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Affirmation of the Community

July 29, 2008

Affirmation of the Community 1

Ladies & Gentlemen, BRIDE and GROOM have demonstrated in your presence today, their belief in their love, and their desire to live together In marriage. If you also believe in their love and you wish to add your blessing to their marriage today, please respond now by saying, “we do.”

“We do.”

Affirmation of the Community 2

Every person present here represents an opportunity for love and support of this newly married couple. You each carry an obligation to be an advocate for their relationship.

Now that you have heard BRIDE and GROOM exchange their vows, do you, their family and friends, promise to encourage and support them in creating a strong and vital marriage?

“We do.”

Affirmation of the Community 3

The union of BRIDE and GROOM has joined us together because we are each reflected in it. A new family has been created in our community, and we have come here today to welcome them and celebrate their new relationship.

Do you, who are the family and friends of this couple, affirm your continuing support of and love for BRIDE and GROOM as they stand poised on the threshold of their new life together?

“We do.”

Declaration of Consent

July 29, 2008

Wedding promises are where the bride and groom legally agree to be married.

Declaration of Consent 1

Will you, GROOM, cherish BRIDE as your lawful wedded wfie, protecting her, and tending to her needs through illness and disappointment?

“I will”

Will you strive to understand her, giving her comfort when she seeks it from you? Will you try never to say in anger that which you wouldn’t say in friendship? And when each night comes, will you go to sleep with thanks for her presence at your side and renewed love for her in your heart?

“I will.”

Will you, BRIDE, cherish GROOM as your lawful wedded husband, protecting him, and tending to his needs through illness and disappointment?

“I will”

Will you strive to understand him, giving him comfort when he seeks it from you? Will you try never to say in anger that which you wouldn’t say in friendship? And when each night comes, will you go to sleep with thanks for his presence at your side and renewed love for his in your heart?

“I will.”

Declaration of Consent 2

Your marriage begins with the vows and promises you speak to one another today. The marriage vow is a promise of fidelity and honesty.

GROOM, do you love BRIDE willingly and completely, withholding nothing? Will you protect her, and give her your deepest considerations of her feelings, desires and needs?

“I will”

Will you strive to keep your love flexible and adapt to changing circumstances in the marriage? And will you be BRIDE’s counselor, helpmate, sweetheart & lover, an dher best friend, from this day forward?

“I will”

BRIDE, do you love GROOM willingly and completely, withholding nothing? Will you protect him, and give him your deepest considerations of his feelings, desires and needs?

“I will”

Will you strive to keep your love flexible and adapt to changing circumstances in the marriage? And will you be GROOM’s counselor, helpmate, sweetheart & lover, and his best friend, from this day forward?

“I will”

Declaration of Consent 3

Do you, GROOM, welcome BRIDE as your wife, offering her your love and encouragement, your trust and respect, as together you create your future?

“I do”.

Do you, BRIDE welcome GROOM as your husband, offering him your love and encouragement, your trust and respect, as together you create your future

“I do”.

Declaration of Consent 4

We are here today, to celebrate the love, which BRIDE and GROOM have for each other, and to give social recognition to their decision to commit their lives and accept each other totally.

Do you GROOM take BRIDE, to be your lawfully wedding wife, to share your life openly, standing with her in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in hardship and in ease, to cherish and love forever more?

“I do.”

Do you BRIDE take GROOM, to be your lawfully wedding husband, to share your life openly, standing with him in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in hardship and in ease, to cherish and love forever more?

“I do.”

Declaration of Consent 5

BRIDE and GROOM, by coming here today, you have reached a crossroads in your lives.  You’re turning away from your yesterdays and looking ahead to your tomorrows. Your past is a distant memory.  Your future a waiting adventure.  It is a new dawn, a new commitment, a new life.  The bonds you are forging today will change your lives forever.

Do you, GROOM, promise to take BRIDE to be your wife?  To play with her and care for her; to make her laugh, and let her cry?  To offer your best counsel and give your sincerest support with all the love you have to give?

“I do.”

Is it your choice that BRIDE be the one with whom you wish to spend your life?

“It is.”

Do you, BRIDE, promise to take GROOM to be your husband?  To play with him and care for him; to make him laugh, and let him cry?  To offer your best counsel and give your sincerest support with all the love you have to give?

“I do.”

Is it your choice that BRIDE be the one with whom you wish to spend your life?

“It is.”

Declaration of Consent 6

Do you GROOM promise to love BRIDE and respect her, to share your life and your dreams, to build with her a home that is a place of love, happiness, commitment and growth?
“I do”

Do you promise to be a companion to her in all of her successes and failures, her happiness and sadness, to always give to her your unwavering support and above all else, the freedom to be BRIDE?

“I do”

Do you BRIDE promise to love GROOM and respect him, to share your life and your dreams, to build with him a home that is a place of love, happiness, commitment and growth?
“I do”

Do you promise to be a companion to him in all of his successes and failures, his happiness and sadness, to always give to him your unwavering support and above all else, the freedom to be GROOM?

“I do”

Declaration of Consent 7

GROOM, do you take BRIDE to be the wife of your days, the companion of your heart and the friend of your life?  To stand united in the face of adversity and bask together in the light of good fortune? With these words spoken, and all those as yet unspoken, do you wish to marry BRIDE and join your life with hers?

“I do.”

BRIDE, do you take GROOM to be the husband of your days, the companion of your heart and the friend of your life?  To stand united in the face of adversity and bask together in the light of good fortune?  With these words spoken, and all those as yet unspoken, do you wish to marry GROOM and join your life with his?

“I do.”

Declaration of Consent 8

Do you GROOM promise to love BRIDE freely – without restrictions; honestly – without deceit; now – without hesitation?

“I do.”

Do you promise to accept her just as she is, sharing with her and supporting her through the experiences of your lives, be they easy or difficult, happy or sad, challenging or mundane, till death do you part?

“I do.”

Do you BRIDE promise to love GROOM freely – without restrictions; honestly – without deceit; now – without hesitation?

“I do.”

Do you promise to accept him just as he is, sharing with him and supporting him through the experiences of your lives, be they easy or difficult, happy or sad, challenging or mundane, till death do you part?

“I do.”

Declaration of Consent 9

Do you, GROOM, take you BRIDE, in the presence of God and our family and friends as witnesses, to be your wife, your partner in life and your one true love?

Groom says, “I do.”

Do you now make a lifetime commitment to be a considerate, tender, faithful, loving husband, to encourage, comfort and cherish her in times of prosperity as well as in times of trouble?

Groom says, “I do.”

And do you pledge to establish a loving home for your own family, to make her and your children the priority in your life, and to nurture your special relationship always?

Groom says, “I do.”

Do you, BRIDE, take you GROOM, in the presence of God and our family and friends as witnesses, to be your husband, your partner in life and your one true love?

Bride, says, “I do.”

Do you now make a lifetime commitment to be a considerate, tender, faithful, loving wife to encourage, comfort and cherish him in times of prosperity as well as in times of trouble?

Bride, says, “I do.”

And do you pledge to establish a loving home for your own family, to make him and your children the priority in your life, and to nurture your special relationship always?

Bride, says, “I do.”

Declaration of Consent 10

I, GROOM, take you, BRIDE, to be my wife
and partner in life and love,
now and always.
I promise always to be your home,
to give you my love
fully, faithfully, honestly,
never holding back.
I promise always to do, think and say
all that will nourish our bond,
so that it may grow throughout our lives together
and shine as a light of warmth,
fidelity,
devotion,
respect
and most of all, love.

I, BRIDE, take you, GROOM, to be my husband
and partner in life and love,
now and always.
I promise always to be your home,
to give you my love
fully, faithfully, honestly,
never holding back.
I promise always to do, think and say
all that will nourish our bond,
so that it may grow throughout our lives together
and shine as a light of warmth,
fidelity,
devotion,
respect
and most of all, love.

Declaration of Consent 11

This new journey will be at times richly rewarding and extremely difficult, but, most importantly, it will be a journey you take together. Marriage is much more than your signatures on a legal contract. You are promising, and have asked all of these people you love to watch you make this promise, that you want to be with each other and only each other for the rest of your lives, and that you will do everything in your power to honor the promises you are making here today. For their part, the people who love you will also do everything in their power to try to help you hold up your end of the bargain, too.

GROOM, do you take BRIDE to be your wife, promising to love her, comfort, honor, respect, and care for her for the rest of your life?

“I do.”

