Dove Release Ceremonies

Anam Cara Ceremony

Anam cara & Pebble Wedding Ceremony

As the guests arrive, they are each given a small pebble to hold during the Celtic Wedding Ceremony. 

WELCOME

Friends and family, what a joy it is to welcome you here, to celebrate and witness the union of ­­­­­­­­­­ ________ and _________.

CONSENT

Some say that marriage is the oldest ritual in the world. As such, it should not be entered into thoughtlessly or lightly, for your future happiness and prosperity depends on what you put into this relationship.

Do you ____________ and _______________ come here of your own free will, accompanied by your families' blessings, to be united in marriage?

ADDRESS
On this wedding day we celebrate the Celtic spirit of anam cara. Anam cara is translated from the Gaelic as "soul friend."  By solidifying your partnership with your anam cara, you are joined in an ancient and eternal way.

To the ancients, the four elements to be respected and celebrated were earth, water, wind, and fire.

FIRE
The couple lights a candle.
Let your lives continue to burn together as one.
"From every human being,
there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven.
And when two souls that are destined to be together find each other,
their streams of light flow together,
and a single brighter light goes forth
from their united being."

WATER
Before there was life, there was water. Water is life. It sustains us, nourishes us, cleanses us, refreshes us, we are made of it. And so, drink. Drink to your love you've shared in the past, celebrate in your present, and look to in your future.
The couple take turns to drink from the loving cup, filled with water poured from a pitcher filled with water.

WIND
The wind is the soul, the spirit, the very breath of life. Until you die few things will ever be  more intimate than that subtle infusion of air and the touch of lips when you kiss. You have the memory of many kisses between you, and there will be many more!

EARTH
We must not forget the rock from which we are hewn, the very earth on which we live. However fickle and variable the ways of humankind, there lies within us all something solid, unshakeable, unmovable - like a rock.

The couple holds a small rock in their hands.

Take in your hands the stone and find within yourself that piece of sure foundation that you would share with each other, and for a moment close your eyes. Focus on that inner strength as though you could bundle it up in a stone.
Visualize the future you wish for yourselves and engrave it in stone. A moment of silence.

THE RING
The ring is a circle that has no end, and symbolizes the never-ending love that exists between you. The ring is made from precious metals purified by the heat of testing, it is a symbol of the purity of your love for one another. The ring is made of rare gems that radiate brilliance and a quality unlike other ordinary stones, and represents the riches that reside in each of you. May these rings always reflect the light of your love throughout your life together.

VOWS
Officiant says:  __________, please repeat after me.
I, ____________, take you, ____________, to be my partner in life.
I promise to walk by your side forever,
and to love, help, and encourage you in all that you do.
I will take time to talk with you,
to listen to you, and to care for you. 
I will share your laughter and your tears.
As your partner, lover, and best friend,
Everything I am and everything I have
is yours now and forevermore.

Officiant says:  __________, please repeat after me.
I __________, take you, ___________, to be my partner in life.
I promise to walk by your side forever,
and to love, help, and encourage you in all that you do.
I will take time to talk with you,
to listen to you, and to care for you. 
I will share your laughter and your tears.
As your partner, lover, and best friend,
Everything I am and everything I have
is yours now and forevermore.

IRISH BLESSING
May the road rise to meet you. 
May the wind be always at your back. 
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
the rains fall soft upon the fields. 
May the Light of friendship guide your paths together. 
May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.  
May the joy of living for one another
trip a smile from your lips, a twinkle from your eye.
And when eternity beckons
at the end of a life heaped high with love,
may the good lord embrace you
with the arms that have nurtured you
the whole length of your joy-filled days. 
May the gracious God hold you both in the palm of his hands. 
And, today, may the Spirit of Love
find a dwelling place in your hearts. Amen

PRONOUNCEMENT
____________ and ____________ because you have committed yourselves to each other in marriage, and have demonstrated this by exchanging your vows and giving each other rings, by the Authority invested in me by the State or District of ________, you are now and forever, husband and wife!

KISS
You may kiss.

PRESENTATION
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to introduce to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. ____________ and ___________.

 

RELIGIOUS WEDDING CEREMONIES   

WELCOME

We welcome all of you here today as we gather in the presence of God and these witnesses to join Bride __________ Groom ____________ in holy matrimony.

We gather here today to honor their commitment and to witness and celebrate their union. Today Bride ________ Groom ___________ will proclaim their love to the world.

We should rejoice to be in the presence of true love, such as theirs. In marriage, two become one by giving themselves up to each other in holy wedlock - and, by so doing, receive in turn the gift of love and trust. But that gift is shared, not just by the two being joined today, but by all they touch - their friends, family, and all that are present here today.

To Bride and Groom:

Marriage is a gift from God, given to us so that we might experience the joys of love with a life-long partner. God intended for marriage to be an intimate holy relationship between a man and a woman mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.  As such, it should not be entered into thoughtlessly or lightly, for your future happiness and prosperity depends much on what you put into this relationship.

Groom ______ and Bride _________, because your deep love for each other comes from God, this is a sacred time and place, and it is with great reverence that I now ask you to declare your intent.

CONSENT
Groom ________ do you take Bride _________ to be your lawful wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, remain faithful to her as long as you both shall live? If so, please answer "I do".

 

Bride ________, do you take Groom ___________ to be your lawful wedded husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, remain faithful to him as long as you both shall live? If so, please answer "I do".

Ask:  Who presents Bride _________ to Groom _____________? Someone says: I do/we do/or family does.  Bride gives bouquet to Maid of Honor

ADDRESS 
Today is the beginning of a new life together for you.  God knew exactly what you needed to make you complete when He brought you together.  And now, He wants you to commit yourselves to accept each other as the one He has chosen to complete you.  God said, "It is not good for man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him."

READING
The Creation of Woman from the Rib of Man Genesis 2: 21-23
The Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; And while he was sleeping, He took one of the man's ribs, And then closed up the place with clash, Then the Lord God formed a woman From the rib He had taken out of the man, And brought her to him. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, for she was taken out of Man."

Women was made of a rib out of the side of Man. She was not created from ma''s head to rule over him, Nor from his feet to be trampled upon by him. Instead, woman was taken from his side, to be equal with him; under his arm, to be protected; and near his heart to be loved.

True love goes far beyond the feelings of excitement and romance. It is caring more about the well-being and happiness of your marriage partner than your own needs and your own desires. True love is not total absorption in each other, but rather, it is looking outward in the same direction together. Love makes burdens lighter because you divide them. It makes joys more intense because you share them. Love makes you stronger so you can become involved in life in ways you dare not risk alone. True love says the two of you are just better together than when you are apart.

WEDDING VOWS
Groom __________, please repeat after me: I, __________, take thee, Bride ___­­­­_________, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.  This is my solemn vow.

Bride __________, please repeat after me: I, Bride ________, take you, Groom ___________ to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.  This is my solemn vow. 

EXPLANATION OF THE RINGS
The wedding serves as a symbol of the promise you have just spoken.  It is the outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible love that binds your hearts together.  It is a circle that has no end, and symbolizes the never-ending love that exists between you.  The wedding ring is a symbol of what God is.  He is without beginning and without end—He is eternal.

RING EXCHANGE VOWS
Officiant says: May I have the token of Groom's _________ love for Bride ___________. (Officiant receives ring from Best Man. Groom places ring on Bride's finger.)

Officiant says: Groom __________________, please repeat after me: This ring I give in token and pledge, as a sign of abiding love and devotion. With this ring, I thee wed.

Officiant says: May I have the token of Bride's ___________ love for Groom __________. (Officiant receives ring from Maid of Honor.  Bride places ring on Groom's finger.) 

Officiant says: Bride ______, please repeat after me: This ring I give in token and pledge, as a sign of abiding love and devotion. With this ring, I thee wed.

 

Officiant says: These wedding rings are continuous; they have no beginning and no end. The ring is a symbol of everlasting faith and love. May your ring ever remind you of the covenant you are entering into today and of its everlasting nature.

OPTIONAL RITUALS (You may omit or choose one ritual)
Lighting Of The Unity Candle
Jumping The Broom
Blending of Sand (Hawaiian Tradition)
Celtic Blessing Stones (Wishing Stones
Celtic Handfasting

WEDDING PRAYER/BLESSING
May God bless you with Hope enough to keep sunshine in your love, and Fear enough to keep you holding hands in the dark; Unity enough to keep your roots entwined, and Separation enough to keep you reaching for each other; Harmony enough to keep romance in your song, and Discord enough to keep you tuning your love so it becomes sweet music to all who may hear it.

PRONOUNCEMENT
Groom ____________ and Bride _____________, since you have consented together in holy matrimony, and have pledged yourselves to each other by your solemn vows, by the giving of rings, and declared your love and commitment to each other before God and these witnesses, by the power invested in me by God and the State of ____________, it is with great joy that I pronounce you husband and wife in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Those whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.

KISS
Officiant says: Groom __________, you may kiss your Bride. (Bride and Groom kiss.) (Bride receives bouquet from Maid of Honor.)

PRESENTATION
Officiant says: Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to introduce to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. __________.

Religious Wedding Ceremony #2

WELCOME
We welcome all of you here tonight as we gather in the presence of God and these witnesses to join ___________ and ____________ in holy matrimony. We gather here today to honor their commitment and to witness and celebrate their union.

To Bride and Groom:

Marriage is a gift from God, given to us so that we might experience the joys of love with a life-long partner. As such, it should not be entered into thoughtlessly or lightly, for your future happiness and prosperity depends much on what you put into this relationship. Because your deep love for each other comes from God, this is a sacred time and place and it is with great reverence that I now ask you to declare your intent.

CONSENT
Do you ___________ and ___________ come here of your own free will, accompanied by your families' blessings, to be united in holy wedlock?

Ask:  Who gives ___________ to ____________ in marriage?  Someone says: I do/we do/or family does.  Bride gives bouquet to Maid of Honor

ADDRESS
Today is the beginning of a new life together for you.  God knew exactly what you needed to make you complete when He brought you together.  God said, "It is not good for man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him."

READING
Genesis 2: 21-23 The Creation of Woman from the Rib of Man
The Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; And while he was sleeping, He took one of the man’s ribs, And then closed up the place with a crash, Then the Lord God formed a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man, And brought her to him. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, for she was taken out of Man."

Women was made of a rib out of the side of Man. She was not created from man's head to rule over him, nor from his feet to be trampled upon by him. Instead, woman was taken from his side, to be equal with him; under his arm, to be protected; and near his heart to be loved.

True love goes far beyond the feelings of excitement and romance. It is caring more about the well-being and happiness of your marriage partner than your own needs and desires. True love is not total absorption in each other, but rather, it is looking outward in the same direction together. Love makes burdens lighter because you divide them. It makes joys more intense because you share them. Love makes you stronger so you can become involved in life in ways you dare not risk alone. True love says the two of you are just better together than when you are apart.

WEDDING VOWS
Officiant says:  __________, Repeat after me: I, ___________ take thee, ___________ to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.  This is my solemn vow.

Officiant says: ___________, Repeat after me: I, __________ take you _________ to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.  This is my solemn vow. 

EXPLANATION OF THE RINGS
The wedding ring serves as a symbol of the promise you have just spoken.  It is the outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible love that binds your hearts together.  It is a circle that has no end, and symbolizes the never-ending love that exists between you.  The wedding ring is a symbol of what God is.  He is without beginning and without end - He is eternal.

RING EXCHANGE VOWS
Officiant says: May I have the token of ___________ love for ___________.  (Officiant receives ring from Best Man. Groom places ring on Bride's finger.)

