Welcome to “Your Wedding.” It is an event with many choices & possibilities that include Civil, Spiritual, Non-Denominational, Religious & non-religious Options.

Our goal is to make your wedding be exactly what you want it to be! Any word, line, paragraph or section can be modified in any way that you like to fit your meaningful expression.

Basic Parts:

1. Opening/Gathering
2. Invocation/Opening Prayer or poem
3. Promises/Vows
4. Rings/Ring Vows
5. Benediction/Closing prayer or poem
6. Pronouncement & Presentation

*Optional Parts:

• Songs, Poems, Readings by Family/Friends
• Candle Lighting Ceremony (Unity)
• Candle Lighting Ceremony (Light of The Spirit)
• The Hands Ceremony (These are the hands that…)
• Honoring Parents (Recognizing attributes from parents)
• Recognizing Children During The Wedding Service
• Silent Blessing
• Minister’s Blessing
• Water Ceremony
• Rose Ceremony (Giving each other a rose symbolizing giving & receiving Love)
• Wine Ceremony
• Sand Ceremony
• Vale/Cord/Coin Ceremony
• Ceremony For and Honoring The Directions
• Butterfly/Dove Release
• Breaking the Glass Ceremony
• Memorial

Gathering Words #0 (The World as One/Heaven on Earth)

Once upon a time there was man & woman, & they were One. There was a great split between the two & we have been trying to ‘reconnect’ with ourselves ever since. The marriage of __________&__________ is a symbol of this couple & This World Living as One. It is – in essence, why they are here & why we are here.

The joining together today in the Unity of Love is The Divine (God’s) expression of Heaven on Earth. As we re-join ourselves in Loving fashion, we grow, become fulfilled & experience the depths of ourselves necessary to understand our True nature.

The Love this couple has is a familiar experience that they felt before they met; for the essence of Love is timeless, It’s all Present, all Reality & synergistically One. Deeply, Love will feel like “I have always Loved you” & “I will always Love you.”

This marriage… this union… is about living all in the now, where we forgive all from the past, where we are most Loving & capable to help ourselves & others. It is the re-uniting & the completing of ourselves to have Love & goodness for all. As we join this couple may your Hearts be open to welcome this reunion not only to allow it for ___________&__________ , yet for yourselves as well.

 Gathering Words #1 (Ultimate Commitment/Best Friend)

By entering into this marriage __________&__________ are stating publicly, the feelings and commitments they have held privately between them. They are proclaiming their Love for, their trust in and their loyalty to the one they cherish above all others.

Marriage is the most intimate of all relationships. It is the ultimate commitment to Love, share, trust and grow with another person. It is the beginning of a whole new Life.

Marriage has been described as ‘living in Love with your best friend.’ Love is the only constants in the Universe, the only reality. It is Sacred, Divine and Truth. Only Love is capable of joining living beings by their deepest essence, uniting, completing and fulfilling them. Love is our Destiny.

Marriage is a symbol of the commitment to create a lifelong partnership based on Love.

Gathering Words #2 (The Journey/Becoming More)

We have been invited here today to witness and celebrate the uniting in marriage of__________ & _________. They are taking the first step of their new beginning; their new Life together.

The ability and desire for one human being to Love another is the most precious and fulfilling gift that has been entrusted to us. It is an all-consuming task, a lifelong endeavor, the journey we’ve been preparing for all of our lives.

Loving someone is a reason to stretch beyond our limits, to become more for the sake of the other. It is to look into the Soul of your beloved and accept what you see. Loving is the ultimate commitment which challenges humans to become all that we are meant to be.

As they join in marriage today, __________ & __________ are announcing to the World that they are welcoming that challenge.

Gathering Words #3 (Covenant/Dreams together)

Hello and welcome! May your hearts be glad and your spirits be light. For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under Heaven. Now is the time for a wedding.

__________ & __________ have asked you all here today to bear witness to the forming of their covenant. In honor of this event, they will say heartfelt words, perform age-old rituals and validate this event in your presence, their family and friends. They will laugh and cry, dance and sing, but above all, celebrate their Love with the blessings of the people who matter most to them.

