Example Ceremony #4

The ceremony begins with the couple standing before the Rev.

Introduction
Rev: We are gathered here today in the presence of friends and loved ones to celebrate one of life's greatest moments: the joining of Joe and Jane in the bonds of matrimony. There are no obligations on earth sweeter or more tender than those you are about to assume. There are no vows more solemn than those you are about to make. To this moment you bring the fullness of your hearts as a treasure to share with one another. You bring dreams which bind you together. And you bring your particular personalities and spirits out of which will flow the reality of your lives together. My friends, today Jane and Joe proclaim their love and commitment to the world, and we gather here to rejoice with them and for them in the new life they now embark upon together.

Affirmation of Love
Rev: Marriage is a supreme sharing of experience and an adventure in the most intimate of human relationships. It is the joyous union of two people whose friendship and mutual understanding have flowered in romance. Marriage requires "love," a word we often use with vagueness and sentimentality. So what do we mean by love? When we love, we see things other people do not see. We see beneath the surface, to the qualities which make our beloved special and unique. To see with loving eyes, is to know inner beauty. And to be loved is to be seen and known as we are known to no other. And so we say that to make a marriage work first takes love. But it also takes trust to know in your hearts that you want only the best for each other. It takes dedication to stay open to one another, to learn and grow together, even when it is difficult to do so. And it takes faith to go forward together without knowing what the future holds for you both. This day should not be seen as a destination. Instead, this day marks the beginning of a journey, a give and take between two personalities, a mingling of two lives which diminishes neither and enhances both.

Charge to the Couple
Rev: Joe, it is your duty to be to Jane a considerate, tender, faithful, loving husband: to support, guide and cherish her in prosperity and trouble; to thoughtfully and carefully enlarge the place she holds in your life; to constantly show to her the tokens of your affection, to shelter her from danger, and to cherish for her a manly and unalterable affection. Your strength must be Jane's protection, your character her boast and pride, and you must live in such a way that she will find in you the haven for which the heart of a woman truly longs.
Rev: Jane, it is your duty to be to Joe a considerate, tender, faithful, loving wife; to counsel, comfort and cherish him in prosperity and trouble; to give to him the unfailing evidences of your affection; to ensure that as time passes you make the place he holds in your heart, broader and deeper; to support and encourage him in difficult times; and forsaking all others to cling to him with a love which shall not fail as long as you both shall live.

Sharing of Hands
Rev: Jane, please face Joe, and hold his hands, palms up, so you may see the gift that they are to you. Jane, these are the hands, young and strong and vibrant with love that are holding yours on your wedding day as he promises to love you all the days of his life. These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy. These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when fear or grief racks your mind. These are the hands that will tenderly lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into his eyes: eyes that are filled completely with his love and desire for you. These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years for a lifetime of happiness.
Rev: Joe, please hold Jane's hands, palms up, so you may see the gift that they are to you. Joe, these are the hands, smooth, young and carefree, that are holding yours on your wedding day as she pledges her love and commitment to you all the days of her life. These are the hands that will massage tension from your neck and back in the evenings after you've had a long hard day. These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times. They are the hands that will comfort you when you are sick and console you when you are grieving. These are the hands that will hold you in joy and excitement and hope. These are the hands that will give you support as she encourages you to chase down your dreams. For together, everything you wish for can be realized. These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years for a lifetime of happiness.

Exchange of Vows and Rings
Rev: Joe and Jane, what tokens have you brought to share with one another that will be a reminder of the promises you are about to make?
Couple: These rings.
Rev: The wedding ring is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two hearts in endless love. The circle is an emblem of eternity with no beginning and no end. May they be to you both a symbol of the value, the purity, and the constancy of true wedded love, and the seals of the vows in which you will both pledge your most solemn and sacred honor.
Rev: Joe, please take Jane's left hand in yours and repeat after me.
Rev & Joe: I, Joe, take you, Jane, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, or for worse, for richer, or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honor and cherish and forsaking all others, I will be faithful to you. With this ring, I thee wed. (Joe places the ring on Jane's finger.)
Rev: Jane, please take Joe's left hand in yours and repeat after me.
Rev & Jane: I, Jane, take you, Joe, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, or for worse, for richer, or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honor and cherish and forsaking all others, I will be faithful to you. With this ring, I thee wed. (Jane places the ring on Joe's finger.)
Rev: Whom therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder.

Closing Remarks
Rev: Jane and Joe, now that you have pledged yourselves to one another, I would ask that you remember to treat both yourself and each other with respect, and remind yourselves often of what brought you together. Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness and kindness that your marriage deserves. When frustration, difficulty or fear assail your relationship - as they threaten all relationships at one time or another - remember to focus on what is right between you, not on the part that seems wrong. In this way, you can ride out the times when clouds hide the sun in your lives - remembering that even if you lose sight of it for a moment, the sun is still there. And if each of you takes responsibility for the quality of your lives together, your marriage will be marked by abundance and delight.

Pronouncement
Rev: And so inasmuch as Joe and Jane have announced the truths that are already written in their hearts and have witnessed the same before all those present here today and in accordance with the laws of the State of Louisiana, it is my happy privilege to congratulate and introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Joe Smith. You may kiss your bride.