Officiant says: ___________, please repeat after me: This ring I give in token and pledge, as a sign of abiding love and devotion. With this ring, I thee wed.

Officiant says: May I have the token of _________ love for ________.
(Officiant receives ring from Maid of Honor.  Bride places ring on Groom's finger.) 

Officiant says: __________, please repeat after me: This ring I give in token and pledge, as a sign of abiding love and devotion. With this ring, I thee wed.

Officiant says: These wedding rings are continuous; they have no beginning and no end. The ring is a symbol of everlasting faith and love. May your ring ever remind you of the covenant you are entering into today and of its everlasting nature.

OPTIONAL RITUALS (You may omit or choose one ritual)
Lighting Of The Unity Candle
Jumping The Broom
Blending of Sand (Hawaiian Tradition)
Celtic Blessing Stones (Wishing Stones
Celtic Handfasting
 

WEDDING PRAYER/BLESSING

Dearest God, I ask that you bless and sanctify this union of these souls, As they live in your love, While awake and asleep, At work and at play. As they seek your wisdom and understanding, Let them find all of those secret joys You have especially for them. Amen

PRONOUNCEMENT
___________ and ___________ since you have consented together in holy matrimony, and have pledged yourselves to each other by your solemn vows, by the giving of rings, and declared your love and commitment to each other before God and these witnesses, by the power invested in me by God and the State of ____________, it is with great joy that I pronounce you husband and wife.

KISS
Officiant says: ___________, you may kiss your Bride. (Bride and Groom kiss.) (Bride receives bouquet from Maid of Honor.)

PRESENTATION
Officiant says: Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to introduce to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. ___________. 

Religious Wedding Ceremony #3

WELCOME

We welcome all of you here today as we gather in the presence of God and these witnesses to join ­­­­­­­­­­­­­___________ and ___________ in holy matrimony.

To Bride and Groom:

Marriage is a gift from God, given to us so that we might experience the joys of love with a life-long partner. As such, it should not be entered into thoughtlessly or lightly.

CONSENT
Because your deep love for each other comes from God, this is a sacred time and place and it is with great reverence that I now ask you to declare your intent.

Do you ___________  and ____________ come here of your own free will, accompanied by your families' blessings, to be united in holy wedlock?

ADDRESS
God knew exactly what you needed to make you complete when He brought you together.  He wants you to commit yourselves to accept each other as the one He has chosen to complete you. 

READING
LOVE VERSE 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient and kind; Love is not jealous or boastful; It is not arrogant or rude. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. So faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

WEDDING VOWS
Groom __________, Repeat after me: I, __________, take you _________ to be my weddeded 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, till death do us part.  This is my solemn vow.

Bride __________, Repeat after me: I, __________, take you, Groom ________ to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.  This is my solemn vow.

EXPLANATION OF THE RINGS
The wedding ring serves as a symbol of the promise you have just spoken.  It is a circle that has no end, and symbolizes the never-ending love that exists between you.  The wedding ring is a symbol of what God is.  He is without beginning and without end - He is eternal.

RING EXCHANGE VOWS
Groom places ring on Bride's finger.
Officiant says: Groom _________, please repeat after me: This ring I give in token and pledge, as a sign of abiding love and devotion. With this ring, I thee wed.

Bride places ring on Groom's finger.

Officiant says: Bride _____________, please repeat after me: This ring I give in token and pledge, as a sign of abiding love and devotion. With this ring, I thee wed.

 

Officiant says: These wedding rings are continuous; they have no beginning and no end. The ring is a symbol of everlasting faith and love.  May your ring ever remind you of the covenant you are entering into today and of its everlasting nature.

OPTIONAL RITUALS (You may omit or choose one ritual)
Lighting Of The Unity Candle
Jumping The Broom
Blending of Sand (Hawaiian Tradition)
Celtic Blessing Stones (Wishing Stones
Celtic Handfasting

WEDDING PRAYER/BLESSING
Dearest God, I ask that you bless and sanctify this union of these souls,  as they live in your love, While awake and asleep, At work and at play.  As they seek your wisdom and understanding, Let them find all of those secret joys You have especially for them. Amen

PRONOUNCEMENT
Groom _____________ and Bride _____________, by the power invested in me by the State of __________, it is with great joy that I pronounce you husband and wife. 

KISS
Officiant says: Will you please turn and face your family and friends.
Groom _____________, you may kiss your Bride. (Bride and Groom kiss.) (Bride receives bouquet from Maid of Honor.)

RESENTATION
Officiant says: Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to introduce to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. _____________.

 

Religious Wedding Fast Ceremony #4

WELCOME

Marriage is a gift from God, As such, it should not be entered into thoughtlessly or lightly. Do you both come here of your own free will, accompanied by your families' bessings, to be united in holy wedlock?

God knew exactly what you needed to make you complete when He brought you together.  He wants you to commit yourselves to accept each other as the one He has chosen to complete you. 

WEDDING VOWS
Groom, Repeat after me: I, Groom __________, take thee ________ to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.  This is my solemn vow.

 

Bride, Repeat after me: I, Bride _________ take you _______ to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.  This is my solemn vow.

RING EXCHANGE VOWS
Groom places ring on Bride's finger.
Officiant says: Groom ___________, please repeat after me: This ring I give in token and pledge, as a sign of abiding love and devotion. With this ring, I thee wed.

Bride places ring on Groom's finger.
Officiant says: Bride _______, please repeat after me: This ring I give in token and pledge, as a sign of abiding love and devotion. With this ring, I thee wed.

 

Officiant says: These wedding rings are continuous; they have no beginning and no end. The ring is a symbol of everlasting faith and love.  May your ring ever remind you of the covenant you are entering into today and of its everlasting nature.

WEDDING PRAYER/BLESSING
Dearest God, I ask that you bless and sanctify this union of these souls, As they live in your love, While awake and asleep, At work and at play. As they seek your wisdom and understanding, Let them find all of those secret joys You have especially for them. Amen

PRONOUNCEMENT
Groom _______ and Bride _______, by the power invested in me by God and the State of __________, it is with great joy that I pronounce you husband and wife.  Those whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.

KISS
Officiant says: Groom _________, you may kiss your Bride. 

PRESENTATION
Officiant says: It is my privilege to introduce to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. ____________.

SAME SEX MARRIAGE CEREMONIES

Spiritual Ceremony #3

WELCOME

Friends and family of the brides/grooms, what a joy it is to welcome you here, to celebrate and witness the union of ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ _____________ and ____________.

 

CONSENT

Some say that marriage is the oldest ritual in the world. As such, it should not be entered into thoughtlessly or lightly, for your future happiness and prosperity depends on what you put into this relationship.

Do you _____________ and ____________ come here of your own free will, accompanied by your families' blessings, to be united as husbands/wives?

ADDRESS

Today in marriage, you are taking into your care and trust, the happiness of the one person in this world whom you love with all your heart. You have invited us to share in the celebration of your love, a very special love that culminates in your union as husbands/wives. Every experience you ever had, everything you have ever done, everything you have ever learned, has brought you to this moment. New experiences lie before you with opportunities to grow deeper in love with each other. As you walk hand in hand into the future, cherish each moment as a gift to strengthen the bond between you.

 

READING
A successful marriage is not something that just happens. It must be nurtured. It takes work, it takes understanding, and it takes time. More importantly, it takes a commitment from both of you - a commitment to do whatever it takes to make your relationship thrive and not just simply survive. And finally, it is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.

VOWS

To Groom/Bride #1: ___________, please repeat after me. I _________ take you __________ to be my partner in life. I promise to walk by your side forever, To love, help and encourage you in all that you do. I will take time to talk with you, listen to you, and to care for you. I will share your laughter and your tears as your partner, lover, and best friend. Everything I am and everything I have is yours now and forever.

 

To Groom/Bride #2: ___________, please repeat after me. I _________, take you __________ to be my partner in life. I promise to walk by your side forever, To love, help and encourage you in all that you do. I will take time to talk with you, listen to you, and to care for you. I will share your laughter and your tears as your partner, lover, and best friend. Everything I am and everything I have is yours now and forever.

 

RINGS

The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible bond which unites two loyal hearts.  The ring is a never ending circle that represents never ending love.

 

EXCHANGE VOWS

May I have the ring for _________.

To Groom/Bride #1: ­­­­­­­­­_______, please repeat after me: _________, I give you this ring.  Wear it with love and joy. As this ring has no end, neither shall my love for you. I choose you to be my husband/wife this day and forever.

 

May I have the ring for _________.

To Groom/Bride #2: _________, please repeat after me. _________, I give you this ring. Wear it with love and joy. As this ring has no end, neither shall my love for you. I choose you to be my husband/wife this day and forever.

 

MARRIAGE BLESSING
Today you have formed a partnership, we hope that your relationship will continue to grow; we hope that you will always be honest and true to each other; we hope that you will be flexible and accepting of the changes that life presents. But most of all, we wish you happiness and prosperity.

PRONOUNCEMENT

___________ and _________ because you have committed yourselves to each other in marriage, and have demonstrated this by exchanging your vows and giving each other rings, By the Authority invested in me by the District of Columbia, I pronounce you Husbands/Wives!

 

KISS: You may kiss.

 

PRESENTATION:
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to introduce to you for the very first time, ____________ and _____________ as a married couple.

 

Fast Spiritual Ceremony #5

 

Some say that marriage is the oldest ritual in the world. As such, it should not be entered into thoughtlessly or lightly, for your future happiness and prosperity depends on what you put into this relationship. Do you come here of your own free will, accompanied by your families' blessings, to be united as husbands/wives?

To Groom/Bride #1: ________ do you take _________ to be your wedded husband/wife, to be a loving and faithful husband/wife in plenty and want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and health as long as you both shall live.

 

To Groom/Bride #2: ________ do you take _________ to be your wedded husband/wife, to be a loving and faithful husband/wife in plenty and want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and health as long as you both shall live.

Hand ring to Groom/Bride #1 & say repeat after me: In token and pledge,
of our constant faith and abiding love, with this ring I thee wed.

Hand ring to bride Groom/Bride #2 & say repeat after me: In token and pledge, of our constant faith and abiding love, with this ring I thee wed.

WEDDING BLESSING
Today you have formed a partnership, we hope that you and your relationship
will continue to grow and to deepen; we hope that you will always be honest and true to each other; we hope that you will be flexible and accepting of the changes that life presents. But most of all, we wish you happiness and prosperity.

PRONOUNCEMENT

By the Authority invested in me by the District of Columbia, you are now and forever, legally married! You may now kiss.

PRESENTMENT: Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to introduce to you for the very first time, __________ and ___________ as a married couple

Anam Cara Wedding Ceremony

WELCOME

Friends and family, what a joy it is to welcome you here, to celebrate and witness the union of ­­­­­­­­­­ ____________ and _____________.


CONSENT

Some say that marriage is the oldest ritual in the world. As such, it should not be entered into thoughtlessly or lightly, for your future happiness and prosperity depends on what you put into this relationship.

Do you ____________ and _______________ come here of your own free will, accompanied by your families' blessings, to be united in marriage?

ADDRESS
On this wedding day we celebrate the Celtic spirit of anam cara. Anam cara is translated from the Gaelic as 'soul friend'. By solidifying your partnership with your anam cara, you are joined in an ancient and eternal way. To the ancients, the four elements to be respected and celebrated were earth, water, wind, and fire.