To this day __________ & _________ bring the joy in their hearts as a gift to one another. They bring their shared dreams, which bring them together as One. And they bring the seeds for their future, out of which will grow their Life together.

Opening Prayer #0 (Prayer as Action)

Prayer is to set intention so that Love leads the way in this marriage for its greater good.

Today as we pray for this couple, let us open to the experience to that which we wish for this couple, a deeper, more expansive Love showing a more enriching Unity. As you open to this experience and allow your vulnerability of limitations to surface, your action of acceptance allows for limitlessness.

We pray that __________ & _________ continue to Love, honor & respect each other.

And if times are tough, we pray they seek the True answers to all problems… it is the intimacy that is found in Love… to open to one another to heal and forgive the road blocks encountered daily in our growth.

We pray that this couple open to the reasoning & compassion of Love (God), as it is The Divine that is the remedy to heal all ills. The belief in Love is the belief of unconditional surrender of all that has lead us astray. We pray that this couple be a beacon of Light, that their Love be a flame that lights-up the night sky for all to experience. For Unity & Love for all. (Amen)

Opening Prayer #1 (Blessings-home, family, friends)

Let us pray. God, we ask for your blessings upon this man and woman (couple), as we celebrate this momentous occasion in their lives.

Grant them happiness and contentment as they establish their new home, create a new family and explore the depths of their Love for one another and for You.

Bless their families and friends and the relationships, which have supported, strengthened and sustained them throughout their lives.

Bless their home as a place of Love and of peace. And if times grow hard and tempers grow short, help them to look into their Hearts and remember the Love that brought them here today.

Amen

Opening Prayer #2 (Support)

God, as you join us today, we ask for your blessings upon this couple as they unite in marriage. Let all their days together be happy and all their words to each other be sweet.

Though their paths are intertwined, let them be aware & honor each other’s separateness.

Bless their home and allow it to be a place of joy and serenity.

Remind them to nurture each other’s body with mutual Love, honor and respect.

Let their spirits dwell within. As they learn from one another, may they grow stronger as individuals and closer as a couple.

And as their wedded life begins today with prayer, so may they continue it, praying for and with each other. Amen.

Opening Prayer #3 (Lord’s Prayer) 

Will you all please join me in saying the Lord’s Prayer.

Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thyme is the Kingdom, and the Power and the Glory forever.   Amen.

Opening Prayer #4 (1 Corinthians 13) 

Love is patient and kind; Love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.

*Support from Parents #1 (New Chapter)

The marriage of_________ & ________ brings together the spiritual legacy of two families, two unique story lines, so a new chapter in their lives can begin to unfold.

Though this relationship was formed out of the Love these two have found in each other,

their marriage will ultimately be blessed by the support of their families.

Who stands with this woman to symbolize the family story out of which she comes?

(“I do”—-“We do”—or —”Her mother and I do”)

Who stands with this man to symbolize the family story out of which he comes?

(“I do”—-“We do”—or —”Her mother and I do”)

*Support from Parents #2 (and Friends)  

The marriage of _________ & _________ is more than just the union of two people in Love. It’s also the joining of two families, of two sets of friends and of two patterns of Life.

Who stands with this woman in support and blessing of this marriage?

(“I do” or “Her Mother and I do”)

Who stands with this man in support and blessing of this marriage?

(“I do” or “His Mother and I do”)

As these two people join together in marriage, they ask for the support and Love of both their families and friends. On this day, they ask that you be more than only friends of _________ or only friends of __________. They ask that you recognize their special union and welcome them both as your friends in your Lives.

*Support from Family & Guests (Everyone!)

(Rehearsed with guests) The support & Love also comes from family, friends & guests here today. The support you have for this couple is the allowance of Love… & thus your blessing. So…  if you, family & friends open your Hearts to support this couple in this marriage today please say We Do!.. (We Do!)

Promises #0 (Promises are from The Divine)

These vows you are about to take (make) have no obligation, no expectation placed on them… as Love does not insist on its own way. The Divine is motivated by the Love in your Heart that guides us to be better people.

