The Recessional Order

July 31, 2008

The following is a typical order to a wedding Recessional. It can certainly be modified based on your particular situation.

Bride and Groom exit
Flower girl & Ring bearer exit
Maid of Honor & Best Man exit
Bridesmaids (each accompanied by an usher) exit
Bride’s parents exit
Groom’s parents exit
Bride’s grandparents exit
Groom’s grandparents exit
Wedding guests exit

Posted by Eric Schwartz | Filed Under Ceremony Samples

The Processional Order

July 31, 2008

The following is a typical order to a wedding Processional. It can certainly be modified based on your particular situation.

The groom, best man and Officiant enter by using a side door. (They all stand facing the guests)
An usher escorts the grandmother(s)of the bride to their seats.
An usher escorts the grandmother(s)of the groom to their seats.
An usher escorts the mother of the groom to her seat.
An usher escorts the mother of the bride to her seat.
The ushers walk down the aisle (or escort the bridesmaids) and stand next the groom and best man and then face the guests.
The bridesmaids walk down the aisle.
The maid of honor walks down the aisle.
The ring bearer walks down the aisle.
The flower girl walks down the aisle. (Many times the flower girl and ring bearer will walk together)
The father of the bride escorts the bride down aisle.

Posted by Eric Schwartz | Filed Under Ceremony Samples

Rose Ceremony

July 29, 2008

Rose Ceremony 1

Your gift to each other for your wedding today has been your wedding rings – which shall always be an outward demonstration of your vows of love and respect; and a public showing of your commitment to each other.

You now have what remains the most honorable title which may exist between a man and a woman – the title of “husband” and “wife.”

In the past, the rose was considered a symbol of love and a single rose always meant only one thing – it meant the words “I love you.”

So it is appropriate that for your first gift – as husband and wife – that gift would be a single rose.

Please exchange your first gift as husband and wife. (couple exchanges roses)

In some ways it seems like you have not done anything at all. Just a moment ago you were holding one small rose – and now you are holding one small rose. In some ways, a marriage ceremony is like this. In some ways, tomorrow is going to seem no different than yesterday. But in fact today, just now, you both have given and received one of the most valuable and precious gifts of life – one I hope you always remember – the gift of true and abiding love within the devotion of marriage.

Bride and Groom, I would ask that where ever you make your home in the future – whether it be a large and elegant home – or a small and graceful one – that you both pick one very special location for roses; so that on each anniversary of this truly wonderful occasion you both may take a rose to that spot both as a recommitment to your marriage – and a recommitment that THIS will be a marriage based upon love.

In every marriage there are times where it is difficult to find the right words. It is easiest to hurt those who we most love. It is easiest to be hurt by those who we most love. It might be difficult some time to be able to express the words “I am sorry” or “I forgive you” or “I need you” or “I am hurting”. If this should happen, if you simply can not find these words, leave a rose at that spot which both of you have selected – for that rose than says what matters most of all and should overpower all other things and all other words.

That rose says the words: “I still love you.” The other should accept this rose for the words which cannot be found, and remember the love and hope that you both share today.

Bride and Groom, if there is anything you remember of this marriage ceremony, it is that it was love that brought you here today, it is only love which can make it a glorious union, and it is by love which your marriage shall endure.

Rose Ceremony 2

GROOM (handing BRIDE a long-stemmed white rose):
Accept this rose as a symbol of my love.
Like our love, it has blossomed from a tiny bud to a breathtaking thing of beauty.

BRIDE (placing the rose into a vase filled with water):
I accept this rose, symbolic of your love, placing it into water, a symbol of life.
Without water, this rose will wither and die. Without you, I will do the same.

GROOM: Once a year I will give you another beautiful white rose, to affirm our love and the vows spoken here today.”

BRIDE: And once a year I will refill this vase with water, to receive the symbol of our love, and to affirm the vows spoken here today.

Rose Ceremony 3

There are two kinds of family — the family you are born into and the family you choose through friendship and special relationship. BRIDE and GROOM are blessed with both these families.

This ceremony seeks to honor the continuity as well as the growth and possibilities of these relationships. In honor of the love they feel towards the loving people in their lives, they invite some of these special individuals to place a flower in this vase to create a garden of love for us all.

As each of them places their flower in a single vase, it will create a new and fuller garden. Each flower represents an individual, the floral arrangement the interrelationship of these family members and friends. May your relationships continue to grow and blossom.

Rose Ceremony 4

BRIDE and GROOM, today you have exchanged your gifts of wedding rings — an outward expression of your undying love and a public showing of your commitment to each other. You are also going to receive another gift from each other.

Roses have always been a symbol of love, and a single red rose always says, “I love you.” So it is appropriate that your next gift to each other on your wedding day, be a single red rose. (Bride and Groom exchange roses)

In some ways it seems that you have not done anything at all. A moment ago you held one small rose, and now you are holding another. A marriage ceremony is like this.

In some ways tomorrow is going to seem no different than yesterday. But in fact, just now, you have both given and received one of the most valuable and precious gifts of life — one I hope you always remember. You have exchanged the gift of true and abiding love within the devotion of marriage.

BRIDE and GROOM, I would ask that where ever you make your home in the future, whether it be a large and grand home or a small and graceful one, that you both pick one very special location for roses.

In every marriage there are times where it is difficult to find the right words to say what’s in your heart. It might be hard sometimes to say “I’m sorry”, “I forgive you”; “I need you” or “I am hurting.” If this should happen and you just cannot find these words, leave your spouse a rose in that special spot.

That rose says the words; “I still love you.” The other can accept this rose for the words that cannot be found, and remember that it was love that brought you here today, it is only love which can make it a glorious union, and it is by love which your marriage shall endure.

(Couple can carry the roses out with them as they leave)

Rose Ceremony 5

It is now my privilege to be the first to address you as husband and wife. In the language of flowers, a red rose is the symbol of love. Will you please exchange your roses? In this exchange, you have given to each other your first gift as husband and wife. And it would be our hope that where you may make your home, there will be a specially appointed place in it for red roses. And on each anniversary of today you celebrate it, at least in part, by each of you bringing a rose to the appointed place, understanding that this rose is a restatement of love, and as an acknowledgement of the vows you have made.

In every marriage it is occasionally difficult to find words to resolve certain issues which may arise. If and when such issues might come to your marriage, if either of you will remember and bring to the appointed place a red rose, the other will see it and understand it as a statement of love and accept it, because love is the gateway to all answers.

Corinthians: “Love is patient, love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude; never selfish, and not quick to take offense. Love keeps no score of wrongs; it does not gloat over the other’s mistakes, but delights in the truth. There is nothing love cannot face; there is no limit to its faith, hope and its endurance. In a word, there are three great things that last forever: Faith, hope and love… and the greatest of these is love.”

Rose Ceremony 6

In the elegant language of flowers red roses are a symbol of love, the giving of a single red rose is a clear and unmistakable way of saying the words, “I love you.” For this reason it is fitting that the first gift you exchange as husband and wife would be the gift of a single red rose. Please exchange your first gift as husband and wife.