FIRE
The couple lights a candle.
Let your lives continue to burn together as one."From every human being, there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven. And when two souls that are destined to be together find each other, their streams of light flow together, and a single brighter light goes forth from their united being."

WATER
Before there was life, there was water. Water is life. It sustains us, nourishes us, cleanses us, refreshes us,we are made of it. And so, drink. Drink to your love you’ve shared in the past, celebrate in your present, and look to in your future.
The couple take turns to drink from the loving cup, filled with water poured from a pitcher filled with water.

WIND
The wind is the soul, the spirit, the very breath of life. Until you die few things will ever be more intimate than that subtle infusion of air and the touch of lips when you kiss. You have the memory of many kisses between you, and there will be many more!

EARTH
We must not forget the rock from which we are hewn, the very earth on which we live. However fickle and variable the ways of humankind, there lies within us all something solid, unshakeable, unmovable - like a rock.

The couple holds a small rock in their hands.

Take in your hands the stone and find within yourself that piece of sure foundation that you would share with each other, and for a moment close your eyes. Focus on that inner strength as though you could bundle it up in a stone.
Visualize the future you wish for yourselves and engrave it in stone. A moment of silence.

THE RING
The ring is a circle that has no end, and symbolizes the never-ending love that exists between you. The ring is made from precious metals
purified by the heat of testing, it is a symbol of the purity of your love for one another. The ring is made of rare gems that radiate brilliance and a quality unlike other ordinary stones, and represents the riches that reside in each of you.

May these rings always reflect the light of your love throughout your life together.

VOWS
Officiant says:  __________, please repeat after me.
I, ____________, take you, ____________, to be my partner in life.
I promise to walk by your side forever, and to love, help, and encourage you in all that you do. I will take time to talk with you, to listen to you, and to care for you.  I will share your laughter and your tears. As your partner, lover, and best friend, Everything I am and everything I have is yours now and forevermore.

Officiant says:  __________, please repeat after me. I __________, take you, ___________, to be my partner in life. I promise to walk by your side forever,
and to love, help, and encourage you in all that you do. I will take time to talk with you, to listen to you, and to care for you.  I will share your laughter and your tears. As your partner, lover, and best friend, Everything I am and everything I have is yours now and forevermore.

MARRIAGE BLESSING
__________ and ___________, we hope that your relationship will continue to grow; we hope that you will always be honest and true to each other; we hope that you will be flexible and accepting of the changes that life presents. But most of all, we wish you happiness and prosperity.

PRONOUNCEMENT
____________ and ____________because you have committed yourselves to each other in marriage, and have demonstrated this by exchanging your vows and giving each other rings, by the Authority invested in me by the District of Columbia, you are now and forever, legally married!

KISS
You may kiss.

PRESENTATION
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to introduce to you for the very first time, ____________ and _____________ as a married couple.

Buddhist Wedding

 

Wedding Prayer

Today we promise to dedicate ourselves completely to each other, with body, speech, and mind. In this life, in every situation, in wealth or poverty, in health or sickness, in happiness or difficulty, we will work to help each other perfectly. The purpose of our relationship will be to attain enlightenment by perfecting our kindness and compassion toward all sentient beings. Lama Thubten Yeshe, December 1979

 

Vows

_________ and _________ are happy today not only because they can share the joy of their love for each other with friends and family, but also because they have the opportunity to express their aspirations for the future.

 

_________ and _________, do you pledge to help each other to develop your hearts and minds, cultivating compassion, generosity, ethics, patience, enthusiasm, concentration and wisdom as you age and undergo the various ups and downs of life and to transform them into the path of love, compassion, joy and equanimity? "We do"

 

Recognizing that the external conditions in life will not always be smooth and that internally your own minds and emotions will sometimes get stuck in negativity. Do you pledge to see all these circumstances as a challenge to help you grow, to open your hearts, to accept yourselves, and each other; and to generate compassion for others who are suffering?  "We do"

 

Do you pledge to avoid becoming narrow, closed or opinionated, and to help each other to see various sides of situations?  "We do"  

 

Understanding that just as we are a mystery to ourselves, each other person is also a mystery to us. Do you pledge to seek to understand yourselves, each other, and all living beings, to examine your own minds continually and to regard all the mysteries of life with curiosity and joy? "We do"  

 

Do you pledge to preserve and enrich your affection for each other, and to share it with all beings? To take the loving feelings you have for one another and your vision of each other's potential and inner beauty as an example and rather than spiraling inwards and becoming self absorbed, to radiate this love outwards to all beings?  "We do"

 

When it comes time to part, do you pledge to look back at your time together with joy - joy that you met and shared what you have - and acceptance that we cannot hold on to anything forever? "We do"

 

Do you pledge to remember the disadvantages of ignorance, anger and clinging attachment, to apply antidotes when these arise in your minds, and to remember the kindness of all other beings and your connection to them? Do you pledge to work for the welfare of others, with all of your compassion, wisdom and skill? "We do"

 

Do you pledge to work to develop the wisdom understanding the relative functioning nature of things and the wisdom knowing their deeper way of existence that they are empty of inherent existence? And to remember the laws of cause and effect? "We do"

 

Do you pledge day to day, to be patient with yourselves and others, knowing that change comes slowly and gradually, and to seek inspiration from your teachers and not to become discouraged? "We do"

 

Do you pledge to continuously strive to remember your own nature, as well as the nature of all living beings? To maintain the awareness that all things are temporary, and to remain optimistic that you can achieve your greatest potential and lasting happiness. "We do"

 

Exchanging of Rings

The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two loyal hearts in partnership.

 

Pronouncement

_________ and _________, you have chosen to enter into the promise of marriage with each other by pledging your love and devotion with your vows and sealing those vows with the exchange of the rings. Therefore, with the power vested in me by the District of Columbia, I now pronounce you married.

 

You may kiss.

 

Presenting and Congratulating the Couple

Ladies and Gentlemen please join me in congratulating the happy married couple. 

Celtic Handfasting Ceremony - Six Cords

Welcome
Friends and family of the grooms, what a joy it is to welcome you here, to celebrate and witness the union of _______ and _______.

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

With full awareness, know that within this circle, you are not only declaring your intent to be hand fasted before your friends and family, but that you speak that intent also to your higher powers.  The promises made today, and the ties that are bound here, greatly strengthen your union; they will cross the years and lives of each soul's growth.

Consent
Do you still seek to enter into this ceremony? "Yes, we seek to enter"

Hand Fasting
I bid you look into each others eyes.
________ will you cause him/her pain? "I may".
Is that your intent? "No".
________ will you cause him/her pain? "I may".
Is that your intent? "No".
(to both) Will you share each other's pain and seek to ease it? "Yes".
And so the binding is made. Please join hands.
*First cord is draped across Groom's or Brides' hands.*

________ will you share his/her laughter? "Yes".
________ will you share his/her laughter? "Yes".
(to both) Will you both look for the brightness in life
and the positive in each other? "Yes".
And so the binding is made. *Second cord is draped.

________ will you burden him/her? "I may".
Is that your intent? "No".
________ will you burden him/her? "I may".
Is that your intent? "No".
(to both) Will you share the burdens of each
so that your spirits may grow in this union? "Yes".
And so, the binding is made. (Third cord is draped).

________ will you share his/her dreams? "Yes".
________ will you share his/her dreams? "Yes".
(to both) Will you dream together
to create new realities and hopes? "Yes".
And so this binding is made (fourth cord is draped).

________ will you cause his/her anger? "I may".
 Is that your intent? "No".
________ will you cause his/her anger? "I may".
Is that your intent?" No".
(to both) Will you take the heat of anger
and use it to temper the strength of this union? "We will".
And so this binding is made (fifth cord is draped).

________ will you honor him/her? "I will".
________ will you honor him/her? "I will".
(to both) Will you seek never to give cause
to break that honor? "We shall never do so".
And so this binding is made (drape sixth cord). (Cords are tied with three knots)

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

Exchange Vows
________ please repeat after me: 
"I ________ take you ________ to be my husband/wife.
 my partner in life and my one true love.
I will cherish our friendship
and love you today, tomorrow and forever.
I will trust and honor you.
I will laugh with you and cry with you.
I will love you faithfully through the best and the worst,
through the difficult and the easy.
No matter what may come,
I will always be there for you.
As I have given you my hand to hold,
so I give you my life to keep, so help me God".

________ please repeat after me: 
"I ________ take you ________ to be my husband/wife,
my partner in life and my one true love.
I will cherish our friendship
and love you today, tomorrow and forever.
I will trust and honor you.
I will laugh with you and cry with you.
I will love you faithfully through the best and the worst,
 through the difficult and the easy.
No matter what may come, I will always be there for you.
As I have given you my hand to hold,
so I give you my life to keep, so help me God".

RINGS
May I have the rings?
________ take the ring that you have selected for ________ and place it on his/her finger and repeat after me:

"________, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows,
and with all that I am and all that I have,
I honor you. With this ring, I thee wed".

________, take the ring that you have selected for ________ and place it on his/her finger and repeat after me.
"________, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows,
and with all that I am and all that I have,
I honor you. With this ring, I thee wed".

IRISH WEDDING BLESSING
May the road rise to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sunshine be warm upon your faces, and the rains fall softly upon your fields. May the light of friendship guide your path together. May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home. And when eternity beckons, at the end of a life heaped high with love, may God embrace you with the arms that have nurtured you the whole length of your joy-filled days. May God hold you both in the palm of his hands. And today and all tomorrows, may the spirit of love find a place in your hearts. Amen.

PRONOUNCEMENT:
In as much as you have pledged to the other your life long commitment, love and devotion, by the powers vested in me by the District of Columbia, I now pronounce you Husbands/Wives.

KISS: You may kiss.

PRESENTATION 
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to introduce to you for the very first time, ____________ and _____________ as a married couple.

Celtic Loving Cup & Pebble Wedding Ceremony

As the guests arrive, they are each given a small pebble to hold during the Celtic Wedding Ceremony. 

WELCOME

Friends and family, what a joy it is to welcome you here, to celebrate and witness the union of ­­­­­­­­­­ ________ and _________.

CONSENT

Some say that marriage is the oldest ritual in the world. As such, it should not be entered into thoughtlessly or lightly, for your future happiness and prosperity depends on what you put into this relationship.

Do you ________ and _________ come here of your own free will, accompanied by your families’ blessings, to be united in marriage?

ADDRESS
On this wedding day we celebrate the Celtic spirit of anam cara. Anam cara is translated from the Gaelic as “soul friend”.  By solidifying your partnership with your anam cara, you are joined in an ancient and eternal way. To the ancients, the four elements to be respected and celebrated were earth, water, wind, and fire.

FIRE
The couple lights a candle.
Let your lives continue to burn together as one. "From every human being, there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven. And when two souls that are destined to be together find each other, their streams of light flow together, and a single brighter light goes forth from their united being."

WATER
Before there was life, there was water. Water is life. It sustains us, nourishes us, cleanses us, refreshes us, we are made of it. And so, drink. Drink to your love you've shared in the past, celebrate in your present, and look to in your future.
The couple take turns to drink from the loving cup, filled with water poured from a pitcher filled with water.

WIND
The wind is the soul, the spirit, the very breath of life. Until you die few things will ever be more intimate than that subtle infusion of air and the touch of lips when you kiss. You have the memory of many kisses between you - and there will be many more!

EARTH
We must not forget the rock from which we are hewn, the very earth on which we live. However fickle and variable the ways of humankind, there lies within us all something solid, unshakeable, unmovable - like a rock.
The couple holds a small rock in their hands.

