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Presentation of the Bride
Who has guided this woman throughout her life, nurtured her and loved her, cherished her and taught her to soar on her own wings, and who now guides her here today as she comes to join with this man in marriage? (Her mother and I do)
Greeting / Welcoming Words
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of God, and the presence of friends and loved ones, to join together _____________________ and _____________________ in holy matrimony, which is an honorable estate, instituted of God, since the first man and the first woman walked on the earth. Therefore; it is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently and soberly.
Into this holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined.
_____________________ and _____________________, to your wedding ceremony we offer our best wishes to you both for a long life filled with love, laughter and happiness. Your wedding day will be remembered as one of the most joyful days of your life and may your life together be filled with the love and support of your family and friends here today.
You have come here today, _____________________ and _____________________, because you believe that by being together your lives will be better and more productive than they would be apart.
In marriage a new perspective is created by the joining of your two individual views of life and the world. Marriage is a beautiful and everlasting partnership where each partner becomes stronger, wiser and more loving. But marriage is a garden that needs to be tended every day: the benefits we receive through marriage are only achieved through dedication, understanding and thoughtful, careful attention.
If we do not make time to tell our partner how much we value what we have together, we will begin to take each other for granted and lose the very special quality that we originally united to enjoy.
The importance of marriage is so great, that it is the oldest rite or ritual of any kind recorded in history; its scope so great that it is virtually the only custom recognized by every government and religion. It is into this dynamic and wonderful state of partnership that you two come today to be joined.
________________________ is now going to come forward and share a few words of advice with the couple:
“I would like to share with you an excerpt from “The Art of Marriage”:
As you travel through your life together, always remember that...
‘A good marriage must be created.
In marriage the little things are the big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say “I love you" at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry.
It is standing together and facing the world.
It is speaking words of appreciation, and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
It is not only marrying the right person— it is being the right partner.’”
Statement of Intent
_____________________ and _____________________, marriage is one of the most precious occasions in life when we are presented with a profound opportunity to enter the timeless dimension of love. It emphasizes and reminds us that our lives have meaning and purpose beyond the day to day affairs of worldly life and that love is the strongest bond, the greatest joy and the sweetest nourishment we can ever experience.
Every experience you have ever had, everything you have ever done, and everything you have ever learned has brought you to this moment as you now stand before each other and your friends and family.
A marriage ceremony represents one of life's greatest commitments, but also is a declaration of love. The Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians contains some of the most beautiful words ever written about love:
If I have not love, then I am nothing...
“Love is patient and kind; never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty, or selfish, or rude.
Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, or touchy. Love makes no record of wrongs and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. Love rejoices not with evil, but rejoices whenever truth wins out.
If you love someone, you will be loyal to them, no matter the cost. You will always believe in them, always expect the best of them, and always stand your ground in defending them.
Love's faith, hope, and patience never fail. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love is eternal. These three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.”
Believing that you understand something of the reason for marriage as God has revealed it, are you ready now to confirm your commitment to God and to each other in Christian marriage? (Each say: I am)
Before you express your words of love and commitment to each other through the exchange of vows, I will ask each of you your intent.
_____________________, do you take _____________________ to be your wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony. Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect her, and forsaking all others, holding only unto her forevermore, so long as you both shall live? (I do)
_____________________, do you take _____________________ to be your wedded husband, to live together after
God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony. Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, and forsaking all others, holding only unto him forevermore, so long as you both shall live? (I do)
Prayer
Please join me in reflection:
Heavenly Father we give thanks for the miracle of life that you bestow upon us this glorious day. We give thanks as you weave the spirit of love throughout every heart, body and mind within this gathering. May the blending of our hearts prepare us to remember the truth of Oneness as we bear witness to the sacred ceremony of marriage. May the radiance of joy on this special day, overflow with peace and harmony throughout the rest of _____________________ and _____________________'s life together as husband and wife. And may this peace and harmony continue to expand, bringing joy to their families and friends and to all others who enter their home and circle of life. Amen.
Wedding Vows
_____________________ and _____________________, in honor of the solemn pledge you are about to make, and symbolizing its unbroken eternity, please face each other and join hands.
Prior to stating your vows, _________________________ would like to come forward and share a few words of advice with you from an unknown author:
“You are about to make promises to one another. Today these vows are beautiful words representing even more beautiful intentions. But you will find that as you live these vows over the years, investing your time, love and commitment to one another that the happy times of your life will be twice as joyous because there will be someone to share those joys with. And when life get tough, it will only be half as bad because there will be someone by your side to help carry the burden. For those times when life presents all of us with challenges, I would like to offer you the serenity prayer to remember: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”
_____________________, please state your vows to your bride. (_____________________ says his vows.)
_____________________, please state your vows to your groom. (___________________ says her vows.)
Blessing and Exchange of Wedding Rings
May I have the rings, please?