You both have given and received one of the most valuable and precious gifts of life – one I hope you always remember – the gift of true and abiding love within the devotion of marriage. BRIDE and GROOM, I would ask that wherever you may make your home, that you choose a special location.

And at those times when words fail, that you leave a red rose at that spot you have both selected – a rose that will say what matters more than al other words… “I still love you”; The other should accept this rose for the words that cannot be found, and remember the love and hope that you both have shared today.

Rose Ceremony 7

Mothers plant so their children may harvest. Mothers cry when their children hurt. Mothers welcome pain and burden to give their sons and daughters the gift of life.

BRIDE and GROOM will now present their mothers with flowers, as symbols of eternal gratitude for their unconditional love, their unyielding strengths in times of hardship, and for all the selfless sacrifices they have made for their children.

Parents Rose Ceremony 8

Marriage is a coming together of two lives, and a celebration of the love of two people. But it is more. The love that you feel for one another is the flowering of a seed your mothers planted in your hearts many years ago. When you were first born, you were a bundle of diapers and tears, and your mothers lost sleep caring for you. Their love for you has brought them great happiness and great challenges, and their love did not diminish as they met these challenges. That is the great lesson you can bring into your marriage.

As you embrace one another in your love, so too do you embrace the families that have been brought together on this happy occasion. As a token of your gratitude for your families, I would like to ask you to offer these symbols of eternal love, these roses, to your mothers. (Both BRIDE and GROOM can hand the roses to each mother together, offering the mothers kisses if they wish.)

Parents Rose Ceremony 9

Marriage is the celebration of coming together of two lives and it is a celebration of two people in love.

The love that Groom and Bride feel for one another is a seed that their parents planted in their hearts years ago and today it has blossomed.

Today, as they embrace each other in their love, they also embrace the families, which have come together on this happy occasion.

As a sign of their love for their families, BRIDE and GROOM would like to offer these roses, to their mothers as symbols of their eternal love.

These Roses are a promise that no matter how far away you are that you are not forgotten and that you are always in their hearts.

Parents Rose Ceremony 10

Posted by Eric Schwartz | Filed Under Ceremony Samples

Those With Us In Spirit

July 29, 2008

Those With Us In Spirit 1

At this time, we’d like to take a moment of silence to remember those who are not here with us.

Even though they are not here physically, they are a part of the foundation that makes BRIDE and GROOM the people they are today.

May we always remember (names of those who passed).

Please cherish the memories of these friends and family and all others who live on in our hearts.

Amen.

Those With Us In Spirit 2

We would like to take a moment to recognize those that could not be here today. While they may not physically be with us, BRIDE and GROOM feel their love and support.

Those With Us In Spirit 3

We now close our eyes and bring to mind any loved ones who could not be here today. Though they are absent physically, we invoke, through our thought and prayers, their loving presence. We pray that God might multiply beyond measure the blessings from these loved ones to this loving couple, and any children who might one day be a part of this union. Now, from our hearts, we ourselves visualize and sanctify all the blessings we would bestow on Bride and Groom in their lives as a couple and a family. And in our sincere desire to bless, we in turn, are blessed also. Blessed Be.

Posted by Eric Schwartz | Filed Under Ceremony Samples

Presentation of Couple

July 29, 2008

Presentation of Couple 1

(Couple taking same last name)

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is now my pleasure to present for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. GROOM LAST NAME.

Presentation of Couple 2

(Couple taking same last name)

Ladies and Gentlemen, family and friends, it is my pleasure to present, for the first time anywhere, Mr. And Mrs. _______________ and _____________ ________________!

Presentation of Couple 3

(Couple taking same last name)

And now, to all the friends and family who have come to celebrate this marriage, I would like to present, for the first time anywhere, Mr. & Mrs. ____________.

Presentation of Couple 4

(Couple each keeping their own last name)

Ladies and Gentleman, for those of you who have come to witness this union, it is my pleasure to present the newly united couple, _________ and __________!

Presentation of Couple 5

(Couple each keeping their own last name)

And Now, to all the friends and family who have come to celebrate this union, I take great pleasure in presenting, for the first time anywhere, the united couple ______ & ______.

Posted by Eric Schwartz | Filed Under Ceremony Samples

Pronouncement of Marriage

July 29, 2008

Pronouncement of Marriage 1

Throughout this ceremony, BRIDE and GROOM have vowed, in our presence, to be loyal and loving towards each other. They have formalized the existence of the bond between them with words spoken and with the giving and receiving of rings.

Therefore, it is my pleasure to now pronounce them husband and wife.

You may now kiss your bride!

Pronouncement of Marriage 2

BRIDE and GROOM, you have expressed your love to one another through the commitment and promises you have just made. It is with these in mind that I pronounce you husband and wife.

You have kissed a thousand times, maybe more. But today the feeling is new. No longer simply partners and best friends, you have become husband and wife and can now seal the agreement with a kiss. Today, your kiss is a promise.

You may kiss the bride.

Pronouncement of Marriage 3

BRIDE and GROOM, through their words today, have joined together in holy wedlock.

Because they have exchanged their vows before God and these witnesses, have pledged their commitment each to the other, and have declared the same by joining hands and by exchanging rings, I now pronounce (in Jesus’ name) that they are husband and wife (together, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit).

Those whom God hath joined together, let no one put asunder.

You may now kiss the bride!

Pronouncement of Marriage 4

BRIDE and GROOM, you have heard the words about love and marriage, have exchanged your vows and made your promises, and celebrated your union with the giving and receiving of rings.

It is at this time that I now pronounce you husband and wife.

You may now kiss the bride!

Pronouncement of Marriage 5

May the blessings of life, the joy of love, the peace of truth, and the wisdom and strength of Spirit, be your constant companion, now and always, as husband and wife.

You may seal this union with a kiss.

Pronouncement of Marriage 6

They have vowed, in our presence, to be loyal and loving towards each other. They have formalized the bond between them with spoken vows and with the giving and receiving of rings.

Therefore, it is my pleasure to now pronounce them husband and wife.

You may now kiss one another.

Pronouncement of Marriage 7

You have each betrothed yourself to the other in love and compassion, righteousness and truth. (In the spirit of Jewish tradition), you have taken upon yourselves the responsibilities of a deep and loving friendship.

In the presence of these witnesses and in keeping with tradition, you have spoken the words and preformed rites that unite your lives.

BRIDE and GROOM you are now husband and wife in the sight of God, and of all people.

I ask you and all who are gathered here to pray in silence, seeking God’s blessings upon your marriage and home.

(Silent Prayer.)

Pronouncement of Marriage 8

Today, BRIDE and GROOM honored you with their invitation to be present with them today for this ceremony.

And so, this day, they declare before all of us that they shall live together in marriage.

In the traditional way, they entered into their marriage with the joining of hands, the making of vows and promises, and the giving and receiving of rings, an outward symbol of their voluntary commitment to one another.

Therefore, it is my pleasure, that I now pronounce them husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride!