Take in your hands the stone and find within yourself that piece of sure foundation that you would share with each other, and for a moment close your eyes. Focus on that inner strength as though you could bundle it up in a stone. Visualize the future you wish for yourselves and engrave it in stone.
A moment of silence.

To the guest say: You were given a pebble when you came in. This is your gift to this couple.Tthis is the Celtic Pebble Tradition. Please come forward, quietly. Bring these pebbles made special by your love, and place them here in this bowl while thinking of a blessing or good wish for them.

Music plays while the guests each come forward with their pebbles and place them in a bowl.

___________ and ___________, please cover these rocks with water of life. The couple pours water over the pebbles.

The number of pebbles in this dish is the exact number of people here today to bless you on your way. They will be an unending testimony to the fact that they were here, that they esteem you as husbands/wives, and they wish the best for you that the earth can give.

VOWS
Officiant says:  __________, please repeat after me. I, ____________, take you, ____________, to be my partner in life. I promise to walk by your side forever, and to love, help, and encourage you in all that you do.   I will take time to talk with you, to listen to you, and to care for you.  I will share your laughter and your tears. As your partner, lover, and best friend, Everything I am and everything I have is yours now and forevermore.

Officiant says:  __________, please repeat after me. I __________, take you, ___________, to be my partner in life. I promise to walk by your side forever,
and to love, help, and encourage you in all that you do. I will take time to talk with you, to listen to you, and to care for you.  I will share your laughter and your tears. As your partner, lover, and best friend, Everything I am and everything I have is yours now and forevermore.

EXPLANATION OF THE RINGS
The wedding ring is a circle that has no end. It symbolizes the never-ending love that exists between you. The ring is made from precious metals purified by the heat of testing, and it is a symbol of the purity of your love for one another. The ring is made of rare gems that radiate brilliance and a quality unlike other ordinary stones.  It represents the riches that reside in each of you. May these rings always reflect the light of your love throughout your life together.

RING EXCHANGE VOWS
Officiant says: May I have the token of __________ love for ___________.
Officiant says: _________, please repeat after me. I, _______ give you _______, this ring. Wear it with love and joy.  As this ring has no end, neither shall my love for you. 
I choose you to be my husband/wife this day and forevermore.

Officiant says:  May I have the token of _________ love for ________,Officiant says:
(Bride) ____________, please repeat after me. I, ___________, give you __________, this ring in token of my love and devotion,  with my heart, I pledge to you all that I am. With this ring, I marry you and join my life to yours. May these rings always reflect the light of your love throughout your life together.

MARRIAGE BLESSING
__________ and ___________, we hope that your relationship will continue to grow;
we hope that you will always be honest and true to each other; we hope that you will be flexible and accepting of the changes that life presents. But most of all, we wish you happiness and prosperity.

PRONOUNCEMENT
____________ and ____________
because you have committed yourselves to each other in marriage, and have demonstrated this by exchanging your vows and giving each other rings, by the Authority invested in me by the District of Columbia, you are now and forever, legally married!

KISS
You may kiss.

PRESENTATION
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to introduce to you for the very first time, ____________ and _____________ as a married couple.

 

COMMITMENT CEREMONIES

 

Commitment Ceremony 1

 

Welcome

We are here today because _______ and _______ have asked us to share and witness their love, acknowledge and respect their love.

 

_______and _______, on this day you take a giant step of courage. With a commitment this strong, the force of that commitment, of that love, of that courage, reaches out around you, so that our lives are changed. We share a part of your small pond; the ripple of the love from this celebration stands and grows in each of us.

 

_______ and _______, you are now taking into your care and keeping, the one in the entire world in the love most. You are adding to your life the companionship and blessing of a deep trust. You are to each other strength, responsibility and love.

 

In human history, we have not discovered a better way of life than sharing love in a lasting and responsible way. You have found the one to share your love, companionship, hopes, joys and dreams of life.

 

Real love is something beyond the warmth and romance that you are feeling today.  It is caring as much about the welfare of your partner as of your own. Real love is not total absorption into each other, but rather the sharing of two hearts, two minds, and two bodies. Love makes burdens lighter because you have someone with whom to share them. Love makes you stronger in many ways and able to face life in ways you dare not face alone.

 

Vows

_______ (Repeat after me) I ________ offer myself to you as companion, lover, and friend and I promise to love you forever.

 

_________ (Repeat after me) I ___________ offer myself to you as companion, lover, and friend and I promise to love you forever.

 

Rings

What token of love to you choose to bind this union?

(We have rings)

 

________ place the ring on _______'s finger and repeat after me: I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment to you!

 

________ place the ring on _______'s finger and repeat after me: I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment to you!

 

Commitment Blessing

_______ and _______, May your lives together be joyful and ontent. May your love it is bright as the stars and serve as a beacon for us, your friends. May your love be as warm as the sun, as wild as the oceans, and enduring as the mountains.

 

Pronouncement

Officiant says: Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to present to you for the very first time, __________ and ________ as life partners.

Kiss. You may kiss your partner. 

 

Commitment Ceremony #3

Love is a miraculous gift, and this commitment ceremony is a celebration of that gift. We have come here today to celebrate this gift of love, and to add our best wishes and blessings to the words that shall commit _________ and ____________ as life partners.  What you promise to each other today must be renewed again tomorrow and every day that follows. At the end of this ceremony, you must decide each and every day to commit yourselves to one another. Make such a decision, and keep on making it, for the most important thing in life is to love and to be loved.

CONSENT
________ and __________, do you come here to be committed as life partners of your own free will? 

ADDRESS
Today you are taking into your care and trust the happiness of the one person in this world whom you love with all your heart. And you are giving yourself, your life, and your love, into the hands of the one who loves you with all their heart.  Remember that, to the whole world, you are but one person, but to one person, you are the whole world.  However, true love goes far beyond the feelings of excitement and romance. It is caring more about the well-being and happiness of your partner than your own needs and your own desires. True love is not total absorption in each other, but rather, it is looking outward in the same direction together. Love makes burdens lighter because you divide them. It makes joys more intense because you share them. Love makes you stronger so you can become involved in life in ways you dare not risk alone. True love says the two of you are just better together than when you are apart.          

COMMITTMENT VOWS
Officiant says:  ___________, please repeat after me. I,  _________, take you, ____________, to be my partner in life. I promise to walk by your side forever, and to love, help, and encourage you in all that you do. I will take time to talk with you, to listen to you, and to care for you. I will share your laughter and your tears as your partner, lover, and best friend. Everything I am and everything I have is yours now and forevermore.

Officiant says:  ___________, please repeat after me. I,  _________, take you, ____________, to be my partner in life. I promise to walk by your side forever, and to love, help, and encourage you in all that you do. I will take time to talk with you, to listen to you, and to care for you. I will share your laughter and your tears as your partner, lover, and best friend. Everything I am and everything I have is yours now and forevermore.

EXPLANATION OF THE RINGS
The ring is a circle that has no end, and symbolizes the never-ending love that exists between you. The ring is made from precious metals purified by the heat of testing, it is a symbol of the purity of your love for one another. The ring is made of rare gems that radiate brilliance and a quality unlike other ordinary stones, and represents the riches that reside in each of you. May these rings always reflect the light of your love throughout your life together.

RING EXCHANGE VOWS
Officiant says: May I have the rings.  Officiant says:  ___________, please repeat after me. I give you this ring. Wear it with love and joy.  As this ring has no end, neither shall my love for you.  I choose you to be my partner this day and forevermore.

Officiant says:  ___________, please repeat after me. I give you this ring.  Wear it with love and joy.  As this ring has no end, neither shall my love for you.  I choose you to be my partner this day and forevermore.

 

OPTIONAL RITUALS (You may omit or choose one ritual)
Lighting Of The Unity Candle
Jumping The Broom
Blending of Sand (Hawaiian Tradition)
Celtic Blessing Stones (Wishing Stones
Celtic Handfasting

 

IRISH BLESSING

May the road rise to meet you.  May the wind be always at your back.  May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon the fields.  May the Light of friendship guide your paths together.  May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.  May the joy of living for one another trip a smile from your lips, a twinkle from your eye.  And when eternity beckons at the end of a life heaped high with love, may the good lord embrace you with the arms that have nurtured you the whole length of your joy-filled days.  May the gracious God hold you both in the palm of his hands.  And, today, may the Spirit of Love find a dwelling place in your hearts. Amen

 

PRONOUNCEMENT

_____________ and  __________, you have committed yourselves to each other in this Commitment Ceremony, and demonstrated this by exchanging your vows and giving each other rings.  By the powers invested in me by God, I pronounce you partners for life.

KISS: You may kiss

 

PRESENTATION
Officiant says: Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to present to you for the very first time, __________ and ________ as life partners.

 

 

Commitment Ceremony #4

 
WELCOME
Love is a miraculous gift, and this commitment ceremony is a celebration of that gift. We have come here today to celebrate this gift of love, and to add our best wishes and blessings to the words that shall commit ________ and __________ as life partners. What you promise to each other today must be renewed again tomorrow and every day that follows. At the end of this ceremony, you must decide each and every day to commit yourselves to one another. Make such a decision, and keep on making it, for the most important thing in life is to love and to be loved.

CONSENT
________ and ___________, do you come here to be committed as life partners of your own free will?  

ADDRESS AND READINGS
Today you are taking into your care and trust the happiness of the one person in this world whom you love with all your heart. And you are giving yourself, your life, and your love, into the hands of the one who loves you with all their heart. Remember that, to the whole world, you are but one person, but to one person, you are the whole world.
         
However, true love goes far beyond the feelings of excitement and romance. It is caring more about the well-being and happiness of your partner than your own needs and your own desires. True love is not total absorption in each other, but rather, it is looking outward in the same direction together. Love makes burdens lighter because you divide them. It makes joys more intense because you share them. Love makes you stronger so you can become involved in life in ways you dare not risk alone. True love says the two of you are just better together than when you are apart.
         
When you enter into a commitment as life partners, you enter into one of life's most important relationship. It is a gift given to bring comfort when there is sorrow, peace when there is unrest, laughter when there is happiness, and love when it is shared.  A successful unity partnership is not something that just happens. It takes work, it takes understanding, and it takes time. More importantly, it takes a commitment from both of you —a commitment to do whatever it takes to make your relationship thrive and not just simply survive.

A good unity partnership must be nurtured. Listen to these words of wisdom for a successful relationship:

 

SCRIPTURE READING
Love Verse 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is patient and kind; Love is not jealous or boastful; It is not arrogant or rude. Love bears all things, Believes all things, Hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. So faith, hope, and love abide, these three; But the greatest of these is love.

COMMITTMENT VOWS
Officiant says:  ___________, please repeat after me. I,  _________, take you, ____________, to be my partner in life. I promise to walk by your side forever, and to love, help, and encourage you in all that you do. I will take time to talk with you, to listen to you, and to care for you.  I will share your laughter and your tears. As your partner, lover, and best friend, Everything I am and everything I have is yours now and forevermore.

Officiant says:  ___________, please repeat after me. I,  _________, take you, ____________, to be my partner in life. I promise to walk by your side forever, and to love, help, and encourage you in all that you do. I will take time to talk with you, to listen to you, and to care for you. I will share your laughter and your tears.  As your partner, lover, and best friend, everything I am and everything I have is yours now and forevermore.

EXPLANATION OF THE RINGS
The ring is a circle that has no end, and symbolizes the never-ending love that exists between you. The ring is made from precious metals purified by the heat of testing, it is a symbol of the purity of your love for one another. The ring is made of rare gems that radiate brilliance and a quality unlike other ordinary stones, and represents the riches that reside in each of you. May these rings always reflect the light of your love throughout your life together.

