Wedding Ceremonies
2010
Wedding
Ceremony (examples)
BEACH CEREMONY
Greeting
Welcome, we are gathered here on the sand, by the sea, to celebrate with GROOM and BRIDE, the love they have for each other, and their desire to unite their lives in marriage.
Let us take a moment to appreciate the natural beauty around us, to listen to the surf, to feel the warmth of the sun, and to see the incredible colors of the earth, sea and sky.
Let us breathe in that beauty - let it fill us up and then, let us breathe it out, as love. So that we may all appreciate, and feel the love we are here today to witness.
As we stand witness beside the ocean tide, May the love always be as constant and unchanging as these never ending waves that roll at our feet, floating endlessly from the depths of the sea turning to foam, touching softly upon the sands, As did their love come softly upon their hearts.
While these waters nourish the earth and sustain life, so will there never be a day without love for each other, love that will nourish and sustain you until the end of time.
Love makes burdens lighter, because you divide them. It makes joys more intense because you share them. It makes you stronger so you can reach out and become involved with life in ways you dared not risk alone.
Consent As we stand witness to the union of GROOM and BRIDE today, I ask who presents BRIDE in marriage so she may share her life with GROOM? (REPLY) Declaration of Marriage True marriage is more than the joining in the bonds of matrimony of two persons. In its right relation, it is the uniting of two souls already attuned to each other.
When such a true bond already exist between man and woman, it is proper that an outer acknowledgement be made.
This acknowledgment is the prime object of this gathering and this ceremony. We are here to bear witness to the entry into the closer relationship of husband and wife of these two beloved friends who are already one in spirit.
Groom and Bride, you are now taking into your care and keeping the happiness of the one in the entire world whom you love best.
This is a blessed privilege, and a spiritual responsibility.
You are adding to your life the affection and response that your heart desires, the happy companionship of a lifetime together, and a deep trust as well.
You are agreeing to be a light and a tower of strength to each other.
You are agreeing to carry a part of each other’s responsibilities.
You are entering on an act of pure faith in which you give of yourself to the utmost.
Vows
A vow is the most important promise a person can make in his or her life for it is instilled with the emotive power of one’s heart and soul.
As a profession of their love for one another GROOM and BRIDE have chosen to share their most heartfelt promise to one another in the sight of God and you, their family and friends.
I, GROOM, take you BRIDE,
As my wife, friend and love,
Beside me and apart from me,
In laughter and in tears,
In conflict and tranquility,
Asking that you be no other than yourself,
Loving what I know of you,
Trusting what I do not yet know,
In all the ways that life may find us.
I, BRIDE, take you GROOM,
As my husband, friend and love,
Beside me and apart from me,
In laughter and in tears,
In conflict and tranquility,
Asking that you be no other than yourself,
Loving what I know of you,
Trusting what I do not yet know,
In all the ways that life may find us.
Blessing of Rings
The unbroken circle of the wedding ring symbolizes eternity, the timeless dimension of unconditional love.
May the presence of these rings continue to remind you of the eternal love and devotion you are to share with one another from this moment onwards.
May the beauty and perfection of these rings remind you of the beauty of your togetherness and the perfection of this union you are sanctifying in this perfect moment.
Exchange of Rings
GROOM, please place this ring on BRIDE's finger and holding it there, repeat after me.
BRIDE, I give you all I am
And all I am to become
as your husband.
Take this ring
and with it my promise
of faith, patience and love
For the rest of my life.
BRIDE, please place this ring on GROOM's finger and holding it there, repeat after me.
GROOM, I give you all I am
And all I am to become
as your wife.
Take this ring
and with it my promise
of faith, patience and love
For the rest of my life.
As the sea is eternal, so is their love.
May their love soar beyond the wind, beyond the sea, beyond the earth, beyond the sky.
Blessing
GROOM and BRIDE, may you have;
Enough happiness to keep you sweet,
Enough hope to keep you healthy,
Enough success to keep you eager,
Enough friends to give you support,
And Enough determination
to make each day better than the last.
Love one another, but make not a bond of that love.
Let it rather be like a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
The light of God Surround You
The Love of God Enfold You
The Power of God Protect You
The Presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are… God Is… And all is well
May God bless and watch over you all the days of your lives.
Pronouncement of Marriage In as much that you have promised yourselves in marriage in witness of the gathering
and have symbolized your unity by the giving and receiving of a ring
By the authority vested in me as an ordained minister of the Gospel
and by the laws of the Sovereign State of NC,
I pronounce That GROOM and BRIDE are now
husband and wife.
Whom God has joined together, let no man pull apart.
Kiss
GROOM you may now kiss your bride.
Announcement of Couple
It is my pleasure to present to you
for the first time as husband and wife
Groom and Bride; Mr. and Mrs. NAME
SeaShore Ceremony Welcome and Invitation
We gather here today in joy to witness and celebrate an act of deep love and friendship.
