Dear friends, we have come together in the presence of God to witness the marriage of John and Jane and to rejoice with them. The union of man and woman in heart, body, and mind is intended for their mutual comfort and help, that they may know each other with love, respect, and tenderness. In marriage, husband and wife give themselves to each other, to care for each other in good times and in sad. They are linked to each other's families, and they begin a new life together in the community. It is a way of life that all should revere, and none should lightly undertake. If anyone present knows a reason why John and Jane may not lawfully marry, you must declare it now. John and Jane, if either of you knows a reason why you may not lawfully marry, you must declare it now. The Wedding John, will you give yourself to Jane to be her husband: to love her, comfort her, honor and protect her; and forsaking all others, to be faithful to her for as long as you both shall live? The Groom shall answer: I will. Jane, will you give yourself to John to be his wife: to love him, comfort him, honor and protect him; and forsaking all others, to be faithful to him for as long as you both shall live? The Bride shall answer: I will. The Groom shall answer: I will. Jane, will you give yourself to John to be his wife: to love him, comfort him, honor and protect him; and forsaking all others, to be faithful to him for as long as you both shall live? The Bride shall answer: I will. The Marriage Vows (the couple faces each other and joins hands) I John , take you Jane, 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 the rest of our lives. This is my solemn vow. I Jane, take you John , 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 the rest of our lives. This is my solemn vow. The Exchanging of the Rings Minister: the perfect circle of a ring symbolizes eternity. In the years to come your rings will remind you of the joy of this special occasion when you were united in marriage. John: with all my love I give you this ring, an everlasting symbol of the vows we have made to each other. In the presence of these witnesses, I honor you with all that I am, and all that I have. Jane: with all my love I give you this ring, an everlasting symbol of the vows we have made to each other. In the presence of these witnesses, I honor you with all that I am, and all that I have. The Declaration of MarriageJohn and Jane, since you have pledged your mutual vows to each other, it is now my pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife. Those, whom god has joined together, let no one put asunder. Dear friends, we are gathered here today in the presence of god to witness the marriage of John and Jane and to celebrate with them. They have asked you here to be a part of their wedding day as they pledge themselves to each other. Into this marriage they both have come to be joined. The union of man and woman in marriage is not to be taken lightly. Therefore if anyone can show any just cause why they may not lawfully be married they must declare it now or else hereafter hold their peace. John and Jane, if either of you knows any reason why you may not lawfully marry; you must declare it now. It is not intended in marriage that husbands and wives cease to be individuals, but that both may continue to grow in love by support and concern for each other's well being. You traveled down different paths to reach the point at which you met. From that day, you have traveled together, experiencing both wonderful and difficult times. In this journey you have learned much about each other, and about the bond that has grown between you. Today you take the next step in your journey. You must promise to love, respect, and support each other in all the rough times, the sad times, and celebrate all the happy times together. John: will you take Jane to be your wife, to love her, comfort her, honor and protect her; and forsaking all others to be faithful to her for as long as you both shall live? I will. Jane: will you take John to be your husband, to love him, comfort him, honor and protect him; and forsaking all others to be faithful to him for as long as you both shall live? I will. You will be together for evermore, but let there be spaces in your togetherness, and let the winds of heaven dance between you. Love one another, but do not make a bond of love; let it rather be a moving sea, between the shores of your souls. Sing, dance, and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, even as the strings of a lute are alone, though they quiver with the same music. Stand together, but not too near together, for the pillars of the temple stood apart, and the oak tree and the cyprus grow not in each other's shadow.