RING EXCHANGE VOWS
Officiant says: May I have the token of  _________ love for _______.
Officiant says:  ___________, please repeat after me. I give you this ring. Wear it with love and joy.  As this ring has no end, neither shall my love for you.  I choose you to be my partner this day and forevermore.

Officiant says: May I have the token of  __________ love for  _______.
Officiant says:  ___________, please repeat after me: I give you this ring. Wear it with love and joy.  As this ring has no end, neither shall my love for you.  I choose you to be my partner this day and forevermore.

 

OPTIONAL RITUALS (You may omit or choose one ritual)
Lighting Of The Unity Candle
Jumping The Broom
Blending of Sand (Hawaiian Tradition)
Celtic Blessing Stones (Wishing Stones
Celtic Handfasting

BLESSING
Apache Blessing #1:

Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be a shelter for the other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there will be no loneliness, for each of you will be a companion to the other. Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you. Go now to your dwelling place to enter the days of your togetherness. May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead and through all the years. May happiness be your companion, and may your days together be good and long upon the earth.

PRONOUNCEMENT

___________ and  ___________, you have committed yourselves to each other in this Commitment Ceremony, and demonstrated this by exchanging your vows and giving each other rings.  By the powers invested in me by God, I pronounce you partners for life.

KISS
You may kiss.

PRESENTATION
Officiant says: Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to present to you for the very first time, ___________ and _________ as life partners.

 

 

Commitment Ceremony #6

 

Processional

Introduction and Welcome

      Family and friends, let your presence be Welcomed and let your hearts be glad on this glorious eve.  We’ve come to celebrate the Commitment of­­­­­­________ and ________.

For it is in loving, as well as in being loved, that we become most truly ourselves. No matter what we do, say, accomplish, or become, it is our capacity to love that ultimately defines us. In the end, nothing we do or say in this lifetime will matter as much as the way  we have loved one another.

But, you must "be of love a little more careful than anything."  For the giving of yourself in love is difficult, for you must learn to give of your love without total submission of yourself. Therefore, in your giving, give your joy, your sadness, your interest, your understanding, and your knowledge - all expressions that make up life. But in this giving, remember to preserve yourself - your integrity, your individuality. This is the challenge of love within marriage.

On behalf of ________ and ________, I would like to thank you all for being here. God bless all of you who choose to accept love in all forms in your lives.  Love is something that knows no boundaries. It is not something with exclusive rights to be bestowed upon one group and withheld from another.

There is no denying that love is a divinely inspired gift and that the one way to make it even better, is by sharing it with those who are nearest and dearest to us.

Optional Readings by Friends and Family

Question of Intent
___________, do you now choose __________ to be your life companion, to share your life openly with her, to speak truthfully and lovingly to her, to accept her fully as she is and delight in who she is becoming; to respect her uniqueness, to encourage her fulfillment, and to compassionately support her through all the changes of your years together. If so say: I do.

___________, do you now choose ___________ to be your life companion, to share your life openly with her, to speak truthfully and lovingly of her, to accept her fully as she is and delight in who she is becoming; to respect her uniqueness, to encourage her fulfillment, and to compassionately support her through all the changes of your years together. If so say: I do.

 

Rose Ceremony

The coming together of two solitudes in part of the cycle of growth – the creating and re-creating of boundaries. May you________ and ________ give gratitude for the old boundaries that defined your unique individually, even as you create a new joint boundary with the circle of your love.

 

(Optional: someone may create a circle rose petals around couple).
May this space allow you to face each other and know intimacy. May intimacy bring you to unfathomed heights through monogamy. May you find stability of a joint center where you can welcome change, and most of all, may you receive each other joyfully, with open hearts, into this marriage.

 

Personal Vows to Each Other:

 

________ and ________, now we come to your personal vows. May I remind you that saying your vows is one thing but nothing is more challenging than living them day-by-day. What you promise today must be renewed tomorrow and each day that stretches out before you. Will you now please turn and face each other, looking into each other's eyes and hearts while reciting your vows.

 

________:  Reads her personal vows to ___________
________:  Reads her personal vows to ___________

 

Exchange of Rings

May I have the rings please.  From the earliest times, the circle has been a symbol of completeness, a symbol of committed love. An unbroken and never ending circle symbolizes a commitment of love that is also never ending. As often as either of you looks at this symbol, I hope that you will be reminded of the commitment to love each other, which you have made today.

Will each of you repeat after me:

I, ___________, give you_________ this ring as a symbol of my commitment to love, honor and respect you.

 

I, __________, give you _________ this ring as a symbol of commitment to love, honor and respect you.

 

The Pronouncement

And now________ and ________. have declared before all of us that they will live together as partners devoted to their Commitment. They have made special promises to each other. They have symbolized it by joining hands, taking vows, and exchanging rings. So, therefore, on your behalf and on the behalf of the community, I introduce you to the newly weds ________ and ________.

 

The Kiss!
Congratulations, you may seal your commitment with a kiss!

 

Announcement (Optional)

Before we release everyone _______ and ______
would like me to make this announcement:

 

Recessional

 

VOW  RENEWAL CEREMONIES

Vow Renewal Ceremony #1

WELCOME

_______ and ______, today is wedding anniversary and your celebration. On the (date) you took upon yourselves the responsibility of married life. This afternoon we gather here to renew your marriage vows and to re-affirm with happiness a new era in your life. It will be a time when you can concentrate on developing your continued love for each other, freer than you have been from the tensions and hassles which characterize the struggle to become established in life and in nurturing a growing relationship. This anniversary is a time when you can reassure each other. As you express to each other deep loyalty and loving trust as the continued basis of your marriage relationship.  The anniversary is, as it were a plateau from which you can look together with gratitude and humility in your hearts on the years that have passed, conscious of the sharing, the caring, the joys and sorrows, of family life and of wonderful friends made; and you can look forward to the future with strength and assurance of even wider joys and experiences.  Both of you believe in marriage and in the fullness of the husband and wife relationship and you know that a deep bond unites you both together. All the stresses and tensions of the past have not weakened your love but have only made you more determined to stand by each other. This relationship is and must be very deep - as the poet says, "Deep calls to deep in the roar of the cataracts."

Your relationship, I know, is as important to you as life itself. Todau's re-commitment should encourage you both to continue that dedication to each other so that you can look forward to a settled and contented future.

READING (1 Corinthians 13)
Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited, it is never rude or selfish, it does not take offense and it is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's faults, but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope. It is always ready to endure whatever comes. True love does not come to an end. Two lives, two people, so very different, yet so similar. Together we stand as one, sharing our future as it comes. The past is that - past. Buds are yet to blossom, with care and trust, the best to be revealed. Honesty and kindness, are the fruits of love. Lord bless this day and always, to enrich us so our love will never end.

 

Before you are re-joined together in marriage in my presence and in the presence of these your family, friends and witnesses, I am to remind you once more of the serious and binding nature of the relationship you are now about to re-enter.

 

Marriage as most of us understand it, is a voluntary and full commitment of a man to a woman and a woman to a man. It is made in the deepest sense to the exclusion of all others and is entered into with the desire, hope and the firm intention that it will last for life.

 

Minister: I shall now ask you to take your vows.

I (Groom's Name) re-affirm my love to you (Bride's Name) as I invite you to share my life. I promise always to respect your needs. I will endeavor through kindness, unselfishness and trust to achieve the warm rich life we now look forward to. To this end, I call upon all present to witness that I continue to take you to be my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health while we both shall live.

 

I (Bride's Name) re-affirm my love to you (Groom's Name) as I invite you to share my life. I promise always to respect your needs. I will endeavor through kindness, unselfishness and trust to achieve the warm rich life we now look forward to. To this end, I call upon all present to witness that I continue to take you to be my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health while we both shall live.

VOWS
Groom: (Bride’s Name), with this ring I thee again wed. Take it and wear it as a pledge of my love, and as a symbol of all we shall share.

 

Bride: (Groom's Name) with this ring I thee again wed. Take it and wear it as a pledge of my love, and as a symbol of all we shall share.

 

Minister: (Bride's and Groom's Names), you have declared before all of us that you will continue to live together in marriage. You have made special promises to each other which have been symbolized by the joining of hands, taking of vows and the giving and receiving of two rings.

 

I declare that the blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you and also the blessing of all of us will remain with you as husband and wife. Now that the ceremony is over and the experience of living day by day is about to re-commence, go and meet life gladly.

 

Embrace and re-introduction of Mr. and Mrs. (Name).  

Vow Renewal Ceremony #4

OPENING
Groom and Bride. You have come here today so very much in love, before family and friends to renew your commitment to each other and to share with us the celebration of your love. When you first joined hands and hearts almost 4 years ago, you did not know where life would take you. You promised to love, honor, and cherish one another through all things. Life has surely brought you both wonderful blessings and difficult tribulations.

You are no longer just two good friends as you were before marriage. You have been transformed into one. Marriage has caused the merger of your two separate lives into a union where you take joy in sacrificing for the other and are deeply dedicated to the common good of your partnership.

Why do you love? Have you thought about why you wanted to get married? Take a moment, and gaze into each others eyes. What is it that you first saw there that captured your soul? What spark, what love, what beauty have you found in those eyes that has made you into a better more loving person, who is able to give so openly to your spouse?

Do you remember when you first met? When you first kissed? Can you recall the moment when you allowed your lover to turn your life and your heart totally upside down?

Now, today, you have come through many struggles and personal victories over the years and you bring all of these emotions with you today as you repeat your vow of love for each other. Today it is your desire to re-ignite the flames of your commitment, emphasizing again that you have not forgotten what it was that first brought you together. Today, you move further down that road which you want to last a lifetime. That’s your hope, your desire and your commitment today.

PRAYER
Let Us Pray.
Dear Heavenly Father our hearts are filled with great happiness as Groom and Bride renew thier marriage vows and today reaffirm thier faith and love for one another. Grant that they may ever be true and loving, living together in such a way as to never bring shame or heartbreak into their marriage. Temper thier hearts with kindness and understanding, rid them of all pretense or jealousy. Help them to remember to be each other's sweetheart, helpmate, friend and guide, so that together they may meet the cares and problems of life more bravely. And with the passage of time, may they find great contentment in the rich joy of senior companionship. May the home they are reaffirming today truly be a place of love and harmony, where Your Spirit is always present. Bless this marriage we pray and walk beside Groom and Bride throughout all of thier lives together. We Ask these things in Jesus name, Amen.

READING
MINISTER The couple would now like to share a reading with you titled The Hands of the Bride and Groom

MINISTER-Bride: Please take Groom's hands, palms up, in yours and look at them.

Groom will say the following: These are the hands, young and strong and vibrant with love that hold yours on this day, as I once again promises to continue to love you all the days of his life. These are the hands that work long hours to earn the money for you and our family. These are the hands that caress your body throughout the years to make the passion of love come alive in you. These are the hands that countless times wipe tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow and tears of joy. These are the hands that comfort you in illness and hold you when fear or grief rack your mind. These are the hands that tenderly lift your chin and brush your cheek, as they raise your face to look into my eyes, eyes that are filled with his verwhelming love and desire for you.

MINISTER-Groom: Please take Bride's hands, palms up, in yours and look at them.