Bride and Groom, in their devotion, respect, and love for each other wish to unite in the holy bond of marriage, and to dedicate themselves to each other as life mates and partners.
Though this is not a church, I remind you that it is nonetheless sacred ground.
Sacred because of it’s location here in the temple of sand and ocean, and sacred because of what is about to take place here.
For that which passes between loving people is eternally holy.
Bride and Groom, I congratulate you on the journey of your lives, on the strength and courage it has taken for each of you to make your way to this place.
Remember that this wedding is only a symbol, a celebration, a public recognition of what already exists in the silent places of your hearts.
It is your marriage and not something created by the State or the Church—it is yours to define, yours to make real, yours to live.
Nothing I can say can make it anything more than what already exists in your hearts.
Remember also that marriage is a shared relationship, not a matter of possession.
It is a means of showing your commitment to one another, not a blind surrendering of personality.
It is not an excuse to become limited in your outlook; it is an opportunity for mutual growth.
Foundation
Bride and Groom, marriage is a supreme sharing, perhaps the greatest and most challenging adventure in the most intimate of human relationships.
It is the joyful uniting of a man and woman whose care, affection and understanding have grown into a deep and abiding love.
You are entering upon an act of pure faith in which you give of yourself to the utmost.
It is in this giving that your sincere dreams and desires will be fulfilled.
A true spiritual marriage—a marriage that is more than an outward joining is an act of transformation, a profound mystery of creation and rebirth, as two become one.
It is not loss of oneself, but rather a giving over of oneself to something greater;
a transformation of self in which each one can say, “I am no longer only I, but also we.”
It is a process in which each can be challenged to discover new depths and possibilities in themselves and each other.
In such a marriage, the wedding ceremony is the gateway to this mystery.
For the lives the two of you have lived up until this moment are now truly completed and now you together give over to the creation of something new, something which has never existed before your marriage; an expression that is at once public, private, sacred, and unique to the two of you.
Because the condition of marriage is worldly and it’s meaning communal, no one party to it can be solely in charge.
What you alone think it out to be, it is not going to be. Where you alone want it to go, it is not going to go.
It is going where the two of you, and marriage, time, life, history, and the world – will take it.
You do not know the road;
you have committed your life to the way.
What this ceremony can do is witness and affirm your choice to begin a life anew today as husband and wife.
The Questions
If at this time you wish to affirm your free choice to unite as partners in marriage, please indicate that now by joining your right hands together.
Groom,
do you take Bride to be your wife?
Do you promise to give her the best of yourself
and ask no more than s/he can give in return?
Do you promise to accept her the way she is?
Do you promise to respect her as a person,
as someone with her own interests, desires and needs,
and to realize that they are no less important then your own?
I do.
Bride,
do you take Groom to be your husband?
Do you promise to give him the best of yourself
and ask no more than he can give in return?
Do you promise to accept him the way he is?
Do you promise to respect him as a person,
as someone with her own interests, desires and needs,
and to realize that they are no less important then your own?
I do.
Repeat after me,
Bride,
from this day on I promise to Love you,
with all I have to give
for better for worse
for richer for poorer
in sickness and in health
for as long as we both shall live.
Groom,
from this day on I promise to Love you,
with all I have to give
for better for worse
for richer for poorer
in sickness and in health
for as long as we both shall live.
Exchange of Rings
We come now to the presentation of rings by which you symbolize and bind your love.
The wedding ring has been a traditional symbol of commitment and enduring love that, like a circle, is without beginning and without end.
Difficult times will come, but you are making a commitment to make your marriage last forever.
The ring which is a circle, is a symbol of your faith in each other and in your marriage. Every time you see your ring, let it be a reminder of your vows.
Groom, I now ask you to place the ring on Bride’s finger and repeat after me.
I give you this ring,
in token and pledge,
of my love and faithfulness to you.
With this ring, I marry you,
and join my life with yours.
Bride, I now ask you to place the ring on Groom’s finger and repeat after me.
I give you this ring,
in token and pledge,
of my love and faithfulness to you.
With this ring, I marry you,
and join my life with yours.
Prayer
May God, bless this couple.
May their love be nurtured by You always and forever.
May their lives be filled with the sun of many days and years.
We give thanks for Bride and Groom, for the love they share and
for their open hearts and willing spirits.
May their love be nurtured by you always and forever.
Amen
Blessing of the Seashore
Bride and Groom, you could not have chosen a more sacred or more majestic place for your wedding.
As humans, we have always been drawn to the seashore. This is the place where the earth, the sea, and sky meet in beauty and wonder. Here these elements are joined to remind us of the power and majesty of creation.
In marriage we find the coming together not only of a man and a woman, but their families, their friends, the lives the have lived separately that are now joined as one.
And just as the seashore, a place of beauty and serenity can know tumultuous times, so in marriage there will be days of great challenge, yet love has the power to overcome all things.
So in times of difficulty, allow the power of your love to bring you back to each other even as the sea returns to the shore.