The Exchanging of the Rings From the elements of the earth, through work and faith, were taken the materials for these rings. Just as from the elements of life and emotion came your desire for this marriage. May these golden circles, emblems of an untarnished eternity, be the sign and seal of a pure and imperishable love, now mutually pledged. John: with all my love I give you this ring, an everlasting symbol of the vows that we have made to each other In the presence of these witnesses I honor you with all that I am, and all that I have. Jane: with all my love I give you this ring, an everlasting symbol of the vows that we have made to each other. In the presence of these witnesses I honor you with all that I am, and all that I have. From this day on, may you always communicate openly and honestly with each other, and live these days of joy. May you live in each other's company in peace and trust, and may your days be filled with the rewards of all you have experienced to bring you to this place. May you endlessly delight in each other, and love and fulfill each other always. Love is more than a feeling. It's a commitment. It's a commitment to work things out, And to resolve the issues; To communicate when it's hard to, And to forgive each other and start fresh each day. Good marriages take time and effort to build. They don't just happen. The Declaration of Marriage John and Jane, you have chosen each other in love and freedom. You have declared your purpose before God and this gathering, and you have made your pledges one to another. Therefore, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Those whom god has joined together - let no one put asunder. Dear friends and families, we are gathered here today to witness and to celebrate the marriage of John and Jane and to be with them as they pledge themselves to each other. Theirs is a partnership freely chosen and founded on love, friendship, trust and respect. It is a partnership that encourages not only self expression, understanding, and the development of wisdom through the sharing of knowledge; but also an enthusiasm for life and living. It must be done with respect, consideration and a deep and gentle caring for one another. You are the people with whom they want to share their joy as they enter into marriage and they hope that, in the years ahead, your love will be a continuous source of strength for them. Let us celebrate this union of John and Jane, bless them and their bond of love. Charge to the Couple You are here today with your families and friends to publicly declare your love for one another. Do you pledge to treat each other with kindness, respect and compassion; to listen to each other, and to speak to each other with honesty always. We do Marriage is a way of life that all should revere and none should lightly undertake. If anyone present knows a reason why John and Jane may not lawfully marry, you must declare it now. John and Jane, if either of you knows a reason why you may not lawfully marry, you must also declare it now Your marriage is an act of faith, which must not be entered into lightly, nor must it be based on the vain hope of what the other will do or not do, might become, or not become. It must be based on the firm belief in your individual worth and in that of the other; remembering that the pledge you make today will only remain valid as long as you look upon it, not as a license to control, but as an expression of your devotion and freedom. Today you are dedicating yourselves to that most fragile of all endeavours; a human relationship. The words spoken in this ceremony will not validate your marriage unless your love and your commitment to one another are strong enough to sustain it. The Betrothal John, will you have this woman as part of your life? Will you love her, care for her and respect her? Will you promise to cherish her in honesty, tenderness and faithfulness as long as you both shall live? John: I willJane, will you have this man as part of your life? Will you love him, care for him and respect him in honesty, tenderness and faithfulness, as long as you both shall live? Jane: I will The Marriage Vows (the couple faces each other and joins hands.) Jane, I take you as my wife, to love, cherish and respect. I promise to share my life openly with you; I promise to tenderly care for you, I promise to encourage you in the fulfillment of your dreams and your individuality, throughout the changes in our lives. John, I take you as my husband, to love, cherish and respect. I promise to share my life openly with you; I promise to encourage you in the fulfillment of your dreams and your individuality, throughout the changes in our lives. The Exchanging of the Rings The perfect circle of a ring symbolizes eternity. In the years to come these rings should remind you of the overwhelming joy of this special occasion when you were united in marriage. John: with all my love I give you this ring, an everlasting symbol of the vows we have made to each other. In the presence of these witnesses, I honor you with all that I am, and all that I have. Jane: with all my love I give you this ring, an everlasting symbol of the vows we have made to each other. In the presence of these witnesses, I honor you with all that I am, and all that I have. The Declaration of MarriageJohn and Jane, from this day on, may you always communicate openly and honestly with each other and live these days of joy. May you live in each other's company in peace and trust and may your days be filled with the rewards that all you have endured to bring you to this place. May you endlessly delight in each other and love and fulfill each other always. Love is more than a feeling. It's a commitment. It's a commitment to work things out, And to resolve the issues; To communicate when it's hard to, And to forgive each other and start fresh each day. Good marriages take time and effort to build. They don't just happen. John and Jane, you have chosen each other in love and freedom. You have declared your purpose before God and this gathering, and you have made your pledges one to the other. Go forward together as husband and wife. PROCESSIONAL INTRODUCTION Dear friends: We have come together in the presence of God
to witness the marriage of ( ) and ( ), to
surround them with our prayers, and to share in their
joy.> The scriptures teach us that the bond and covenant of
marriage is a gift of God, a holy mystery in which two become
one flesh, an image of the union of Christ and the church. As
( ) and ( ) give themselves to each other today, we
remember that at Cana in Galilee our Lord Jesus Christ made the
wedding feast a sign of God's kingdom of love. Let us enter
into this celebration confident that, through the Holy Spirit,
Christ is present with us now also; we pray that this couple
may fulfill God's purpose for the whole of their lives. ( ) and ( ), if either of you know a reason
why you may not lawfully marry, you must declare it now. DECLARATION OF INTENTION ( ), will you have ( ) to be your
