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We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life’s greatest moments: recognizing the worth and beauty of the love uniting two people in matrimony.
Tracy and Raymond have pledged their hearts and their lives to one another. Today they ask that their pledge be made true before family and friends, and they ask our best wishes for them throughout their journey as husband and wife.
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Who gives this woman to be married to this man?
Marriage is a partnership of two unique people who bring out the very best in each other; who know that as wonderful as they are as individuals, together they are even better. Let the foundation of this union be the love you have for each other, not just at this moment, but for all your days ahead. Honor faithfully the commitments and vows that you both make here today.
Commitment – Turn to each other
RJ, do you take Tracy to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony? To love, honor, and cherish her, to keep her in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?
Tracy, do you take RJ to be your husband, to live together in holy matrimony? To love, honor, and cherish him, to keep him in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?
Consider the hands holding yours. They will work alongside yours as you build your future together, as you laugh and cry, and together share your innermost secrets and dreams. These are the hands of your best friend that are holding yours now as they pledge their love and commitment to you forever.
Vows
RJ, repeat after me: I RJ, take you Tracy 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, till death do us part.
Tracy, repeat after me: I Tracy, take you RJ 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, till death do us part.
Rings
Wedding rings are an outward and visible sign of an inward spiritual grace, signifying to all the uniting of this man and this woman in marriage.
RJ, place your ring on Tracy’s finger and repeat after me: I give you this ring as a token and pledge, of my constant faith and abiding love.
Tracy, place your ring on RJ’s finger and repeat after me: I give you this ring as a token and pledge, of my constant faith and abiding love.
Let these rings be a sign that love has substance as well as soul, a present as well as a past, and that despite its occasional sorrows, love is a circle of happiness, wonder and delight.
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Marriage is partnership and must be nurtured. Love motivates and holds it together, but not by itself. You must work at it together and sustain it within yourselves.
Drink the same wine but from different cups.
Nurture your partner’s dreams as well as your own.
Receive truth from one another as graciously as you give it.
Do these things, and the loving unity you just symbolized by your commitments, vows and rings will last forever, every day better than yesterday and less than tomorrow.
Live like there’s no tomorrow, love like you’ll never be hurt, and dance like there’s nobody watching. – Chinese proverb
When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. – Nora Ephron, When Harry Met Sally
So without further ado, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may seal your union with a kiss.
Example Gift for the Children -
Simple and Brief
Dearly Beloved, We are here today to join this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. Who gives this woman to be married to this man?
Today we celebrate one of life’s greatest moments: To give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, which shall unite Debra and Todd in matrimony.
Marriage is a partnership of two unique people who bring out the very best in each other and who know that even though they are wonderful as individuals, together they are even better.
Todd, do you take this woman to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony? To love, honor, and cherish her, to keep her in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?
Debra, do you take this man to be your husband, to live together in holy matrimony? To love, honor,and cherish him, to keep him in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?
Todd, repeat after me: I Todd, take you Debra, 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, till death do us part.Debra, repeat after me: I Debra, take you Todd, 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, till death do us part.
Wedding rings are an outward and visible sign of an inward spiritual grace, signifying to all the uniting of this man and this woman in marriage.
Todd, place the ring on Debra’s finger and repeat after me: I give you this ring as a token and pledge of my constant faith and abiding love.
Debra, place the ring on Todd’s finger and repeat after me: I give you this ring as a token and pledge of my constant faith and abiding love.
By the authority vested in me under the laws of the State of Florida, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.
You are now and forever Mr. & Mrs. ______.
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Welcome! We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life’s greatest moments: recognizing the worth and beauty of the love uniting two people in holy matrimony.
Tracy and Barry have pledged their hearts and their lives to one another. Today they ask that their pledge be made true before family, friends and God, and they ask our best wishes for them throughout their journey together as husband and wife.
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Tracy and Barry, marriage is a partnership of two unique people who bring out the very best in each other; who know that as wonderful as they are as individuals, together they are even better. Let the foundation of your union be the love you have for each other, not just at this moment, but for all your days ahead. Honor faithfully the commitments and vows you will both make here today.Almost universally, the uniting of a man and a woman in holy matrimony has three parts: Public Commitment, Personal Vows, and Rings which symbolize the marriage. Whether a kebutah adorns the wall of their home or the vows they make are in their wedding book, the contract is the same: two lives united as one.