Pronouncement
For as much as you, Bride and you, Groom
have openly declared your wishes to be united in marriage,
and in the presence of God and these witnesses
have pledged love to each other
and confirmed the same by each giving and receiving a ring,
as a minister, legally authorized by the State of North Carolina
invoking the power of the Spirit who performs every true marriage,
it is my honor and my delight to pronounce
that you are husband and wife.
KISS
Groom, you may kiss your bride.
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Benediction
May you have the strength of heart
to nurture and support each other through all things,
and sweetly keep the vows that you have made to one another today.
Introduction
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
it is my pleasure to present to you,
Groom and Bride as husband and wife.
Ceremony on Love Gathering and Welcome
Welcome. We are gathered here on Topsail Island, to celebrate with Bride and Groom, the love they have for each other, and their desire to unite their lives in marriage.
Your presence here today also symbolizes your love and affection for Bride and Groom, and they want you to know how grateful they are that you have chosen to come from near and far to spend this special day with them.
Let’s take a moment in silence to appreciate the natural beauty around us; The warmth of the sun; The sound of the waves; The colors of the earth, sea, and sky; The family and friends who have gathered here today.
We lovingly remember those who are not with us today but are with us in spirit or in prayers.
And to Bride and Groom, we welcome you to this moment in your lives in which we share with you your commitment before God & humanity that from this day forward you shall live as one.
I remind our guests that you have been invited here for a holy purpose, not only to witness, but also to participate fully with your thoughts & prayers, asking God to bless this couple & their married life.
They have chosen this act of marriage and this public, holy ceremony in which to proclaim it. Together we all thank God who brought them together and ask Him to always guide their way.
Though this is not a church it is nonetheless sacred. Sacred because of its location here in the Chapel of Sand where the land meets the sea and the sea meets the sky; Sacred also because of what is about to take place here.
For that which passes between loving people is eternally holy.
So, Bride and Groom on this day we celebrate a sacred agreement between the two of you. I congratulate you on the journey of your lives, on the strength & the courage it has taken for each of you to make your way to this place.
Bride, Groom is God’s gift to you, but he is not a gift for you alone. It is God’s will that in your love, this man might find within himself a greater sense of who he is meant to be.
See the good in him, accept him for who he is and shall be, that thus he might be healed and made strong. In this, God’s purpose in the relationship shall be accomplished.
And so it is with you also, Groom, that although Bride is God’s gift to you, she is not a gift intended for you alone.
You are asked by God to so love this woman, that in your love she might find herself as God has created her, so beautiful and strong, and brave and true, that the entire world might be blessed by the presence of a woman who shines so.
May you both know from now on, that there is one on whose love you can depend forever. From this point forward, the other’s needs shall carry the same priority as your own.
To both of you, I enjoin you to release at this time all barriers to your joy.
In this moment may you forgive each other any past mistakes, that you might enter this marriage reborn. Allow the waters of forgiveness to wash you clean, so that you may begin your lives again this day.
And to both families, I ask that from this day forward your energies will be positive and supportive toward this couple, that any words you say might bless and protect the holiness of this bond.
Prayer
Now I would ask all of you to pray with me:
Dear God, bless this couple.
May their love be nurtured by you, always and forever.
May this marriage be held in Your hands and ministered unto by Your angels.
May this man grow strong in the arms of this woman,
May this woman grow glorious in the arms of this man.
May the earth be blessed by their unity.
Thank you very much. Amen.
Vows
Groom,
do you take this woman, Bride,
to be your lawful wedded wife,
to love her and to honor her,
through times of darkness as well as light,
now and forever?
Do you promise that times of trouble
will not deter you, or tempt you
to forsake this love?
Do you commit before God
to honor this vow unto all your days?
If so, please answer “I do.”
Bride,
do you take this man, Groom,
to be your lawful wedded husband,
to love him and to honor him,
through times of darkness as well as light,
now and forever?
Do you promise that times of trouble
will not deter you, or tempt you
to forsake this love?
Do you commit before God
to honor this vow unto all your days?
If so, please answer, “I do.”
Blessing of Rings
The unbroken circle of the wedding ring symbolizes eternity, the timeless dimension of unconditional love.
May the presence of these rings continue to remind you of the eternal love and devotion you are to share with one another from this moment onwards.
May the beauty and perfection of these rings remind you of the beauty of your togetherness and the perfection of this union you are sanctifying in this perfect moment.
Exchange of Rings
Groom, please place this ring on Bride's finger and holding it there, repeat after me.
Bride, I give you all I am
And all I am to become
As your husband.
Take this ring,
And with it
My promise of faith, patience and love
For the rest of my life.
Bride, please place this ring on Groom's finger and holding it there, repeat after me.
Groom, I give you all I am
And all I am to become
As your wife.
Take this ring,
And with it
My promise of faith, patience and love
For the rest of my life.
Sand Ceremony
Bride and Groom you came here today as individuals from two different families.
