Weddings
Sample Marriage Ceremonies
Most couples wish wedding ceremonies to be dignified, simple and
not too long, and much depends on the personalities of the couple
involved, their lifestyle and the way in which they wish to demonstrate
the open expression of their love of one another to their family
and friends.
The following are but two, examples of how a typical marriage ceremony
is structured. Of course there are many ways in which we can incorporate
your own personal ideas about romantic music, poetry or that special
piece of literature that may have a unique significance to you both.
My role is to assist you to compose a romantic and dignified ceremony
that will remain as a cherished memory of a wonderful day of joy
and celebration.
Ceremony
1
The Bride arrives to the music, Ronan King’s “Hero”
Celebrant:
Family and friends, I welcome you here today to share this very
special day with Ben and Tina in exchanging their wedding vows.
My name is Tony Ward. I am a Civil Marriage Celebrant. I am obliged
to inform you that I am duly authorised by law to solemnise marriages
according to the law. Before Ben and Tina, are joined in marriage
in my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind
them of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which
they are now about to enter. Marriage, according to the law in Australia,
is the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others,
voluntarily entered into, for life.
Ben and Tina have chosen to spend their lives together as best
friends, lovers, husband and wife. They believe that finding a true
soul mate in life is hard to find, but they believe that fate has
brought them together, They look forward to their future together,
sharing the good times and the bad, loving and supporting one another,
socialising, laughing, and generally having a great time together
with what ever the future may hold.
Ben not only accepts the commitment of marriage to Tina, but also
willingly accepts the responsibility and commitment of loving and
caring for her son Jimmy so they can continue their special boys
nights of fun.
Tina is grateful that Ben has taken on Jimmy with open arms and
she believes that Ben is a great role model for Jimmy to grow up
with in the future.
Tina now has a special surprise for Ben. She will be reading, “If
tomorrow never comes” by Ronan King.
This is our special day, but…….
“In case tomorrow never comes we will remind each other today
and every other day how much we care. We will try in every way to
show on each and every day how much we care. And if our time on
earth were through, the love that had been shown would last forever
and the other would always know. We have all lost loved ones in
our lives and we go on hoping that they new how much we loved them,
so we make a promise on this day to either show or say how much
we mean to each other. So we are here today to tell each other,
family and friends how much we love each other and that we want
to spend the rest of our lives together. So tell that someone that
you love exactly what you are thinking in case tomorrow never comes.”
The Asking
Ben, do you take Tina to be your wife, your best friend and life
long partner? Will you love and respect her, stand by her through
good times and bad, through sickness and in health for as long as
you both live? Ben: I do.
Tina, Do you take Ben to be your husband, your best friend and
life long partner? Will you love and respect him, stand by him through
good times and bad, through sickness and in health for as long as
you both shall live? Tina: I do.
The vows
Ben and Tina, would you please face each other and join hands?
Ben, Would you please repeat after me:
I Benjamin .........., call upon the persons here present to witness
that I take you, Tina ............., to be my lawful wedded wife.
I promise to love and respect you, not only as my wife but also
as my best friend. I will continue to stand by you and support you
through good times and bad for as long as we both shall live.
Tina, Would you please repeat after me:
I Tina ..........., call upon the persons here present to witness
that I take you Benjamin ..........., to be my lawful wedded husband.
I promise to love and respect you, not only as my husband but also
as my best friend. I will continue to stand by you and support you
through good times and bad for as long as we both shall live.
The ring ceremony
Grooms boy, may we please have the wedding rings?
The token that you, Ben and Tina, will exchange as a symbol of
your commitment of these vows, is the ring. The ring is used in
this ceremony because the circle is the symbol that has no beginning
and no end. The circle is our oldest symbol for love that which
was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be.
Ben, would you please place the ring on Tina’s finger and
repeat after me: Tina, with this ring, I thee wed. Accept it as
a token of the promises I have just made. Please wear it with all
my love.
Tina, Would you please place the ring on Ben’s finger and
repeat after me: Ben, with this ring, I thee wed. Accept it as a
token of the promises I have just made. Please wear it with all
my love.
Declaration of marriage
Celebrant:
Ben and Tina, may your marriage bring you all the excitement and
happiness a marriage should bring? You have declared before all
of us that you will live together in marriage with love and friendship.
You have made special promises to each other and have symbolised
it by joining hands, taking vows and exchanging rings. It is now
my great pleasure in declaring you husband and wife.
You may now kiss your lovely wife.
Signing of the Marriage Register
We will now sign the marriage certificate, would the two witnesses
please come forward.
Family and friends. It is now my pleasure to present Ben and Tina
.............. with their certificate of marriage.
I would now, on behalf of Ben and Tina, ask you all to gather for
the photographs.
