Customize Your Ceremony
Wanda Diehl, Ordained Officiant
INTRODUCTION / INVOCATION
Please select one introduction choice that best suits your style. You may use the next section to add/revise additional information that you may like included.
Introduction Choice:
Welcome and please be seated. Thank you all for making the commitment to be here today as_______________ and _______________ pledge their love for one another and make a truly wonderful commitment of their own. Life is made up of a series of commitments: work, friends, family, community, even to ourselves. But making this marriage commitment to the one you love can be the most fulfilling of one’s entire life. Yes, it is a commitment of time, resources and emotion to another, but marriage is the commitment you also make to yourself. You commit to bettering yourself each and every day working to be the best possible partner you can be for your beloved. And it’s not just a commitment to give love, but also to allow yourself to be open enough to receive it back. Many of us have experienced the seemingly counterintuitive feeling that giving feels a lot more rewarding than receiving. Your whole body, your mind, your heart is filled with content and joy when you give and see how positively it affects those who are receiving. A healthy,happy marriage consists of two partners who are whole heartedly ready and willing to give and receive just as ______________ and ______________ so obviously are. And so now is the time for _______________ and________________ to officially make their marriage commitment.
Welcome, everyone, friends and family who have traveled to be with ___________ and ____________ today; we thank you for being here to share this special day. You may be seated. Officiant (to congregation): ______________ and ___________________, love is the force that brings us all here today. In fact,love is the force behind much of what we do every day. Whether making a meal for our family, taking time to teach our children, or lending a listening ear to a friend – even in the mundane, commonplace routines, love is always the reason. We are all here to support ________________ and______________ on their first day as husband/wife/partner and husband/wife/partner. As you go into married life, remember the reason: the reason you get up each morning, get ready, do your best in the world, and look forward to coming home. Remember the reason you sacrifice, the reason you give, and the reason you laugh. The reason you are legally becoming a family. ___________, let ______________represent love. And _________, let ____________ represent love. This mutual love stays strong as long as you both invest in and cherish it. This love is alive: it is active, dynamic, and powerful. Cling toit during good times and bad. All marriages have ups and downs—if you will make a habit of returning to your“reason”, you will find the strength to choose each other in every moment, in every place, and at all times. A strong and lasting marriage is built on love, trust and respect. Officiant (to the couple): To truly love, you must both enter your life together with vulnerability. To truly trust, you must, in good faith, allow for freedom and autonomy. To truly respect, you must consciously treat your partner with reverence. ___________ and ______________, cherish one another. Never stop doing the small things that convey, respect and trust. Hold doors,write notes, listen and strive to understand. Let kindness and tenderness be the rule, not the exception. Remember that you’re both on the same team. Together you will fight demons,defeat enemies, build a life, and forge a bond that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Welcome, loved ones. We are gathered here today to join ____________ and _____________ in holy matrimony.
Welcome, everyone, friends and family who have traveled to be with ___________ and ____________ today; we thank you for being here to share this special day. You may be seated. We are gathered here today in the sight of God and these witnesses to join together _________ and ____________ in holy matrimony; which is an honorable estate,instituted of God, since the first man and the first woman walked on the earth.Therefore; it is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently and soberly. Into this holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. Therefore, if anyone can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.
Welcome, everyone, friends and family who have traveled to be with ___________ and ____________ today; we thank you for being here to share this special day. You maybe seated. Friends, we have been invited here today to share with __________ and ______________ a very important moment in their lives. In the time they have been together, their love and understanding of each other has grown and matured, and now they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife.
Please choose the best option on our behalf.
Introduction/Invocation: Please make any changes, additions, notes, revisions, etc., here:
DECLARATION OF INTENT
Declaration of Intent Choice:
Officiant (to ____________): Do you, _________ take ______________ to be your husband/wife/partner? To not only give love, support and understanding, but also to fully accept these things as well? __________: I do Officiant (to ______________): And do you, __________________ take _______________ to be your husband/wife/partner? To not only give love, support and understanding, but also to fully accept these things as well?
Officiant (to ____________): Now, ______________, do you, of your own free will, take_______________, as your lawful, wedded husband/wife/partner, to love, protect,and defend—as long as you both shall life? __________: I do Officiant (to ______________): Now, ______________, do you, of your own free will,take _______________, as your lawful, wedded husband/wife/partner, to love,protect, and defend—as long as you both shall life?