As you make your vows today, you will reassert your belief in yourself and The Divine…

your True nature. In honoring your vows you will undo your tendencies to drift from that which is True for you. As you commit to Love, you will commit to yourself & the one who stands before you.

As you make your vows, look into each other’s eyes and open to the experience of the connection you have with your chosen one & with yourself.

(Inset vows here. Make your own &/or see list below)

Promises #1 (Contemporary/New Life) 

____________ & ___________, by coming here today, you have reached a crossroads in your lives. You’re turning away from your yesterdays and looking ahead to your tomorrows. Your past is a distant memory. Your future, a waiting adventure. It is a new dawn, a new commitment, a new life. The bonds you are forging today will change your lives forever.

Do you (groom), ___________, promise to take __________ to be your wife? To play with her and care for her; to make her laugh, and let her cry? To offer your best counsel and give your sincerest support with all the love you have to give? (“I do.”)

Is it your choice that __________ be the one with whom you wish to spend your life? (“It is.”)

Do you (bride), ___________, promise to take __________ to be your husband? To play with him and care for him; to make him laugh, and let him cry? To offer your best counsel and give your sincerest support with all the love you have to give? (“I do.”)

Is it your choice that __________ be the one with whom you wish to spend your life? (“It is.”)

Promises #2 (Freedom to be Yourself)

Do you (groom) __________ promise to Love and respect __________, to share your life and your dreams, to build with her a home that is a place of Love, happiness, commitment and growth?  (“I do”)

Do you promise to be a companion to her in all of her successes and failures, her happiness and sadness, to always giving to her your unwavering support and above all else, the freedom to be __________?  (“I do”)

Do you (bride) __________ promise to Love and respect __________, to share your life and your dreams, to build with him a home that is a place of Love, happiness, commitment and growth?  (“I do”)

Do you promise to be a companion to him in all of his successes and failures, his happiness and sadness, to always giving to him your unwavering support and above all else, the freedom to be ___________?   (“I do”)

Promises #3 (Semi Traditional)

(Groom)__________, do you take ________ to be the wife of your days, the companion of your heart and the friend of your Life? To stand united in the face of adversity and bask together in the light of good fortune? With these words spoken, and all those as yet unspoken, do you wish to marry ________ and join your Life with hers?   (“I do.”)

(Bride)__________, do you take _________ to be the husband of your days, the companion of your heart and the friend of your Life? To stand united in the face of adversity and bask together in the light of good fortune? With these words spoken, and all those as yet unspoken, do you wish to marry _______ and join your Life with his?   (“I do.”)

Promises #4 (Very Traditional) 

Do you (groom) ______________, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife, to Love and respect her, honor and cherish her, in health and in sickness, in prosperity and in adversity; and leaving all others to keep yourself only unto her, so long as you both shall Live?

Do you (bride) ______________, in like manner solemnly agree to receive this man as your lawful wedded husband, to Love and respect him, and to live with him in all faith and tenderness, in health and in sickness, in prosperity and in adversity, and leaving all others to keep yourself unto him, so long as you both shall Live?

(Continued…)

Promises #5 (One Hand One Heart/Movie-West Side Story)

TONY: (Spoken) I, Anton, take thee, Maria . . .

MARIA: (Spoken) I, Maria, take thee, Anton . . .

TONY: For richer, for poorer . . .

MARIA: In sickness and in health . . .

TONY: To love and to honor . . .

MARIA: To hold and to keep . . .

TONY: From each sun to each moon . . .

MARIA: From tomorrow to tomorrow . . .

TONY: From now to forever . . .

MARIA: Till death do us part.

TONY: With this ring, I thee wed.

MARIA: With this ring, I thee wed.

TONY (Sings)

Make of our hands one hand,

Make of our hearts one heart,

Make of our vows one last vow:

Only death will part us now

MARIA

Make of our lives one life,

Day after day, one life.

BOTH

Now it begins, now we start

One hand, one heart;

Even death won’t part us now.

Make of our lives one life,

Day after day, one life.

Now it begins, now we start

One hand, one heart,

Even death won’t part us now.