BRIDE, do you take GROOM to be your husband, promising to love him, comfort, honor, respect, and care for him for the rest of your life?

“I do.”

Vows

July 29, 2008

The vows are where the bride and groom put into words the feelings that they have for each other.

Vows 1

Please repeat after me,

I, GROOM, take you, BRIDE, to be my wife

To share all that I am and all that I have,
For all time to come.
And I promise to do all in my power to keep my love as deep and as strong as it is today.

I, BRIDE, take you, GROOM to be my husband

To share all that I am and all that I have,
For all time to come.
And I promise to do all in my power to keep my love as deep and as strong as it is today.

Vows 2

This wedding ceremony is the public recognition of a commitment that BRIDE and GROOM have already made privately in their hearts. But it’s also their commitment to all of you who know and love them.

By inviting you to bear witness to their vows this day, they have chosen to take you with them on the first step of their journey into marriage.

I GROOM, take you, BRIDE, to be my wife:

Your love is my anchor.
Your trust is my strength
I will give you all my love from now until eternity ends
You make my life complete.

I, BRIDE, take you, GROOM to be my husband:

Your love is my anchor.
Your trust is my strength
I will give you all my love from now until eternity ends
You make my life complete.

Vows 3

BRIDE and GROOM know that this wedding is a celebration of the marriage that has already occurred in their hearts, a marriage that will grow, not without challenge and adversity, but with patience, love, and the belief that they have chosen wisely in choosing one another.

Please turn and face each other, join your hands together, look into each other’s eyes and declare your consent:

(Read to each other or ‘repeat after me’)

BRIDE, as your husband, I promise to care for you, trust your love, be responsive to your needs, communicate my feelings, and behave in a way that shows my love and respect. I say these things because I love you and want to live out the days of my life with you.

GROOM, as your wife, I promise to care for you, trust your love, be responsive to your needs, communicate my feelings, and behave in a way that shows my love and respect. I say these things because I love you and want to live out the days of my life with you.

Vows 4

Take BRIDE by the hand and say to her:

BRIDE, I take you to be my wife;

To share with you the laughter;
To kiss away the tears;
And to give you all the love in my heart,
As long as we both shall live.

Take GROOM by the hand and say to him:

GROOM, I take you to be my husband;

To share with you the laughter;
To kiss away the tears;
And to give you all the love in my heart,
As long as we both shall live.

Vows 5

Please repeat after me:

I, GROOM, take you, BRIDE, to be my wife

To love you when you drive me crazy.
To respect you when we disagree.
To support you if bad times come our way.
And to always remember how grateful I am
To have you by my side.

I, BRIDE, take you, GROOM to be my husband

To love you when you drive me crazy.
To respect you when we disagree.
To support you if bad times come our way.
And to always remember how grateful I am
To have you by my side.

Vows 6

Take BRIDE by the hand and say to her:

BRIDE, I take you to be my wife:

To love you with all my heart;
To share with you all my soul;
To grow with you through all my days;
As long as we both shall live.

Please take GROOM by the hand and say to him:

GROOM, I take you to be my husband:

To love you with all my heart;
To share with you all my soul;
To grow with you through all my days;
As long as we both shall live.

Vows 7

From this day onward, I choose you BRIDE to be my wife.

To live together and laugh together;
To work by your side and dream in your arms;
To fill your heart and feed your soul;
To always seek out the best in you;
To play with you whenever I can, as we grow old;
Always loving you with all my heart, until the end of our forever.

From this day onward, I choose you GROOM to be my husband.

To live together and laugh together;
To work by your side and dream in your arms;
To fill your heart and feed your soul;
To always seek out the best in you;
To play with you whenever I can, as we grow old;
Always loving you with all my heart, until the end of our forever.

Vows 8

GROOM, please take BRIDE by the hand and repeat after me:

I choose you BRIDE to be my wife. (companion)
I have emptied my heart of all others.
It is only filled with you.
You’re my best friend and my only love
And I’ll cherish you for the rest of my life.

BRIDE, please repeat after me:

I choose you, GROOM to be my husband. (companion)
I have emptied my heart of all others.
It is only filled with you.
You’re my best friend and my only love
And I’ll cherish you for the rest of my life.

Vows 9

With God as my foundation and as the guardian of our Holy Union,

From this day on, I commit to you,
To be your husband,
To co-create a life in partnership with you,
Loving you in Holy Matrimony all the rest of our days.
And I commit to you, to the best of my ability,
To stand by your side,
To play and laugh with you as often as I can,
To be honest with you,
To comfort you when you are troubled,
To support you in all that you dream,
To forgive myself and you when needed,
To appreciate you and learn from you,
To pursue my potential as a gift to our Holy Union,
To hold the highest good of our family as my priority,
To do whatever it takes to maintain a happy and balanced marriage,
To live a long and healthy life, smelling the roses along the way,
Still loving each other sweetly and gladly,
Until our days on earth shall come to their completion.

With God as my foundation and as the guardian of our Holy Union,

From this day on, I commit to you,
To be your wife,
To co-create a life in partnership with you,
Loving you in Holy Matrimony all the rest of our days.
And I commit to you, to the best of my ability,
To stand by your side,
To play and laugh with you as often as I can,
To be honest with you,
To comfort you when you are troubled,
To support you in all that you dream,
To forgive myself and you when needed,
To appreciate you and learn from you,
To pursue my potential as a gift to our Holy Union,
To hold the highest good of our family as my priority,
To do whatever it takes to maintain a happy and balanced marriage,
To live a long and healthy life, smelling the roses along the way,
Still loving each other sweetly and gladly,
Until our days on earth shall come to their completion.

Vows 10

Gentle soul, it is with wonder and joy that I take you to be my cherished wife.
To join with you and to share with you all that is to come,
To give and to receive, to speak and to listen, to inspire and to respond,
To continue finding the delight we have discovered in each other’s company.
In all our life together I promise to be loyal, to cherish you with my whole being, and to see you always through the eyes of love.
I hold you tenderly in my heart, and I entrust myself to your heart, on this our sacred wedding day, and for all the days to be.

Gentle soul, it is with wonder and joy that I take you to be my cherished husband.
To join with you and to share with you all that is to come,
To give and to receive, to speak and to listen, to inspire and to respond,
To continue finding the delight we have discovered in each other’s company.
In all our life together I promise to be loyal, to cherish you with my whole being, and to see you always through the eyes of love.
I hold you tenderly in my heart, and I entrust myself to your heart, on this our sacred wedding day, and for all the days to be.

Vows 11

GROOM, repeat after me.
You are a precious gift to me
my lifeline,
my soul mate,
my hope and my joy.
I cherish you with my mind, body and soul.
How blessed I am
to be able to say that you are mine,
to be able to love you
and live with you for the rest of my days.
I vow to be a good husband to you,
always putting you first in my life,
always there to comfort you
in your sorrow
and rejoice with you in your victories.
May our hearts and souls
become one as we unite this day.
BRIDE repeat after me.
You are a precious gift to me
my lifeline,
my soul mate,
my hope and my joy.
I cherish you with my mind, body and soul.
How blessed I am
to be able to say that you are mine,
to be able to love you
and live with you for the rest of my days.
I vow to be a good wife to you,
always putting you first in my life,
always there to comfort you
in your sorrow
and rejoice with you in your victories.
May our hearts and souls
become one as we unite this day.

Vows 12

When I was little,
I always imagined whom I would fall in love with,
And whom I would marry.
What qualities that person would have,
And what that person would be like.
I asked God to send me this dream of a person.
But God never did.
He sent me who He had dreamed of for me;
Someone of great beauty inside and out.
Someone of great Intelligence.
Someone who would love me like no other.
He sent me someone of GREATER quality than I had asked.
And I’m so thankful.
For He sent me you.
I love you.

Vows 13

I, GROOM take you BRIDE to be my wife

you are my companion in life and my one true love.
I will treasure our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever.
I will trust and honor you, I will laugh and cry with you.
I will love you faithfully
through the best and the worst
through the difficult and the easy
What may come I will always be there
As I have given you my hands to hold
So I give you my life to keep

I, BRIDE take you GROOM to be my husband
you are my companion in life and my one true love.
I will treasure our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever.
I will trust and honor you, I will laugh and cry with you.
I will love you faithfully
through the best and the worst
through the difficult and the easy
What may come I will always be there
As I have given you my hands to hold
So I give you my life to keep

Vows 14

I love you.
You are my best friend.
Today I give myself to you in marriage.
I promise to encourage and inspire you,
to laugh with you,
and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle.
I promise to love you in good times and in bad,
when life seems easy
and when it seems hard,
and when our love is simple,
and when it is an effort.
I promise to cherish you,
and to always hold you in highest regard.
These things I give to you today,
and all the days of our life.