Bride will say the following: These are the hands that held yours as I gave you my pledge to love you, and accepted your ring on our Wedding Day. These are the hands that, held you in joy and excitement when I said, that together we have created new life. These are the hands that hold our child in tender love, soothing her through illness, diapering her, praying for her, and wringing themselves in worry when trouble comes. These are the hands that through the years will continue to caress your body in the passion of love. These are the hands that tenderly hold your face and wipe tears from your eyes.

MINISTER says:  Beloved Couple. . .
These are the hands that hold your heart. These four hands are your armor and shield against the toils of the world. These hands can reach out to the lonely and discouraged, bring hope to the destitute in mind and body, heal the abused and hurting children of the world, and teach your friends the wonders of married love. These hands are the hope of troubled humanity. GOD BLESS THESE HANDS!

MINISTER: The couple now wishes to say a few words to each other.

Minister: So you came here today to reaffirm your wedding vows and as you have reflected back over the good times and the bad as husband and wife, do you now wish to reaffirm the vows you took almost 4 years ago? If so repeat after me.

HIS VOWS:
Do you Groom, continue to take Bride, as your wife and will you continue to love and cherish her, giving her assistance in all of life's labors? Will you continue to be true to her both in sickness and health, when things are going well and when there are difficulties? And will you be faithful to her as long as you both shall live? If so, you may answer, I will. Groom: I will

HER VOWS:
Do you, Bride, continue to take Groom, as your husband and will you continue to love and cherish him, giving him assistance in all of life's labors? Will you be true to him both in sickness and health, both when things are going well and when there are problems? And will you be faithful to him as long as you both shall live? If so, you may answer, I will. Bride: I will

EXCHANGE OF RINGS
Rings are symbolic of the completed bond. The ring is without a beginning or end the ring goes on forever. Circles of life, circles of love, these rings are given and received as a token of continuous never ending Love and Devotion. They are an outward symbol of your inward promise that each of you have made to one another.

 

Groom , Take Bride's Hand touch the ring that you have given to Bride as the lasting symbol of your love.

Repeat after me Groom: Bride, with this ring, I promise to grow with you, to build our Love, to speak openly and honestly, to listen to you, and to love and cherish you now and forever. I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity.

Bride, Take Groom's Hand touch the ring that you have given to Groom as the lasting symbol of your love. 

Repeat after me Bride: Groom, with this ring, I promise to grow with you, to build our Love, to speak openly and honestly, to listen to you, and to love and cherish you now and forever. I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity.

 PRONOUNCEMENT
Groom and Bride you have come today to honor your commitment to each other and the path you have chosen. You have spoken the words and opened your hearts. It is with greatest pleasure that I declare your marriage has been renewed and celebrated. You may kiss.

 

CELTIC HANDFASTING CEREMONIES

 

Celtic One Cord Handfasting Ritual

The officiant holds the cord and says to the couple:  Please hold each other’s hands (palms up with her hands resting in his).  __________ and _________, this cord is a symbol of the life you have chosen to live together. Until this moment you have been separate in thought, word, and deed. But as this cord is tied together, so shall your lives become intertwined. With this cord, I bind you to the vows that you have made to one another. With this knot, I tie you heart to heart, together as one. The Officiant wraps the cord loosely around the Bride's and Groom's wrists to tie a "love knot."

Officiant says: the knot of this binding is not bound by the cord, but rather, by your own vows of love. For, as always, you have in your own hands the making or breaking of this union. May this love knot always be a reminder of the binding together of two hands, two hearts, and two souls into one. And so are you bound, each to the other, for all the days of your lives. 

 

Cord may then be removed and placed on the altar. Many couples choose to keep the love knot as a memento of their new union created that day.

 

Celtic Handfasting Ceremony - Four Cords

Welcome

We are gathered here today to witness the coming together of two people, {GROOM} and {BRIDE}, whose hearts and spirits are entwined as one. They now desire to profess before the entire world their intention henceforth to walk the road of life together.

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

Consent

Do you still seek to enter into this ceremony? "We do."
{GROOM} and {BRIDE}, I bid you to hold hands and look into each other's eyes. Will you honor and respect one another, and seek to never break that honor?

"We will." [the first cord is draped over the couple's hands] And so the first binding is made.

 

Will you share each other's pain and seek to ease it?
"We will." [second cord is draped over the hands]. And so the binding is made.

 Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?
"We will." [third cord is draped over the hands] And so the binding is made.

Will you share each other's laughter, and look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?
"We will." [fourth cord is draped over the hands] And so the binding is made.

[Cords are tied in three knots]

{GROOM} and {BRIDE}, as your hands are bound together now, so your lives and spirits are joined in a union of love and trust.  Above you are the stars and below you is the earth. Like the stars, your love should be a constant source of light, and like the earth, a firm foundation from which to grow. 

[at this point the cords are removed and placed in a keepsake box]

Marriage is the clasping of hands, the blending of hearts, the union of two lives as one.  It is a lifelong dedication to love and a daily challenge to love one another more fully and more freely.  Your marriage must stand, not by the authority of the state, nor by the words of the minister, but by the strength of your love and the power of faith in each other.

Vows

With this understanding, do you {GROOM}, take {BRIDE} to be your beloved wife? Do you promise to be a tender, faithful husband? Do you promise to love, honor, and cherish her, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, for better for worse, from this day forward? 
{GROOM}: "I do" 

With this understanding, do you {BRIDE}, take {GROOM} to be your beloved husband? Do you promise to be a tender, faithful wife? Do you promise to love, honor, and cherish him, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, for better for worse, from this day forward?
{BRIDE}: "I do" 

Rings
{GROOM} and {BRIDE} have chosen rings as outward symbols of the commitment they make today. From earliest times, the ring has been a symbol of wedded love. An unbroken and never-ending circle symbolizes a commitment to love that is also never ending. 

 

{GROOM}, please place the ring that you have chosen on {BRIDE}'s finger and repeat after me:
"{GROOM}, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows, and with all that I am and all that I have, I honor you.  As this ring has no end, neither shall my love for you."

{BRIDE}, please place the ring that you have chosen on {GROOM}'s finger and repeat after me:
"{GROOM}, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows, and with all that I am and all that I have, I honor you.  As this ring has no end, neither shall my love for you."

 

Let these rings serve not as locks binding you together, but as keys, unlocking the secrets of your hearts for each other to know, and thus bringing you closer together forever.

 
Pronouncement
{GROOM} and {BRIDE}, having witnessed your vows for marriage with all who are assembled here, and by the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

Kiss
{GROOM}, you may kiss your bride.

Presentment 
It is my pleasure to introduce Mr. and Mrs. _________.

Celtic Handfasting Ceremony - Six Cords

 

Welcome
Friends and family of the bride and groom, what a joy it is to welcome you here, to celebrate and witness the union of ____________ and __________.

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

With full awareness, know that within this circle, you are not only declaring your intent to be hand fasted before your friends and family, but that you speak that intent also to your higher powers.  The promises made today, and the ties that are bound here, greatly strengthen your union; they will cross the years and lives of each soul's growth.

Consent
Do you still seek to enter into this ceremony?
"Yes, we seek to enter"

Hand Fasting
I bid you look into each others eyes.
{GROOM}, will you cause her pain? "I may".
Is that your intent? "No".
{BRIDE}, will you cause him pain? "I may".
Is that your intent? "No".
(to both) Will you share each other's pain and seek to ease it? "Yes".
And so the binding is made. Please join hands.
*First cord is draped across Bride and Grooms hands.*

{BRIDE}, will you share his laughter? "Yes".
{GROOM}, will you share her laughter? "Yes".
(to both) Will you both look for the brightness in life
and the positive in each other? "Yes".
And so the binding is made. *Second cord is draped.

{BRIDE}, will you burden him? "I may".
Is that your intent? "No".
{GROOM}, will you burden {BRIDE}? "I may".
Is that your intent? "No".
(to both) Will you share the burdens of each
so that your spirits may grow in this union? "Yes".
And so, the binding is made. (Third cord is draped).

{BRIDE}, will you share his dreams? "Yes".
{GROOM} will you share her dreams? "Yes".
(to both) Will you dream together
to create new realities and hopes? "Yes".
And so the binding is made (fourth cord is draped).

{BRIDE}, will you cause him anger? "I may".
 Is that your intent? "No".
{GROOM}, will you cause her anger? "I may".
Is that your intent?" No".
(to both) Will you take the heat of anger
and use it to temper the strength of this union? "We will".
And so the binding is made (fifth cord is draped).

{BRIDE}, will you honor him? "I will".
{GROOM}, will you honor her? "I will".
(to both) Will you seek never to give cause
to break that honor? "We shall never do so".
And so the binding is made (drape sixth cord).

(Cords are tied with three knots)
"The knots of this binding are not formed by these cords
but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the cords, for, as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union".

Exchange Vows
{GROOM}, please repeat after me:  "I {GROOM}, take you {BRIDE} to be my wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow and forever. I will trust and honor you. I will laugh with you and cry with you. I will love you faithfully through the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. No matter what may come, I will always be there for  you. As I have given you my hand to hold, so I give you my life to keep, so help me God".

{BRIDE}, please repeat after me:  "I {BRIDE}, take you {GROOM} to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow and forever. I will trust and honor you. I will laugh with you and cry with you. I will love you faithfully through the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. No matter what may come, I will always be there for  you. As I have given you my hand to hold, so I give you my life to keep, so help me God".

Rings
May I have the rings? {GROOM}, take the ring that you have selected for {BRIDE}, place it on her finger and repeat after me.
"{BRIDE}, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows, and with all that I am and all that I have, I honor you. With this ring, I thee wed".

{BRIDE}, take the ring that you have selected for {GROOM}, place it on his finger and repeat after me.
"{GROOM}, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows, and with all that I am and all that I have, I honor you. With this ring, I thee wed".

Irish Wedding Blessing
May the road rise to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sunshine be warm upon your faces, and the rains fall softly upon your fields. May the light of friendship guide your path together. May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home. And when eternity beckons, at the end of a life heaped high with love, may God embrace you with the arms that have nurtured you the whole length of your joy-filled days. May God hold you both in the palm of his hands. And today and all tomorrows, may the spirit of love find a place in your hearts. Amen.

Pronouncement
In as much as you have pledged to the other your life long commitment, love and devotion, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

Kiss
To Groom: You may kiss your bride.

Presentation 
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to introduce to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. ____________. 

 

 

SPANISH CEREMONIES

Spanish Ceremony #1

Welcome

Officiant states: Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in (holy) matrimony.

 

El notario formula: Amados, estamos reunidos hoy (o, esta noche) aqui para unir a este hombre y esta mujer en (o, sagrado) matrimonio.

 

Exchange of Vows/ Cambio de votos
Officiant asks the man, "________ do you take this woman to be your wife, to live together in (holy) matrimony, to love, honor, comfort her and keep her in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?" Man answers, "I do."

 

El notario le pregunta al hombre, "? (Nombre del novio), tome uste a esta mujer para ser su esposa, para vivir juntos en (sagrado) matrimonio, para amarla, honorarla, consolarla y cuidarla, en salud y en enfermedad, y abandnar todos los otros durante el tiempo en que duren sus vidas?" El hombre repuesta, "Si, quiero."

 

Officiant asks the woman, "(her name), do you take this man to be your husband, to live together in (holy) matrimony, to love, honor, comfort him and keep him in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?"

Woman answers, "I do."

 

El notario le pregunta a la mujer, "?(Nombre de la novia), tome uste a este hombre para ser su esposo, para vivir juntos en sagrado) matrimonio, para amarlo, honorarlo, consolarlo y cuidarlo, en salud y en enfermedad, y abandonar todos los otros durante el tiempo en que duren sus vidas? La mujer repuesta, "Si, quiero."  

