heat of passion, and the warmth of a loving home.
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts of the west -- the rushing excitement of a raging river, the soft and pure cleansing of a rainstorm, and a commitment as deep as the ocean itself.
Blessed be this marriage with the gifts of the north -- a solid foundation on which to build your lives, abundance and growth of your home, and the stability to be found by holding one another at the end of the day.
___ and _____, these four simple blessings will help you on your journey that begins today. However, they are only tools. They are tools which you must use together to create the light, the strength, the infinite energy now and forever of a love you both so richly deserve.
Friends and family I ask you to please send all of your loving energy towards our newly handfasted couple so that they may begin their life together with all of your blessings and warm wishes.
May your lives be full and your hurts be few. May you draw forth, each from the other, the highest and the best. May you express poise, patience and understanding with each other. May your lives blend together in harmony and joy and may you days be good and long upon the earth. By the Winds that bring change, by the Fire of love, by the Seas of fortune and the strength of the Earth, do I bless this union.
Officiant will remove the cord while saying:
The ties of this handfasting are not formed by these cords, or even by the knots connecting them. They are formed instead by your vows, by your pledge, your souls, and your two hearts, now bound together as one.
Either of you may drop the chords, for as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union.
Pronouncement:
Officiant:
Your two hearts now beating as one, your two souls now deeply joined anew - walk forward together, forever hand in hand, May your marriage be a lifelong celebration of love! Now that the rituals are complete, you have made your promises, and exchanged your rings. May your lives together be filled with love and laughter. By the power vested in me as an Officiant and the laws of this state, I now pronounce you husband and wife!
You may kiss the Bride!
(The couple kiss- guests may clap/cheer, Officiant will prompt maid of honor to hand the bride her bouquet. Bride and groom will face their guests).
Officiant:
It is with great honor I present to you for the first time as husband and wife Mr. and Mrs. ______!