Pronouncement of Marriage 9

BRIDE and GROOM, you have each chosen to be joined in marriage today. The bible states that “two are better than one; they receive a good reward for their toil, because, if one fails, the other can help the companion up again.”

In my presence and in the presence of your family and friends, you have exchanged vows and made promises. You have opened your hearts to one another, declared your love and friendship, and have united yourself with the exchanging of rings.

Therefore, with the blessings of the Supreme Being (God), it is my pleasure to now pronounce you husband and wife (married).

You may now kiss the bride!

Pronouncement of Marriage 10

Because you two came here today intending to marry, because you joined hands and made solemn vows and exchanged rings to remind you of those vows, and you are now joined as partners in mutual love and respect, according to the powers vested in me and the highest power of the land and the sea;

I pronounce that your wedding vows are sealed and you may henceforth be known to all as husband and wife.

You may now kiss your bride.

Pronouncement of Marriage 11

Now before the people who have assembled here tonight, and in as much as you have each pledged to the other your lifelong commitment, love and devotion, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

Those who all The Powers of the Universe have joined together, let no one put asunder.

You may now kiss each other to seal these promises.

Pronouncement of Marriage 12

Now that you both have committed yourselves to one another and to your Holy Union through the sacred vows that you have taken and by the giving and receiving of these rings, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

Those whom God has joined together may He generously bless Forever.

You may now kiss the bride.

Pronouncement of Marriage 13

Bride and Groom, in the presence of God, your family and friends today, you have spoken the words and performed the rites which unite your lives. It is my legal right as a minister and my greatest joy and privilege to declare you husband and wife.

You may now kiss the Bride.

Pronouncement of Marriage 14

Forasmuch as you, Bride and you, Groom, have openly declared your wishes to be united in marriage, and in the presence of these witnesses have pledged love to each other, and have confirmed the same by joining hands, exchanging rings and declaring your vows, I as a minister and legally authorized to do pronounce that you are now husband and wife.

You may now kiss the Bride.

Pronouncement of Marriage 16

By the authority vested in me by the State of California, I pronounce you to each other, husband and wife.

Pronouncement of Marriage 17

I now pronounce _____ and _____ husband and wife.

Pronouncement of Marriage 18

______ and _____, you have expressed your love to one another through the commitment and promises you have just made. It is with these in mind that I pronounce you husband and wife.

Pronouncement of Marriage 19

Since you have consented to join together in the bond of matrimony, and have pledged yourselves to each other in the presence of these loving friends, I now pronounce you partners in marriage.

Pronouncement of Marriage 20

In the presence of this good company,
By the power of your love,
Because you have exchanged vows of commmitment,
We recognize you as married.

Pronouncement of Marriage 21

With the sense of incomparable joy that you have found emotional sanctuary for your heart, that you have discovered your life’s true love, I now pronounce you married.

Pronouncement of Marriage 22

Now that ____, have given themselves to each other by solemn vows, with the joining of hands and the giving and receiving of rings, I pronounce that they are husband and wife, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Pronouncement of Marriage 23

Inasmuch as ____, and ____, have consented together in marriage before this company; have pledged their faith and declared their unity by each giving and receiving a ring – and are now joined in mutual esteem and devotion; I pronounce that they are husband and wife together.

Pronouncement of Marriage 24

Forasmuch as ____ and ____ have consented together in holy matrimony, and have pledged their love and loyalty to each other, and have declared the same by the joining and the giving of rings, by the power vested in me, and as witnessed by friends and family, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

Pronouncement of Marriage 25

____ and _____, bear witness to the love of God in this world, so that those to whom love is a stranger will find in you good and generous friends. By the power vested in me by God and man, I pronounce you wife and husband. What god has joined together, let no man put asunder.

Pronouncement of Marriage 26

_____ and _____, by their solemn promises, freely made before God and in the presence of this assembly, have joined themselves to one another for love and for life. Those whom God has joined together, let no one separate. Amen.

Re-Pronouncement of Marriage 27

BRIDE and GROOM, today you celebrate ____ years since you first joined in marriage.

You have expressed your love for one another and desire to continue your journey of wedded bliss.

You have also blessed one another by rekindling the flame of your love.

On this day, BRIDE and GROOM, by the power of your own love, your marriage is reborn. Congratulations!

You may now kiss the groom!

Re-Pronouncement of Marriage 28

You have always been there as partners, companions, lovers, helpmates, and friends. Now that you have reconfirmed your love and vows, stay close and cling tenderly yet tightly as you continue your journey through this world.

Keep trusting one another and being gentle with your feelings. Keep cherishing your dreams and share your joys and pains.

Let the times you fall short be few… and be forgiven. And let the times you surpass your needs and hopes be many. Continue to believe in each other. Desire not to change or possess, but only to know each other honestly and completely.

Respect your individuality and the things that make you each unique; but likewise honor your togetherness and the things that make you one.

Care for each other truly and deeply, putting your commitment to one another before all else. Live for your love and your love will live forever.

May all the beautiful gifts that come with the promises of a long loving marriage bring never-ending happiness to you both.

I now pronounce you a loving, caring couple in love as Husband and Wife.

You may, once again, kiss your bride.

Posted by Eric Schwartz | Filed Under Ceremony Samples

Handfasting

July 29, 2008

Handfasting 1

Know now before you go further, that since your lives have crossed in this life you have formed ties between each other. As you seek to enter this state of matrimony you should strive to make real, the ideals which give meaning to both this ceremony and the institution of marriage.

With full awareness, know that within this circle you are not only declaring your intent to be handfasted before your friends and family, but you speak that intent also to your creative higher powers.

The promises made today and the ties that are bound here greatly strengthen your union; they will cross the years and lives of each soul’s growth.

Do you still seek to enter this ceremony?
Bride and Groom say, “Yes, We Seek to Enter.”

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 a blessing is offered in support of this ceremony.

Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East. Communication of the heart, mind, and body Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun. The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences.

Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South. Warmth of hearth and home The heat of the heart’s passion The light created by both To lighten the darkest of times.

Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West. The deep commitments of the lake The swift excitement of the river The refreshing cleansing of the rain The all encompassing passion of the sea.

Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North Firm foundation on which to build Fertility of the fields to enrich your lives A stable home to which you may always return.

Each of these blessings from the four cardinal directions emphasizes those things which will help you build a happy and successful union. Yet they are only tools. Tools which you must use together in order to create what you seek in this union.

I bid you look into each others eyes.

Groom, Will you cause her pain?
Groom says, “I May.”

Is that your intent?
Groom says, “No.”

Bride, Will you cause him pain?
Bride says, “I may.”

Is that your intent?
Bride says, “No.”

Will you share each other’s pain and seek to ease it?
Bride and Groom say, “Yes.”

First cord is draped across bride and groom’s hands
And so the first binding is made. Join your hands

Bride, Will you share his laughter?
Bride says, “Yes.”

Groom, Will you share her laughter?
Groom says, “Yes.”

Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?
Bride and Groom say, “Yes.”