wife/husband, to live together in holy marriage? Will
you love her/him, comfort her/him, honour and
keep her/him, in sickness and in health, and, forsaking
all others, be faithful to her/him as long as you both
shall live. R: I will. PRAYER (Choose between A, B or C) A Let us pray. Eternal God, our creator and
redeemer, as you gladdened the wedding at Cana in Galilee by
the presence of your Son, so bring your joy to this wedding by
his presence now. Look in favour upon ( ) and (
) and grant that they, rejoicing in all your gifts, may at
length celebrate the unending marriage feast with Christ our
Lord. Amen. B Gracious God, you sent your Son Jesus Christ into the world
to reveal your love to all people. Enrich ( ) and
( ) with every good gift, that their life together may
show forrth your love; and grant that at the last we may all
celebrate with Christ the marriage feast that has no ending; in
the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. C Eternal God, creator and sustainer of us all, give your grace to ( ) and ( ). Grant that in the years ahead they may be faithful to the vows they make this day, and that in the strength of the Holy Spirit they may grow together in the love, joy, and peace of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. READINGS (Choose between A, B or C) A Genesis 1:26-28 Then God said, "Let us make human beings in our image, in
our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea
and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild
animals, and over all the creatures that move along the
ground." So God created human beings in his own image, in the
image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in
number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the
sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature
that moves on the ground." B 1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:13 I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in human
or angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am only a
resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of
prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if
I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I
am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over
my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I
gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy,
it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour
others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it
keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but
rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where
there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues,
they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass
away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when
completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a
child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I
reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of
childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a
mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part;
then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now
these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of
these is love. C John 15:9-17 Jesus said, "As the Father has loved me, so
have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my
commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my
Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this
so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be
complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved
you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life
for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I
command. I no longer call you servants, because servants do
not know their master's business. Instead, I have called you
friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have
made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and
appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit, fruit that
will last, and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father
will give you. This is my command: Love each other. MEDITATION (optional) MARRIAGE ( ) and ( ), I invite you to
join your hands and declare your vows. VOWS (Choose between A, B, C) A In the presence of God and our family and
friends, I, ( ) take you, ( ) to be my
wife/husband; to have and to hold from this day forward, in joy
and in sorrow, in plenty and in want, in sickness and in
health, to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live.
This is my solemn vow. B I take you, ( ) to be my wife/husband
from this day forward, to join with you and share all that is
to come, and I promise to be faithful to you until death parts
us. C I, ( ), give myself to you, (
). By the grace of God, I promise to support and care for
you. In the love of Christ, I promise to love and cherish
you. With the Spirit's help, I promise to be faithful to you,
as long as we both shall live. GIVING OF THE RINGS (Choose between
A and B) Bless these rings, O God; may they who wear
them live in love and fidelity, and continue in your service
all the days of their lives, through Jesus Christ our Lord. A ( ), I give you this ring as a sign of my love and
faithfulness. B ( ), I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow.
With all that I am, and all that I have, I honour you. ACCLAMATION ( ) and ( ), by their promises before God and
in the presence of their witnesses, have bound themselves to
one another as husband and wife. Those whom God has joined
together let no one put asunder. (The groom kisses the
bride) MARRIAGE BLESSING (Choose between A or B) A Most gracious God, we give you thanks for your tender love in sending Jesus Christ to come among us, to be born of a human mother, and to make the way of the cross to be the way of life. By the power of your Holy Spirit, pour out your abundant blessing upon ( ) and ( ). Defend them into all peace. Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts, a mantle about their shoulders, and a crown upon their foreheads. Bless them in their work and in their companionship; in their sleeping and in their waking; in their joys and in their sorrows; in their life and in their death. Bless them so that all may see in their lives together within the community of your people a vision of your kingdom on earth. And finally, in the fullness of times, welcome them into the glory of your presence. Through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen B The Lord God, who created our first parents
and established them in marriage, establish and sustain you,
that you may find delight in each other and grow in holy love
until your life's end. Amen. SIGNING OF THE REGISTER PRESENTATION OF THE COUPLE The Little Wedding Chapel will be glad to assist you with the writing of your own wedding vows. Just fax or e-mail them to us two weeks before the wedding so that we may check them to make sure that they are compatible with the Marriage Act, and to give us time to put them in your Keepsake Booklet. |
