A Sweet and Secular Ceremony
INTRODUCTION AND WELCOME:
Welcome, everyone!
From this place (a brief description of your chosen ceremony venue, about the significance or beauty of the location), we take ourselves out of the usual routines of daily living to witness a unique moment in the lives of ______ and ______. Today they join their lives in the union of marriage.
To all their guests, they are happy to share this moment with you. They have known most of you for many years. You watched them grow up, you went to school with them, or you worked with them. Because you are the ones who have supported them and known them so well, it is only fitting that you are the ones to share this once-in-a-lifetime moment with them.
And so it is that _____ and _____ present themselves to be married today…surrounded by the people they love the most.
REMEMBRANCES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
______ and _____ are pleased to have their parents in the front row, close to them for the ceremony.
______ thanks her mother for providing her with every opportunity possible and being the best mother anyone could ask for.
______ appreciates all the love and support his parents gave him over the years.
A wedding day is often a day when couples miss family members no longer with them. For ______ and ______, there are family members whose memories they hold dear.
PERSONAL HISTORY
As _____ and _____ prepared for the ceremony part of this wedding celebration, they reflected on what they love about each other. And this was the most natural part of planning this wedding!
(At this point, you might want to include a brief recounting of your love story, words about what marriage means to you, or a statement about the ceremony and what it represents. Don’t worry! All you need to do is answer some questions on the Personal History Questionnaire, and I can write it for you!)
READINGS
DECLARATION OF INTENT
We come now to the words ____ and _____ want to hear the most today, the words that take them across the threshold from being engaged to being married.
A marriage, as most of us understand it, is a voluntary and full commitment. It is made in the most profound sense to the exclusion of all others, and it is entered into with the desire and hope that it will last for life.
Before you declare your vows to one another, I want to hear you confirm that it is indeed your intention to be married today.
____, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to _____ in marriage? If so, answer “I do.” (“I do.”)
____, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to _____ in marriage? If so, answer “I do.” (“I do.”)
MARRIAGE VOWS
_____ and _____, having heard that you intend to be married to each other, I now ask you to declare your marriage vows.
Please face each other and hold hands.
______, please repeat after me…
I, _____ take you, _____ to be my wife/husband/partner.
I will share my life with you,
and build our dreams together,
Support you through times of trouble,
and rejoice with you in times of happiness.
I promise to give you
respect, love, and loyalty.
This commitment is made in love,
kept in faith,
lived in hope,
and made new every day of our lives.
______, please repeat after me…
I, _____, take you, _____, to be my husband/wife/partner.
I will share my life with you,
Build our dreams together,
Support you through times of trouble,
and rejoice with you in times of happiness.
I promise to give you
respect, love, and loyalty.
This commitment is made in love,
kept in faith,
lived in hope,
and made new every day of our lives.
UNITY CEREMONY, such as using two candles to light one candle. For a collection of unity ceremonies, click here.
_________and _________ have chosen to affirm their love by the lighting of a Unity Candle.
The flame of the candle represents light and spirit; and fire is often said to symbolize inspiration, aspiration, power &
passion. By lighting a Unity Candle, they signal their desire to not only join as one in their union, but to unite two families
together as one.
Will a member of each family please light a side candle which represents the separate lives,
families and experiences before the wedding day?
(Family members each light a candle).
A candle has been lit for each of your families.
______ and ________, please use those candles to light the Unity Candle together.
(Bride and Groom take the side candles and use them to light the center ‘Unity’ candle.)
Prior to this moment you each walked a separate path. With the lighting of the center candle you have now symbolically joined your once separate lives. As two flames combined into one light, so now are your friends and family joined, through you, into one.
EXCHANGE OF WEDDING RINGS
Your wedding rings are the outward and visible sign of the inward and invisible bond which already unites your two hearts in love.
_____, place the ring on _____’s finger and repeat after me:
I give you this ring.
Wear it with love and joy.
As this ring has no end,
My love is also forever.
_____, place the ring on _____’s finger and repeat after me:
I give you this ring.
Wear it with love and joy.
As this ring has no end,
My love is also forever.
May the wedding rings you exchanged today remind you always that you are encircled by enduring love.
MARRIAGE ADDRESS
Everyone has advice for newlyweds. _____ and ______, I offer these good wishes to you on this special day.
May your life together be blessed with prosperity and good health. May you always share open and honest communication. May you respect each other’s talents and gifts and give full support to each other’s professional and personal pursuits.
May you cherish the home and family you will create together. May all the years to come be filled with moments to celebrate and renew your love. May your love be a life-long source of excitement, contentment, affection, respect, and devotion for one another.
DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE
And so now by the power vested in me by the State of Maryland, it is my honor and delight to declare you husband and wife/husband and husband/wife and wife/partner and partner.
OR
And so now by the power vested in me by the State of Maryland, it is my honor and delight to declare you a married couple. Friends and family, I am pleased to present the newlyweds, ______ and ______.
You may seal your vows with a kiss!
Welcome, everyone!
From this place (a brief description of your chosen ceremony venue, about the significance or beauty of the location), we take ourselves out of the usual routines of daily living to witness a unique moment in the lives of ______ and ______. Today they join their lives in the union of marriage.