At the beginning of the ceremony, I placed sand from the Island in this vase symbolizing the foundation on which you are to begin your life together.
Your family came forward and poured their sand symbolizing your family and the love and support they give you.
Today you have committed to share the rest of your lives and begin a new life together.
This new family relationship is symbolized thru the pouring of these individual vases of sand;
The _________ sand representing you, Bride
And all that you were,
All that you are,
And all you will ever be.
The ________ sand represents you, Groom
And all that you were,
All that you are,
And all you will ever be.
As these two are poured into the vase, the separate containers will no longer exist, and will be joined as one.
Pouring of the Sand
The individual layers symbolize that in your marriage you each will retain your individual strengths even as you join together.
Just as these grains can never be separated and poured again into their individual containers, so will your marriage be.
What God has joined together, let no man pull apart.
Groom & Bride, I remind you that the God who brought you together and nurtured this relationship is the key to your success as a married couple.
Allow the Divine to guide your thinking and bless your home. Call on this power often.
We bring to mind any children who might one day gather unto you, and in the spirit of this day, we bless them also.
May this marriage be your sanctuary, your haven from worldly pain.
Pronouncement of Marriage
And now, Bride and Groom
by the authority vested in me by the state of NC,
and as an ordained minister of the Church,
it is my honor and delight
to now pronounce you husband and wife.
Ladies & Gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. ____
The Civil Ceremony Welcome
Family and Friends, welcome to the marriage ceremony of Bride and Groom.
A wedding is a celebration of love; your presence here today signifies that you believe in love and all the rewards that a committed relationship brings with it.
Your presence here today also symbolizes your love and affection for Bride and Groom and they want you to know how grateful they are that you have chosen to come from near and far to spend this special day with them.
Consent
As we stand witness to their union today, I ask who presents Bride in marriage so she may share her life with Groom.
(Reply)
Declaration of Marriage
True marriage is more than the joining in the bonds of matrimony of two persons. In its right relation, it is the uniting of two souls already attuned to each other.
When such a true bond already exist between man and woman, it is proper that an outer acknowledgement be made. This acknowledgment is the prime object of this gathering and this ceremony.
We are here to bear witness to the entry into the closer relationship of husband and wife of these two beloved friends who are already one in spirit.
Groom and Bride, you are now taking into your care and keeping the happiness of the one in the entire world whom you love best. This is a blessed privilege, and a spiritual responsibility.
You are adding to your life the affection and response that your heart desires, the happy companionship of a lifetime together, and a deep trust as well.
You are agreeing to be a light and a tower of strength to each other.
You are agreeing to carry a part of each other’s responsibilities.
Blessing on the Marriage
Love is patient; love is kind;
love is not envious or boastful
or arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way;
it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice in wrongdoing,
but rejoices in the truth.
It bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
and endures all things.
Love never fails.
VOWS
A vow is the most important promise a person can make in his or her life, for it is instilled with the emotive power of one’s heart and soul.
As a profession of their love for one another, Bride and Groom have chosen to share their most heartfelt promise to one another in the sight of God and you, their beloved family and friends.
I, GROOM, take you BRIDE,
As my wife, friend and love,
Beside me and apart from me,
In laughter and in tears,
In conflict and tranquility,
Asking that you be no other than yourself,
Loving what I know of you,
Trusting what I do not yet know,
In all the ways that life may find us.
I, BRIDE, take you GROOM,
As my husband, friend and love,
Beside me and apart from me,
In laughter and in tears,
In conflict and tranquility,
Asking that you be no other than yourself,
Loving what I know of you,
Trusting what I do not yet know,
In all the ways that life may find us.
Blessing of the rings:
The unbroken circle of the wedding ring symbolizes eternity, the timeless dimension of unconditional love.
May the presence of these rings continue to remind you of the eternal love and devotion you are to share with one another from this moment forward.
May the beauty and perfection of these rings remind you of the beauty of your togetherness and the perfection of this union you are sanctifying in this perfect moment.
Exchange of the Rings
Groom, please place this ring on Bride’s finger and holding it there repeat after me.
Bride, I give you all I am,
And all I am to become as your husband.
Take this ring and with it,
My promise of faith, patience and love,
For the rest of my life.
Bride, please place this ring on Groom’s finger and holding it there repeat after me.
Groom, I give you all I am
And all I am to become as your husband.
Take this ring and with it
My promise of faith, patience and love
For the rest of my life.
Blessing
Bride and Groom,
May you have enough happiness to keep you sweet,
Enough hope to keep you healthy,
Enough success to keep you eager,
Enough friends to give you support and
Enough determination to make each day better than the last.
Love one another, but make not a bond of that love.
Let it rather be like the ocean -
a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
PRAYER
Let every heart rejoice, for today Bride and Groom shall join in marriage and become as one. In them love, Respect, Bliss, and Passion are met together.
Bless this special bond and keep it always in their heart. Smile on them as they seek their destiny together string in one another.
