Modern Wedding Scripts
Welcome family and friends! We’ve come together today on this beautiful day to celebrate and witness as we join the lives of ___ and ___ in marriage.
I’d like to begin with a poem by Roy Croft, appropriately named, Love;
I love you
Not only for what you are,
But for what I am
When I am with you.
I love you,
Not only for what
You have made of yourself,
But for what
You are making of me.
I love you
For the part of me
That you bring out;
I love you
For putting your hand
Into my heaped-up heart
And passing over
All the foolish, weak things
That you can’t help
Dimly seeing there,
And for drawing out
Into the light
All the beautiful belongings
That no one else had looked
Quite far enough to find.
Love is universal, and its interpretations ubiquitous. Poets, philosophers, and prophets – writers, bards, and romantics of all stripes – seers, soothsayers and shamans, priests, rabbis, mullahs, yogis, gurus, and reverends – all claim to know what love is. But we all agree on some pretty universal truths about love. For example, we agree that love exists when we have compassion for one another. We affirm that love exists when we empathize with one another. We acknowledge that love is to blame when we sacrifice for one another. And we accept it as truth that it’s love when we rejoice together and when we cry together.
We all account for love, not only as a noun – a feeling of affection… but as an action – a deliberate decision to act altruistically, putting someone else’s best interest above your own. And we all attribute it to a magical bond, that none of us, including all of those types of people I mentioned earlier, can ever really quite pin down. That is love.
___ and ___, I want you each to think about connection as the foundation of your love. We know from scientific evidence that we’re all made of the same atoms. We know that we all breathe the same air, we all bleed, and we all love. ___, there’s no difference between you and ____. ____, there’s no difference between you and ___.
The two of you are one. That is the foundation of your love, and the connection of your souls. If you keep that in mind, you’ll have peace, knowing that the person on the other side of the table has entered into a covenant of love with you and that though you may share separate physical bodies, you share one soul.
With this in mind, let us declare your love out loud.
___, do you take ___ to be your lawfully wedded wife/husband/partner from this day forward; will you love, honor, and cherish her/him/them? Hold her/him/them up in good times and bad, and love her/him/them as you love yourself for as long as you both shall live?
(“I do”)
___, do you take ___ to be your lawfully wedded husband/wife/partner from this day forward; will you love, honor, and cherish him/her/them? Hold him/her/them up in good times and bad, and love him/her/them as you love yourself for as long as you both shall live?
(“I do”)
Please present the rings.
___, placing the ring on ___’s finger, repeat after me: ___, I give you this ring as a gift of my eternal love.
Wear it as a symbol that our lives are now one.
___, placing the ring on ___’s finger, repeat after me: ___, I give you this ring as a gift of my eternal love.
Wear it as a symbol that our lives are now one.
Having proclaimed your love for one another in the presence of these witnesses, it is my pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife / married as one!
Let’s make it official with a kiss!
Welcome Friends, Family, and loved ones! We are here today to celebrate the love of ___ and ___ and to bear witness as they join their lives together in marriage! I know I speak for ___ and ___ when I say they’re so glad to see all of you here to share this moment with them.
I’d like to begin with a poem by Krina Shah;
“To love is to share life together,
to build special plans just for two,
to work side by side,
and then smile with pride,
as one by one, dreams all come true.
To love is to help and encourage
with smiles and sincere words of praise,
to take time to share,
to listen and care
in tender, affectionate ways.
To love is to have someone special,
one on whom you can always depend
to be there through the years,
sharing laughter and tears,
as a partner, a lover, a friend.
To love is to make special memories
of moments you love to recall,
of all the good things
that sharing life brings.
Love is the greatest of all.
I’ve learned the full meaning
of sharing and caring
and having my dreams all come true;
I’ve learned the full meaning
of being in love
by being and loving with you.”
___ and ___, you’ll hear people say that marriage is hard work. That it takes commitment and sacrifice. What you won’t often hear is why we do it. Why do we agree to stick by one person when, at times, it may seem so hard to do? Why do we agree to trust our most intimate secrets and details with one person, and make ourselves so vulnerable to them?