Second cord is draped across bride and groom’s hands
And so the second binding is made.

Bride, Will you burden him?
Bride says, “I may.”

Is that you intent?
Bride says, “No.”

Groom, Will you burden her?
Groom says, “I May.”

Is that your intent?
Groom says, “No.”

Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?
Bride and Groom say, “Yes.”

Third cord is draped across bride and groom’s hands
And so the third binding is made.

Bride, will you share his dreams?
Bride says, “Yes.”

Groom, will you share her dreams?
Yes

*To Both*
Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes?
Yes

Fourth cord is draped across bride and groom’s hands
And so the fourth binding is made.

Groom, will you cause her anger?
Groom says, “I May.”
Is that you intent?
No

Bride, will you cause him anger?
Bride says, “I may.”

Is that your intent?
Bride says, “No.”

*To Both*
Will you take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?
Bride and Groom say, “We Will.”

Fifth chord is draped across bride and groom’s hands
And so the fifth binding is made.

Bride, Will you honor him?
Bride says, “I will.”

Groom, Will you honor her?
Groom says, “I will”

Will you seek to never give cause to break that honor?
Bride and Groom say, “We shall never do so.”

Sixth cord is draped across bride and groom’s hands
And so the sixth binding is made.

The knots of this binding are not formed by these chords but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the chords, for as always, you hold in your own hands the making of breaking of this union.

The cords are removed and placed on altar.

Handfasting 2

Do you still seek to enter this ceremony?
Bride and Groom say, “We do.”

Blessing of the Hands
These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.

These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy.

These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when fear or grief racks your mind.

These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.

These are the hands that will give you support and encourage you to chase your dreams. Together, everything you wish for can be realized.

Prepare the cords
Back in earlier years, the hands would be bound with whatever was available – vines, colorful cords, or scarf. Today we will use these cords to symbolize the binding, or promises.

The first promise
Groom, Will you be Bride’s faithful partner for life?
Groom says, “I will.”

Bride, will you be Groom’s faithful partner for life?
Bride says, “I will.”

Will you be each other’s constant friends and one true love?
Bride and Groom say, “We will.”

First cord is draped across Bride and Groom’s hands
And so the first binding is made.

The second promise
Bride, do you promise to love Groom without reservation?
Bride says, “I will.”

Groom, do you promise to love Bride without reservation?
Groom says, “I will.”

Will both of you stand by one another in sickness and in health, in plenty and in want?
Bride and Groom say, “We will.”

Second cord is draped across Bride and Groom’s hands
And so the second binding is made.

The third promise
Bride, will you stand together with Groom your times of joy and sorrow?
Bride says, “I will.”

Groom, will you stand together with Bride your times of joy and sorrow?
Groom says, “I will.”

Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?
Bride and Groom say, “We will.”

Third cord is draped across Bride and Groom’s hands
And so the third binding is made.

The forth promise
Groom will you always to be open and honest with Bride, for as long as you both shall live?
Groom says, “I will.”

Bride, will you always to be open and honest with Groom, for as long as you both shall live?
Bride says, “I will.”

Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes for this marriage?
Bride and Groom say, “We will.”

Fourth cord is draped across Bride and Groom’s hands
And so the forth binding is made.

The fifth promise
Bride, Will you honor this man?
Bride says, “I will.”

Groom, Will you honor this woman?
Groom says, “I will.”

Will you both seek to cherish and strengthen that honor?
Bride and Groom say, “We will.”

Sixth cord is draped across Bride and Groom’s hands
And so the fifth binding is made.

Binding of all promises
The knots of this binding are not formed by these chords but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the chords, for as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union.

The cords are removed and placed on altar

Posted by Eric Schwartz | Filed Under Ceremony Samples

Ribbons, Doves, Butterflies & Bubbles

July 29, 2008

Ribbon Ceremony 1

On this day, BRIDE and GROOM came together as man and woman to be joined in marriage. It is, however, more than just the union of two people in love. It is also the joining of two families.

We ask today for the blessings of the children (or fill in child’s name here). We ask that each child of BRIDE and GROOM approach the couple and show his or her support of the couple by blessing their union with a ribbon of love.

Music Plays

(Each of the couples’ children approach couple and loosely binds their wrists together with ribbon.)

Dove Release 2

Doves are beautiful, devoted creatures. Watching them soar together in synchronous flight is an inspiration and a joy to watch.

They symbolize unity, loyalty, love, beauty, devotion and peace – all that you wish for yourselves throughout your own life together.

As you release them into flight, send with them your own hopes and dreams, which will soar with the birds, to soon come back to you.

(Possible song cue here.)

Dove Release 3

Doves have been used for centuries to symbolize all the hope, peace and love that come from new beginnings. As they release this pair into flight, we who are here today, join them in wishing that all that is good will go with them into their new life together.

Watch closely as the birds fly. Together they will create beautiful patterns in the sky; sometimes apart, sometimes together, always in harmony with one another. This is how it is with a good marriage. Two people moving together, both on their own paths, yet united in their journey.

As you begin your adventure today, we wish for you to enjoy the beauty of your flight, the intricacies of the patterns you create, and the peace such a journey can bring.

Butterfly Release 4

Butterflies are as beautiful as they are fragile. They symbolize transformation and all that is perfect in the world. As you two join today in marriage, your commitment to love releases into the world a new wonder, a new beauty, a new perfection.

One of the secrets of being happy with one you love is to take hold lightly and let go lightly. As you release these gentle creatures, may your love transform itself and everyone it touches into its highest form.

Butterfly Release 5

This is for use just prior to a Butterfly Release, while the guests and bridal party are still attentive to the Officiant’s voice:

“You may not remember the words spoken here today; you may not remember the colors of the flowers; you may not remember the music you dance to this evening…

None of us may remember how long the butterflies linger. But, in addition to the joy on the faces of these two beloved people, there is one thing I will remember…
If a butterfly lands on the palm of my hand… I cannot hold onto that butterfly. If I try to hold it, it will be crushed. If I keep my hand open, it will be safe… Just like our relationships… the butterfly needs to be free…”

Bubble Blessing 6

BRIDE and GROOM would like you all to open up your bottle of bubbles now and ask everyone gathered here today to join in extending to them your love and support by taking a moment to believe in magic.

Please focus on your wish for their relationship to flourish and grow throughout a long and happy life together. So join me now in taking a moment to blow your bubbles out to the Universe and ask that this marriage be blessed and sacred throughout their lives.

Please take a deep breath now and send your wishes, blessings and prayers out for BRIDE and GROOM as you send your bubbles out into this beautiful day.

Posted by Eric Schwartz | Filed Under Ceremony Samples

Blessing of the Marriage

July 29, 2008

Blessing of the Marriage 1

Remember that your love is the basis for this marriage; desire nothing else, fear nothing else and allow your love to blossom into what love was meant to be.

Allow for spaces in your time together, giving each other room to grow. Love one another; allow that love to be a source of strength, which feeds your soul.