Ceremony
2
Celebrant:
Friends, we are gathered here today to share and witness the marriage
between Cath and Marcus. We are here, not only to witness their
commitment to each other, but also to wish them well and every happiness
for their future life together.
My name is Tony Ward and I am duly authorised by the Attorney General
for the Commonwealth of Australia to solemnise this, your marriage,
according to the laws of this country.
Before you Cath and Marcus are joined together in marriage, in
my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind
you of the solemn and the binding nature of the relationship into
which you are now about to enter. Marriage, according to law in
Australia is the union of a man and a woman, to the exclusion of
all others. Voluntary entered into for life
In making this commitment, each accepts the other as a lover, companion
and best friend. They believe that finding a true soul mate in life
is hard to find and they believe that fate has brought them together.
Your presence here today is greatly appreciated by Cath and Marcus.
As family and good friends, you have shown them love and support
throughout their lives, both individually and as a couple.
Giving away
Cath and Marcus are happy that their parents are here to witness
this pledge of their commitment to one another. They ask their parents
to endorse this marriage and that they help uphold the ideals that
Cath and Marcus are expressing today. So, I now ask Glenys &
Martin and Sandy & John….. Do you offer Cath and Marcus
your love and support for their future together?
All: Yes, we do.
Cath and Marcus, your decision to join together for life as husband
and wife is prompted by the devotion you have for each other. This
devotion provides you with the determination to be yourselves and
also with the desire for life. Your love provides the perfect equation
to deal with the day-in day-out chronicles of compromises, small
disappointments, big victories and sharing common goals.
Love gives you the courage to hope and the ability to dream. Love
is content with the present, it hopes for the future and it doesn’t
brood over the past. May every day of your lives be lives with a
full awareness of the existence of each other’s love? May
your hearts and souls rejoice this special day – the day of
your marriage - for the two of you shall come together as one?
The asking
Marcus, will you take Cath as your wife, your best friend and life-
long partner? Will you love, honour and cherish her, through conflict
and tranquillity?
Marcus: I will.
Marcus speaks:
There was darkness for a long time and then there was light and
that light was you. Your love has given me wings and our journey
begins today. I pledge before this assembled company to be your
husband from this day forward. Let us make or our two lives, one
life. I want you for today, tomorrow and forever.
Cath, will you take Marcus as your husband, your best friend and
life – long partner? Will you love, honour and cherish him,
through conflict and tranquillity?
Cath: I will.
Cath speaks:
I have dreamt my whole life of having someone as wonderful as you
to love me the way you do. I give myself as your wife and I promise
to treasure the love we celebrate today for the rest of our lives.
The vows
Cath and Marcus, please face each other and hold hands.
Marcus, please repeat after me:
I call upon the persons here present to witness that I, Mark ...........
take you Catherine ............ to be my wedded wife. I promise
to always love you and care for you, respect you and accept you
as you are for all the days of my life.
And now Cath, would you please repeat after me:
I call upon the persons here present. To Witness that I Catherine
....................... take you Mark John ............ to be my
lawful wedded husband. I promise to always love you and care for
you, respect you and accept you as you are for all the days of my
life.
The ring ceremony
The act of giving and receiving rings reminds us that love itself
is an act of giving and receiving the most that life has to offer.
These rings are the natural symbols for enduring love. They represent
an outward sign of spirit and commitment, signifying to all, the
bond of marriage the two of you share.
Stevie, May we please have the rings?
Stevie hands Cath’s ring to Marcus
Marcus, please place this ring on the third finger of Cath’s
left hand and repeat after me:
May this ring forever be the symbol of my growing love.
Stevie hands Marcus’s ring to Cath:
Cath, please place this ring on the third finger of Marcus’s
left hand and repeat after me:
May this ring forever be the symbol of my growing love.
As you begin this part of your life together, may you find a kind
of happiness you’ve never known before. May you find it in
all the things you do, all the things you share, each and every
day. May that special happiness fill your hearts all your life together
and may each new day bring more joy to you than the last.
Well ladies and gentlemen; Cath and Marcus have declared before
us all that they will live together in marriage. They have made
special promises to each other; they have symbolised these promises
by joining hands, taking vows and exchanging rings. Therefore, on
your behalf and by the authority vested in me by the Commonwealth
of Australia, I declare Cath and Marcus to be husband and wife.
May you enjoy a long and happy life together and may peace and love
be with you always.
Marcus, You may now kiss your beautiful bride!
Marcus will you please take your wife and seat her for the signing
of the register.
Musical interlude
Ladies and gentleman, thank you for your patience…..
It is now my very great pleasure to introduce you, for the very
first time……Mr and Mrs Marcus and Cath ...............
Please come forward now to congratulate the newly married couple!!
I have a portable PA system with wireless microphones with CD
and mp3 capability together with a bridal table and chair if required
please contact me for more information.
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