The answer, of course is love. But what does love do for us?
Well, real love – the kind that’s a verb, not a noun – is having someone to rely on when the world is throwing you to the wolves. Real love is also being there when your partner is being thrown to the wolves. It is a commitment to face life’s challenges together, and the privilege to revel in life’s glories together.
Love is a verb. It is seeing, feeling, anticipating. It is reaching, climbing and evolving. Do not let your love become flat, or stale, or still. Engage your partner, and participate in your marriage each day, as if it were this, the day that you wed.
___ and ___, let us take this moment to proclaim your vows to one another;
(___ recites their vows)
(___ recites their vows)
Please present the rings.
___ placing the ring on ___’s finger, repeat after me, “With this ring, I thee wed.”
(___ repeats)
___ placing the ring on ___’s finger, repeat after me, “With this ring, I thee wed.”
___ and ___, after bearing witness to the vows you’ve exchanged here today, it is my honor and absolute pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife / married partners for life.
You may kiss (your bride)!
Welcome, and thank you all for joining us for this joyous occasion. Together, we are gathered here to witness a truly special ceremony: the union of ____ and ____.
____ and ____, we are here to celebrate the power of your love and the strength of your bond. Before we begin, take a moment to look around at the many friendly faces before you. Today, both of your families will become one beautifully blended family, which means no one is left out. (Children’s names) will celebrate the years to come together. They’ll fill the holiday air with laughter, and support one another’s passions. Just as importantly, they will bring strength to each other during times of trial and weakness. The bond of family is so strong, that those who cannot be physically present here today, are still very much with us. Our bride (or groom) should be especially proud and honored to have the blessing of her 97 year old grandmother, ____. Know that all are offering their love, support, and encouragement as you embark on this incredible journey together.
May this ceremony provide you with wonderful memories to look back on and treasure for the rest of your days.
Minister: Who supports ____ in her wedding to ____ today?
(Supporting person): I do.
Minister: ____and ____, as you stand here before me today, realize that you are preparing to celebrate one of life’s greatest gifts. Your level of love and commitment is something that many seek, but not everyone finds. The bond you share is a rarity in this world, and its fruits more valuable than any precious stone or metal.
Marriage, of course, is more than a formal exchange of rings. It is a sacred and solemn promise to one another that no matter what, you’re in this together. Life is full of surprises – both positive and negative. By nature, it’s impossible to know what is around the next bend. However, with a trusted partner by your side, you may take comfort in the unknown. Whatever storms may come, you will weather them together. That is the beauty of love.
Henceforth, your lives will become permanently intertwined. The union you form today is built to withstand all challenges. Through sorrow and joy, through failure and success, through despair and triumph, your bond will persevere. With the vows exchanged today, you will both finalize this promise and begin a new life together.
Minister: As we gather here before these witnesses, let us also recognize the seriousness of the occasion. Marriage is a profound, sincere commitment, and one worthy of our reverence.
I will now invite the Groom and Bride to exchange their vows.
Minister: ____ and ____, please hold hands.
(Groom), do you take (Bride) as your Wife and your companion? Do you promise to share her laughter during the good times and wipe her tears during the bad, from this day forward?
Groom: I Do
Minister: (Bride), do you take (Groom) as your Husband and companion? Do you promise to share his laughter during the good times and wipe his tears during the bad, from this day forward?
Bride: I Do
Minister: Let us proceed by preparing the rings.
Minister: The wedding ring is a symbol of the unending power of love between two beings. Its circular shape has no beginning and no end, representing a boundless spiritual connection. The rings should be worn proudly as a symbol of the commitment between you and your spouse. Even when you find yourselves apart, your rings will provide a powerful reminder of the eternal love you share.
Please repeat after me:
With this ring, I, (Bride), commit my love to you, (Groom), (Bride repeats)
giving you all that I am and all that I will be. (Bride repeats)
Please accept it as a symbol of my love. (Bride repeats, and puts ring on Groom)
With this ring, I, (Groom) commit my love to you, (Bride) (Groom repeats)
giving you all that I am and all that I will be. (Groom repeats)
Please accept it as a symbol of my love. (Groom repeats, and puts ring on Bride)
Minister: Family and friends, by the power vested in me by the Universal Life Church and the state of (MA/RI/CT), I now pronounce ____ and ____, Husband and Wife.
