WELCOME & PURPOSE
Clergy:  Greetings Ladies & Gentlemen.  On behalf of BRIDE & GROOM, I would like to welcome you and thank you for coming today.  We have all gathered together to celebrate!  We Are celebrating love – love in all of its aspects and dimensions, but most particularly, the love between a man and a woman that causes them to desire to be married. We are celebrating Bride & Groom’s love today.

Remembering those who have passed.

Clergy:  All of us need and desire to love and to be loved.  And the highest form of love between a man and a woman is in a monogamous relationship where neither one now has any desire to be with anyone else.

CLERGY COUNSEL
Clergy:  BRIDE & GROOM, as you probably already know, happiness in life just doesn’t happen by itself.  Your happiness will be created each and every day, by the two of you.  And it’s all of those little things that you do for one another that truly are the big things.  So, just continue doing those little things, not because you have to, but because you want to.

Clergy:  Remember to listen, and always give respect to one another. If you happen to disagree, your respect will hold things together while you are working things out.   Bear with one another’s weaknesses.  We are only human and we make mistakes!

So, always try determine the original intent of any action before judging or blaming. Comfort one another in times of trouble or sorrow, and work together to provide the material needs of each other and your household. 

Clergy:  Marriage is an act of faith.  But the truth is, all of life is an Act of Faith.  No one knows what is going to happen next.  But your marriage will work if you keep your love deep and strong and maintain unbroken trust.

PUBLIC DECLARATION OF INTENTIONS (required)
GROOM:  Is it your intent to devote all of yourself to BRIDE and to BRIDE only in marriage?   Yes.

BRIDE:  Is it your intent to devote all of yourself to GROOM and to GROOM only in marriage?   Yes.

WHO GIVES THIS WOMAN TO BE MARRIED?   
 or
21^st CENTURY PRESENTATION OF THE BRIDE
Clergy:   Who stands with you today, Bride?
Clergy:  Is this a happy day for you?  And do you support and agree with your daughter’s/mother’s decision to be Married to Groom?

THANK YOU TO THE MOTHERS
Bride and Groom give a rose to their mother.

Clergy:  Bride & Groom wanted to take a moment during their Wedding Ceremony today to say Thank You for your unconditional love – that love that not only stands beside us, but behind us and in front of us, the love that’s always there, no matter what. 

Thank You.

WEDDING CEREMONY
Clergy:  Your Marriage today is the public and legal union of your two souls who have found one another, who love one another and who have already been joined together and united as one in your hearts.  Now marriage is going to give all of you a new way to share your lives together, standing together to face life and the world, hand-in-hand.  

If B&G have children from another marriage:

Clergy:  Marriage is the public and legal union of two souls who have found one another, who love one another and who have already been united and joined together as one in their hearts.

Your marriage is all of that but it is so much bigger than this, as you are creating a new family environment that includes (names of children).

FAMILY BLENDING OF THE SAND CEREMONY
If B&G have children together:

Clergy:  Marriage is the public and legal union of two souls who have found one another, and who love another, and who have already been joined together and united as one in their hearts.

Your marriage is all of this but you are also establishing your family as your love has already manifested in the highest form possible in the birth of (names of the children).

Clergy:  Now marriage is going to give all of you a new way to share your lives together, standing together to face life and the world, hand-in-hand, as a family.  As you create a loving family home, make your home a place of peace and safety, where the children can depend upon two people who really care.

DEFINITIONS OF LOVE
Clergy:  When you really care about someone, you will be loyal to them.  You will always believe in them, always see the best in them and always stand your ground to defend them.

Clergy:   Love is such a tiny word for an idea so immense and powerful.   Love is older than civilization itself, as love is the energy of the creator’s need for fellowship.  Love lives in our hearts where we keep each and every moment of loving and being loved.

Clergy:  The Bible says that love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast.  It isn’t rude or proud. Love is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil, but love rejoices in Truth.  And love can stand to know the Truth.  Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always preservers.  Love never fails.