Promises # 6 – # 9  Can be:                                                                                                              

1. Prompted (repeated) by minster
2. Recited by bride & groom from cue cards
3. Memorized
4. Vows can be volleyed back & forth from bride & groom
5. Recited in unison
6. Spontaneous (no planning)

Promises #6

(B/G) I promise to encourage your individuality,

Because that is what makes you unique and wonderful.

(B/G) I promise to nurture your dreams,

Because through them your Soul shines.

(B/G) I promise to shoulder our challenges,

Because through them we emerge stronger.

(B/G) I promise to be your partner in all things,

Not possessing you, but working with you as a part of the whole.

(B/G) I promise to share with you the joys of Life, to celebrate

Because with you they will be that much sweeter.

(B/G) Lastly I promise you perfect Love and perfect trust,

For one lifetime you could never be enough.

(B/G) This is my sacred vow to you, my equal in all things.

Promises # 7

From this day forward, I make a promise… 

(B/G) whatever happens, you shall not walk alone. 

(B/G) I’ll stand by your side, and sleep in your arms,

(B/G) I’ll be the joy in your heart, and the food for your soul,

(B/G) May you feel deeply Loved for indeed you are.

Through our brightest days and our darkest nights,

(B/G) I take you, into my heart.

(B/G) May God bless us, with a great light,

around our hearts, and around our home.

(B/G) I see your beauty, your innocence and light. May it shine.

(B/G) May the world see how beautiful you are as I see how beautiful you are,

but may there be a special light that only I can see.

(B/G) I give you my heart. May we feel this joy forever.

(B/G) Thank you God.    Amen

 

Promises #8

From this day on…

(B/G) I choose you to be my beloved soul mate, 

(B/G) to live with you and laugh with you;

(B/G) to stand by your side and sleep in your arms; 

(B/G) to be joy to your heart and food to your soul;

(B/G) to bring out the best in you always;

(B/G) to be the best I can be, just for you;

(B/G) to celebrate with you in the good times;

(B/G) to struggle with you in the bad;

(B/G) to solace you when you are downhearted;

(B/G) to wipe your tears with my hands;

(B/G) to comfort you with my body;

(B/G) to care for you with my soul;

(B/G) to share with you everything that I have;

as we treat each other with tenderness, compassion and Love.

 

Promises #9

On this day…

(B/G) I recognized the Love I have for you

has always been inside of me.

It is the promise that we’ve always had.

(B/G) My promise to make you my (husband/wife)

is my promise to complete my destiny,

my purpose, my Life & Love.

(B/G) I promise to support

and give my best counsel to you

for being the best person you can be

as it will allow me to do the same.

(B/G) I promise to allow Love to open

to where Love has not been before

to Forgive & heal to deepen our Love.

(G) In this I make you my wife.

(Or asked, “[groom], with this said, do you take [bride] to be your wife? [I do!])

(B) In this I make you my husband.

(Or asked, “[bride], with this said, do you take [groom] to be your husband? [I do!])

*Family Promises (Step Children vows) 

Because of the vows they have taken today, (groom & bride) _________& _________

have created a whole new family. To make their commitment to that new family complete, they wish to include (their) (child/children): __________________ and recognize them/him/her as an integral part of this marriage.

 

Do you (bride) _________ take (child/children of spouse) ____________________

to be the (child/children) of your heart, to Love and to hug, in tears and in laughter,

through triumphs and growing pains, as long as you shall all be together? (“I do.”)

 

Do you (child/children) ____________________ take (bride) __________ to be your

step-mom and your friend, accomplice and fellow conspirator, to Love and to hug,

as long as you shall all be together? (“I [we] do.”)

 

Do you (groom) _________ take (child/children of spouse) ______________________

to be the (child/children) of your heart, to Love and to hug, in tears and in laughter,

through triumphs and growing pains, as long as you shall all be together? (“I do.”)

 

Do you (child/children) ____________________ take (groom) __________ to be your

step-dad and your friend, accomplice and fellow conspirator, to Love and to hug, as long as you shall all be together? (“I [we] do.”)