Vows 15

I vow to love you
and care for you
as long as we both shall live.
I take you,
with all of your faults and strengths,
as I offer myself to you
with my faults and strengths.
I will help you when you need help,
and will turn to you when I need help.
I choose you as the person with whom I will spend my life.

Vows 16

No matter what life brings,
I take you as my friend and love,
beside me and apart from me,
in laughter and tears,
and in conflict and peace.
I ask that you be no other than yourself,
as I love what I know of you
and trust what I do not.
I cherish you,
for being all that you are,
all that you are not,
and all that you can be.
Know that I am here for you,
and that your pain will be mine,
and your joy mine as well.

Vows 17

From this day forward,
I make a promise,
whatever happens,
you shall not walk alone.
I’ll stand by your side,
and sleep in your arms,
I’ll be the joy in your heart,
and your closest confidant.
May you feel deeply loved,
for indeed you are.
Through our brightest days and our darkest nights,
I take you into my heart.

Vows 18

I commit my life to our friendship and love in marriage.
I promise to comfort you,
to encourage you,
and to support you.
I promise to express my thoughts and emotions to you
and to listen to you in times of joy and in times of sorrow.
I love you,
and you are my closest friend.
I vow to share life
and all that I am with you always.

Vows 19

Today, I join my life to yours.
From this day on,
I will be your companion.
You are my dearest love
and my best friend.
I look forward to our separate and shared successes.
I welcome the challenge of any obstacles we encounter,
for I know that whatever we face,
we face it together.
Because your happiness is vital to me,
I will help you to grow as an individual.
Because you deserve no less than my best,
I will also strive to be more fully myself.
I pledge that I will listen to you when you speak,
encourage you in times of doubt,
comfort you in times of sorrow,
and be your refuge of strength in times of uncertainty.
I will be faithful to you all days of my life,
caring sincerely and thoughtfully for you always,
and will cherish and adore you every moment of my life.
This is my solemn vow.

Vows 20

As we go through life together,
I will be your lover, companion, and friend,
your ally in conflict and mischief,
your greatest fan and your toughest adversary,
your comrade in adventure,
your student and your teacher,
your consolation in disappointment,
your accomplice in mischief,
your strength in your need and vulnerable to you in my own,
and most of all,
your associate in the search for enlightenment.
When I go to the place in me that is Love.
And you go into that place in you that is Love.
There we are One.

Vows 21

I promise to love and care for you,
through times of joy and times of sorrow,
to rejoice when you are happy,
and grieve when you suffer.
I will try to share your interests and hopes for the future.
Everyday, I pledge to try to understand you,
even when I do not agree with you.
I shall do all in my power to help you be your true self,
the person God calls you to be.
In all this, I ask God’s help,
now and in the days to come.

Vows 22

From this day forward,
I make a promise:
what ever happens,
you shall not walk alone.
I’ll stand by your side,
and sleep in your arms,
I’ll be the joy in your heart,
and the food for your soul,
May you feel deeply loved
for indeed you are.
Through our brightest days
and our darkest nights,
I take you, into my heart.
May God bless us,
with a great light,
around our hearts,
and around our home.
I see your beauty,
your innocence and light.
May it shine.
May the world see how beautiful you are
as I see how beautiful you are,
but may there be a special light
that only I can see.
I give you my heart.
May we feel this joy forever.
Thank you God.
Amen

Vows 23

From this day on
I choose you to be my beloved soul mate,
to live with you and laugh with you;
to stand by your side and sleep in your arms;
to be joy to your heart and food to your soul;
to bring out the best in you always;
to be the best I can be, just for you;
to celebrate with you in the good times;
to struggle with you in the bad;
to solace you when you are down-hearted;
to wipe your tears with my hands;
to care for you with my entire being;
to share with you everything that I have;
as we treat each other with tenderness, compassion and love.

Vows 24

I, Groom,
take thee, Bride,
for my lawful wedded wife,
to have and to hold,
from this day forward,
for better,
for worse,
for richer,
for poorer,
in sickness and in health
as long as we both shall live.

I, Bride,
take thee, Groom,
for my lawful wedded husband,
to have and to hold,
from this day forward,
for better,
for worse,
for richer,
for poorer,
in sickness and in health as long as we both shall live.

Vows 25

I ____, take you ____, to be my wife/husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.

Vows 26

In the Name of God, I, ____, take you, ____, to be my wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.

Vows 27

____, you are consecrated to me now as my wife/husband this day forward, to love and to cherish, to have and to hold, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, in sadness and in joy, to share together as long as we both shall love.

Vows 28

I, ____ – choose you, ____ – above all others – to share my life. I pledge to share my life openly with you – to speak the truth in love – and to accept your truth – as you share with me. I will be your companion and friend in life. I will give you respect – understanding – and the freedom to grow – in your learning and fulfillment.
I promise to offer you freely from my heart,
my trust,
my devotion,
my tenderness,
and my love.

Vows 29

I ____ take you _____, treasure of my heart and dearest companion, to be my wife/husband, lover and friend, to journey through life with, beyond the road’s end. I will love, comfort and honor you, through good times and bad, all of my days.

Vows 30

I ____ take you _____to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish; and I promise to be faithful to you until we are parted by death.

Vows 31

I take you ____ this day as my husband/wife, and I promise to walk by your side forever, as your best friend, your lover, and your soul mate.

Vows 32

I, _____, take you, ______, to be my wife/husband. I chose to marry you this day and I want to grow old with you. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. This is my solemn vow.

Vows 33

I, ____ take you ______ to be my wife/husband
I will cherish our friendship/
And love you today, tomorrow and forever/
I will trust you and honor you/
I will love you faithfully/
through the best and the worst/
What may come I will always be there/
I come into this union/
Letting go of my deepest fears/
And embracing all my faith/
And if I doubt/
I will remember this time/
And why we came together this day/
As I have given you my hands to hold/
So I give you my life to keep

Vows 34

As I have come of my own free will, I promise to love and respect you, laugh with you, share my life openly and honestly with you, support you in times of sadness, and share your joy in times of triumph. I also promise to honor and cherish you all the days of our lives.

Vows 35

I, ——–, take you, ——–, to be my wedded husband/wife. I will love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I promise to trust you, laugh with you, and share my life openly and honestly with you. I will support you in times of sadness, and share your joy in times of triumph. I promise to love, comfort, and honor you all the days of my life.

Vows 36

______, I promise to always love you, treasure you, and adore you. I will celebrate the joys of life with you and I will offer you courage and strength through all endeavors. I promise to do everything in my power to keep our love as vibrant as it is today. For as long as I shall live, I will be honored to be your wife/husband.

Vows 37

________, you are my companion in life and my one true love. I will treasure our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will trust and honor you, I will laugh and cry with you. With unfailing love I will stand by you through the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. As I have given you my hand to hold, so I give you my life to keep.

Vows 38

I, _____, take you, ____, to be my wife/husband, to love and to cherish you, to honor and to comfort you, to stand by you in sorrow or in joy, in hardship or in ease, to be both your lover and your closest friend.

Vows 39

These vows come from my heart. I pledge to love you forever; to be open, honest, and faithful to you. I promise to be your best friend – to laugh, cry, sing and dance with you; to nurture your spiritual growth and to support your dreams; to allow you freedom and room for personal growth to become the person you are yet to be. I promise to help create a home filled with reverence for learning, loving, generosity, and serenity; to bring gentleness to the relationship. I promise to listen – and honor your words and feelings; to work through the conflicts and to resolve our problems. I promise to comfort and to challenge you and to nurture your sexual being and to be your romantic lover.

Vows 40

I love you.
You are my best friend.
Today I give myself to you in marriage.
I promise to encourage and inspire you,
to laugh with you, and to comfort you in
times of sorrow and struggle.
I promise to love you in good times and in
bad, when life seems easy and when it
seems hard, when our love is simple,
and when it is an effort.
I promise to cherish you, and to always
hold you in highest regard.
These things I give to you today,
and all the days of our life.

Vows 41

I promise to give you the best of myself and to ask of you no more than you can give.