Fill one another’s cup, but drink each from your own. Share your bread, but have each your own slice. Sing and dance together, but remember that though you may move together, you each must dance your own steps.

None of us knows what the future will bring . . . the important thing is to live today to the fullest and face tomorrow with the certainty that you can accept and handle what it brings.

Blessing of the Marriage 2

May your love be one based on freedom. For though our hands may touch, it’s our hearts that hold.

When you hold love within your heart, you radiate a light, which shall brighten all the days of your life and beyond.

Everything we truly love becomes a part of us forever. So take your time with each other. Let your love’s seed grow and mature with the seasons, to provide you with warmth, serenity, joy and acceptance throughout all the years of your marriage.

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.

Blessing of the Marriage 3

Go into the world and fulfill your dreams. Love, support, and help one another as you grow. Seek out opportunities to be good to each other.

May the seeds of your love, now planted in marriage, continue to grow. May your life together be as a pebble dropped in a pond — an example of love and unity spread outward to your family, your friends and to the wider circle of the world.

Blessing of the Marriage 4

BRIDE and GROOM, you came here today, in the presence of family and friends, to express your love for, and commitment to each other. Your lives are forever changed.

Now, you can face your fears, for you each will be strength to the other.

Now, you can brave the wind, for you each will be shelter to the other.

Now, you can reap the rewards, for you each will be partner to the other.

Now though you are two bodies, there is one life before you.

And there, in that life, may you always find love.

Blessing of the Marriage 5

May you be blessed by God.

May you be touched by angels.

May your hearts stay full, your spirits stay connected, and may you love long and happily in one another’s arms.

Blessing of the Marriage 6

May every desire you have for your Holy Union be fulfilled. May you be given the mindfulness to clearly behold one another, the Truth with which to perceive each other most genuinely, and the endless generosity of spirit necessary to nourish one another’s soul and sweetly keep the promises you make here today.

May the lifelong joining of your hearts and minds continue to show you your purpose and may you always be brought most beautifully and steadfastly into the presence of yourselves and of one another living long and happily, fulfilling all that you are.

Blessing of the Marriage 7

Each day of your life together,
May the sun rise on new joys and new treasures
To discover with each other.

And each evening,
May it set peacefully on a world made bright and beautiful by the love you share.

Blessing of the Marriage 8

From this day forward, may you live together in peace; may you grow each day in understanding and compassion.

When you are apart, may you return to one another in togetherness.

May the home you establish be a place of sanctuary, where many will find a friend.

Blessing of the Marriage 9

This marriage is complete. Where there were two, there is now one.

Closing words are often the hardest. One never knows where one will find them. To begin, here’s a wedding toast from Africa…

“Through others, we are someone. Through this marriage, we broaden our family circle, we remember our heritage and recall those who gave us life. We call upon our ancestors, the foundations of our families, immortalized in our thoughts. We call upon our elders, whose wisdom we seek in all endeavors, our friends, whom we are blessed to have in our lives and our parents, who have guided us along the road to adulthood.

We call upon those who have passed over and could not be here today, and we call upon the bride and groom, that they may always find prosperity in love and devotion.

We ask that children bless this couple, because children give glory to a home.

“Therefore we cast a libation to the North, to the South, to the East and to the West. And we wish everyone to leave more blessed than when they came. Amen.”

To finish, a simple toast from Italy. “Evviva gli sposi,” hurray for the newlyweds!”

Blessing of the Marriage 10

Aware now that there is one Presence and Power, and that we are each part of that Divine unity, we now join in blessing BRIDE and GROOM as they begin their lives together. We recognize that the presence of Spirit within them enables them to fulfill the promise of true partnership in life. We know and affirm that life in joy and love.

Blessing of the Marriage 11

Blessing of the Marriage 12

GROOM AND BRIDE I would ask that you always treat yourself and each other with respect, and remind yourselves often of what brought you together today.

Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness and kindness that your marriage deserves. When frustration and difficulty assail your marriage – as they do to every relationship at one time or another – focus on what still seems right between you, not only the part that seems wrong.

This way, when clouds of trouble hide the sun in your lives and you lose sight of it for a moment, you can remember that the sun is still there. And if each of you will take responsibility for the quality of your life together, it will be marked by abundance and happiness.

Blessing of the Marriage 13

Treat yourself and each other with respect, and remind yourselves often of what brought you together.

Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness and kindness that your connection deserves.

When frustration, difficulties and fear assail your relationship, as they threaten all relationships at one time or another, remember to focus on what is right between you, not only the part that seems wrong.

In this way, you can ride out the storms when clouds hide the face of the sun in your lives — remembering that even if you lose sight of it for a moment, the sun is still there.

And if each of you will take responsibility for the quality of your life together, it will be marked by abundance and delight.

Blessing of the Marriage 14

To make your relationship work will take love. This is the core of your marriage and why you are here today.

It will take trust, to know, that in your hearts, you truly want what is best for each other.
It will take dedication, to stay open to one another – and to learn and grow together.
It will take faith, to go forward together, without knowing exactly what the future brings.
And it will take commitment, to hold true to the journey you both have pledged to today.

Blessing of the Marriage 15

Dearest God, I ask that you bless and sanctify this union of these souls, BRIDE and GROOM.

As they live in Your love, awake and asleep, at work and at play, and as they seek Your wisdom and understanding, let them find all of those secret joys You have especially for them.

Amen.

Blessing of the Marriage 16

We give thanks for life, for health, for all that sustains us, and for this joyous day. We honor the mystery and wonder in Creation’s every breath. We praise human being: its yearning for tomorrow’s wine, and for the taste of this morning’s bread.

We celebrate the divine energy that pours through our separate selves and makes us one. We sing of these friends, whose life renews itself in their communion of body and mind and heart.

We pray that joy be found in earth’s four corners. Justice, freedom, laughter, truth; peace, and love, and hope – may the human heritage become, at last, the human way.

Blessing of the Marriage 17

It was love that brought you here today. It’s love that makes your’s a glorious union. And it will be love that makes your marriage endure.

Love has given you wings, and your journey begins today. Wherever the wind may carry you, you will stay by each other’s side.

I therefore join with everyone gathered here today in extending to you our love and support, and our wish for your relationship to just simply flourish and grow throughout a long and happy life together.

Blessing of the Marriage 18

May your lives be filled with wisdom, blessed with good health, and abundant with miracles.

May you eternally have your amusement, remembering how to play, and may you always see the connection that brought you both together.

Blessing of the Marriage 19

BRIDE and GROOM, we are here today to celebrate with you, as you declare your love for and commitment to each other. We are also here to offer you the gift of our blessings.

We wish for you love — a love that brings out the best in you, as you bring out the best in each other. One that gives you something to lean on when you need it most. And one that allows you to see each other as you really are, reminding you why you’re together.

We wish for you a home — more just a place to live, but a haven from the pressures of the world outside your door. A place to let down your guard, unburden yourself and know that there’s someone always on your side.

Finally, we wish for you joy — a joy that makes you laugh out loud. A joy that lights your eyes and fills your soul. And a joy that shouts to the world of your happiness with one another.