_____________, I promise to cherish you always, to honor and sustain you, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, and to be true to you in all things until death alone shall part us.____________, I promise to cherish you always, to honor and sustain you, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, and to be true to you in all things until death alone shall part us.
___________ and ____________, you have come together this day so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of this minister of His word and this community of family and friends and so, in the presence of this gathering, I ask you to state your intentions: Have you both come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage? If so, answer by saying 'I have' _____________ & ____________: 'I have.'
__________, do you take ____________ for your lawful wedded wife, to live in theholy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor, comfort, and cherish her from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto her for as long as you both shall live?Groom: 'I do'_____________, do you take _______________ for your lawful wedded husband, to live in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love, honor, comfort, and cherish him from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto him for as long as you both shall live? Bride: 'I do'
Please choose the best option on our behalf
Declaration of Intent: Please make any changes, additions, notes, revisions, etc., here:
VOW / RING EXCHANGE
Vow/Ring Exchange
Wedding rings are our emotions brought into the physical world. They are a symbol of everlasting love, as well as a symbol to show the world that you have been fortunate enough to enter into this marriage commitment.Each time you slip your ring on and off remember this day and how you feel now and let each and every day of your marriage be full of the same love and adoration for each other you experience now.And now the future couple will present each other with their rings as they repeat after me.Officiant (to ___________): _______________: Please accept this ring as a symbol of my love for you above all others. It’s my promise that wherever our journey takes us, I will be there for you whole heartedly, With this ring I thee wed.Officiant (to _____________): _______________: Please accept this ring as a symbol of my love for you above all others. It’s my promise that wherever our journey takes us, I will be there for you whole heartedly, With this ring I thee wed.
Officiant (to congregation): Officiant (to ___________): Do you ______________, vow to place __________ above all others, and stand true and unmovable in your support for him/her through good times and bad? _________: I will Officiant (to ___________): Do you ______________, vow to place __________ above all others, and stand true and unmovable in your support for him/her through good times and bad? _________: I will Officiant (to the couple): You may now exchange rings.
May I please have the rings?With this ring I, _____________, take you, ____________, to be no other than yourself. Loving what I know of you, and trusting what I do not yet know, I will respect your integrity and have faith in your abiding love for me,through all our years, and in all that life may bring us.With this ring I, _____________, take you, ____________, to be no other than yourself. Loving what I know of you, and trusting what I do not yet know, I will respect your integrity and have faith in your abiding love for me,through all our years, and in all that life may bring us.
______________ please take the ring you have selected for _____________. As you place it on her finger, repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed.___________, please take the ring you have selected for ___________. As you place it on his finger, repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed.
(Ask couple to turn and face each other)(Officiant: addressing the groom who repeats the marriage vows.)I __________ take______________ to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, and cherish, 'til death do us part.(Officiant: then to the bride who repeats the marriage vows.)_____________ take ________________thee to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, and cherish, 'til death do us part. The wedding ring is a symbol of eternity. It is an outward sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two hearts in endless love. And now as a token of your love and of your deep desire to be forever united in heart and soul.(Officiant then asks for the bride's ring.)May this ring be blessed so he who gives it and she who wears it may abide in peace, and continue in love until life's end.(Groom placing ring on bride’s finger.)With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment.Officiant then asks for the grooms ring. May this ring be blessed so that she who gives it and he who wears it may abide in peace, and continue in love until life's end.(Bride placing ring on groom's finger.)With this ring I thee wed. Wear it as a symbol of our love and commitment.
Please choose the best option on our behalf.
We would like to write our own vows. (Just our vows, use a default ring exchange)
We would like to write our own vows. (This will also include the ring exchange)
Vow / Ring Exchange: Please make any changes, additions, notes, revisions, etc., here:
PRONOUNCEMENT
Pronouncement Choice:
Officiant (to congregation): And so marriage is one of the most selfless and at the same time wonderfully selfish commitments one can make and I am overjoyed to now officially introduce Mr./Mrs. And Mr./Mrs. ________________. You my now enjoy your first official married kiss.
With these public promises and bows, and the symbolic exchange of wedding bands, I no pronounce you, by the power vested in me in the sate of ____________, husband/wife/partner and husband/wife/partner. You may now share your first married kiss.
By the power vested in me by the state of ________________, I now pronounce you husband/wife/partner and husband/wife/partner!