I promise to respect you as your own person and to realize that your interests, desires and needs
are no less important than my own.

I promise to share with you my time and my attention and to bring joy, strength and imagination to our relationship.

I promise to keep myself open to you, to let you see through the window of my world into my innermost fears and feelings, secrets and dreams.

I promise to grow along with you, to be willing to face changes in order to keep our relationship alive and exciting.

I promise to love you in good times and bad, with all I have to give and all I feel inside
in the only way I know how, completely and forever.

Vows 42

I take you as my partner, my friend and my love.
My hopes and dreams will now be intermingled with yours.
I will seek to balance my needs with those of our community and family.
I will openly draw from our combined experience and feelings in our search for truth and meaning.
I will strive for harmony through compromise and understanding.
I will be forgiving, but not complacent.
From this day forward, I take shared responsibility for our marriage, family, community and myself,
regardless of our successes or failures.
I promise to be faithful and true to you in mind, body, and spirit; to cherish you and respect you;
and to be a source of comfort and encouragement, free and bound by our love, as long as we shall live.

Vows 43

I marry you because everything reminds me of you.
I marry you because I like you best.
I marry you because in holding you I am held.
I marry you because I enjoy you.
I marry you because we can grow, not together, but very nearby.
I marry you because you are my favorite person to goof off with.
I marry you because when you smile, I forget where I am, and it takes me longer each tome to remember again.
I marry you because you are strong enough to be weak.
I marry you because I need to be cared for but, more importantly, I need to care.
I marry you because you make me laugh heartily and often, reminding me not to take myself or my life overly serious.
I marry you because you know me better than I know myself.

Vows 44

I take you, ______,
To be my husband/wife from this day forward,
To join with you
And share all that is to come
And I promise to be faithful to you
Until death parts us.

Vows 45

In the presence of God and this community of friends,
I, ______, take you, ______, to be my husband/wife;
To have and to hold from this day forward,
In joy and in sorrow,
In plenty and in want,
In sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish,
As long as we both shall live.
This is my solemn vow/promise.

Vows 46

______, I take you to be my partner in life and in love.
When we are together, life is warm, safe, satisfying and passionate.
When we are apart, I carry you in my heart.
On this day, I affirm the relationship that we have enjoyed,
Looking to the future to deepen and strengthen it.
I promise to love you wholly and completely,
Without restraint, in sickness and in health,
In plenty and in poverty,
In this life and beyond.
I do not seek to change you in any way,
But I respect you as God has given you to me.
This is my solemn promise.

Vows 47

I take you, ______,
To be my companion and mate
From this day forward
To join with you and share all that is to come,
And with the help of God
I promise to be faithful to you
As long as we are given life together.

Vows 48

In the name of God, I _____, take you, _____, to be my companion;
And I solemnly promise
Here with our witnesses and before God:
To stand beside you and with you always;
In times of celebration and times of sadness;
In times of pleasure and times of anger;
In times of pain and times of health.
I will live with you and love you
As long as we both shall live.

Vows 49

______, you are my family,
you are my home
I am alive with you
You help me face fears and
I am encouraged with you;
I experience forgiveness wit you and
I grow with you.
I am faithful to my highest self wit you
And that allows me to be faithful to you.
I love you with all my being,
And my dream is to grow old with you.

Vows 50

______, My beloved and my friend,
I solemnly promise before God
And our dearest friends as my witness,
That I will be faithful to you and honest with you;
I will love you and care for you,
I will share my life with you;
I will forgive you as we have been forgiven;
And with you I will try to fully understand our lives, our selves, and God
until death parts us.

Guest Participation of Vows 51

And now, BRIDE and GROOM have a wedding gift to give all of you gathered here today. As they speak their vows to one another, they’d like to give you the chance to experience the same affirmation of love. Because love is alive, it blossoms when shared with others.
They ask you to think of anyone to whom you’d like to say, “I love you.” Whether a spouse, sibling, child, parent or friend. Close your eyes and see the place within. Create a picture of that person in your minds’ eye and speak to that picture. Grasp that person’s hand as BRIDE and GROOM each grasp theirs and silently repeat after me:
(BRIDE and GROOM repeat out loud to each other simultaneously)
I love you and respect you.
I appreciate the gift of your love.
Knowing you has enriched my life beyond measure.
You make my life complete.
Now say good-bye to that person and wish them well, while we celebrate with BRIDE and GROOM and bless their good fortune.

Renewal of Vows 52

I, GROOM, renew my vows of marriage to you. You are my life-partner, best friend, and companion.

You are the supporter of my dreams and guardian of my heart. I will spend the rest of my days at your side.

I thank you for providing a nurturing, challenging and loving environment in which to grow. What I promised before, I gladly promise again to love you, honor you, and respect you above all others.

I, BRIDE, renew my vows of marriage to you. You are my life partner, my best friend, and companion.

You are the supporter of my dreams and guardian of my heart. I will spend the rest of my days at your side.

I thank you for providing a nurturing, challenging and loving environment in which to grow. What I promised before, I gladly promise again to love you, honor you, and respect you above all others.

Renewal of Vows 53

We are gathered here to celebrate a sacred agreement which BRIDE and GROOM made ____ years ago.

I congratulate them on the journey of their lives, on the strength and the courage it has taken for each of them to make their way to this place.

Over the last ______ years both of you have found a way to put aside childish things and embrace a very serious love.

We see today the blessings of your love: Your fine children, _______, and your families and your friends gathered here with you. This is an occasion of celebration and hope.

May this ceremony confirm your marriage and may your home be a place of continued joy and gladness.

Renewal of Vows 54

Marriage is a life long commitment not to be entered into thoughtlessly or lightly. BRIDE and GROOM you have realized this and you have grown together as one, in your love, and today you wish to renew your commitments and vows, to pursue this enduring, loving and sacred relationship that you have created on the foundation of your everlasting love.

Life has blessed this union, and this blessing has been received with love, faith and hope. When you married, you had no idea what life had in store for you.

Your togetherness as husband and wife at times may have been under difficult circumstances, perhaps doing without some of the necessities of life, and even may have depended on the love and support of others for your survival.

When you took your wedding vows that day you promised to love each other whether rich or poor, and in sickness and health.

At times your circumstances may have required great faith and your faith never wavered. You kept that vow to one another and stand here today remaining true to each other over the years.

Your marriage has been the most important commitment of your lives and you are the most important persons to one another. As your love has grown deeper and more comfortable with each passing year, so too has your relationship gone beyond anything you could have imagined.

For these reasons, you stand here now to compassionately and joyfully reaffirm your wedding vows and your love for one another.

To depend on another is truly a blessing in life; to have someone to share the joys of life as well as its sorrows multiplies the pleasure and divides the pain. It is a gift to all of us to witness this kind of relationship and this celebration of eternal love.

Renewal of Vows 55

Today, we reaffirm our commitment to each other as beloveds and partners in marriage.
We continue to strive to be sensitive to each other’s needs,
to be open and understanding with each other,
and to share our thoughts, our feelings, and our experiences with each other.
We renew our promise to try always to bring out the qualities of forgiveness, compassion and integrity
in our selves and in each other.
We continue to cherish each other’s uniqueness
We continue to share in life’s joys and remain steadfast and comfort each other through life’s sorrows.

Renewal of Vows 56

The word renaissance means rebirth; 
today we celebrate the rebirth of our commitment 
before this honored gathering.
(Name), with full confidence in the solid anchor of our love,
I take you once again as my (husband/wife).


Renewal of Vows 57

I stood before you
Once before I have stood with you before family and friends;
 once again I take your hand as my partner.
(Name), I take you this day and for all days as my (husband/wife)

Renewal of Vows 58

I believe in this marriage more strongly than ever.
(Name), it is with joy born of experience and trust that I commit myself once again to be your (husband/wife)

Renewal of Vows 59

Perhaps the only thing truer than one’s first love 
is to recommit to that love before family and friends.
(Name), you were and are my love for life;
 I take you from this day forward as my (husband/wife)

Renewal of Vows 60

I,________, give to you, __________, 
a new promise and yet not so new;
 a new (husband/wife), 
and yet not so new;
 and a new affirmation of love 
from the heart 
that has loved you for (x) years 
and will love you for as many more 
as God allots to it.

Renewal of Vows 61

We are gathered together here today to witness the reaffirmation of the wedding vows of BRIDE and GROOM.

After ____ years of marriage they have learned that happiness is not something that just happens. A good marriage must be created.