Clergy:  The Bible says that Love never fails, so your love will never fail you.  Just let your marriage be a time of waking up each morning and falling in love all over again with one another.

Clergy:  Your Marriage begins today with your vows and One Promise.  The marriage vow is a promise of fidelity and honesty.

Are you ready to speak your vows?

(Clergy will take BRIDE’s bouquet and give to someone close by).

BRIDE&GROOM will turn and face each other and hold hands.

GROOM’S VOWS
Clergy:  GROOM, Do you love BRIDE of your free will and do you love her just the way she is?

Clergy:  Do you have any doubts in your heart about marrying her?    No.

Clergy:   GROOM, will you give your deepest considerations to her feelings, desires and needs as a woman?    Yes.

Clergy:   GROOM, will you be her confidant, her sweetheart and her lover and her best friend, from now on?    Yes.

GROOM’S PROMISE
Clergy:   Then repeat after me, I GROOM take you BRIDE to be my wife.  To share all that I am and all that I have, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for all of our days together.

Clergy:  And GROOM, do you promise to do all in your power to keep your love - deep and strong - as it is right now?   I do.

BRIDE’S VOWS
Clergy:  BRIDE, do you love GROOM of your free will and do you love him just the way he is?

Clergy: Are there any doubts in your heart about marrying him?    No.

Clergy:  BRIDE, will you give your deepest considerations to his feelings, desires and needs as a man?     Yes

Clergy:  BRIDE, will you be his confidant, his sweetheart and his lover and his best friend, from now on?    Yes

BRIDE’S PROMISE
Clergy:  Repeat after me,  I BRIDE take you GROOM to be my husband.  To share all that I am and all that I have, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for all of our days together.

Clergy:  BRIDE, do you promise to do all in your power to keep your love - deep and strong - as it is right now?   I do.

(optional) SPOKEN WEDDING BLESSING
Clergy:  May you never forget the beginnings of your love. Just continue to nurture it and allow it to grow and deepen as the years go by.  And may you never take one another for granted, but always consider the other’s happiness in every decision that you make. And may you keep this promise you have made today throughout all the thick and thin of your life’s experiences.  And may you always be in love.  

(optional) PRAYER
Clergy:  Dearest God, I ask that you bless and sanctify the marriage of these two precious souls, BRIDE and GROOM.  As they live in your love, as they seek wisdom for their lives, let them find all of those secret wondrous joys you have especially for them.  Amen.

RING CEREMONY
Clergy:  The Wedding Ring is the symbol of married love. Do you have rings to exchange?

Clergy:  The precious metals can symbolize that it is your love that is your most precious possession, and the unending circle can symbolize that your love may never cease. 

Clergy:  GROOM, repeat after me, BRIDE, I give you this ring, as a symbol of my love.  Please wear it, as a sign to the world that you are my wife.  With this ring,  I marry you, I thee wed.

Clergy:   BRIDE, Repeat after me, GROOM, I give you this ring, as a symbol of my love.  Please wear it, as a sign to the world that you are my husband.  With this ring, I marry you, I thee wed.

(optional) CONGREGATIONAL BLESSING
Clergy:   Ladies & Gentlemen, BRIDE and GROOM have now demonstrated in your presence as witnesses their belief in their love and their desire to live together in marriage. If you also believe in their love and you wish to add your blessing to their marriage, will you please all respond together now by saying I Do.

BEACH WEDDINGS – SAND CEREMONY

DECLARATION AS HUSBAND AND WIFE
Clergy:  May you love deeply, laugh out loud every day, realize all of your hopes and dreams together.  And may you see many sunrises and sunsets.    In the presence of family and friends, by the power vested in me by the State of California, it is my deepest honor to declare that you are now husband and wife.
  OR
Clergy:  Now therefore, inasmuch as you have spoken your love promise to one another in the presence of these witnesses, and each of you has given and exchanged a wedding ring, by the power vested in me by the State of California, it is now my deepest honor to declare that you are husband and wife.

FIRST KISS AS HUSBAND AND WIFE
Clergy:  You may share your first kiss as husband and wife.

INTRODUCTION