Traditional Religious Sample

We are gathered here in the presence of God, family and friends to unite _____ and _____ in holy matrimony. Marriage is an honorable estate, and is therefore not to be entered into lightly, but reverently, advisedly, soberly and with God’s blessing. Today, they will receive God’s greatest gift; another person to share with, grow with, change with, be joyful with and to stand with as one when trials and tribulations enter their lives. It is fitting, therefore, that we should on this occasion begin by asking for God’s blessing on this marriage. Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, we gather to celebrate your gift of love, and its presence among us. We rejoice that these two people have chosen to commit themselves to a life of loving faithfulness to one another. We praise you, Lord, for the ways you have touched our lives with loving relationships such as _____ and _____’s, and we give thanks for the special love and friendship you have put in their hearts. Renew within us an affectionate and loving spirit. Enrich our lives with the gracious gift of your love so that we may embrace others with that same love. May our participation in this celebration of love and commitment, give to us a new joy and responsiveness to the relationships that we cherish. In your loving arms we pray, Amen.

You may all be seated.

DEFINITION OF COMMITMENT

Marriage is a joyous occasion. It is connected in our thoughts with the charm of love, the warmth of home, and with all that is pleasant, as being one of the most important events of our lives. Its sacredness and unity is the most significant and binding covenant known in human relations.

______ and _____, let me charge you both to remember that your future happiness is to be in mutual consideration, patience, kindness, confidence and affection. It is the duty of each of you to find your greatest joy in the company of the other; to remember that your love pledged today must remain undivided for a lifetime.

It is your duty, _____, to be to _____, a considerate, tender, faithful, and loving husband: to support, guide and cherish her in prosperity and trouble; to thoughtfully and carefully enlarge the place she holds in your life; to constantly show to her the tokens of your affection, to shelter her from danger, and to love her with an unchangeable love.

It is your duty, _____, to be to _____, a considerate, tender, faithful, and loving wife; to comfort, guide and cherish him in prosperity and trouble; to give to him the unfailing evidences of your affection; to continue making the place he holds in your heart, broader and deeper; to support him, value him and work with him to make your marriage the very best that it can be.

I call your attention to the seriousness of the decision which you have made and the covenant you are about to declare before God. The vows you are about to take are not to be taken without careful thought, for in them you are committing yourselves exclusively to one another for as long as you both shall live.

WEDDING VOWS

If you are ready to assume the obligations and duties before God, as I have defined them, you will unite your hands and pledge your love and your lives to each other.

Groom, repeat after me.

I ____, take you, _____, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for as long as we both shall live. This is my solemn vow.

Now Bride, please repeat after me.

I _____, take you, _____, to be my husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for as long as we both shall live. This is my solemn vow.

EXCHANGE OF RINGS

You will now exchange rings as a symbol of the lifelong commitment and abiding love which you as husband and wife have promised to each other.

Groom, please place the ring on _____’s finger, and repeat after me.

I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness.

And Bride, please place the ring on _____’s finger and repeat after me.

I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness.

(Great Place for a Reading)

CLOSING PRAYER

Eternal God, help _____ and _____ to fulfill the promises they have made here today and to reflect your steadfast love in their commitment to each other. Give them kindness and patience, affection and understanding, happiness and contentment. May their family and friends continue to support them in difficult days, so that their love for each other may continue to grow as long as they both shall live.

Let us all pray.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed 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,

Forever and ever.

Amen.

DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE

_____ and _____, having witnessed your vows for marriage before God and all who are assembled here, by the authority invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride!

It is my pleasure to introduce to you for the first time…

5. A Civil Ceremony – Short and Powerful Found at Wedding Bee WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION

Welcome! Good afternoon, family and friends. We have come here today to celebrate the wedding of ______ and ______. On behalf of the bride and groom, thank you for joining us. By your presence, you celebrate with them the love they have discovered in each other, and you support their decision to commit themselves to a lifelong relationship.

Marriage is a bond to be entered into only after considerable thought and reflection. By making this commitment today, ______ and ______’s relationship will become stronger, better, and deeper.

Today, _____ and _____ demonstrate their devotion to each other by dedicating themselves to a life together and they show their respect for each other. By setting forth to honor the vows they have created today, their lives, which began on separate paths, will be joined as one.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF FAMILY & FRIENDS

Today represents not only the joining of ______ and ______ but also the joining of their families and friends.

_______ and ______ would like to recognize their parents on this occasion. They offer their profound gratitude for all the love and care their parents showed in raising them. The unconditional gifts of love and support that you have continually offered have inspired them to become who they are today. Without you, this day would not be possible.

_____ have also asked that we take a moment to honor those loved ones who are not with us today

[Names of those acknowledged here]

MARRIAGE ADDRESS

Deep abiding affection, the magical and compelling shared impulse that makes us seek each others’ company, is among the greatest gifts of the human experience.

Any of us who has been fortunate enough to find and express the kind of loving devotion that we are celebrating here today knows that it is an awesome and beautiful thing.

At this time, I would like to share 3 suggestions with the both of you:

My first suggestion is this:

Be constantly grateful for this precious person who has chosen to make a life with you.

My second suggestion is this:

Be generous with compliments. Be attentive and helpful. The world can be a tough place

and any of us can be subject to rough handling. Each of you can, by your tenderness toward each other,

kind words and thoughtful actions, make your marriage and your home an uplifting refuge.

Last, but perhaps most importantly:

Make truth the unfailing bedrock of your lives together. A happy, loving marriage is built on trust and respect. That trust and respect can only be sustained if you are both deeply committed to always being open and truthful in every exchange no matter how small.

My hope for you is this:

That you have many long years to delight in each other’s company, to feel gratitude for your great fortune in having found each other.

To a make home together that is at once sheltering and welcoming, to each do meaningful, productive work at home and in the world and to love and be loved by the friends and family who have come here today to support you

MARRIAGE STATEMENT OF INTENT/CONSENT

_______ and ______, do you, present yourselves willingly and of your own accord to be joined in marriage?

We do.

Will you promise to care for each other in the joys and sorrows of life, come what may, and to share the responsibility for growth and enrichment of your life together?

We do.

Then please turn to each other and share your vows.

VOWS

Today I promise you/that though the world may change/

and though we may change with it/

I will always love you/always treasure you/and will share all that I am with you/

I am proud, from this day forward/to be called your wife/husband

RING EXCHANGE

For thousands of years, men and women have exchanged rings as a token of their vows.

Let these rings be a sign that your love has a past, a present, and a future.

______, take _____’s ring and place it on her finger and repeat after me:

I give you this ring/as a sign that I choose you/

To be my wife/my partner/and my best friend/to the end of my days.

The love already shared by your hearts has been strengthened by the vows you have taken and the rings you have now exchanged.

PRONOUNCEMENT

______ and ______, we have heard your promise to share your lives in marriage. In the honesty and sincerity of what you have said and done here today, and in accordance with the laws of the state of __________it is my honor and delight to declare you henceforth to be husband and wife.

You may seal your vows with a kiss.