Watch over them as the years pass by and allow Happiness and contentment to become the bywords of their lives.
Lastly, keep the memory of this day bright within them forever and ever and ever letting them mark this day as theirs.
The light of God Surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are… God is … And all is well
May God bless and watch over you all the days of your lives.
Pronouncement of Marriage
In as much that you have promised yourselves in marriage
in witness of the gathering
and have symbolized your unity
by the giving and receiving of a ring
By the authority vested in me
as an ordained minister of the Gospel
and by the laws of the Sovereign State of NC,
I pronounce That GROOM and BRIDE
are now husband and wife.
Whom God has joined together,
let no man pull apart.
Kiss
GROOM you may now kiss your Bride.
Announcement of Couple
It is my pleasure to present to you for the first time as husband and wife Groom and Bride;
Mr. and Mrs. _________
The Illumina Ceremony
Wedding Ceremony, Adapted from Illuminata
Welcome and Invitation
Officiant: To our assembled guests, on behalf of [bride&groom], I welcome you. (Be seated).
And to [bride&groom],
We welcome you to this moment in your lives in which we share with you your commitment before God & humanity that from this day forward you shall live as one.
I remind our guests that you have been invited here for a holy purpose, not just to witness, but to participate fully with your thoughts & prayers, asking God to bless this couple & their married life.
They have chosen this act of marriage and this public, holy ceremony in which to proclaim it.
Together we all thank God who brought them together and ask Him to always guide their way.
So, [bride&groom] on this day we celebrate a sacred agreement between the two of you.
I congratulate you on the journey of your lives, on the strength & the courage it has taken for each of you to make your way to this place.
[Bride], [Groom] is God’s gift to you, but he is not a gift for you alone. It is God’s will that in your love, this man might find within himself a greater sense of who he is meant to be.
See the good in him, accept him for who he is and shall be, that thus he might be healed and made strong. In this, God’s purpose in the relationship shall be accomplished.
And so it is with you also, [Groom], that although [Bride] is God’s gift to you, she is not a gift intended for you alone.
You are asked by God to so love this woman, that in your love she might find herself as God has created her, so beautiful and strong, and brave and true, that the entire world might be blessed by the presence of a woman who shines so.
May you both know from now on, that there is one on whose love you can depend forever. From this point forward, the other’s needs shall carry the same priority as your own.
To both of you, I enjoin you to release at this time all barriers to your joy. In this moment may you forgive each other any past mistakes, that you might enter this marriage reborn.
Allow the waters of forgiveness to wash you clean, so that you may begin your lives again this day.
And to both families, I ask that from this day forward your energies will be positive and supportive toward this couple, that any words you say might bless and protect the holiness of this bond.
(any particular readings or pronouncements made at this time)
Presentation of the Rings
And so we come to the presentation of the rings by which you symbolize your love.
Bride, please repeat after me:
I give to you my promise that from this day forward
you shall not walk alone.
May my heart be your shelter.
May my arms be your home.
May God bless you always.
May we walk together through all things.
May you feel deeply loved, for indeed you are.
May you always see your innocence in my eyes.
With this ring, I give you my heart.
I have no greater gift to give.
I promise I shall do my best.
I feel so honored to call you husband.
May we feel this joy forever. Amen.
Groom, please repeat after me:
I give to you my promise that from this day forward
you shall not walk alone.
May my heart be your shelter.
May my arms be your home.
May God bless you always.
May we walk together through all things.
May you feel deeply loved, for indeed you are.
May you always see your innocence in my eyes.
With this ring, I give you my heart.
I have no greater gift to give.
I promise I shall do my best.
I feel so honored to call you my wife.
May we feel this joy forever. Amen.
Prayer
Now I would ask all of you to pray with me:
Dear God, bless this couple.
May their love be nurtured by you, always and forever.
May this marriage be held in Your hands and ministered unto by Your angels.
May this man grow strong in the arms of this woman;
May this woman grow glorious in the arms of this man.
May the earth be blessed by their unity.
Thank you very much. Amen.
Bride and Groom, I remind you that the God who brought you together and nurtured this relationship is the key to your success as a married couple.
Allow the Divine to guide your thinking and bless your home. Call on this power often.
We bring to mind any children who might one day gather unto you, and in the spirit of this day, we bless them also.
May this marriage be your sanctuary, your haven from worldy pain.
Vows
Bride, do you take this man, Groom,
to be your lawful wedded husband,
to love him and to honor him,
through times of darkness as well as light,
now and forever?
Do you promise that times of trouble will not deter you,
or tempt you to forsake this love?
Do you commit before God to honor this vow unto all your days?
If so, please answer “I do.”
Groom, do you take this woman, Bride,
to be your lawful wedded wife,
to love her and to honor her,
through times of darkness as well as light,
now and forever?
Do you promise that times of trouble will not deter you,
or tempt you to forsake this love?
Do you commit before God to honor this vow unto all your days?
If so, please answer “I do.”