All this and more we wish for you today, and every day throughout the years of your marriage.

Blessing of the Marriage 20

May you be blessed and sustained as you venture through the uncharted and challenging times that every relationship experiences.

May you find within yourselves all that you need to nurture your marriage.

May you continue to grow closer together with a love that grows deeper and richer with each passing day.

Blessing of the Marriage 21

(Spoken by BRIDE and GROOM to God)

God, Please make of our relationship a great and holy adventure. May our joining be a sacred experience.

May the two of us find rest here, a haven for our souls. We know that You are our answer and our rock. Bring us together in heart and mind as well as body.

Remove from us the temptation to criticize or be cruel, and guide us in the ways of Holiness.

May this relationship be a burst of light, filled with love and wisdom for us, for our family, for our community, and for our world.

May this bond be a channel for Your Love and Healing, a vehicle of your Grace and Power.

Blessing of the Marriage 22

The Spirit moves in each of our lives. What shall we call it? God, Christ, the Universe, the Higher Self, a Higher Power?

We call it by different names, or we may not know what to call it. We get glimpses of Spirit as we go though our day-to-day lives.

At times we are lifted above the mundane to see and sense the sacred clearly.

May today be one of those times, when Spirit is present and clearly felt, when we’re lifted out of our daily concerns and for a moment held in the embrace of a higher awareness.

Blessing of the Marriage 23

May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring,

And may life grant you patience, tolerance, and understanding. May you always need one another – not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you know your fullness.

May you need one another, but not out of weakness. May you want one another, but not out of lack. May you entice one another but not compel one another. May you embrace one another, without smothering.

May you succeed in the important ways with one another, and excel in the little graces. May you look for things to praise, often say ‘I love you’, and take ignore any small faults. If you have quarrels that push you apart, may both of you have good sense enough to take the first step back.

May you enter into the mystery that is the awareness of one another’s presence – no more physical than spiritual, warm and near when you are side by side, and warm and near when you are in separate rooms or even distant cities.

May you have love, and may you find it loving one another.

Blessing of the Marriage 24

May there be truth and understanding between you.

May you enjoy length of days, fulfillment of hopes, and peace and contentment of mind.

May God bless you and keep you always.

Amen

Blessing of the Marriage 25

BRIDE and GROOM have come a long way. From (insert reference to how the couple met), to declaring their devotion to each other today. Theirs is a continuing journey. It will not always be easy. They will face challenges, trials, and hardships, as we all do.

But their union is strong and vital. Their task now is to find joy in seeing each other constantly blossoming, to find exhilaration in change and purpose in the new roads traveled, no matter what direction is taken. They are explorers, these two. And the strength of their marriage is a strength that celebrates every minute of life, as well as the living mystery of their love.

Blessing of the Marriage 26

Blessing of the Marriage 27

Blessing of the Marriage 28

Bless their marriage, O God, as they begin their journey down the road of life together.
We don’t know what lies ahead for the road turns and bends. But help them to make the best of whatever comes their way.

Help them to continue to enjoy each other as they did when they first met. Help them to realize that nothing nor no one is perfect and to look for the good in all things and all people including themselves.

Help them to respect each other’s likes and dislikes, opinions and beliefs, hopes and dreams and fears even though they may not always understand them.

Help them to learn from each other and to help each other to grow mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Help them to realize that no matter what happens to them they will hold on to each other and know that things have a way of working out for the good.

Help them to create for their children a peaceful, stable home of love as a foundation on which they can build their lives.

But most of all, dear God, help them to keep lit the torch of love’ that they now share so that by their loving example they may pass on the light of love to their children and to their children’s children forever.

Amen.

Blessing of the Marriage 29

Bride and Groom, you now have the opportunity for expressing through your union and partnership, God’s glory, love and healing. How could this be? Through devotion and service to each other. Through patience, kindness, total acceptance of each other, tempered by the willingness to change. You will be tempted, as time goes by, to take for granted the love which today seems so precious and dear, to speak to and treat each other in ways that do not reflect the highest good in both of you. Resist it. Promise to always see the goodness in your partner, even when it’s especially difficult. God will provide you the way, if you are willing. He is the key to your success as a married couple. Call on Him devotedly and consistently to guide your thinking and bless your home. May this marriage be to you a heavenly sanctuary. God bless you.

Blessing of the Marriage 30

May God’s blessings rest upon you, may God’s peace abide with you, and may
God’s presence illuminate your hearts, now and forevermore. Amen.

Blessing of the Marriage 31

May the Peace that passes all understanding be yours now and forevermore.

Blessing of the Marriage 32

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Blessing of the Marriage 33

The two of you are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever you go, may you always return to one another in your togetherness. May you two find in each other the love for which all men and women long. May you grow in understanding and in compassion. May the home that you establish be such a place of sanctuary that all who visit will find there a friend. And may the Lord bless you and keep you forevermore. Amen.

Blessing of the Marriage 34

The Irish Wedding Blessing
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon the fields.
May the light of friendship guide your paths together.
May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.
May the joy of living for one another trip a smile from your lips, a twinkle from your eye.
And when eternity beckons,
at the end of a life heaped high with love,
May the good Lord embrace you
with the arms that have nurtured you
the whole length of your joy-filled days.

Blessing of the Marriage 35

May you always share with each other the gifts of love and be one in heart and always beautiful of mind. And may you always create a home together that puts in your hearts, love, generosity and kindness.

Blessing of the Marriage 36

We rejoice in the grace of this moment of giving and receiving of the heart, of the miracle of love expressed on earth. May these two loving people be a blessing and inspiration to each other and to all those close to them.
May they share each other’s joys, sorrows, achievements and dreams in their life’s adventure and journey together.
May their sensitivity and understanding for one another deepen, and may they nurture and support one another through all growth and all challenges.
May they maintain and strengthen their respect and honor for each other’s individuality while holding in their hearts the truth and the power of this union.
May patience and understanding be theirs in vast resources to call upon, and may forgiveness always be a natural expression of their love for each other and for all those in their lives.
We now ask a blessing of happiness upon ____ and ____, and may they share their happiness with all those whose lives they touch.

Blessing of the Marriage 37

______ and _____, may this be the love that you bring into this relationship and may its essence touch all those with whom you come in contact. Just as the waters touch and nourish the many shores of the earth, may your love be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Love enriches each part of life and marriage enriches love. Your lives, shared in love, can hold more fulfillment and happiness than either life alone. Love is the reason this day was chosen by you to begin you lives together and love is the reason you will give with all your hearts for the good of each other. Love is the reason that together you will become one; one in hope; one in believing; one in sharing the coming years.