 

(Parent/Parents) _______________, do you promise to support these/this relationship(s),

to give them room to breathe, to encourage their special bonds with each other and Love them through it all? (“I do”)

 

Rings #0 (Your Reminder of Your Path/Ring Blessing)

The ring is a symbol for completeness. It is Whole & Holy, & like your Love…perfect. Your rings represent the Love that is given is also the Love that is received. It has no beginning & no end for Love is eternal & is everlasting Life.

The Truth & Love you both have within you is your Divinity; it is what is Sacred in you.

May these rings that are given, be a symbol of everlasting Grace that you will carry with you to remind you of who you Truly are.

May your rings be blessed & be a covenant of The Divine. A Light to guide you in the night, as courage to lead you in uncertainly & The Love to bring you the perfection that is your endowment.

(Insert ring vows here)

Rings #1 (The Gateway to your innermost Soul)

 

The ring is an ancient symbol, so perfect and simple. It has no beginning and has no end. It is round like the sun, like the moon, like the eye, like arms that embrace. It is a circle; for Love that is given… comes back round again.

Your rings are precious because you wear them with Love. They symbolize your commitment in marriage. They remind you of who you are, where you’ve been and where you’re going. As you wear them through time, they will reflect not only who you are as individuals, but also who you are as a couple.

(Insert ring vows here)

May these rings remind you that your Love, like the sun, warms all that it touches, like the moon, brightens up the night, like the eye, is a gateway to your innermost soul. And your Love, like the arms that embrace you, makes everything right with the World.

Rings #2 (Symbol of the Purity of Love)

These rings are made of precious metals; purified by the heat of many fires. They are a symbol of the wealth that resides inside each of you and the purity of your Love for one another.

(Insert ring vows here)

The Rings #3 (Commitment/Devotion)

Though we have heard the vows which have been shared by __________ & __________, words, once spoken, can be carried away on the wind. Therefore, the wedding ring is a visible symbol of the promises that have been made.

May these wedding rings be a reminder to _________& _________ of the commitment they have made today and as a testimony to all the World of their devotion in marriage.

(Insert ring vows here)

The Rings #4 (Eternity/Perfection)

The circle has frequently been used to symbolize eternity. Without flaw, it endlessly flows from any point where it begins.

The ring, like the circle, is a reminder of the perfection and endurance of__________ & __________’s commitment to and Love for one another.

(Insert ring vows here)

Ring Vows (Insert…)

(You can make up your own ring vows. What do your rings symbolize to you? Your vows can be a surprise to your Loved one. You can say different ring vows.)

(A) “You are my Lover and you are my best friend.”

(B) “With this ring, I marry you and bind my life to yours. It is a symbol of my eternal devotion, my everlasting friendship and the promise of all my tomorrows.”

(C) “This ring I give you as a symbol of my Love. I pledge to share with you my Heart & my home.”

(D) “I give you this ring to wear as a symbol of my abiding Love, my eternal faith and my undying devotion. It is an outward reminder of our inner unity.”

(E) “With this ring, I thee wed, & pledge to you my faithful Love.”                           

(F) “You are my Love, my Life & you are my Forever.”

* * * * * * * * * *

*From The Heart (Spontaneous Heart Felt words. Public or Private) 

At this time we are going to allow __________&__________ to speak freely… spontaneous – Heart felt words that they have not spoken before to each other. (This part of the ceremony will be private.)

* * * * * * * * * *

Benediction #1 (Kahlil Gibran)

Remember that your Love is the basis for this marriage; Desire nothing else, fear nothing else and allow your Love to blossom into what Love was meant to be.

Allow for spaces in your time together, giving each other room to grow. Love one another; allow that Love to be a source of strength, which feeds your soul.

Fill one another’s cup, but drink each from your own. Share your bread, but have each your own slice. Sing and dance together, but remember that though you may move together, you each must dance your own steps.

None of us knows what the future will bring … the important thing is to live today to the fullest and face tomorrow with the certainty that you can accept and handle what it brings.

Benediction #2 (Love is Free)

May your Love be one based on freedom. For though our hands may touch, it’s our hearts that hold. When you hold Love within your heart, you radiate a light, which shall brighten all the days of your life and beyond.