Pronoucement of Marriage
And now, bride&groom,
by the authority vested in me by the state of NC,
and as an ordained minister of the Church,
it is my honor and delight
to now pronounce you husband and wife.
Ladies & Gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. ______
The Island Ceremony Gathering and Welcome
Welcome. We are gathered here on Topsail Island, to celebrate with Bride and Groom, the love they have for each other, and their desire to unite their lives in marriage.
Your presence here today also symbolizes your love and affection for Bride and Groom, and they want you to know how grateful they are that you have chosen to come from near and far to spend this special day with them.
Let’s take a moment in silence to appreciate the natural beauty around us; The warmth of the sun; The sound of the waves; The colors of the earth, sea, and sky; The family and friends who have gathered here today.
We lovingly remember those who are not with us today but are with us in spirit or in prayers.
And to Bride and Groom, we welcome you to this moment in your lives in which we share with you your commitment before God & humanity that from this day forward you shall live as one.
I remind our guests that you have been invited here for a holy purpose, not only to witness, but also to participate fully with your thoughts & prayers, asking God to bless this couple & their married life.
They have chosen this act of marriage and this public, holy ceremony in which to proclaim it.
Together we all thank God who brought them together and ask Him to always guide their way.
Though this is not a church it is nonetheless sacred. Sacred because of its location here in the Chapel of Sand where the land meets the sea and the sea meets the sky;
Sacred also because of what is about to take place here. For that which passes between loving people is eternally holy.
So, Bride and Groom on this day we celebrate a sacred agreement between the two of you.
I congratulate you on the journey of your lives, on the strength & the courage it has taken for each of you to make your way to this place.
Bride, Groom is God’s gift to you, but he is not a gift for you alone. It is God’s will that in your love, this man might find within himself a greater sense of who he is meant to be.
See the good in him, accept him for who he is and shall be, that thus he might be healed and made strong. In this, God’s purpose in the relationship shall be accomplished.
And so it is with you also, Groom, that although Bride is God’s gift to you, she is not a gift intended for you alone.
You are asked by God to so love this woman, that in your love she might find herself as God has created her, so beautiful and strong, and brave and true, that the entire world might be blessed by the presence of a woman who shines so.
May you both know from now on, that there is one on whose love you can depend forever.
From this point forward, the other’s needs shall carry the same priority as your own.
To both of you, I enjoin you to release at this time all barriers to your joy.
In this moment may you forgive each other any past mistakes, that you might enter this marriage reborn. Allow the waters of forgiveness to wash you clean, so that you may begin your lives again this day.
And to both families, I ask that from this day forward your energies will be positive and supportive toward this couple, that any words you say might bless and protect the holiness of this bond.
Prayer
Now I would ask all of you to pray with me:
Dear God, bless this couple.
May their love be nurtured by you, always and forever.
May this marriage be held in Your hands
and ministered unto by Your angels.
May this man grow strong in the arms of this woman,
May this woman grow glorious in the arms of this man.
May the earth be blessed by their unity.
Thank you very much. Amen.
Vows
Groom, do you take this woman, Bride,
to be your lawful wedded wife, to love her and to honor her,
through times of darkness as well as light, now and forever?
Do you promise that times of trouble will not deter you,
or tempt you to forsake this love?
Do you commit before God to honor this vow unto all your days?
If so, please answer “I do.”
Bride, do you take this man, Groom,
to be your lawful wedded husband, to love him and to honor him,
through times of darkness as well as light, now and forever?
Do you promise that times of trouble will not deter you,
or tempt you to forsake this love?
Do you commit before God to honor this vow unto all your days?
If so, please answer, “I do.”
Blessing of Rings
The unbroken circle of the wedding ring symbolizes eternity, the timeless dimension of unconditional love.
May the presence of these rings continue to remind you of the eternal love and devotion you are to share with one another from this moment onwards.
May the beauty and perfection of these rings remind you of the beauty of your togetherness and the perfection of this union you are sanctifying in this perfect moment.
Exchange of Rings
Groom, please place this ring on Bride's finger and holding it there, repeat after me.
Bride, I give you all I am
And all I am to become
As your husband.
Take this ring,
And with it
My promise of faith, patience and love
For the rest of my life.
Bride, please place this ring on Groom's finger and holding it there, repeat after me.
Groom, I give you all I am
And all I am to become
As your wife.
Take this ring,
And with it
My promise of faith, patience and love
For the rest of my life.
Sand Ceremony
Bride and Groom you came here today as individuals from two different families.
At the beginning of the ceremony, I placed sand from the Island in this vase symbolizing the foundation on which you are to begin your life together.
Your family came forward and poured their sand symbolizing your family and the love and support they give you.
Today you have committed to share the rest of your lives and begin a new life together.
This new family relationship is symbolized thru the pouring of these individual vases of sand;
The _________ sand representing you, Bride
And all that you were,
All that you are,
And all you will ever be.
The ________ sand represents you, Groom
And all that you were,
All that you are,
And all you will ever be.