You may now kiss the Bride!
Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to present, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. ____!
Good morning / afternoon / evening. We gather here today, so _______ and _______ may promise their love and devotion to each other in marriage.
May your life together be blessed with prosperity and good health. May you always share open and honest communication between each other. May you respect each other’s individual talents and gifts and give full support to each other’s professional and personal endeavors.
May you cherish the home and family you will create together. May all the years to come be filled with moments that celebrate and renew your love. May your love be a life-long source of excitement, contentment, affection, respect, and devotion for one another.
______, do you come here freely and without reservation to join _____ in the life-long commitment of marriage?
Groom/Person2: I do.
______, do you come here freely and without reservation to join _____ in the life-long commitment of marriage?
Bride/Person1: I do.
Having heard that it is your intention to be married, I will now ask you to face each other and hold hands.
_______, please repeat after me…
I, _____ take you, _____ to be my wife/husband/partner/spouse.
I will share my life with you,
and build our dreams together,
I promise to give you respect, love and loyalty,
and to renew this commitment every day of our lives.
______, please repeat after me…
I, _____, take you, _____, to be my husband/wife/partner/spouse.
I will share my life with you,
and build our dreams together,
I promise to give you respect, love and loyalty,
and to renew this commitment every day of our lives.
EXCHANGE OF RINGS (optional)
Your wedding rings are made of precious metal, but that metal is also made more precious by wearing them. They are a visible symbol of the invisible bond that unites you.
Groom/Person2, place the ring on ______’s finger and repeat after me….
As this ring has no end,
My love is also forever.
Bride/Person1, place the ring on _____’s finger and repeat after me….
As this ring has no end,
My love is also forever.
May the wedding rings you exchanged today remind you always that you are surrounded by enduring love.
DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE
And now, by the power vested in me by the state of _________, it is my honor and privilege to pronounce you husband and wife /h&h/w&w/ married for life. You may kiss your bride / your spouse!
Marriage is a joyous occasion. It is connected in our thoughts with the charm of love, the warmth of home, with all that is pleasant, and as being one of the most important events of our lives. Its sacredness and unity is the most significant and binding covenant known in human relations.
______ and _____, let me charge you both to remember that your future happiness is to be in mutual consideration, patience, kindness, confidence and affection. It is the duty of each of you to find your greatest joy in the company of the other and to remember that your love pledged today must remain undivided for a lifetime.
It is your duty, _____, to be to _____, a considerate, tender, faithful, and loving husband: to support, guide and cherish her in prosperity and trouble; to thoughtfully and carefully enlarge the place she holds in your life; to constantly show to her the tokens of your affection, to shelter her from danger, and to love her with an unchangeable love.
It is your duty, _____, to be to _____, a considerate, tender, faithful, and loving wife; to comfort, guide and cherish him in prosperity and trouble; to give to him the unfailing evidences of your affection; to continue making the place he holds in your heart, broader and deeper; to support him, value him and work with him to make your marriage the very best that it can be.
The vows you are about to make are not to be taken without careful thought, for in them you are committing yourselves exclusively to one another for as long as you both shall live.
WEDDING VOWS
It is now time to hold hands and pledge your love and your lives to each other.
_______, do you take ______ to be your wife/partner, 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 you both shall live? (Groom/Person2 states, “I do.”)
_______, do you take _______, to be your husband/partner, 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 you both shall live? (Bride/Person1 states, “I do.”)
EXCHANGE OF RINGS (optional)
You will now exchange rings as a symbol of the lifelong commitment and abiding love which you have promised to each other.
________, please place the ring on _____’s finger, and repeat after me.
I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness.
And _______, please place the ring on _____’s finger and repeat after me.
I give you this ring as a sign of my love and faithfulness.
DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE
_____ and _____, having witnessed your vows, by the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife / married partners for life. You may now kiss (the bride)!
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