Everything we truly Love, becomes a part of us forever. So take your time with each other. Let your Love’s seed grow and mature with the seasons, to provide you with warmth, serenity, joy and acceptance throughout all the years of your marriage.

Love is not a wall; it is a bridge. Love does not confine; it sets you free. It leads, as a pathway, winding, to places unknown and mysterious. With Love to light the way, you can meet any challenge, together.

Benediction #3 (Unity Spreading) 

Go into the world and fulfill your dreams. Love, support, and help one another as you grow. Seek out opportunities to be good to each other.

May the seeds of your Love, now planted in marriage, continue to grow. May your life together be as a pebble dropped in a pond; an example of Love and unity spreading outward to your family, your friends and to the wider circle of the World. 

Benediction #4 (Supporting each other)

_________ & _________, you came here today, in the presence of family and friends, to express your Love for, and commitment to each other. Your lives are forever changed.

Now, you can face your fears, for you each will be strength to the other.

Now, you can brave the wind, for you each will be shelter to the other.

Now, you can reap the rewards, for you each will be partner to the other.

Now though you are two bodies, there is one life before you.

And there, in that life, may you always find Love.

Benediction #5 (Touched by Angels)

May you be blessed by God. May you be touched by angels. May your hearts stay full, may your spirits stay connected, and may you Love long and happily in one another’s arms.

Benediction #6 (Irish Prayer) 

__________and__________

May the wind be always at your back,

May the road rise up to meet you,

May the sun shine warm on your faces,

the rains fall soft on your fields.

Until we meet again,

may the Lord hold you in the hollow of his hand. Amen

Marriage Pronouncement #1 (Two are better than One)

__________ & __________, you have each chosen to be joined in marriage today. The bible states that “two are better than one; they receive a good reward for their toil, because, if one fails, the other can help the companion up again.”

In my presence and in the presence of your family and friends, you have exchanged vows and made promises. You have opened your hearts to one another, declared your Love and friendship, and have united yourself with the exchanging of rings.

Therefore, with God’s Blessing,

it is my pleasure to now pronounce you… Husband and Wife!

You may now kiss your/the bride!

Marriage Pronouncement #2 (Trinity + wedlock)

Through their words today, __________ & __________, have joined together in holy wedlock.

Because they have exchanged their vows before God and these witnesses, have pledged their commitment each to the other, and have declared the same by joining hands and by exchanging rings, I now pronounce (in Jesus’ name) that they are Husband and Wife (Together, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit). Those whom God hath joined together, let no one put asunder.

You may now kiss the/your bride!

Marriage Pronouncement #3 (Standard)

________ & _______, you have heard the words about Love and marriage, have exchanged your vows and made your promises, and celebrated your union with the giving and receiving of rings.

It is at this time… that I now pronounce you… Husband & Wife.

You may now kiss the/your bride!

Marriage Pronouncement #4 (Trinity)

In the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, we commend this marriage to be long and fruitful. __________& __________, you are now Husband & Wife.

You may kiss your/the bride!    

* * * * * * * * * *

Presentation of Couple #1 (First Time!)

(Have couple face guests)

And now, to all the friends and family who have come to celebrate this marriage, I would like to present, for the first time anywhere, (Mr.  & Mrs.) _________________!

Presentation of Couple #2 (United Couple)

(Have couple face guests)

And now, to all the friends and family who have come to celebrate this union, I take great pleasure in presenting, for the first time anywhere, the united couple __________ &__________!

Presentation of Couple #3 (Simple)

(Have couple face guests)

Honored guests, we now present to you__________&__________,

Husband & Wife! 

* * * * * * * * * *

*Ceremonies within The Ceremony

Candle Lighting Ceremony #1 

________ & ________, together as you light this candle of unity; you symbolize the flame of your own individual selves joining to ignite the partnership of marriage.

You also bring the warmth, strength and wisdom of your family’s fire as kindling for your own.

As ________ & ________, your flames are separate, yet they feed the same fire.

