Dearly Beloved,

We are gathered here in the presence of God, family, and friends to unite ______________ and _______________ in holy matrimony. Marriage is an honorable estate, and is therefore not to be entered into lightly, but reverently, advisedly, soberly, and with God's blessing. Just as two threads woven in opposite directions form a beautiful tapestry, so to your two lives when merged together will make a beautiful marriage.

Today, they will receive God's greatest gift; another person to share with, grow with, change with, be joyful with, and to stand with as one when trials and tribulations enter their lives. It is fitting, therefore, that we should on this occasion begin by asking for God's blessing on this marriage.

I would like to read a bible passage from 1st Corinthians:

Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud. Love is never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand it’s own way. Love is not irritable or touchy. Love does not hold grudges and will hardly notice when others do it wrong. Love is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out. If you love someone, you will be loyal to them no matter what the costs. You will always believe in them, always expect the best in them, and will always stand your ground in defending them.

VOW EXCHANGE

______________ and ______________ please face each other and hold hands and repeat after me.

I, _______, take you, ________, 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, for as long as we both shall live. This is my solemn vow.

Now Bride, please repeat after me.

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

RING EXCHANGE

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

Groom, please place the ring on ________'s finger, and repeat after me: I, ________, take you, _______ to be my wife - to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow, and I promise My love to you. And with this ring, I take you as my wife, for as long as we both shall live.

And Bride, please place the ring on ________'s finger, and repeat after me: I, _______, take you, _________ to be my husband - to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow, and I promise My love to you. And with this ring, I take you as my wife, for as long as we both shall live.

CLOSING PRAYERS

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

________ and _______, having witnessed your vows for marriage before God and all who are assembled here, by the authority invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

(Step to one side)

You may now kiss your bride!

It is my pleasure to introduce you all to Mr. and Mrs. ___________

Dearly Beloved,

We are gathered here in the presence of God, family, and friends to unite ___________ in holy matrimony.

Today, they will receive God’s greatest gift; another person to share with, grow with, change with, be joyful with, and to stand with as one when trials and tribulations enter their lives. It is fitting, therefore, that we should on this occasion begin by asking for God’s blessing on this marriage.

I would like to read a bible passage from 1st Corinthians:

Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud. Love is never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable or touchy. Love does not hold grudges and will hardly notice when others do it wrong. Love is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out. If you love someone, you will be loyal to them no matter what the costs. You will always believe in them, always expect the best in them, and will always stand your ground in defending them.

VOW EXCHANGE

______ please face each other to read your personal vows.

RING EXCHANGE

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

Groom, please place the ring on _____’s finger and repeat after me: I, _____ take you, _____ to be my wife, to have and hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow, and I promise My love to you. And with this ring, I take you as my wife, for as long as we both shall live.

And Bride, please place the ring on ______’s finger and repeat after me: I, ____ take you, _____ to be my husband, to have and hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow, and I promise My love to you. And with this ring, I take you as my husband, for as long as we both shall live.

CLOSING PRAYERS

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

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

_____, you may now kiss your bride!

It is my please to introduce you all to Mr. and Mrs ______.

INVOCATION

Welcome family and friends. We are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the marriage of ________ and ________. This is not the beginning of a new relationship but an acknowledgment of the next chapter in their lives together. ________ and ________ have spent years getting to know each other, and we now bear witness to what their relationship has become. Today, they will affirm this bond formally and publicly.

________ and ________ will mark their transition as a couple not only by celebrating the love between themselves, but by also celebrating the love between all of us—including the love of their parents, siblings, extended family, and best friends. Without that love, today would be far less joyous.

DECLARATION OF INTENT

Do you ________, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded [husband/wife], to live together in matrimony, to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?

I do.

Do you ________, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded [husband/wife], to live together in matrimony, to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?

I do.

RING EXCHANGE

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

Groom, please place the ring on _____’s finger and repeat after me: I, _____ take you, _____ to be my wife, to have and hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow, and I promise My love to you. And with this ring, I take you as my wife, for as long as we both shall live.

And Bride, please place the ring on ______’s finger and repeat after me: I, ____ take you, _____ to be my husband, to have and hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow, and I promise My love to you. And with this ring, I take you as my husband, for as long as we both shall live.

PRONOUNCEMENT

Before these witnesses, you have pledged to be joined in marriage. You have now sealed this pledge with your wedding rings. By the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you married!

____ you may now kiss ____!

INTRO

Thank you for being here today as _______ and ______ enter into a lifelong civil union. Today we celebrate the separate journeys that brought them together, and we usher them toward the new journey they will embark upon as partners.

Invocation

A true lasting marriage requires effort, commitment, and unending respect. As _____ and ______ declare their love on this day, we reflect on the meaning of partnership and its importance to a successful union. Partners, in life, think of one another as teammates, equally capable, but each arriving with their own special skills.

A marriage thrives when each partner chooses to value the other: for everything they are, and for everything they’re not. There is no limit to what a partnership can accomplish when trust and admiration flow abundantly.

Today, ______ and ______ acknowledge this with excitement as they prepare to join hands in marriage.

First, a reading of the couple’s choosing [this can your choice of what you would like me to read aloud]

Marriage is not a house or even a tent it is before that, and colder: the edge of the forest, the edge of the desert the unpainted stairs at the back where we squat outside, eating popcorn the edge of the receding glacier where painfully and with wonder at having survived even this far we are learning to make fire

—Margaret Atwood, Habitation

Declaration of Intent

As I guide you in exchanging your vows, you, ______, and you, _______ will declare your intentions for a lasting partnership in love and marriage. Are you prepared to do this?

Yes!

Without further ado, let’s begin

Vow/Ring Exchange

Please present one another your rings. These rings symbolize the strength of your commitment to this marriage and the love you share.

_____, repeat after me.

I, _____, take you, _____, to be my husband/wife/partner. I promise that from this day forward I will regard you not only as my equal partner but as my closest friend. I promise to comfort you in sickness and in health. I promise to demonstrate my commitment to you through love, laughter, and compassion. I love you.

_____, repeat after me.

I, _____, take you, _____, to be my husband/wife/partner. I promise that from this day forward I will regard you not only as my equal partner but as my closest friend. I promise to comfort you in sickness and in health. I promise to demonstrate my commitment to you through love, laughter, and compassion. I love you.

Pronouncement

By the power vested in me by the Universal Life Church before your witnesses, it is my great pleasure to pronounce you spiritually and lawfully united. You may kiss.