In the art of marriage the little things are the big things… It’s never being to old to hold hands. It’s remembering to say, “I love you”. It’s never going to sleep angry with one another. It’s always appreciating your spouse.

It’s having a mutual sense of values and common objectives. It’s standing together and facing the world. It’s forming a circle of love that gathers the whole family. It’s doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy.

It’s speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It’s not looking for perfection in each other.

It’s cultivating flexibility, patience, understanding, and a sense of humor. It’s establishing a relationship in which independence is equal, dependence is mutual; and the obligation is reciprocal.

What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined together for life, to strengthen each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister to each other in all pain, to be one with each other in silent, unspeakable memories.

With this reaffirmation ceremony we pray that your lives together will continue to be blessed with health, peace, and happiness for you, your children, and your family.

Wine Ceremony

July 29, 2008

Wine Ceremony 1

This glass of wine symbolizes the sum of your life experiences. It contains within it the sweet flavors of love, joy, wonder and contentment.

This same cup, at times, holds the bitter taste of sadness, pain, and despair. When you drink deeply of this cup of life, you invite the full spectrum of experiences into your life.

As you drink from this cup, you accept the commitment to draw from your marriage all that you need to wash away the bitter flavors of life and to savor the sweet flavors you may encounter on your journey together.

Wine Ceremony 2

As you have shared wine from a single cup, so may you, under God’s guidance, share contentment, peace and fulfillment from the cup of life.

May you find life’s joys heightened, its bitterness sweetened, and each of its moments hallowed by true companionship and love.

We praise You, Eternal God, Sovereign of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.

Wine Ceremony 3

Life is a series of contradictions.  It is said that all things end and yet all things continue.  All things change and yet all things remain the same.

Wine has been called the symbol of life.  It’s like the blood flowing within our bodies.  By sharing this glass, the two become one, the parts become whole, two paths intertwined, each separate, yet united in love.

Wine Ceremony 4

Wine, like the life-blood that pulses through our veins, is a symbol of life.  It is created through the work of hands and minds.

Love, a feeling, in constant motion like the sea, lies in the soul alone.  Just as wine stimulates the body, love stimulates our souls to welcome the spirit of God.

As you share this wine glass today, may you be joined in a love as fluid as the drink itself, yet as solid as the hands which made it.

Wine Ceremony 5

This wine glass is to remind you of your love.  Delicate, yet strong; filled with love, yet with room for more.  It symbolizes two people coming together to share one life, one love.

Use this loving cup for miracles.  Fill it with forgiveness, understanding and appreciation. Drink deeply and often.  Whenever you do, remember this:

Love is real.  Once created, it cannot be destroyed.  It is eternal.

Wine Ceremony 6

May this cup serve as a ceremonial loving cup for your relationship.

Born of the Miracle of this Holy Union, use this Loving Cup to find your way back home to each other when you have moved apart. It symbolizes two coming together to share one love, one life, and the opportunity to invite God into that life.

In times of unrest, may at least one of you have the presence to fill it with forgiveness.

The temple of the Holy Spirit is not a body, but a relationship — your relationship. When your mind focuses on love, you become an open vessel of God’s expression, and your life together becomes a joyous unfolding into God’s Grace.

Wine Ceremony 7

In this glass are the fruits of God, Mankind and Mother Earth. The years of our lives are like a cup of wine that is poured out for the sake of labor, honor and love. Many days you will sit at the same table and eat and drink together. Many are the experiences you will share. As with a glass of wine, one of you may find it sweet, the other perhaps dry or somehow different. Let the drink you share today serve as a reminder that although you may perceive things very differently, being right is never more important than being happy. With this space that you give each other, always putting your commitment to love and honor one another first, your lives together will grow deeper, richer and greatly satisfying, like a rare and fine wine. You may now drink from this fountain of love.

Wine Ceremony 8

Kahlil Gibran writes in “the Prophet”:
Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other’s cup, but drink not from one cup.

(Groom fills glass with wine)
Fill each other’s cup but drink from your own. Let this symbolize your promise to each other to be yourselves to the fullest and at the same time to honor the unity you share as husband and wife and to cherish the gifts of love and nurturing each gives the other.

I invite you now to drink to one another . . . Let this drinking of wine also remind you that what matters most in life is the spirit, not the letter; the wine, not the cup.

Wine Ceremony 9

Like wine, life is a process of change, growth, compromise and wisdom. As grapes are pressed to give forth their juice, so under the press of time our lives give forth their labor, honor, and love. Long ago, wine was revered as the blood of the earth.

When the bride and groom pledged themselves to one another, they drank wine from a single cup, three times, signifying that they were becoming one blood, one family, one kin.

Cup-raising was an invitation to family and friends to witness this oath and hold the bride and groom to their vows. It is also to remind the newlyweds and their families that a good wine is only good, if it is consumed… so must life be consumed. Savor it till the last drop.

Wine Ceremony 10

____ and ____, this “Cup of Life” contains within it a wine with certain properties that are sweet and symbolic of happiness, joy, ecstasy and love just as the years of life ahead of you together will be. This same wine also holds some bitter properties that symbolize disappointment, sorrow, grief, despair, and life’s trials and tribulations that you will inevitably run into during your new life together.

Be reminded to forgive the frailties of one another’s flaws, for they will be overcome, and bear together life’s adversities and be confident that the “good” will always return and the strength in your love will always prevail.

Through love, your flaw becomes your strength.
Through love, does the world reveal itself.
Through love, each union is made.

Drink from this cup together, as you do, earnestly seek the power and wisdom to use all the pleasure and prosperity that may come to you with gratitude, modesty, and with sympathy for those less fortunate than yourselves.

Wine Ceremony 11

Together the sweet and the bitterness of this wine also represent life’s many Journeys, and all of the experiences that are a natural part of it. Those who drink deeply from the “Cup of Life” with an open heart and willing spirit, invite the full range of challenges and experiences into their being. This “Cup of Life” is symbolic of the pledges you have made to one another this evening, to share together the fullness of life. As you drink from this cup for the second time, you acknowledge to one another that your lives – until this moment separate – have become one. Drink now, and may the cup of your lives be overflowing!

Wine Ceremony 12

As you have shared this cup of wine, so may you share your lives. May all the sweetness that it holds for you be that much sweeter because you have tasted it together. May you find life’s joys heightened, its bitterness sweetened, and all of life enriched by a constant love. As you share the wine from this cup, so may you share your lives. As of this moment, you belong to the same current which will carry you to the highest peaks of life. May this bond hold forever true!

Please share this cup of wine one last time as an acknowledgment of the new bond between you as life partners, soul mates, and this evening as Husband and Wife.

Family Wine Ceremony 13

Wine is a universal symbol — of the richness of life and sweetness of love. So it is appropriate, that on this joyous occasion, you toast life with this ancient symbol.

(Parents), please fill BRIDE and GROOM’s glasses and take a sip. This represents the continuous connection between parents and children. It’s also symbolic of the love and encouragement you have provided them and will always provide them in their lives together.

Hand the cups to your children, and they will toast each other by drinking from their own cups as a sign of maintaining themselves and their individuality. (Drink)

Now BRIDE and GROOM drink from each other’s cups as a sign of sharing yourselves and your life together. (Drink)

Let this wine ceremony represent the spirit of your lives together. By sharing this wine now, you have shown your desire to blend your families together even stronger. May you always find life’s joy heightened and its bitterness sweetened.

Preparation for the Vows

July 29, 2008

A reminder about the seriousness of the solemn vow the bride and groom are making and the new life together that will be created.

Preparation for the Vows 1

The formal exchange of your wedding vows is the most ancient part of a wedding ceremony.  These are the words that couples for centuries have spoken to one another and, while they are very simple words, they have extraordinary meaning and importance.  As you speak them to one another, you will discover that these are truly sacred promises, and sacred promises must be kept forever.  I am going to speak these words to you now, and ask that you speak them to each other.

Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows, you shall say to the world, GROOM is my husband, BRIDE  is my wife.

Preparation for the Vows 2

BRIDE and GROOM are here to marry each other. No one else’s will can create such a union. It is their words, their intentions, their vision, that must define and shape this marriage.

So I call upon them now to state their promise before this group: the pledges that will bind them together.

Preparation for the Vows 3

BRIDE and GROOM , I counsel you, as husband and wife, to always give respect to one another even when you disagree, to bear with each other’s weaknesses, to comfort each other in times of trouble or sorrow, to work with generous hearts to provide for the material needs of each other and the household, and to help one another experience spiritual, mental, emotional and physical comfort.