To all their guests, they are happy to share this moment with you. They have known most of you for many years. You watched them grow up, you went to school with them, or you worked with them. Because you are the ones who have supported them and known them so well, it is only fitting that you are the ones to share this once-in-a-lifetime moment with them.
And so it is that _____ and _____ present themselves to be married today…surrounded by the people they love the most.
REMEMBRANCES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
______ and _____ are pleased to have their parents in the front row, close to them for the ceremony.
______ thanks her mother for providing her with every opportunity possible and being the best mother anyone could ask for.
______ appreciates all the love and support his parents gave him over the years.
A wedding day is often a day when couples miss family members no longer with them. For ______ and ______, there are family members whose memories they hold dear.
- (Here you can insert references to loved ones that have passed away. Or you can mention loved ones that couldn’t be present for other reasons.)
PERSONAL HISTORY
As _____ and _____ prepared for the ceremony part of this wedding celebration, they reflected on what they love about each other. And this was the most natural part of planning this wedding!
(At this point, you might want to include a brief recounting of your love story, words about what marriage means to you, or a statement about the ceremony and what it represents. Don’t worry! All you need to do is answer some questions on the Personal History Questionnaire, and I can write it for you!)
READINGS
- (Many couples ask family and friends to participate in the ceremony by reading a passage from a poem, sacred text, or favorite piece of literature. Go here for a collection of readings.)
DECLARATION OF INTENT
We come now to the words ____ and _____ want to hear the most today, the words that take them across the threshold from being engaged to being married.
A marriage, as most of us understand it, is a voluntary and full commitment. It is made in the most profound sense to the exclusion of all others, and it is entered into with the desire and hope that it will last for life.
Before you declare your vows to one another, I want to hear you confirm that it is indeed your intention to be married today.
____, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to _____ in marriage? If so, answer “I do.” (“I do.”)
____, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to _____ in marriage? If so, answer “I do.” (“I do.”)
MARRIAGE VOWS
- (You may write your own vows, of course. For example,)
_____ and _____, having heard that you intend to be married to each other, I now ask you to declare your marriage vows.
Please face each other and hold hands.
______, please repeat after me…
I, _____ take you, _____ to be my wife/husband/partner.
I will share my life with you,
and build our dreams together,
Support you through times of trouble,
and rejoice with you in times of happiness.
I promise to give you
respect, love, and loyalty.
This commitment is made in love,
kept in faith,
lived in hope,
and made new every day of our lives.
______, please repeat after me…
I, _____, take you, _____, to be my husband/wife/partner.
I will share my life with you,
Build our dreams together,
Support you through times of trouble,
and rejoice with you in times of happiness.
I promise to give you
respect, love, and loyalty.
This commitment is made in love,
kept in faith,
lived in hope,
and made new every day of our lives.
UNITY CEREMONY, such as using two candles to light one candle. For a collection of unity ceremonies, click here.
_________and _________ have chosen to affirm their love by the lighting of a Unity Candle.
The flame of the candle represents light and spirit; and fire is often said to symbolize inspiration, aspiration, power &
passion. By lighting a Unity Candle, they signal their desire to not only join as one in their union, but to unite two families
together as one.
Will a member of each family please light a side candle which represents the separate lives,
families and experiences before the wedding day?
(Family members each light a candle).
A candle has been lit for each of your families.
______ and ________, please use those candles to light the Unity Candle together.
(Bride and Groom take the side candles and use them to light the center ‘Unity’ candle.)
Prior to this moment you each walked a separate path. With the lighting of the center candle you have now symbolically joined your once separate lives. As two flames combined into one light, so now are your friends and family joined, through you, into one.
EXCHANGE OF WEDDING RINGS
- (You may personalize what you say as you exchange rings, too. For example,)
Your wedding rings are the outward and visible sign of the inward and invisible bond which already unites your two hearts in love.
_____, place the ring on _____’s finger and repeat after me:
I give you this ring.
Wear it with love and joy.
As this ring has no end,
My love is also forever.
_____, place the ring on _____’s finger and repeat after me:
I give you this ring.
Wear it with love and joy.
As this ring has no end,
My love is also forever.
May the wedding rings you exchanged today remind you always that you are encircled by enduring love.
MARRIAGE ADDRESS
- (This is where I get to say a few words!)
Everyone has advice for newlyweds. _____ and ______, I offer these good wishes to you on this special day.
May your life together be blessed with prosperity and good health. May you always share open and honest communication. May you respect each other’s talents and gifts and give full support to each other’s professional and personal pursuits.
May you cherish the home and family you will create together. May all the years to come be filled with moments to celebrate and renew your love. May your love be a life-long source of excitement, contentment, affection, respect, and devotion for one another.
DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE
And so now by the power vested in me by the State of Maryland, it is my honor and delight to declare you husband and wife/husband and husband/wife and wife/partner and partner.
OR
And so now by the power vested in me by the State of Maryland, it is my honor and delight to declare you a married couple. Friends and family, I am pleased to present the newlyweds, ______ and ______.
You may seal your vows with a kiss!