Celebrant addresses guests

Introduction and Welcome

Family and Friends of Bride and Groom, Welcome.

We are here today to witness the marriage of Bride and Groom and their mutual vows which will unite them in marriage. We are here to wish them happiness and love for their life together.

Bride and Groom are honored to share this special event with you all.

The welcome is about you. It is about the principles and your beliefs surrounding marriage. You can also include acknowledgements of family members, friends or any special circumstances.

         More about you. Your story, how you met, your goals.

The Monitum from the Marriage Act

  Reading 1
By Celebrant or  significant other

Celebrant or Reader addresses the couple with a poem

Love one another
But make not a bond of love
Let it rather be a moving sea
Between the shores of your souls.
Fill each others cup
But drink not from the same cup
Sing and dance together 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.
Give your hearts
And stand together
For the pillars of the temple stand apart
And the oak tree and the cypress
Grow not in each others shadow.…

Giving away
of the bride

Celebrant addresses the person giving the bride away

This is a traditional ritual, symbolizing the 'giving away' of the bride or 'the blessing' of the new family. Children can be included in this ceremony.

The Asking

Celebrant to Bride and Groom - Mandatory

The marriage celebrant asks the formal question re: your intentions -

Do you?

Yes I Do

The Vows

Celebrant to Bride and Groom  - Mandatory

The vows are your promises to each other. The vows need to acknowledge your life long commitment. You can write them, choose from a list of examples or use poetry. I have a lovely selection or vows for you to choose what is right for you.

'This is my solemn vow'.

Ring Ceremony

Bride and Groom, this is a time-honored ceremony where you both can exchange wedding rings. A symbolic act of expressing the heartfelt bonding between the bridal couple using meaningful words, statements, verses,  prose or poetry.

Celebrant or Reader to address couple

Reading 2

Taking Time to Love
is what it is all about
it’s what makes clocks turn
and the sunsets come true
without complication.
That does not mean lying close
in shut up rooms
or staying always face to face.
It’s meant to cover walking,
It’s being apart and knowing
that coming back together
makes all distance seem smaller.
Taking time to love is most of all
caring enough to not hold on too tightly
and yet not run too loose.

Celebrant addresses Bride and Groom and guests.
 

Formal declaration that you are now married.
It is my pleasure to declare Bride and Groom to be husband and wife.  Celebrant invites the  groom to kiss the bride.

Sealed with a kiss

The register and Certificates are now signed.

Presentation of the married couple to guests

Celebrant presents the bride and the groom with the certificates.

      Hand Fasting                    Rose Ceremony                  Sand Blending Ceremony

      Unity Sand Ceremony      Include Children                  Cultural rituals & symbols