Preparation for the Vows 4

BRIDE and GROOM, as you stand here today, I remind you of the serious nature of the relationship you are about to enter. Marriage is the voluntary and full commitment of two consenting adults to love each other for a lifetime.

For a marriage to be successful, you must each be loyal to the other, stand firm in your defense of each other and be supportive of one another’s life goals and dreams. It is a solemn, binding, yet challenging relationship.

Preparation for the Vows 5

(For people with different religious backgrounds)

Often people feel that religious differences between two people who are about to marry may be an obstacle to their happiness. BRIDE and GROOM disagree.

They believe that all marriages are mixed marriages. They may differ in the way they spend money or the way they resolve conflicts or in their sleeping patterns. There is not one couple on this earth that would say that they agree on everything.

Couples, who come together from different religious, cultural, or ethnic backgrounds acknowledge their differences immediately.

They learn skills of negotiation to cope with their differences. And these are the exact skills that are needed in all marriages. Intercultural couples can be stronger than other couples who share similar backgrounds.

Often couples who share their ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds can be lulled into a kind of complacency because their differences may not be so obvious.

The cultural life of an inter-faith married couple can also be more enriched than those who share the same backgrounds. Diversity keeps life interesting. We can always enjoy the things we share.

It takes special people who can learn to celebrate their differences — special people like the two of you.

Preparation for the Vows 6

BRIDE and GROOM by coming here today, you have now taken the initial step in what hopefully will be a wonderful and lasting life together.

Understand, that a union between two people takes work. Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither is a relationship ever complete. It needs constant nurturing.

A good marriage is one that fosters respect, a devoted love, and a willingness to make sacrifices for each other.

These are the foundation blocks of a newly formed union. Symbolically you have been brought together as one, yet are still two separate entities with unique ideas, talents and ways of being. Respect and value those differences, and your relationship will flourish.

Preparation for the Vows 7

BRIDE and GROOM, as you stand here in the presence of God and these witnesses, I remind you, that love, loyalty and trust are the basis of a mature and fulfilling relationship.

Marriage is a serious undertaking; it is intended to bind your lives together forever and is not to be taken lightly.  Your engagement set into motion the interweaving of your lives – and we hope that you will continue to grow closer throughout your years together.

None of us knows what the future will bring.  Yet your love for one another, and trust in the strength of your union makes possible the act of faith you are making today.

As you exchange the vows, which will start you on your journey together, know that our love and support go with you. As you make your promises to each other, we will remember promises we too have made and take this opportunity to make new our own.

Preparation for the Vows 8

This is a new beginning for both of you and I’d like to offer some gentle reminders to ease your life-long task of living and growing together.

Be kind to each other.  And, when you disagree, do it respectfully.

Be gentle and forgiving with each other.  When you forgive, your hearts make room for a little more love, a little more understanding and a little more compassion.

Communicate with each other.  Share the joy that’s in your heart and the sorrow that burdens your soul.  Open your hearts to each other and find the love.

Preparation for the Vows 9

A Holy Union between two people is a beautiful thing indeed. Something to be thankful for and something to never take for granted. Each morning when you awaken give thanks for the gift that you have been given in each other and for your willingness to receive it.

A Holy Union is a sacred trust given to you by God. God says, “Here. Here is my beloved Child, and I am entrusting YOU with their care. I am entrusting you to love them, honor them, support them, cherish them, and hold their hand through thick and thin as I cannot do in human form except through you.

You are being asked to serve in this capacity because you are willing, and able, and desiring of it. Let it always remind you that God answers all prayers eventually.”

Preparation for the Vows 10

Marriage is not a legal document. No pastor or priest or justice of the peace can create a marriage because a marriage, truly, is nothing except the promises made and kept by two individuals. Today BRIDE and GROOM, your wedding day, is one brief day in time, and although your vows are spoken in a matter of minutes, they are promises that will last a lifetime.

Preparation for the Vows 11

Marriage is not a legal document. No pastor or priest or justice of the peace can create a marriage because a marriage, truly, is nothing except the promises made and kept by two individuals. Today ____ and ____ stand before us to publicly declare their love and to share with us their marriage promises.

Preparation for the Vows 12

Today, your wedding day, is one brief day in time, and although your vows are spoken in a matter of minutes, they are promises that will last a lifetime.

Preparation for the Vows 13

This moment is the anchor that holds your past and your future together. Tonight you are beginning a journey together that will last the rest of your lives. And like any journey, there will be amazing experiences on mountaintops, today hopefully being one such experience. Sometimes you will walk through valleys and have trouble finding your way. But no matter where you go, and no matter how long the journey is or how difficult, the person beside you will make your journey worthwhile. And let me just remind you that love and loyalty are the essence of a happy and enduring marriage. No other human ties are more tender, and certainly none are more sacred than those that you share with each other now.

Preparation for the Vows 14

The formal exchange of your wedding vows is the most ancient part of a wedding ceremony. These are the words that couples for centuries have spoken to one another and, while they are very simple words, they have extraordinary meaning and importance. As you speak them to one another, you will discover that these are truly sacred promises, and sacred promises must be kept forever. I am going to speak these words to you now, and ask that you speak them to each other.

Preparation for the Vows 15

_____ and ____, life is given to each of us as individuals, and yet we must learn to live together. Love is given to us by our family or by our friends. We learn to love by being loved. Learning to love and living together is one of the greatest challenges of life – and is the shared goal of a married life.

You are now taking into your care and keeping the happiness of the one person in all the world whom you love best. 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.

Today, your wedding day, is one brief day in time, and although your vows are spoken in a matter of minutes, they are promises that will last a lifetime.

The formal exchange of your wedding vows is the most ancient part of a wedding ceremony. These are the words that couples for centuries have spoken to one another and, while they are very simple words, they have extraordinary meaning and importance. As you speak them to one another, you will discover that these are truly sacred promises, and sacred promises must be kept forever. I am going to speak these words to you now, and ask that you speak them to each other.

Preparation for the Vows 16

______ and _____, the vows that you are about to exchange serve as a verbal representation of the love you have promised to each other. For it is not the words that you speak today which will unite you together as one, but the inner sense of love and commitment that each of you feels within your soul.

Preparation for the Vows 17

“Union” by Robert Fulghum
You have known each other for years, through the first glance of acquaintance
to this moment of commitment. At some moment, you decided to marry.

From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been
making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those
conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or during long
walks – all those sentences that began with “When we’re married” and
continued with “I will” and “you will” and “we will” – those late night talks
that included “someday” and “somehow” and “maybe” – and all those
promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. Just two people working
out what they want, what they believe, what they hope for each other.

All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding. The
symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one
another, “You know all those things we’ve promised and hoped and
dreamed – well, I meant it all, every word.”

Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this
moment you have been many things to one another – acquaintance,
friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have
learned much from one another in these last few years. You have learned
that good company and friendship count for more than wealth, good looks
or position. And you’ve learned that marriage is a maze into which we
wander – a maze that is best got through with a great companion.

Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and
things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows,
you shall say to the world, this – is my husband, this – is my wife.

Preparation for the Vows 18

Your marriage is the coming together of your two souls for the purpose of manifesting your hearts’ desires and the truth of your being with one another. Marriage will bring to you all of the unlimited possibilities of consciously choosing to become all that you desire, giving you the opportunity to become your highest vision of your Self.

This path is not only incredibly challenging but very rewarding as well; it brings to each of you the choices that you want to have for your own growth as well as the wonderful moments of diving blessing that you yearn for in your lives.

Marriage is a path of divine humanness. It takes great courage and commitment to continue a conscious and loving union with one other. Through your commitment, the breath of human experience will be born, from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows.

This level of commitment to yourself and each other will open the door to receiving all that you desire, from the conscious to the unconscious. The very act of joining with each other will increase your potential for self knowledge, joy, fulfillment, peace, and growth a hundred fold because until you have fully committed to each other, the well spring of God’s gifts have only a small river in which to flow through you.

Marriage is the union of your souls, a divine process that your essence longs to experience. It is your nature, and the truth of who you are. By committing to each other, you commit to life more intimately.

You no longer have the luxury of leaving when the going gets tough and the ugliness comes to the surface. Your lifelong commitment brings to you an opportunity for joy that would be unparalleled for each of you alone. The joys are that much stronger and the happiness that much richer. The wisdom is deeper and more developed, and the journey itself fuller and more beautiful.