As these two are poured into the vase, the separate containers will no longer exist, and will be joined as one.
Pouring of the Sand
The individual layers symbolize that in your marriage you each will retain your individual strengths even as you join together.
Just as these grains can never be separated and poured again into their individual containers, so will your marriage be.
What God has joined together, let no man pull apart.
Groom & Bride, I remind you that the God who brought you together and nurtured this relationship is the key to your success as a married couple.
Allow the Divine to guide your thinking and bless your home. Call on this power often.
We bring to mind any children who might one day gather unto you, and in the spirit of this day, we bless them also.
May this marriage be your sanctuary, your haven from worldly pain.
Pronoucement of Marriage
And now, Bride and Groom,
by the authority vested in me by the state of NC,
and as an ordained minister of the Church,
it is my honor and delight to now pronounce you husband and wife.
Ladies & Gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. ____
Poetry Ceremony
Our service today begins with a simple reading: “Love.”
“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 the part of me that you bring out.
I love you for putting your hand into my heaped-up heart
and passing over all the frivolous and weak things that
you cannot help seeing there, and drawing out into the light
all the beautiful, radiant things that no one else has looked
quite far enough to find.
I love you for ignoring the possibilities of the fool in me
and for laying firm hold of the possibilities of good in me.
I love you for closing your eyes to the discords in me,
and adding to the music in me by worshipful listening…”
Mary Carolyn Davies
Ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, welcome to the marriage ceremony of Bride and Groom.
A wedding is a celebration of love, and your presence here today signifies that you believe in love and all the rewards that a committed relationship brings with it.
Your presence here today also symbolizes your love and affection for Bride and Groom, and they want you to know how grateful they are that you have chosen to come from near and far to spend this special day with them.
True marriage is more than the joining in the bonds of matrimony of two persons.
In its right relation, it is the uniting of two souls already attuned to each other.
When such a true bond already exists between man and woman, it is proper that an outer acknowledgement be made.
This acknowledgment is the prime object of this gathering and this ceremony.
We are here to bear witness to the entry into the closer relationship of husband and wife of these two beloved friends who are already one in spirit.
Groom and Bride, you are now taking into your care and keeping the happiness of the one in the entire world whom you love best. This is a blessed privilege, and a spiritual responsibility.
You are adding to your life not only the affection and response that your heart desires, not only the happy companionship of hours together, but a deep trust as well.
You are finding in each other that which complements your life. You are agreeing to be a light and a tower of strength to each other.
You are agreeing to carry a part of each other’s responsibilities.
You are entering on an act of pure faith in which you give of yourself to the utmost.
In the words of poetry, we can find guidance on how best to fulfill our responsibilities to our loved one.
Kahlil Gibran in The Prophet gently gives such guidance when he speaks “On Marriage.”
Bride and Groom, I invite you to listen well and take these words to heart:
Then Almitra spoke again and said, And what of marriage, master?
And the Prophet answered saying:
You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore…
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens 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 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, but not into each other’s keeping.
For only the hand of Life an contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.
In these few words, the Prophet is enjoining you to be ever aware of the nearness of your loved one, yet to be mindful of tending to your own, individual spirits.
Remember, that you were drawn together not just because of your similarities and commonalities, but because of your differences as well.
Rejoice in what you have in common and respect your differences. Honoring each other’s individuality may be the greatest work in your relationship, but it will bring you the greatest rewards in your married life.
Blessing on the Marriage (I Cor. 13:4-8)
Love is patient;
love is kind;
love is not envious or boastful
or arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way;
it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice in wrongdoing,
but rejoices in the truth.
It bears all things,
Believes all things,
hopes all things,
and endures all things.
Love never fails.”
Vows
A vow is the most important promise a person can make in his or her life, for it is instilled with the emotive power of one’s heart and soul.
As a profession of their love for one another Bride and Groom have chosen to share their most heartfelt promise to one another in the sight of God and you, their beloved family and friends.
Groom, will you have Bride to be your wedded wife,
to live together in holy matrimony?
Will you love her, comfort her,
honor and keep her in sickness and in health,
in sorrow and in joy, and forsaking all others,
be faithful to her from this day forward?
Groom: I do.
Bride, will you have Groom to be your wedded husband,
to live together in holy matrimony?
Will you love him, comfort him,
honor and keep him in sickness and in health,
in sorrow and in joy, and forsaking all others,
be faithful to him form this day forward?
Bride: I do.
Exchange of Rings
May I have the rings, please?
These rings by their never-ending circular shape are a symbol of the undying love that shall forevermore be a reminder of the love we all feel this day.
Groom, will you repeat after me:
With this ring
I marry you, Bride,
Please accept it
and be my wife.
Officiant returns Groom’s ring to the Bride and instructs her to place it on the third finger of the Groom’s left hand.
Bride, will you repeat after me:
With this ring
I marry you, Groom,
Please accept it
and be my husband.