From this day onward, may you bask in the beauty of the light of your Love, may its light shine bright and steady upon your path together and may its heat keep you warm through all the days of your lives and beyond.    ~Amen

Candle Lighting Ceremony #2 

This candle you are about to light is a candle of Marriage. Its fire is magical because it represents the light of two people in Love.

This candle before you is a candle of Commitment because it takes two people working together to keep it aflame.

This candle is also a candle of Unity because both must come together, giving a spark of themselves, to create the new light.

As you light this candle today, may the brightness of the flame shine throughout your lives. May it give you courage and reassurance in darkness; warmth and safety in the cold; and strength and joy in your bodies, minds, and spirits.

May your union be forever blessed.

Sand Ceremony #1

__________ & __________, today you join your separate lives together. The two separate bottles of sand symbolize your separate lives, separate families and separate sets of friends. They represent all that you are and all that you’ll ever be as individuals. They also represent your lives before today. As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual container of sand no longer exists, but will be joined together as one. Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be.

Sand Ceremony #2

This sand ceremony is a representation of two becoming one. On a larger scale it is the world living as one. As our separateness divides, it is our ‘unity through Love’ that heals wounds & forgives the past. As you pour your separate (containers) together, we unite as one symbolic of ‘Heaven on Earth’ & ‘Man & Woman’ in their completeness. As we bend this mixture of sand together, may we realize that we were always meant to be together & that this togetherness is our Divinity.

Wine Ceremony (Two Wines, One Glass – Oneness)

This Ceremony represents the two separate lives which are now combined like the two wines into one single life, like a life restored into completeness, into wholeness. The drinking of the combined wine signifies the commitment you now make to live your lives as one family and as the World living as One. May you remember this day of commitment  you have sealed with drinking of the new wine as you join your lives as One as it is your promise of Divinity.

Breaking the Glass 

_______ & _______, the time is now to crush the glass. This glass symbolizes the clarity of your Love for each other and the shattering of your old separate lives as you begin anew together. As you (refer to groom) break the glass, all of our best wishes will be bestowed upon you.

It is the tradition for everyone present to shout “mazeltov” as the groom stomps the wedding goblet. In Yiddish, this means ‘congratulations.’

The sound of the glass breaking is also a signal saying, “Let the party begin!”

Ribbon Ceremony 

On this day, ________ & ________ came together as man and woman to be joined in marriage. It is, however, more than just the union of two people in Love. It is also the joining of two families.

We ask today for the blessings of the children. We ask that each child of __________ and _________ approach the couple and show his or her support of the couple by blessing their union with a ribbon of Love.

Music Plays (Each of the couples’ children approach couple and loosely bind their wrists together with ribbon.)

 Dove Release 

Doves are devoted creatures, mating for life. As you release them today, they will fly together, with unwavering certainty, until they return to their home at their journey’s end.

They symbolize all the unity, loyalty, beauty, devotion and peace you wish for yourselves on your own journey together.

As you release the doves into flight, send with them your own hopes and dreams, which will soar into flight with the birds, to soon come back to you. May your warmest wishes come back to you on the purest white wings of a dove.

Butterfly Release 

Butterflies are as beautiful as they are fragile. They symbolize transformation and all that is perfect in the world. As you two join today in marriage, your commitment to Love releases into the world a new wonder, a new beauty, a new perfection.

One of the secrets of being happy with one you Love, is to take hold lightly and let go lightly. As you release these gentle creatures, may your Love transform itself and everyone it touches into its highest form.

Vale 

______________, will Pin the vale on Bride’s head & onto shoulder of the groom.

“This veil symbolizes unity and that the couple shall be clothed as one.”

Cord 

_______________, will place a white cord loosely around necks of couple in a

“figure 8” configuration. “The cord symbolizes the lifelong bond or tie between the bride and groom. What God has joined, let no one put asunder”.

Coins 

________________ will help us with the coin ceremony.

(After this the bride cups her hands under the groom’s cupped hands, the coin sponsors dribbles 13 silver coins into the groom’s open palms, trickling like a water falls into the brides hands, and from her palms into a plate held underneath by an acolyte or “sacristan”).

“These coins are a sign of fidelity bestowed irrevocably. It symbolizes earnest money & completes the marriage contract.”