The path of true marriage is not for the meek. It requires courage and strength, as well as an open mind and a heart filled with hope and joy. Through the mirror of each other, marriage teaches you compassion, understanding, trust, commitment, love, gentleness, and patience. Within your marriage, all things are possible; all dreams, goals, and visions are possible within your Holy Union.

Marriage denies you nothing, and only gives to you that which you truly desire. Your marriage is the coming together of friends into Union. It requires you to soften, enjoying the special qualities of your present moments. It can bring you comfort in times of need, solace when you despair, and safety when you are afraid.

A lifelong, loving marriage brings to you more peace than a life filled with quietude and solitary meditation. It takes the peace of your connection with God into your relationship and into all that you say, think, and do. Because you have prayed for every gift available to you, your marriage leaves no stone unturned, enriching your lives beyond your wildest dreams, and making you greater than you ever imagined.

Chuppah Ceremony

July 29, 2008

Chuppah Ceremony 1

One symbol from the Jewish tradition is this chuppah or canopy under which we are standing.

The design and the four chuppah bearers were all chosen to reflect your philosophy, values, and personal connections.

The four poles rooted to the ground connect us to our heritage, keep us focused on our goals; the sides open to the world free us for imagination, discovery, and play.

The cover protects us and keeps us safe; the open sides leave us vulnerable and accessible. So too may your union be a safe haven, freeing you both and opening you to each other and the world.

Dear family and friends, BRIDE and GROOM  have invited all of you under the chuppah today as a symbol of warmth, family and togetherness.

Chuppah Ceremony 2

The chuppah represents the bond of love between the two of you, the shelter of care and respect that will keep you warm during the sudden chills that Life often springs upon us.

The chuppah also represents the Rainbow Covenant of Life, the covenant that God made with Creation at the time of Noah, and which he signed with a rainbow as an eternal reminder of the inseparable bond between God and creation.

The rainbow is made up of all the primary colors of the universe, each distinguished and unique.

It isn’t a blending of colors, for this would in fact rob it of color leaving only white, but rather a harmony of color – each maintaining its uniqueness and yet somehow working together with all the others to create something more wondrous than any one color is on its own.

So it is with love. Each of you is unique; each of you has your own coloring, your own backgrounds, your own dreams, feelings and truths. You do not love in order to erase your uniqueness, but to enhance it.

Through love we learn to work in harmony with another to create a rainbow of possibilities that our world might be a brighter and more holy place.

May the Source of Life, the Fountain of all Being, find living expression in the love between BRIDE and GROOM, and may they forever uphold the chuppah of peace that we set above them this day. And let us say: Amen.

Blessing to the Four Directions

July 29, 2008

Blessing to the Four Directions 1

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: A 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.

Blessing to the Four Directions 2

In many ancient religious traditions, it is customary to bring a service of worship or celebration by calling on the four directions. This is a way of symbolically inviting all of creation to be present and take part in the festivities. This morning, we, too, want to invite the whole of creation to be with us here and now.

Oh Great Spirit of the North, we come to you and ask for the strength and the power to bear what is cold and harsh in life. We come like the buffalo ready to receive the winds that truly can be overwhelming at times. Whatever is cold and uncertain in our life, we ask you to give us the strength to bear it. Do not let the winter blow us away. Oh Spirit of Life and Spirit of the North, we ask you for strength and for warmth.

Oh Great Spirit of the East, we turn to you where the sun comes up, from where the power of light and refreshment come. Everything that is born comes up in this direction the birth of babies, the birth of the puppies, the birth of ideas and the birth of friendship. Let there be the light. Oh Spirit of the East, let the color of fresh rising in our life be glory to you.

Oh Great Spirit of the South, spirit of all that is warm and gentle and refreshing, we ask you to give us this spirit of growth, of fertility, of gentleness. Caress us with a cool breeze when the days are hot. Give us seeds that the flowers, trees and fruits of the earth may grow. Give us the warmth of good friendships. Oh Spirit of the South, send the warmth and the growth of your blessings.

Oh Great Spirit of the West, where the sun goes down each day to come up the next, we turn to you in praise of sunsets and in thanksgiving for changes. You are the great colored sunset of the red west, which illuminates us. You are the powerful cycle, which pulls us to transformation. We ask for the blessings of the sunset. Keep us open to life’s changes.

Blessing to the Four Directions 3

Long ago, people believed the human soul shared characteristics with all things celestial. They therefore designated virtues to the East, South, West, and North. So, in keeping with that age-old tradition . . .

We bless this marriage with the virtues of the East: communication between your hearts, minds, and bodies; fresh beginnings with the rising of every day’s Sun; and the value of the wisdom of sharing silences.

We bless this marriage with the virtues of the South: a warm and welcoming home; the delight of your hearts’ passion; and the ability of both to lighten the darkest of times.

We bless this marriage with the virtues of the West: the deepness of the lake; the swift flow of the river; the newness after rain; and the all-encompassing fervor of the sea.

We bless this marriage with the virtues of the North: a firm foundation to enrich your lives; a constant home to which you will always return.

Each of these blessings emphasizes things that will help you build a happy and successful marriage. But remember, they are only tools; tools you must both use – individually and together, in order to have what you seek from this marriage.

Let the image of water and the romance of your story always flow in your hearts in strong waves, knowing they are guiding you towards a goal fulfilled, a dreaming that is true.

Opening Prayers and Blessings

July 29, 2008

Opening Prayer 1

Let us pray.  God, we ask for your blessings upon this man and woman (couple), as we celebrate this momentous occasion in their lives.

Grant them happiness and contentment as they establish their new home, create a new family and explore the depths of their love for one another and for you.

Bless their families and friends and the relationships, which have supported, strengthened and sustained them throughout their lives.

Bless their home as a place of love and of peace.

And if times grow hard and tempers grow short, help them to look into their hearts and remember the love that brought them here today

Amen.

Opening Prayer 2

God, as you join us today, we ask for your blessings upon this couple as they unite in marriage.

Let all their days together be happy and all their words to each other be sweet.

Though their paths are intertwined, let them be aware of each other’s separateness. Bless their home and allow it to be a place of joy and serenity.

Remind them to nurture each other’s body with mutual love, honor and respect.  Let their spirits dwell within.

As they learn from one another, may they grow stronger as individuals and closer as a couple.

And as their wedded life begins today with prayer, so may they continue it, praying for and with each other.

Amen.

Opening Prayer 3

In acknowledgment of this holy purpose, and of the power of this occasion, let us pray.

Dear God, One who gives us the longing for love and the capability of loving, we give thanks to You for BRIDE and GROOM, for their open hearts and willing spirits, and for the love that they embody here in our presence.

Be with them on this joyous occasion as two become one, and be with us, their witnesses, as we rejoice in what is said and witnessed here.

Opening Prayer 4

To open the ceremony we will begin with an invocation in the form of an ancient prayer or mantra.

The meaning of “mantra” is “that which protects.” This mantra asks for protection, good fortune, strength, wisdom, and peace. Mantras begin with “OM”, which is not a word or a name; it is the vibration of love heard from within the heart when the mind is at peace, the vibration of love from which creation emerged.

BRIDE and GROOM, take hold of your hands and look into each other’s eyes, and repeat after me:

Om
May we be protected together
May we enjoy the fruits of our actions together.
May we achieve strength together.
May our knowledge be full of light
May there never be discord between us
Om shantih, shantih, shantihi
Om. Peace, peace, peace.

Opening Prayer 5

Let us Pray: Dear God, thank you for this joyous day. Thank you for Your Light that has entered Bride and Groom’s life. Thank you for all the miracles and blessings. Please bless this union. Help Bride and Groom find the perfect place in this world for their love to flourish. Let the radiant light of their love shine on all those around them. 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. Amen.

Opening Prayer 6

Father of mankind, whose nature is love, look with favor upon this woman and this man who desire to make their vows before you. We are grateful for the providence that has led to this union. Grant this to be more than an outward union, but also the blending of hearts and spirits and purposes. Bless each with the inward qualities of integrity, trust, cooperation and forgiveness, that they may live together in love and peace. Amen.