Commitment
Barry, do you take Tracy to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony, to love, honor, and cherish her, to keep her in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?Tracy, do you take Barry to be your husband, to live together in holy matrimony, to love, honor, and cherish him, to keep him in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?
Consider the hands holding yours. They will work alongside yours as you build your future together, as you laugh and cry, and together share your innermost secrets and dreams. These are the hands of your best friend that are holding yours now as they pledge their love and commitment to you forever.
Vows
Barry, repeat after me: I Barry, take you Tracy 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, till death do us part.
Tracy, repeat after me: I Tracy, take you Barry 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, till death do us part.
Rings
Wedding rings are an outward and visible sign of an inward spiritual grace, signifying to all the uniting of this man and this woman in marriage.
Barry, place your ring on Tracy’s finger and repeat after me:
I give you this ring as a token and pledge of my constant faith and abiding love.
Tracy, place your ring on Barry’s finger and repeat after me:
I give you this ring as a token and pledge of my constant faith and abiding love.
Let these rings be a sign that love has substance as well as soul, a present as well as a past, and that despite its occasional sorrows, love is a circle of genuine happiness, wonder and delight.
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Tracy and Barry, as a symbol of the union of your separate selves, would you now light the Unity Candle.
There are many traditions and rituals commonly included in marriage ceremonies. One of the most beautiful and expressive is the Unity Candle. Two fires burn separately and individually, then unite their flames to burn as one in a meaningful and spiritual symbol of Life, Light, and the Eternal Spirit of love and caring.
As you begin your journey together, remember to leave the single candles lit as a reminder of your separate selves.
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Tracy, Barry: Marriage is partnership and must be nurtured. Love motivates and holds it together, but not by itself. You must work at it together and sustain it within yourselves.
Drink the same wine but from different cups.
Nurture your partner’s dreams as well as your own.
Receive truth from one another as graciously as you give it.
Do these things and the loving unity you just symbolized by your commitments, vows and rings will last forever, every day better than yesterday and less than tomorrow.
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Chinese people have said for thousands of years,
Live like there’s no tomorrow, love like you’ll never be hurt, and dance like there’s nobody watching. – Chinese proverb
When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. – Nora Ephron, When Harry Met Sally
So without further ado, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.
Allow me to be the first to introduce you to the world as
Mr. & Mrs. _____.
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When you all arrived, I hope each of you received a stone. If you did not get one, please raise your hand and _____ will bring one to you. At the end of the ceremony, you are invited to throw your stone into the sea and bless this union you are about to witness.
A Variety of Blessing Stones Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God, to celebrate one of life’s greatest moments: the uniting of two people in holy matrimony. William and Jaime, marriage is an honorable estate, created by God, and signifying unto us the mystical union between a man and a woman, which also exists between Christ and the Church.
Justin and Jaime, only love will maintain a marriage. Mankind did not create love. Love is created by God. Love is freely given and freely accepted, just as God’s love for us is unconditional and free. As you travel through life together, remember that the true measure of success, the true avenue to joy and peace, is the love you hold in your hearts. Hold this key to your hearts very carefully.
Commitment
Justin do you take Jaime to be your wife? Do you promise to love, honor, and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only to her?
Jaime do you take Justin to be your Husband? Do you promise to love, honor, and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only to him?
Vows
Justin, repeat after me: I promise to love you, Jaime, with an unselfish devotion. I will care for you with tenderness, and I will always seek to strengthen you, comfort you, encourage you, and hold you up daily in prayer before our Heavenly Father. I pledge you my faithfulness and eternal love, from this day forward.
Jaime, repeat after me: I promise to love you, Justin, with an unselfish devotion. I will care for you with tenderness, and I will always seek to strengthen you, comfort you, encourage you, and hold you up daily in prayer before our Heavenly Father. I pledge you my faithfulness and eternal love, from this day forward.
CORINTHIANS 13
The Apostle Paul wrote about love in a letter to the Corinthians
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, and it is not proud. Love is not rude or self-seeking. Love is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
EXCHANGE OF RINGS
Wedding rings are an outward and visible sign of an inward spiritual grace, signifying to all the uniting of this man and this woman in marriage.
Justin place your ring on Jaime, and repeat after me.
With this ring, I thee wed. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Jaime place your ring on Justin, and repeat after me.
With this ring, I thee wed. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let these rings be a sign that love has substance as well as soul, a present as well as a past, and that despite its occasional sorrows, love is a circle of happiness, wonder and delight.