As God may be likened to a circle whose center is everywhere and whose circumference is nowhere, so let the seamless circle of these rings become a symbol of the unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver, for each is the giver and each is the receiver.
_____________________, Please place the ring on _____________________'S left hand and repeat after me:
I _____________________, take thee, _____________________ to be my wife. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow, I promise my love to you. With this ring, I take you as my wife, for as long as we both shall live.
_____________________, Please place the ring on _____________________'S left hand and repeat after me:
I _____________________, take thee _____________________, to be my husband. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow, I promise my love to you. With this ring, I take you as my husband, for as long as we both shall live.
May the presence of these rings always remind you of the eternal love and devotion you are to share with one another from this moment onward. May the beauty and perfection of these rings remind you of the beauty of your togetherness and the perfection of this union you have sanctified in this moment.
Sand Ceremony
Love is the eternal force of life. Love is the force that allows us to face fear and uncertainty with courage. Love each other. Keep your commitment primary. Together you will laugh and cry, be sick and well, be happy and angry, share and grow. You are two souls already attuned to one another.
When such a true bond already exists between a man and a woman, it is only fitting that this beautiful union be symbolized through the combining of these two individual containers of sand. The sand closest to (BRIDE) _____________________ represents who she is: her personality, individuality, values and all of her life experiences that have made her the woman she is today. The sand nearest (GROOM) _____________________ represents who he is: his ideals, thoughts, passion and life trials that have made him that stands before you.
Each container holds its own unique beauty, strength and character. They can stand on their own and be whole without need of anything else. However, when these two are blended together they create a new and extraordinarily more intricate entity. Each grain of sand brings to the mixture a lasting beauty that forever enriches the combination.
To symbolize the importance of the individuals within the marriage and the joining of two lives into one, the sands will be layered. First we layer the individual sands. This symbolizes that the marriage is based on the strength and the unique attributes of the individuals. (_____________________ pours a portion of his sand. _____________________ pours a portion of her sand.)
Now we combine the sands, which symbolize two lives joined as one forever. (_____________________ and _____________________ simultaneously pour their remaining sand into the common container until their individual containers are empty.) Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be a molding of two individual personalities bonded together forming one heart and one love. The life that each of you experienced individually before this moment, will hereafter be inseparably united, for the two shall become one.
(Couple begins a mutual reading of Poem.)
_____________________: “Why Do I Love You? By Roy Croft
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 ignoring the possibilities of the fool in me
And for laying firm hold of the possibilities for good.
_____________________: Why do I love you?
I love you…For closing your eyes to the discords
And for adding to the music in me by worshipful listening.
I love you…Because you are helping me to make of the lumber of my life
Not a tavern, but a temple;
And out of the words of my every day, not a reproach, but a song.
I love you…Because you have done more than any creed to make me happy.
You have done it, without a word, without a touch, without a sign.
You have done it just by being yourself.
After all, perhaps that is what love means.”
Benediction / Closing Prayer
Let us pray...
Bless this marriage, O God, as they begin their journey down the road of life together. Send your blessing upon _____________________ and _____________________, who we bless in thy name. May they live faithfully together as husband and wife, and keep the solemn vows made between them, which are symbolized by the rings given and received. May this couple remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen
Pronouncement as Husband and Wife
_____________________ and _____________________, I offer you these words of advice from Dante Alighieri: “Remember tonight, for it is the beginning of always. A promise. Like a reward for persisting through life so long alone. A belief in each other and the possibility of love. A decision to ignore, simply rise above the pain of the past. A covenant, which at once binds two souls, and yet severs prior ties. A celebration of the chance taken and the challenge that lies ahead. For two will always be stronger than one, like a team braced against the tempest civil world. And love will always be the guiding force in our lives. For tonight is a mere formality. Only an announcement to the world of feelings long held. Promises made long ago. In the sacred spaces of our hearts.”
And so, _____________________ and _____________________, our wish for you is this: May you continue to make each other smile and laugh as much as humanly possible. May you always find time for embracing each other. May you be forever surrounded by the love of friends, family and Lucy…and may you wake up each morning for the rest of your lives only to fall in love with each other all over again!
Since you have spoken your vows before these witnesses, and exchanged rings as symbols of your love, fidelity and commitment, it is with great joy that I now pronounce you husband and wife!
_____________________, you may kiss your beautiful Bride. (After the kiss, _____________________ and _____________________ turn to face their guests).
For the very first time, I would like to present to you Mr. and Mrs. ______________________________
Savannah Georgia Wedding Officiant, Rev. Steven Schulte E-mail (912) 354-6815
©2005-2010 Reverend Steven P. Schulte