Opening Prayer 7

Adapted from Illuminata by Marianne Williamson
Dear God, Please make of this relationship a great and holy adventure. May their joining be a sacred space. May the two of them find rest here, a haven for their souls. Remove from them any temptation to judge themselves or each other or to direct each other. May they surrender to You their conflicts and their burdens. We know You are their Answer and their rock. Help them not forget. Bring them together in heart and mind as well as body and guide them in the ways of holiness. May this relationship be a burst of light. May it be a fount of love and wisdom for them, for their family, for their community, and for their world. May this bond be a channel for Your love and healing, a vehicle of Your grace and power. As lessons come and challenges grow, let them not be tempted to forsake each other. Let them always remember that in each other they have the most beautiful woman, the most beautiful man, the strongest one, the sacred one in whose arms we are repaired. May they remain young in this relationship. May they grow wise in this relationship. Bring them what You desire for them. And show them how you would have them be. Thank You, dear God.

Opening Prayer 8

The Lords’ Prayer
Our Father who art in Heaven, hallow be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.) Amen

Opening Prayer 9

Gracious God, spirit of life and love, we ask all blessings upon Groom and Bride in their life together. May they be blessed with patience, to see them through times of tensions or conflict. May they be blessed with kindness, to enable them to nurture and care for one another in times of pain or sorrow. May they be blessed with a spirit of play and joyfulness, that they may participate fully in the beauties and pleasures of creation. May they be blessed, finally, with a knowledge of the ever-flowing presence of love in the world, that they may be channels of this love to one another and to all whom they meet in their life’s journey. Amen.

Opening Blessing 10

Blessed are the man and the woman who have grown beyond themselves and have seen through their separations.

They delight in the way things are and keep their hearts open, day and night.

They are like trees planted near flowing rivers, which bear fruit when they are ready.

Their leaves will not fall or wither. Everything they do will succeed.

Blessed is one who comes in the name of Love.

Opening Blessing 11

Marriage is a gift from God, a miracle. After speaking to you both, it is obvious that you already know some of the great blessings marriage has to offer. It is an opportunity to feel the joy of taking care of someone who takes care of you, to be challenged towards growth yet gently nurtured, to love deeply and receive it in return. It is about trust, friendship and having a partner to share all life has to offer. It is a commitment to participate in a process of mutual evolution, understanding and forgiveness. It is indeed a sacred union to be treated with reverence.

Marriage is not a place to hide from the world. It is a safe place to grow and become wiser. It is a place to evolve into better people; so that you can go out in the world and make a difference by spreading the joy and wisdom that you have found with each other. Together in this marriage, you shall contribute more fully, for you both shall be more full.
Bride, Groom is a gift to you from God, but he is not a gift for you alone. It is God’s will that in your love, this man might find within himself a greater sense of who he is meant to be. You are asked to see the good in this man, to accept him for who he is and who he shall be. In this way, God’s purpose shall be accomplished in this relationship. May this man find the kingdom of heaven through the love you share.

And so it is with you also Groom, that although Bride is God’s gift to you, she is not a gift intended for you alone. You are asked by God to so love this woman, that in your love she might find herself as God has created her, so beautiful and strong and brave and true, that the entire world might be blessed by the presence of a woman who shines so. May she relax in your arms as she has never relaxed before. May she know, from now on, that there is one on whose love she can depend on forever.

Opening Blessing 12

Marriage is the beginning of a new life, a chance at fulfilling long-held dreams, and an opportunity for great personal and spiritual growth. Marriage endures through the ages of trends and fads. Marriage thrives, and continues to live as a promise of a beautiful dream come true. As long as individuals are drawn together by God, marriage will be a natural unfolding of that relationship.

Feelings come alive at a wedding. Great happiness. Some sadness. Apprehension. And sometimes pure relief!. There is an acute awareness that something special, something that goes to the very heart of life, is about to happen. Something is gone forever, and something is born, brand-new and tender. Something to be nurtured and cared for, protected and cherished, challenged and strengthened–your never-before-created marriage.
Each of you brings gifts to the other today. Gifts of hope and laughter, focus and seriousness of purpose. Sensitivity and recognition of the beautiful and the profound. Since childhood, you have searched for and dreamed about that special someone who would embody and express the gifts you now stand ready to give and to receive. But these gifts are not to be yours alone. A strong and resilient marriage is not an escape from the world but a contribution to it. Bride and Groom, may you now combine and strengthen your gifts, to be offered as a distinct and beautiful gift to the world. For the world is in need of the beautiful, the good and the holy and nothing is better suited to evoke that than a good marriage.

And now you stand before this loving community of family and friends, ready to acknowledge to God and to the world: this is my beloved, the one with whom I choose to create the rest of my life.

May you both create, with God, a piece of heaven on earth.

Opening Blessing 13

Marriage is a supreme sharing, perhaps the greatest and most challenging adventure in the most intimate of human relationships. It is the joyful uniting of a man and a woman whose care and affection and understanding have flowered into a deep and abiding love. Those who take its sacred vows have their lives blended together into one, as the waters of two rivers are joined when they come together to form an even greater one.

A true spiritual marriage is an act of metamorphosis, a profound mystery of creation and rebirth, as two become one. It is not a giving up or loss of oneself, but rather a giving over of oneself to something greater-a transformation of self in which each one can say, “I am no longer only I but also we.” It is a process in which each can be challenged to discover new possibilities in themselves and each other.

In such a marriage, the wedding ceremony is the gateway into this mystery. For the lives the two of you have lived up until this moment are, in some sense, now truly completed and over. Together you now live within the creation of something wholly new and transcendent, something which has never existed before-your miraculous marriage-an expression that is at once public and private, precious, sacred, and truly unique to the two of you. In this act, you open yourselves to a fuller experience and expression of the great, vast miracle of love.

No ceremony can create your marriage. Only you can do that-through love, patience, dedication, perseverance-through talking and listening and trying to understand-through helping and supporting and believing in each other-through learning to forgive, learning to respect and appreciate your differences, and learning to make the important things matter and to let go of the rest. What this ceremony can do is to witness and affirm the choice you have made to begin a new life today as husband and wife.

Opening Blessing 14

Divine Spirit (Father, Lord), we know Your presence is with all of us here this special day of _____ and _____’s wedding and we give thanks.

We ask Your blessing and love be with us during this ceremony and to especially fill the hearts of ___ and __as they pledge their love to one another.

May the wisdom and spirit of all-giving and all-understanding Love pervade all the words spoken and all the love given here today, that these vows offered will remain strong and true and abiding in the presence of love all the days of their lives.

May all of us present feel the strength and depth of ____ and ___’s love and experience a rebirth of the power of love in our own lives.

We ask these things in the Name of the Divine Spirit and give thanks that it is so.

Opening Blessing 15

I invoke Thee, Who art the greatest of all, Who created all, Who generated it from thyself, Who sees all and is never seen. We ask Your blessing for ____ and ____ tonight as they enter into this cherished covenant. We ask You to bless this community of friends and family who pledge their love and support of ____ and ____’s marriage.

Infinite One, fly ahead of them
Open the way
Prepare the path
Spirity of the sun
Mother of the light
Come to them!
Amen.
(excerpt from Greek prayer to Ayron and Hopi Hymn)

Opening Blessing 16

Faithful God, we dare to invoke Your name in this glad moment, because we know you are the Creator of humanity in your image and in all our diversity. You are the Author of love, the Source of passion, the Model of commitment. You stand with us, through all of life’s experiences, worries, defeats, and victories. So we pray for your presence now, confident that divine blessing comes to rest wherever hearts are woven together with fidelity and live. Bless this hour for ______ and ______, and let Your peace uphold all who love them and who witness this sacred moment. Amen.

Blessing to the Four Directions

Welcome

July 29, 2008

Order of Wedding Ceremony

July 29, 2008

This represents the order of a wedding ceremony or renewal of vows. It will be tailored to your specific needs and you can include any section you would like.

Please click on any of the links to view samples.

_____ Gathering Words

_____ Moment of Silence

_____ Opening Prayers and Blessings

_____ Blessings to Four Directions

_____ Chuppah Ceremony

_____ Support From Families and Friends

_____ Flower Ceremony

_____ Charge To Couple

_____ Candle Lighting Unity Ceremony

_____ Wine Ceremony

_____ Vows

_____ Promises

_____ Affirmation of the Community

_____ Exchange of Rings

_____ Concluding Blessing

_____ Benedictions

_____ Ribbons, Doves, Butterflies & Bubbles

_____ Hand-fasting

_____ Nuptial Knot

_____ Marriage Pronouncement

_____ Breaking the Glass

_____ Presentation of Couple

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