Blessing of the Marriage 38

______ and _____, if there is anything you remember of this marriage ceremony, may it be the love that brought you here today. It is only love which can make it a glorious union, and by love which your marriage shall endure. Today your separate lives with your individual memories, desires, and hopes merge into one. You are now taking into your care and keeping the happiness of the one person in the entire world whom you love above all others. You are adding to your life not only the affection of each other, but also the companionship and blessing of a deep trust as well. You are agreeing to share strength, responsibilities and to share love. May you be a blessing and comfort to each other, sharers of each others dreams, conscience of each other’s sorrows, helpers to each other in all of life’s challenges. May you encourage each other in whatever you set out to achieve. May you trust each other, trust life and be unafraid. May you love each other and offer love and support to those around you. May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring, and may life grant you patience, tolerance, and understanding.

Blessing of the Marriage 39

You have promised your love to each other, formalizing the existence of the bond between you, and you have exchanged vows and symbols of love before God and this community. From now on each of your will see your own experiences in a new light as your life together unfolds. May you have courage to love each other and all others on this earth, not only as you are now but as you are yet to be. Let all others honor your decision.

Blessing of the Marriage 40

______ and ______,
God bless you and guide you in your faithful commitment to one another.
God defend you and shelter you in your tender love for one another.
God uphold you in all life’s challenges, and shower you with all life’s rewards,
That you always find strength and delight in each other, and grow in love until your life’s end. Amen.

Blessing of the Marriage 41

By James Dillet Freeman
May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements
a marriage should bring,
and may life grant you also patience, tolerance and understanding.
May you always need one another
not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness.
A mountain needs a valley to be complete;
the valley does not make the mountain less, but more;
and the valley is more a valley because it has a mountain towering over it.
So let it be with you and you.
May you need one another, but not out of weakness.
May you want one another, but not out of lack.
May you entice one another, but not compel one another.
May you embrace one another, but not encircle one another.
May you succeed in all important ways with one another,
and not fail in the little graces.
May you look for things to praise, often say, “I love you!”
and take no notice of small faults.
If you have quarrels that push you apart, may both of you hope to have good sense enough to take
the first step back.
May you enter into the mystery which is the awareness of one another’s presence
no more physical than spiritual, warm and near when you are side by side,
and warm and near when you are in separate rooms or even distant cities.
May you have happiness, and may you find it making one another happy.
May you have love, and may you find it loving one another!
Thank You, God,
for Your presence here with us
and Your blessing on this marriage.
Amen.

Blessing of the Marriage 42

Father (Divine Spirit, Lord), our hearts are filled with great happiness.

This is ____ and ____’s wedding day. They come before you, pledging their lives and their hearts to one another. Grant that they may be ever true and loving, living together in such a way as to never bring heartache into their marriage. Temper their hearts with kindness and help them to be sweethearts, helpmates, friend and guide, and together, may they meet the cares and problems of life more bravely. Let them remember the value of each other as individuals, and never take each other for granted. And as time takes away their youthful charm, may they find contentment in the greater joys of rich companionship. May their home truly be a place of love and harmony where your spirit is ever present. Bless their wedding day, we pray, and walk beside them, through all their life together. May their love continue through life and finally blend in the life eternal. Amen

Blessing of the Marriage 43

Holy Father, Creator of the Universe, maker of man and woman in your likeness, source of blessing for married life, we humbly pray to You for ______ and _______ who today are united in this sacrament of marriage. May Your fullest blessing come upon them so that they may together rejoice in Your fgift of married love. _____ and _____, may you reach old age in the company of your friends, and come at last to the kingdom of heaven. Amen

Blessing of the Marriage 44

Most gracious God, by the power of your Holy Spirit, pour out the abundance of your blessing upon ____, and ____. Defend them from every enemy. Lead them into all peace. Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts, a mantle about their shoulders, and a crown upon their foreheads. Bless them in their work and in their companionship; in their sleeping and in their waking; in their joys and in their sorrows; in their life and in their death.

Blessing of the Marriage 45

Blessed by you, Life-Spirit of the universe, who makes a distinction between holy and not yet holy, between light and dark, between committed and uncommitted, between common goals and personal goals, between love and aloneness. Blessed by You who distinguishes, _____ and ______ begin their marriage tonight. Bless them in their work and in their companionship, in their sleeping and in their waking, in their joys and in their sorrows; in their lives and in their deaths. As they become bound more closely to each other, may they also be more surely themselves. Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts and a sign of Your high love. In beauty, they walk, with beauty before them, with beauty behind them , they walk. With beauty below and above them, in the beauty about them they walk. It is finished in beauty. Amen
(excerpts from the Talmud and the Navaho hymn to the Thunderbird.)

Blessing of the Marriage 46

Let us pray.
Faithful Lord, we thank you for the love and joy Karen and Roy have found in each other. Pour down your grace that they may fulfill the vows they have made this day and reflect your steadfast love in their faithfulness to each other. May they continue to grow in wisdom, understanding, patience, respect, affection, and love toward you, toward each other, and toward the world. Use us to support them in their promises and life together. Grant that all married persons witnessing these vows may find their lives strengthened and their loyalties confirmed. Enrich all families making them a sign of the fulfillment of your perfect kingdom, where, with your Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, you live and reign, one God through all ages of ages. Amen.

Blessing of the Marriage 47

Numbers 6:24-26 (NKJV)
The LORD bless you and keep you;  
The LORD make His face shine upon you,  And be gracious to you;  
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,  And give you peace.

Blessing of the Marriage 48

St. Theresa’s Prayer:
May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly
where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities
that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.. May you be content
knowing you are a child of God…. Let this presence settle into your
bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us. Amen.

Posted by Eric Schwartz | Filed Under Ceremony Samples

Exchange of Rings

July 29, 2008

Rings 1

As you place the ring on BRIDE’s finger, please repeat after me:
You are the love of my life
And you are my very best friend

As you place the ring on GROOM’s finger, please repeat after me:
You are the love of my life
And you are my very best friend

May these rings remind you that your love, like the sun, warms all that it touches, like the moon, brightens up the night, like the eye, is a gateway to your innermost soul. And your love, like the arms that embrace you, makes everything right with the world.

Rings 2

As you place the ring on her finger, please repeat after me:

I give you this ring to wear
As a symbol of my abiding love,
My eternal faith, and my undying devotion.
It is an outward reminder of our inner unity.

As you place the ring on his finger, please repeat after me:
I give you this ring to wear
As a symbol of my abiding love,
My eternal faith, and my undying devotion.
It is an outward reminder of our inner unity.

Rings 3

As you place the ring on her finger, please repeat after me:
With this ring, I marry you and bind my life to yours.
It is a symbol of my eternal love,
My everlasting friendship,
And the promise of all my tomorrows.

As you place the ring on his finger, please repeat after me:
With this ring, I marry you and bind my life to yours.
It is a symbol of my eternal love,
My everlasting friendship,
And the promise of all my tomorrows.

May these wedding rings be a reminder to BRIDE and GROOM of the commitment they have made today and be as a testimony to all the world of their devotion in marriage.

Rings 4

As you place the ring on her finger, please repeat after me:
This ring I give you
Is a symbol of my love.
I pledge to share with you my heart,
My home, and all (most?) of my worldly goods.

As you place the ring on his finger, please repeat after me:
This ring I give you
Is a symbol of my love.
I pledge to share with you my heart,
My home, and all (most?) of my worldly goods.

