Traditional Ceremony
For this Joyous Occasion Traditional Ceremony:
The greeting:
Officiant:I address the couple & the guests:
We gather here today, in the presence of God, family and friends to join _____ and ___ in matrimony. We celebrate the coming together in love of this woman and this man. We remember that marriage is a time when growing love is made public,
when two people share mutual promises before God and before us. We join in our support of them as they offer themselves to each other. We celebrate their joy, their love and their expectations.
(****If you would like, this is a good place to add a special thank you to friends and family for sharing this happiest of days with you and a prayer or acknowledgment of loved ones no longer physically with us, but here in spirit. Perhaps you would like to add something personal about how you met etc.. Let me know & I will provide you with wording options***)
Invocation (this is the beginning prayer to “invoke” or ask god to be present and bless this service)
Officiant: Let us pray
God, for the joy of this occasion we thank you. For the meaning of this wedding day we thank you. For this important moment in an ever growing relationship we thank you. For your presence here and now and for your presence at all times, we thank you.
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 covenant which you are about to make with each other is meant to be a beautiful and sacred expression of your love for each other. As you pledge your vows to each other, and as you commit your lives to
each other, we ask that you do so in all seriousness, and yet with a deep sense of joy, with deep conviction that you are committing yourselves to a dynamic growing relationship of trust, mutual support and caring love.
Betrothal/Declaration of intent (this is when you declare your action or
intent to marry is a matter of free will)
Officiant:
To _____: _____, will you have ___ to be your wife, to live with her, respect her, and love her as God intends with the promise of faithfulness, tenderness, and helpfulness, as long as you both shall live?
_____Responds: I will
The greeting:
Officiant:I address the couple & the guests:
We gather here today, in the presence of God, family and friends to join _____ and ___ in matrimony. We celebrate the coming together in love of this woman and this man. We remember that marriage is a time when growing love is made public,
when two people share mutual promises before God and before us. We join in our support of them as they offer themselves to each other. We celebrate their joy, their love and their expectations.
(****If you would like, this is a good place to add a special thank you to friends and family for sharing this happiest of days with you and a prayer or acknowledgment of loved ones no longer physically with us, but here in spirit. Perhaps you would like to add something personal about how you met etc.. Let me know & I will provide you with wording options***)
Invocation (this is the beginning prayer to “invoke” or ask god to be present and bless this service)
Officiant: Let us pray
God, for the joy of this occasion we thank you. For the meaning of this wedding day we thank you. For this important moment in an ever growing relationship we thank you. For your presence here and now and for your presence at all times, we thank you.
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 covenant which you are about to make with each other is meant to be a beautiful and sacred expression of your love for each other. As you pledge your vows to each other, and as you commit your lives to
each other, we ask that you do so in all seriousness, and yet with a deep sense of joy, with deep conviction that you are committing yourselves to a dynamic growing relationship of trust, mutual support and caring love.
Betrothal/Declaration of intent (this is when you declare your action or
intent to marry is a matter of free will)
Officiant:
To _____: _____, will you have ___ to be your wife, to live with her, respect her, and love her as God intends with the promise of faithfulness, tenderness, and helpfulness, as long as you both shall live?
_____Responds: I will
Officiant:
To ___: ___, will you have _____ to be your husband, to live with him, respect him, and love him as God intends with the promise of faithfulness, tenderness, and helpfulness as long as you both shall live?
___ Responds: I will.
Vows:
Officiant: Now that you have declared your intentions, I invite you to share your vows with one another.
_____, 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.
Officiant: ___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.
To ___: ___, will you have _____ to be your husband, to live with him, respect him, and love him as God intends with the promise of faithfulness, tenderness, and helpfulness as long as you both shall live?
___ Responds: I will.
Vows:
Officiant: Now that you have declared your intentions, I invite you to share your vows with one another.
_____, 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.
Officiant: ___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 now have the rings”
Officiant: (Heavenly Father) Bless these rings. Grant that _____ and ___ may wear them
with deep faith in each other. May they always live together in peace, love and abiding joy. Amen
These rings have no beginning and no end. They set forth the eternal nature of real love. They will represent the love and trust
that _____ and ___ promise to each other this day.
To _____: _____ will you take this ring and place it upon ___’s finger,
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.
To ___: ___ will you take this ring and place it upon _____’s finger,
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.
(****If you would like, this is a good place to add a poem, or reading
by myself, or maybe a family member or friend. This is also a good place to
include an acknowledgment of children that you bring to the marriage, or even an
add on ceremony, such as a sand ceremony, unity candle, rose or wine ceremony.
Take a look at my collection of poems and readings on my website. I am happy to
provide you with additional wording options if you like, just let me know***)
Prayer: Prayer of blessing upon your new marriage
Officiant: Let us say a prayer of blessing upon this marriage
Most gracious God, thou hast kindled in these hearts the fire of a divine love. Wilt thou keep it aflame
upon the alter of their souls. Wilt thou make the inward aspirations of their hearts the outward reality of their home.
Wilt thou make that home a place of light and truth, a place of beauty, a place of joy and happiness all the days of
their lives. Amen.
Pronouncement:
Officiant: Inasmuch as you, _____, and you ___, have thus consented in holy matrimony and have witnessed the same before God, family and friends, by virtue of the authority vested in me as an Officiant and the laws of this state, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.
You may kiss the Bride!
Benediction- It brings ceremony to an end. It is another blessing.
Officiant:
May the courage of the early morning’s dawning, the strength of the eternal hills, the peace of the evening’s ending, and the love
of God be in your hearts now and forever. Amen.
It is with great honor I present to you Mr. and Mrs.__________
______________________________________________________
Officiant: May we now have the rings”
Officiant: (Heavenly Father) Bless these rings. Grant that _____ and ___ may wear them
with deep faith in each other. May they always live together in peace, love and abiding joy. Amen
These rings have no beginning and no end. They set forth the eternal nature of real love. They will represent the love and trust
that _____ and ___ promise to each other this day.
To _____: _____ will you take this ring and place it upon ___’s finger,
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.
To ___: ___ will you take this ring and place it upon _____’s finger,
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.
(****If you would like, this is a good place to add a poem, or reading
by myself, or maybe a family member or friend. This is also a good place to
include an acknowledgment of children that you bring to the marriage, or even an
add on ceremony, such as a sand ceremony, unity candle, rose or wine ceremony.
Take a look at my collection of poems and readings on my website. I am happy to
provide you with additional wording options if you like, just let me know***)
Prayer: Prayer of blessing upon your new marriage
Officiant: Let us say a prayer of blessing upon this marriage
Most gracious God, thou hast kindled in these hearts the fire of a divine love. Wilt thou keep it aflame
upon the alter of their souls. Wilt thou make the inward aspirations of their hearts the outward reality of their home.
Wilt thou make that home a place of light and truth, a place of beauty, a place of joy and happiness all the days of
their lives. Amen.
Pronouncement:
Officiant: Inasmuch as you, _____, and you ___, have thus consented in holy matrimony and have witnessed the same before God, family and friends, by virtue of the authority vested in me as an Officiant and the laws of this state, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.
You may kiss the Bride!
Benediction- It brings ceremony to an end. It is another blessing.
Officiant:
May the courage of the early morning’s dawning, the strength of the eternal hills, the peace of the evening’s ending, and the love
of God be in your hearts now and forever. Amen.
It is with great honor I present to you Mr. and Mrs.__________
______________________________________________________