 

Officiant says to groom: "Repeat after me:"

"I, (his name), take you (her name ), to be my 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, till death do us part."

 

El notario formula, "Novio ________, repitan despues de mi."

"Yo, (su nombre), te tomo a ti (el nombre de la novia), para ser mi esposa, para tenerte y protegerte desde este dia en adelante, para bien y para mal, en prosperidad y en pobreza, en salud y en enfermedad, para amarte y cuidarte hasta que la muerte nos separe."

 

Officiant says to bride: "Repeat after me:"

"I, (her name), take you (his name ), 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, till death do us part."

 

El notario formula: "Novia ________, repitan despues de mi."

"Yo, (su nombre), te tomo a ti (el nombre del novio), para ser mi esposo, para tenerte y protegerte desde este dia en adelante, para bien y para mal, en prosperidad y en pobreza, en salud y en enfermedad, para amarte y cuidarte hasta que la muerte nos separe."

 

Exchange of Rings/ Intercambio de alianzas (anillos)

Officiant asks the man to place the ring on the woman's finger and to repeat the following, "I give you this ring as a token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love."

(Repeat the same for the woman).

 

El notario le pide al hombre que ponga la alianza en el dedo de la mujer y que repite lo siguiente, "Yo te doy esta alianza como senal y promesa de nuestro constante amor duradero y fidelidad duradera." (El notario repite lo mismo para la mujer.)

 

Pronouncement/ Declaracion

Officiant asks the couple to join hands, then declares, "By virtue of the authority vested in me under the laws of the State of Florida, I now pronounce you husband and wife. The bride and groom may now kiss."

 

El notario pide a la pareja que junten sus manos y declara, "En virtud y autoridad concedidas a mi por las leyes del estado de la _________, los declaro ahora esposo y esposa. La novia y el novio se pueden besarse."

Spanish Ceremony #2

 

Welcome

Estamos reunidos hoyaqui para celebrar uno de los momentos mas grandes de la vida, para dar reconocimiento a lo valioso y bello del amor y agregar con estas palabras nuestros mejores deseos uniendo asi Novio _______ y Novia ________ en matrimonio.

 

We are gathered here today to celebrate one of the greatest moments in life, to recognize the strength and beauty of love, and to gather together with these words our best wishes as Groom ________ and Bride ________ are united in holy matrimony.

 

Vows

"?Novio _________, tomas tu a Novia _______, como tu esposa, prometes amar la, espetarla, protejerla abandonando a todo y dedicandote solo a ella?

 

Groom _______, do you take Bride _______to be your wife, to love her, to respect her, and to protect her, abandoning all others and dedicating yourself only to her?

 

"?Novia _______, tomas tu a Novio _______, como to esposo, prometes amarlo, respetarlo, protejerlo abandonando a todo v dedicandote solo a el?

 

Bride, do you take Groom _______ to be your husband, to love him, to respect him, and to protect him, abandoning all others and dedicating yourself only to him?

 

Rings

Los anillos de boda son un signo visible de espiritualidad v gracia, significando asi para todos la union de este hombre y esta mujer en matrimonio.

 

These wedding rings are a visible symbol of spirituality and grace, signifying for all the union of this man and this woman in marriage.

El notario formula, "Novio ________, repitan despues de mi."

Yo Novio ________, tomo a Novia _______  como mi esposa, para compartir y cuidar de ella en enfermedad como en salud, en la riqueza o pobreza, y te prometo todo mi amor asi a ti.

 

Groom ________, please repeat after me as you place the ring on Bride's finger: I, groom _______, take bride _______ to be my wife, to share and care for her, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, giving all of my love to her.

 

El notario formula, "Novia ________, repitan despues de mi."

Yo Novia _______ tomo a Novio _____  como mi esposo para compartir y cuidar de el en enfermedad como en salud, en la riqueza o posreza, y prometo todo mi amor asi a ti.

 

Bride _________, please repeat after me as you place the ring on Groom's finger: I, bride _____, take Groom _______ to be my husband, to share and care for him, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, giving all of my love to him.

 

Pronouncement

Novio _______ y Novia ________ ya que en acuerdo mutuo han desidido unir sus vidas en santo matrimonio y se han prometido amor mutuo, y han intercambiado anillos y uniendo sus manos los declaro marido y mujer, lo que dios a unido este dia que nadie los separe.

 

Groom _______ and Bride _______, now that you have both decided to be united in holy matrimony, have promised your love, and have exchanged rings, joining your hands I declare you husband and wife. This bond that God has formed today can be broken by no one.

 

Kiss

Felicitaciones, puede besar la novia. 
Congratulations, you may kiss the bride.

 

Presentation

Les presente al senor y senora ____. 
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present for the first time as husband and wife,

Mr. and Mrs. ____________

 

 

NATIVE AMERICAN WEDDING CEREMONIES

The Rite of Seven Steps

The origins of this beautiful and meaningful wedding ceremony are traced to tribes in different parts of the continent and cannot be attributed to any one nation or language group.

Both bride and groom take seven steps sunwise (clockwise) around the sacred fire. For each step taken, a vow is said by each. The groom makes one step forward and says a vow, and then the bride takes a step to join him and says her vow until one round around the fire is completed. Family and friends join hands in a circle around the fire.

A variation of the Rite of Seven Steps ceremony has the couple exchanging gifts after each step to signify each vow given.  Example: kernels of corn represent fertility and growth, a feather stands for truth and loyalty, a stone stands for strength, solidarity and wisdom.  The vows shown below are only an example of words that may be recited; however, you should consider writing your own vows.  

Another variation of the Rite of Seven Steps ceremony binds the couple's hands using decorated strips of leather to signify each vow given. 

For additional information, please go to the Ceremony Planning Tips page on this website for tips on planning a Native American ceremony or wedding.

Ceremony:
GROOM STEP 1:  O my beloved, our love has become firm by your walking one with me. Together we will share the responsibilities of the lodge, food and children. May the Creator bless noble children to share. May they live long.

BRIDE STEP 1: This is my commitment to you, my husband. Together we will share the responsibility of the home, food and children. I promise that I shall discharge all my share of the responsibilities for the welfare of the family and the children.

GROOM STEP 2: O my beloved, now you have walked with me the second step. May the Creator bless you. I will love you and you alone as my wife. I will fill your heart with strength and courage: this is my commitment and my pledge to you. May God protect the lodge and children.

BRIDE STEP 2:  My husband, at all times I shall fill your heart with courage and strength. In your happiness I shall rejoice. May God bless you and our honorable lodge.

GROOM STEP 3: O my beloved, now since you have walked three steps with me, our wealth and prosperity will grow. May God bless us. May we educate our children and may they live long.

BRIDE STEP 3: My husband, I love you with single-minded devotion as my husband. I will treat all other men as my brothers. My devotion to you is pure and you are my joy. This is my commitment and pledge to you.

GROOM STEP 4: O my beloved, it is a great blessing that you have now walked four steps with me. May the Creator bless you. You have brought favor and sacredness in my life.

BRIDE STEP 4: O my husband, in all acts of righteousness, in material prosperity, in every form of enjoyment, and in those divine acts such as fire sacrifice, worship and charity, I promise you that I shall participate and I will always be with you.

GROOM STEP 5: O my beloved, now you have walked five steps with me. May the Creator make us prosperous. May the Creator bless us.

BRIDE STEP 5: O my husband, I will share both in your joys and sorrows. Your love will make me very happy.

GROOM STEP 6: O my beloved, by walking six steps with me, you have filled my heart with happiness. May I fill your heart with great joy and peace, time and time again. May the Creator bless you.

BRIDE STEP 6: My husband, the Creator blesses you. May I fill your heart with great joy and peace. I promise that I will always be with you.

GROOM STEP 7:  O my beloved goddess, as you have walked the seven steps with me, our love and friendship have become inseparable and firm. We have experienced spiritual union in God. Now you have become completely mine. I offer my total self to you. May our marriage last forever.

BRIDE STEP 7: My husband, by the law of the Creator, and the spirits of our honorable ancestors, I have become your wife. Whatever promises I gave you I have spoken them with a pure heart. All the spirits are witnesses to this fact. I shall never deceive you, nor will I let you down. I shall love you forever.

Native American Hand-binding Wedding Ceremony

Love is a miraculous gift, and this ceremony is a celebration of that gift. We have come here today to celebrate this gift of love, and to add our best wishes and blessings to the words that shall commit _________ and ________ as husband and wife.

At the end of this ceremony, you must decide each and every day to commit yourselves to one another. Make such a decision, and keep on making it, for the most important thing in life is to love and to be loved.

CONSENT
Do you ________ and ________ come here of your own free will, accompanied by your families’ blessings, to be united in holy matrimony? "We do."

ADDRESS
Today you are taking into your care and trust the happiness of the one person in this world whom you love with all your heart. And you are giving yourself, your life, and your love, into the hands of the one who loves you with all their heart.  Remember that to the whole world, you are but one person, but to one person, you are the whole world.  

However, true love goes far beyond the feelings of excitement and romance. It is caring more about the well-being and happiness of your partner than your own needs and your own desires. True love is not total absorption in each other, but rather, it is looking outward in the same direction together. Love makes burdens lighter because you divide them. It makes joys more intense because you share them. Love makes you stronger so you can become involved in life in ways you dare not risk alone. True love says the two of you are just better together than when you are apart.           

COMMITTMENT VOWS
Officiant or guest binds the couple's hands using decorated strips of leather to signify each vow given.

Officiate: Please hold each other's hands (palms up and her hands resting in his).

Officiate:  ________ and ________. These cords are a symbol of the life you have chosen to live together. Until this moment you have been separate in thought, word, and deed. But as this cord is tied together, so shall your lives become intertwined. I bid you look into each others eyes and share your vows.

GROOM: O my beloved, our love has become firm by your walking with me. Together we will share the responsibilities of the lodge, food and children. May the Creator bless us with noble children. May they live long.

BRIDE: This is my commitment to you, my husband. Together we will share the responsibility of the home, food and children. I promise that I shall discharge all my share of the responsibilities for the welfare of the family and the children.

Officiant or Guest: With this cord, I bind you to the vows that you have made to one another. With this knot, I tie you spirit to spirit, together as one.  *First cord binds Bride and Grooms hands.*

GROOM: O my beloved,. May the Creator bless you. I will love you and you alone as my wife. I will fill your heart with strength and courage: this is my commitment and my pledge to you. May God protect the lodge and children.

BRIDE: My husband, at all times I shall fill your heart with courage and strength. In your happiness I shall rejoice. May God bless you and our honorable lodge.

Officiant or Guest: With this cord, I bind you to the vows that you have made to one another. With this knot, I tie you spirit to spirit, together as one. *Second cord binds Bride and Grooms hands.*

GROOM: O my beloved, our wealth and prosperity will grow. May the Creator bless us. May we educate our children and may they live long.

BRIDE: My husband, I love you with single-minded devotion as my husband. I will treat all other men as my brothers. My devotion to you is pure and you are my joy. This is my commitment and pledge to you.

Officiant or Guest: With this cord, I bind you to the vows that you have made to one another. With this knot, I tie you spirit to spirit, together as one. *Third cord binds Bride and Grooms hands.*

GROOM: O my beloved, it is a great blessing that you are with me. May the Creator bless you. You have brought favor and sacredness in my life.

BRIDE: O my husband, in all acts of righteousness, in material prosperity, in every form of enjoyment, and in those divine acts such as fire sacrifice, worship and charity, I promise you that I shall participate and I will always be with you.