Blessing on the Marriage
Ladies and gentlemen, our service today will close with a well known and much loved Irish blessing:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall softly upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.
May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets always hold a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
Amen.
Pronouncement of Marriage
And now, under the authority of the laws of the State of North Carolina,
and in the name of the Holy Spirit,
who performs every true marriage,
I have the pleasure to pronounce you
husband and wife.
KISS
Sir, you may kiss your bride.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I present to you
Groom and Bride!
Short Beach Ceremony
Welcome
Family and Friends, welcome to the marriage ceremony of Bride and Groom.
A wedding is a celebration of love; your presence here today signifies that you believe in love and all the rewards that a committed relationship brings with it.
Your presence here today also symbolizes your love and affection for Bride and Groom and they want you to know how grateful they are that you have chosen to come from near and far to spend this special day with them.
Consent
As we stand witness to their union today, I ask who presents Bride in marriage so she may share her life with Groom.
(Reply)
(Song optional here)
Declaration of Marriage
True marriage is more than the joining in the bonds of matrimony of two persons.
In its right relation, it is the uniting of two souls already attuned to each other.
When such a true bond already exist between man and woman, it is proper that an outer acknowledgement be made.
This acknowledgment is the prime object of this gathering and this ceremony.
We are here to bear witness to the entry into the closer relationship of husband and wife of these two beloved friends who are already one in spirit.
Groom and Bride, you are now taking into your care and keeping the happiness of the one in the entire world whom you love best. This is a blessed privilege, and a spiritual responsibility.
You are adding to your life not only the affection and response that your heart desires, not only the happy companionship of hours together, but a deep trust as well.
You are agreeing to be a light and a tower of strength to each other. You are agreeing to carry a part of each other’s responsibilities. You are entering on an act of pure faith in which you give of yourself to the utmost.
(Optional Poetry reading)
Blessing on the Marriage
Love is patient;
love is kind;
love is not envious or boastful
or arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way;
it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice in wrongdoing,
but rejoices in the truth.
It bears all things,
Believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things.
Love never fails.
Vows
A vow is the most important promise a person can make in his or her life, for it is instilled with the emotive power of one’s heart and soul.
As a profession of their love for one another, Bride and Groom have chosen to share their most heartfelt promise to one another in the sight of God and you, their beloved family and friends.
I, Groom
take you Bride,
to be my wife,
my constant friend,
my faithful partner
and my one true love.
To have and to hold
from this day forward,
for better for worse,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
and in joy as well as sorrow.
I promise to love you unconditionally,
to honor and respect you,
to laugh with you and cry with you,
and to cherish you;
from this day forward until death do us part.
I, Bride
take you Groom
to be my husband,
my constant friend,
my faithful partner
and my one true love.
To have and to hold
from this day forward,
for better for worse,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
and in joy as well as sorrow.
I promise to love you unconditionally,
to honor and respect you,
to laugh with you and cry with you,
and to cherish you;
from this day forward until death do us part.
Blessing of the Rings
The unbroken circle of the wedding ring symbolizes eternity, the timeless dimension of unconditional love.
May the presence of these rings continue to remind you of the eternal love and devotion you are to share with one another from this moment forward.
May the beauty and perfection of these rings remind you of the beauty of your togetherness and the perfection of this union you are sanctifying in this perfect moment.
Exchange of the Rings
Groom, please place this ring on Bride’s finger and holding it there repeat after me.
Bride, I give you all I am,
And all I am to become,
As your husband.
Take this ring,
And with it,
My promise of faith, patience and love,
For the rest of my life.
Bride, please place this ring on Groom’s finger and holding it there repeat after me.
Groom, I give you all I am
And all I am to become
As your husband.
Take this ring,
And with it
My promise of faith, patience and love
For the rest of my life.
(Optional song and or lighting of candle)
Blessing
Bride and Groom, May you have
Enough happiness to keep you sweet,
Enough hope to keep you healthy,
Enough success to keep you eager,
Enough friends to give you support and
Enough determination to make each day
better than the last.
Love one another, but make not a bond of that love.
Let it rather be like the ocean -
a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
PRAYER
Let every heart rejoice, for today Bride and Groom shall join in marriage and become as one. In them love, Respect, Bliss, and Passion are met together.
Bless this special bond and keep it always in their heart.
Smile on them as they seek their destiny together string in one another.
Watch over them as the years pass by and
allow Happiness and contentment to become the bywords of their lives.
Lastly, keep the memory of this day bright within them
forever and ever and ever letting them
mark this day as theirs.
Benediction
The light of God Surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are… God is … And all is well
May God bless and watch over you
all the days of your lives.
Pronouncement of Marriage
By the authority vested in me
as an ordained minister of the Church
and by the laws of the State of NC,
I pronounce that Groom and Bride are now
husband and wife.
Whom God has joined together,
let no man pull apart
Kiss
Groom, you may now kiss your bride
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It is my pleasure to present to you:
Mr. and Mrs. ________