CHARGE THE COUPLE
Justin and Jaime, as the two of you come into this marriage uniting you as husband and wife, and as you this day affirm your faith and love for one another, remember always to cherish each other as special and unique individuals, and respect the thoughts, ideas and suggestions of one another. Be able to forgive; do not hold grudges; live each day that you may share it together, as from this day forward you shall be each other’s home, comfort and refuge, your marriage strengthened by your love and respect.
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, Our hearts are filled with great happiness on Justin’s and Jaime’s wedding day, as they come before You pledging their hearts and lives to one another. Please bless this union and walk beside Justin and Jaime throughout their life together. AMEN
Unity Sand Justin and Jaime, as a symbol of the union of your separate selves, you have chosen to pour the Unity Sand. Will you each take a handful of sand and pour it together into the vessel. These different color sands represent your individual lives before today. As these sands join together and blend, so shall your lives join and blend to become one family.
Whenever strife begins to divide your thoughts and values, remember these sands to show you how to become unified once again.
PRONOUNCEMENT
Justin and Jaime, in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in holy matrimony, and promised your love for each other by public commitment, sacred vows, exchanging rings and joining your hands, I now declare you husband and wife.
May the Lord bless you and keep you, giving you peace, joy and happiness throughout your lives.
Congratulations, you may kiss your bride.
May your lives together and your love be as strong and enduring as the precious stones that your guests bless you with today.
Everyone please follow the bride and groom as they exit to the water’s edge. You are all invited to throw your stone in the water and give the newlyweds a blessing as you do.
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Welcome family and friends. We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life’s greatest moments and to give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, which shall unite Andrew and Aislinn in Marriage.
Andrew and Aislinn, in presenting yourselves here today you perform a remarkable act of faith. This faith can grow and mature and endure, but only if you both determine to make it so. A lasting and growing love is never automatic, nor guaranteed by any ceremony.
Let the foundation of your marriage be the pure love you have for each other, not just at this moment, but for all the days ahead, honor faithfully the statements and commitments that you bring here today. Faults will appear where now you find contentment, and wonder can be crushed by the routine of daily living. But today you resolve that your love will never be blotted out by the common-place, obscured by the ordinary, or compromised by life’s difficulties. Stand fast in that hope and confidence, and believe in your shared future just as strongly as you believe in yourselves and in each other today. Only in this spirit can you create a marriage that will sustain all the days of your lives.
VOWS
Andrew and Aislinn, we are here to celebrate as you begin this journey together. It is in this spirit that you have come here to today to exchange these vows.
Andrew, repeat after me:
I, Andrew, take you, Aislinn, to be my wife. I promise above all else to live in truth with you and to communicate fully and without fear. I give you my hand and my heart as a sanctuary of warmth and peace, and pledge my love, devotion, faith and honor as I join my life to yours.
Aislinn, repeat after me.
I, Aislinn, take you, Andrew, to be my husband. I promise above all else to live in truth with you and to communicate fully and without fear. I give you my hand and my heart as a sanctuary of warmth and peace, and pledge my love, devotion, faith and honor as I join my life to yours.
EXCHANGE OF RINGS
Wedding rings are made precious by our wearing of them. Your rings say that even in your uniqueness you have chosen to be bound together. Let these rings also be a sign that love has substance as well as soul, a present as well as a past, and that, despite its occasional sorrows, love is a circle of happiness, wonder, and delight.
Andrew, place the ring on Aislinn’s finger and repeat after me:
I give you this ring as a token and pledge of my constant faith and abiding love
Aislinn, place the ring on Andrew’s finger and repeat after me:
I give you this ring as a token and pledge of my constant faith and abiding love.
Andrew, please take Aislinn’s engagement ring. This ring is the symbol of promise and intention. Now the intention is realized and the promise fulfilled. Please place this ring on Aislinn’s finger over her wedding band to symbolize that the love that brought you together will always protect and sustain your marriage.
PRONOUNCEMENT
Andrew and Aislinn, you have invited us to be with you as you made a more public and formal announcement of what has been a private joy—your love for each other and your desire to live together as husband and wife. You have exchanged vows of marriage and exchanged rings to symbolize this commitment. It is my honor to pronounce that from this day forward you are husband and wife. You may now seal your vows with a kiss.
May your love continue to grow in depth, in strength, in beauty, and in compassion, enriching your life together and the lives of those who know and love you.