Rings 5

As you place the ring on her finger, please repeat after me:
With this ring, I marry you:
With my loving heart.
With my willing body.
And with my eternal soul.

As you place the ring on his finger, please repeat after me:
With this ring, I marry you:
With my loving heart.
With my willing body.
And with my eternal soul.

May the vows and promises you have made today be as ever-present in your hearts as these rings are on your fingers.

Rings 6

As you place the ring on her finger, please repeat after me:
I offer my vow to you in the form of this ring,
so that my word and my love,
will always be with you,
close to your heart.

As you place the ring on his finger, please repeat after me:
I offer my vow to you in the form of this ring,
so that my word and my love,
will always be with you,
close to your heart.

Rings 7

As a sign of my love for you,
of choosing to share my whole life’s journey with you,
and of my knowing that in marrying you
I shall become much more than I am,
I give you this ring, with the pledge
That with you, I shall become my highest expression of God,
Sharing the gifts that I have and I am with you and the world.

Rings 8

Repeat after me:
I GROOM take BRIDE to be my wife.
I promise you love, honor and respect,
to be faithful to you
and forsaking all others,
until death do us part.

Repeat after me:
I BRIDE take GROOM to be my husband.
I promise you love, honor and respect,
to be faithful to you
and forsaking all others,
until death do us part.

Rings 9

BRIDE, I give you this ring that you may wear it as a reminder of my love for you.

GROOM, I give you this ring that you may wear it as a reminder of my love for you.

Rings 10

As you place the ring on BRIDE’s finger, please repeat after me:
BRIDE, I give you this ring,
as a symbol of my love.
I ask you to wear it as a sign to the world that you are my wife.
With this ring, I thee wed.

As you place the ring on GROOM’s finger, please repeat after me:
GROOM, I give you this ring,
as a symbol of my love.
I ask you to wear it as a sign to the world that you are my husband.
With this ring, I thee wed.

Rings 11

The wearing of a wedding ring is the outer sign of your inner commitment. It says to all of the world that “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine”. We place the wedding band on our hands in two stages: first it is placed on the right forefinger and then it is moved to the traditional ring finger on the left hand. We do this for two reasons.

The first is that marriage is a free will act of commitment. You freely choose to be each with the other. To place your ring on your own ring finger, as you will do in a moment, is a symbolic way of making the commitment public.

The second reason is that the forefinger of the right hand is called the Heart Finger, for a vein runs from that finger directly to the heart. When your vows are exchanged you are, in fact, speaking heart to heart and thus it is appropriate that the ring touch the Heart Finger.

As a token of this love and devotion for each other, and of this covenant of marriage which you are entering into, I ask each of you to recite the words of the prophet Hosea, and to place a ring onto the finger of your betrothed as you do so:

“With this ring, I betroth you to me forever; I betroth you to me, in righteousness and justice; in love and compassion; I betroth you to me in everlasting faithfulness.”

GROOM: I choose you this day to love and confide in, to hold onto and to reach out from.

BRIDE: I choose you this day to believe in and share with, to learn from and to grow with.

(The officiant asks BRIDE and ROOM to repeat the next line together and, as they do so, move their own rings from the Heart Finger of the right hand to the ring finger of the left hand:)

Both: I choose you this day to give you my heart.

Rings 12

As you place the ring on BRIDE’s finger, please repeat after me:
I give you this ring
as a reminder
that I will love, honor, and cherish you,
In all times,
In all places,
And in all ways, forever.

As you place the ring on GROOM’s finger, please repeat after me:
I give you this ring
as a reminder
that I will love, honor, and cherish you,
In all times,
In all places,
And in all ways, forever.

Rings 13

GROOM, as you place the ring on BRIDE’s finger, repeat after me.
I GROOM, take thee, BRIDE to be my Wife.
To have and to hold,
in sickness and in health,
for richer or for poorer,
in joy and sorrow,
and I promise my love to you.
And with this ring,
I take you as my Wife,
for as long as we both shall live.

BRIDE, as you place the ring on GROOM’s finger, repeat after me.
I BRIDE, take thee GROOM, to be my Husband.
To have and to hold,
in sickness and in health,
for richer or for poorer,
in joy and sorrow,
and I promise my love to you.
And with this ring,
I take you as my husband,
for as long as we both shall live.

Rings 14

On this day…
I marry my best friend…
The one who shares my life, my love and my dreams.
BRIDE, I give you this ring
As a symbol of my love and devotion
I offer you my heart, my hand, and my love
I join my life with yours
To cherish and protect you as my wife
With all that I am…
With all that I have…
I honor you as my wife forevermore.

On this day…
I marry my best friend…
The one who shares my life, my love and my dreams.
GROOM, I give you this ring
As a symbol of my love and devotion
I offer you my heart, my hand, and my love
I join my life with yours
To cherish and protect you as my husband
With all that I am…
With all that I have…
I honor you as my husband forevermore.

Rings 15

Bride, place the ring on Groom’s finger and repeat after me:
With this ring,
I pledge my love and faithfulness to you,
today, tomorrow and always.

Groom, place the ring on Bride’s finger and repeat after me:
With this ring,
I pledge my love and faithfulness to you,
today, tomorrow and always.

Wear these rings as the enclosing bond of reverence and trust. Fulfill the circle of love that now makes you one.

Rings 16

As you place the ring on Bride’s finger, please repeat after me:
“This ring is our symbol that you are my lover and you are my best friend in all times, in all places, and in all ways, forever.”
As you place the ring on Groom’s finger, please repeat after me:
“This ring is our symbol that you are my lover and you are my best friend in all times, in all places, and in all ways, forever.”

Rings 17

With this ring – I marry you – and join my life with yours. Accept this ring – as a sign of my love and faithfulness – for all the years to come.

Rings 18

____, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vows, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Rings 19

____, I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity.

Rings 20

With this ring, I thee wed.

Rings 21

You are my life, my love, and with this ring – I marry you. I promise to be open and honest in our partnership, and I pledge myself to you from this day forward and for all eternity.

Rings 22

With this ring, I pledge my constant and abiding love. I join my life with yours in loving kindness and compassion. I join my life with yours in faithfulness. This is my beloved, and this is my friend.

Rings 23

On this day…
I marry my best friend…
The one who shares my life, my love and my dreams.
_____, I give you this ring
As a symbol of my love and devotion
I offer you my heart, my hand, and my love
I join my life with yours
To cherish and to protect you as my husband/wife
With all that I am…
With all that I have…
I honor you as my husband/wife forevermore.

Rings 24

Just as this circle is without end, my love for you is never-ending. With this ring, I take you to be my partner for life. I offer you my heart, my hand, and my love.
With all that I am…
With all that I have…
I will honor you as my husband/wife forevermore.

Rings 25

I give this ring to you, my beloved, my friend, my wife/husband. Whenever I see this ring, I will remember the cherished bond we have created here tonight.

Posted by Eric Schwartz | Filed Under Ceremony Samples