(The minister now joins their right hands together and says): Those whom God hasjoined together, let no man put asunder. In so much as __________ and___________ have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, having given and pledged their faith, each to the other, and having declared same by the giving and receiving of rings, I pronounce that you are husband and wife. I ask you now to seal the promises you have made with each other this day with a kiss. (The couple kisses.) Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. & Mrs. ________________!'
The true art of married life is in this inner spiritual journey. It is a mutual enrichment, a give and take between two personalities, a mingling of two endowments which diminishes neither, but enhances both. Inasmuch as you, ____________, and you ____________ , have consented together in the union of matrimony and you have pledged your faith each to the other in the presence of God, your family, and friends.By the authority vested in me by the State of_____________ I now pronounce you both husband and wife. You may kiss your Bride!
Please choose the best option on our behalf.
Pronouncement: Please make any changes, additions, notes, revisions, etc., here:
CLOSING STATEMENT
Closing Statement Choice:
Marriage is that wonderful commitment thatallows you to give of yourself fully and freely each and every day. For each new opportunity to make yourpartner feel loved and appreciated which in turn fills you with that specialfeeling of joy. When both partnerscommit to each other fully, marriage becomes a never-ending circle of love andsupport.
Family and friends please stand and congratulate Mr./Mrs. And Mr./Mrs. ________________.
No closing statement chosen as it is included in our pronouncement choice.
Please choose the best option on our behalf.
Closing Statement: Please make any changes, additions, notes, revisions, etc., here:
READING
Can be placed anywhere through the ceremony, or by default after the Introduction / Invocation.
Reading Choice(s):
A reading from the Apostle Paul, The first letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 13, verses 4 through 7: 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.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 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.
Genesis 2:18-24 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said,“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;she shall be called “˜woman,’for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
Song of Songs 8:6-7 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death,its jealousy unyielding as the grave.It burns like blazing fire,like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned.
Colossians 3:14-17 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
1 John 4:16-19 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.
Please choose one option on our behalf.
Please choose two options on our behalf.
We would like to use a different reading(s). The Chapter and verses will be written below.
Readings: If you choose to supply your own readings from the Bible or other places, please put that information below. Please make any changes, additions, notes, revisions, etc., here:
PRAYER
Prayers can be placed throughout the ceremony.
Prayer Choice(s):
Let us pray for this man and woman as they make their marriage vows. Father, as _________ and ____________ pledge themselves to each other, help them and bless them that their love may be pure, and their vows may be true. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
May Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior, always be at the center of the new lives you are now starting to build together, that you may know the ways of true love and kindness. May the Lord bless you both all the days of your lives and fill you with His joy. Amen.
Let us Pray: Dear God, thank you for this joyous day. Thank you for Your Light that has entered Bride and Groom's life. May all their future creations be blessed. God, bless them with the inner gifts of trust, compassion, forgiveness and truth that they may live and grow together in love and peace.
Please choose one prayer/blessing on our behalf.
Please choose two prayers on our behalf.
We would like to use a prayer/blessing not listed. We will supply that below.
Prayer: If you choose to supply your own prayers/blessings, please put that information below. Please make any changes, additions, notes, revisions, etc., here:
Name(s) That You Would Like To Be Referred To During The Ceremony:
For example: Joseph or "Joe", Amanda or "Mandy" Charles or "Chuck" or "Charlie", etc.
Name(s) on your contract with us:
Pronouncement Name(s): How would you like to be announced at the completion of your ceremony?
For example: (Mr./Mrs. & Mrs./Mr. LAST NAME ONLY) - (Mr./Mrs. & Mrs./Mr. BOTH FIRST NAME & MARRIED LAST NAME) - (Mr./Mrs. & Mrs./Mr. "GROOM FIRST NAME & MARRIED LAST NAME)
Email:
Please use the email on your contract.
Will there be a Unity Candle or Unity Sand, etc., during the ceremony?
Yes
No
Unsure / Still Deciding
Will there a reader / singer during the ceremony?
Yes, just one.
Yes, two.
Yes, more than two.
No.
Unsure / Still Deciding
If there will be readers and/or singers during your ceremony, please specify below the following: Name, Reading/Scripture, Song... so that they can be placed accordingly within your ceremony programming.
Please specify any additional "events" or parts you would like during your ceremony that may not have been covered here. This will help me have a better understanding as to how the ceremony will lay out, the length and be able to give you the best wedding ceremony.
My goal is to provide you with the best wedding ceremony you could imagine. We will work together to make this dream come true and have an amazing day!
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