Officiant or Guest: With this cord, I bind you to the vows that you have made to one another. With this knot, I tie you spirit to spirit, together as one.  *Fourth cord binds Bride and Grooms hands.*

GROOM: O my beloved, I bind my soul to yours. May the Creator make us prosperous. May the Creator bless us.

BRIDE: O my husband, I will share both in your joys and sorrows. Your love will make me very happy.

Officiant or Guest: With this cord, I bind you to the vows that you have made to one another. With this knot, I tie you spirit to spirit, together as one. *Fifth cord binds Bride and Grooms hands.*

GROOM: O my beloved, you have filled my heart with happiness. May I fill your heart with great joy and peace, time and time again. May the Creator bless you.

BRIDE: My husband, the Creator blesses you. May I fill your heart with great joy and peace. I promise that I will always be with you.

­Officiant or Guest: With this cord, I bind you to the promises that you have made to one another. With this knot, I tie you spirit to spirit, together as one. *Sixth cord binds Bride and Grooms hands.*

GROOM: O my beloved goddess, as you have been bound to me, our love and friendship have become inseparable and firm. We have experienced spiritual union in God. Now you have become completely mine. I offer my total self to you. May our marriage last forever.

BRIDE: My husband, by the law of the Creator, and the spirits of our honorable ancestors, I have become your wife. Whatever promises I gave you I have spoken them with a pure heart. All the spirits are witnesses to this fact. I shall never deceive you, nor will I let you down. I shall love you forever.

Officiant or Guest: With this cord, I bind you to the promises that you have made to one another. With this knot, I tie you spirit to spirit, together as one. *Seventh cord binds Bride and Grooms hands.*

OFFICIANT:  _________ and ________  "The knots of this binding are not formed by these cords but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the cords, for, as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union."

 

APACHE BLESSING

Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter to the other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other.  Now there will be no loneliness, for each of you will be a companion to the other. You are two bodies, but there is one life before you, and one home. You will take each others hand and you'll turn together to look at the road you traveled to reach this---the hour of your happiness. It stretches behind you and the future lies ahead. A long and winding road, whose every turn means discovery, old hopes, new laughter and shared tears. May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead and through all the years. May happiness be your companion and your days together be good and long upon the earth.

 

PRONOUNCEMENT

________ and ________  you have committed yourselves to each other.  By the law of the Creator, and the spirits of our honorable ancestors, I pronounce you husband and wife.

KISS: You may kiss

 

PRESENTATION:
It is my privilege to introduce to _______ and _______  for the very first time as a married couple.

Native American Smudging Ceremony #1

Welcome
Brief History of Ceremony

Personal Preparation
Light the Herbs. Smudge self by starting working smoke under the bottoms of the feet.  Work the smoke up around the body and then around the head and crown chakra.

Say the following prayer asking God and the spirit guides to be with me and guide my actions: I invoke the light of the God within,  I am a clear and perfect channel, Light is my guide

Ceremony

Look Up while Facing East begin the cleansing by offering the bowl above your head to Father Sun. Typical Chant: O Great Spirit we welcome the spirits you bring and the energy you provide from above.

Look Down and Touch the Ground. Typical Chant: We are grateful for Mother Earth and the feminine spirits. We are greatly blessed and thankful for our mothers, grandmothers, sisters and aunts. We welcome all of the spirits brought by Mother Earth.

Look Within. Bring smoke close to your body. Hold your hands over your heart. Typical Chant: Thank you great spirit for the energy within me. Bring to us more gifts of balance, oneness and the spirits of connections with all things on Mother Earth.

Face East
The color for the east is red, the rising sun.To the east we are thankful to Wakan Tanka, the great mystery, Heavenly Father, and Mother Earth.  The east is the direction of the new day.  It's the direction that tells us that life is a miracle as we can feel our hearts beating.  We can breathe and we can fill our lungs with air.  We know that life is a miracle, and that we are a part of the miracle of life.  And each new day is an opportunity for us to experience that which is new, a new opportunity, grace, the blessing, and we're grateful, Almighty God, for these things that you give us. 

Turn right to the South
The South is the direction of the day.  The color of that direction is yellow. It signifies the labor that we bring forth in the length of the day.  It's the longest part of the day.  And we are grateful, Heavenly Father, for what you have given us to work with, the gifts that you have given us, and as we work with one another, we realize that we are all related, one to another, on this earth.  Not only are we related to other people that we know, our relations, but we're related to all of life, four-footed creatures, two-footed creatures, the plants, the trees, the mountains, the sky, the earth on which we stand.  We're all related to these things.  And we know that all these things are sacred and we also know that being a part of all these things makes us all the same.  We're all the same.  We can all share with one another freely.  We can receive and we can give.  So for this, Heavenly Father, we're thankful for the life and for the day that you have given us.  And as we work, we are thankful for the gifts which you bless us with, that we can share with others.

Turn right to the West
The west is the direction of the setting sun.  Its color is black.  It's a time when, as the day ends, we can reflect and we can remember what it is that's happened this day. We can be thankful for the good things that have happened, the lessons that we've learned.  We can thank you for our relations, our loved ones, those who have gone before us and those who will come after us.  We can thank you for all these things and for your faithfulness, Father Sky, Mother Earth, in being with us as you have been.

Turn right to the North
The north is the color of white.  It's the color of the cold wind that comes from the north, the rain, and the snow.  It is the direction of hardness.  It is the direction that speaks of the challenges that we all face in life. They are not easy lessons, but they teach us to trust. They teach us to have faith.  They teach us to say to the mountain, "Move.  Be."  They teach us that we don't have the power; that you have the power.

Prayer
Great Spirit, we are so grateful that you allow us to come into this place with one another.  I ask, Heavenly Father, that you will be in this ceremony, that you will inspire these people in their endeavors, that you will give them a vision for the work that you have placed them in, and we ask that you join their hearts, that you knit them together. We're so grateful that we could come together in this place as brothers and sisters in your work and in your will.  We thank you.  Amen.

Native American Smudging Ceremony #2

Welcome
Brief History of Ceremony

Personal Preparation
Light the Herbs. Smudge self by starting working smoke under the bottoms of the feet.  Work the smoke up around the body and then around the head and crown chakra.

Say the following prayer asking God and the spirit guides to be with me and guide my actions: "I invoke the light of the God within, I am a clear and perfect channel, Light is my guide."

Ceremony:
Look Up. Typical Chant: O Great Spirit we welcome the spirits you bring and the energy you provide from above.

Look Down and Touch the Ground. Typical Chant: We are grateful for Mother Earth and the feminine spirits. We are greatly blessed and thankful for our mothers, grandmothers, sisters and aunts. We welcome all of the spirits brought by Mother Earth.

 

Look Within Bring smoke close to your body. Hold your hands over your heart. Typical Chant: Thank you great spirit for the energy within me. Bring to us more gifts of balance, oneness and the spirits of connections with all things on Mother Earth.

 

Face East. Typical Chant: We welcome the rising sun every day and welcome the energy that starts the day. We welcome the Eagle, the soaring bird that reaches the heavens who bring you the Great Spirit the clearest visions. We welcome the spirits and all of the energy provided from the raising sun in the East.

 

Face South. Typical Chant: We welcome all the energy from wise men and the service of our relatives and those who came before us. We welcome the energy flow from the noon day sun. We welcome the Coyote spirit who brings much benefit.

Face West.  Typical Chant: We welcome the Great Spirit's gifts of healing and the gifts that give us the ability to look within us. We welcome the bear spirit who brings us a gift of renewal and strength.

 

Face North. Typical Chant: We welcome your gifts of wisdom and the great knowledge by our elders. We welcome the great spirit of the buffalo and the great honors the spirits have brought upon us.

Prayer
Great Spirit, we are so grateful that you allow us to come into this place with one another.  I ask, Heavenly Father, that you will be in this ceremony, that you will inspire these people in their endeavors, that you will give them a vision for the work that you have placed them in, and we ask that you join their hearts, that you knit them together. We're so grateful that we could come together in this place as brothers and sisters in your work

Buddhist Wedding

 

Wedding Prayer

Today we promise to dedicate ourselves completely to each other, with body, speech, and mind. In this life, in every situation, in wealth or poverty, in health or sickness, in happiness or difficulty, we will work to help each other perfectly. The purpose of our relationship will be to attain enlightenment by perfecting our kindness and compassion toward all sentient beings.  Lama Thubten Yeshe, December 1979

 

Vows

_________ and _________ are happy today not only because they can share the joy of their love for each other with friends and family, but also because they have the opportunity to express their aspirations for the future.

 

_________ and _________, do you pledge to help each other to develop your hearts and minds, cultivating compassion, generosity, ethics, patience, enthusiasm, concentration and wisdom as you age and undergo the various ups and downs of life and to transform them into the path of love, compassion, joy and equanimity? "We Do."

 

Recognizing that the external conditions in life will not always be smooth and that internally your own minds and emotions will sometimes get stuck in negativity, do you pledge to see all these circumstances as a challenge to help you grow, to open your hearts, to accept yourselves, and each other; and to generate compassion for others who are suffering? "We Do."

 

Do you pledge to avoid becoming narrow, closed or opinionated, and to help each other to see various sides of situations? "We Do."

 

Understanding that just as we are a mystery to ourselves, each other person is also a mystery to us. Do you pledge to seek to understand yourselves, each other, and all living beings, to examine your own minds continually and to regard all the mysteries of life with curiosity and joy? "We Do."

 

Do you pledge to preserve and enrich your affection for each other, and to share it with all beings? To take the loving feelings you have for one another and your vision of each other's potential and inner beauty as an example and rather than spiraling inwards and becoming self absorbed, to radiate this love outwards to all beings? "We Do."

 

When it comes time to part, do you pledge to look back at your time together with joy --joy that you met and shared what you have—and acceptance that we cannot hold on to anything forever? "We Do."

 

Do you pledge to remember the disadvantages of ignorance, anger and clinging attachment, to apply antidotes when these arise in your minds, and to remember the kindness of all other beings and your connection to them? Do you pledge to work for the welfare of others, with all of your compassion, wisdom and skill? "We Do."

Do you pledge to work to develop the wisdom understanding the relative functioning nature of things and the wisdom knowing their deeper way of existence that they are empty of inherent existence? And to remember the laws of cause and effect? "We Do."

 

Do you pledge day to day, to be patient with yourselves and others, knowing that change comes slowly and gradually, and to seek inspiration from your teachers and not to become discouraged? "We Do."

 

Do you pledge to continuously strive to remember your own nature, as well as the nature of all living beings? To maintain the awareness that all things are temporary, and to remain optimistic that you can achieve your greatest potential and lasting happiness. "We Do."

Exchanging of Rings

"The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two loyal hearts in partnership."

 

Pronouncement

_________ and _________, you have chosen to enter into the promise of marriage with each other by pledging your love and devotion with your vows and sealing those vows with the exchange of the rings. Therefore, with the power vested in me by the State of __________, I now pronounce you married. You may kiss.

 

Presenting and Congratulating the Couple

"Ladies and Gentlemen please join me in congratulating the happy married couple."

 

__________________   

A Beatific Union of Two Souls
Crafting Unique Beautiful Ceremonies
Serving  Maryland, DC, Virginia, Miss., and Louisiana 
Ceremonies scheduled from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm daily
Reverend Georgia A. Martin, Ph.D., J.D., MSN
Phone: (301)-237-4341
Email: gmartinjd@gmartinjd.com

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