Example Ceremony #6

The ceremony begins with the couple standing before the Rev on a pier over looking a lake.

Introduction
Rev: We are assembled here in the presence of God and friends and family to celebrate the joining of this man and this woman in the unity of marriage; which was instituted by God, regulated by His commandments, blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ, and is to be held in honor among all men. 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. There is no human institution more sacred than that of the home you are about to form. 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. You bring your particular personalities and spirits out of which will flow the reality of your lives together. We rejoice with you now as you express the outward symbol of your inward union of hearts.

Charge to the Couple
Rev: As the two of you come into this marriage, uniting as husband and wife, and as you this day affirm your faith and love for one another, I would ask that you always remember to cherish each other as special and unique individuals, that you respect the thoughts, ideas and suggestions of one another, be able to forgive, do not hold grudges, and share each day together. From this day forward you shall be each other's home, comfort and refuge, and your marriage will be strengthened by your love and respect for each other. Just as two threads woven in opposite directions will form a most beautiful tapestry, so too can your two lives merged together make a beautiful marriage. To make your relationship work will take love. This is the base of your marriage and why you are here today. It will take trust to know in your hearts that you truly want the best for each other. It will take dedication to stay open to one another and to learn and grow together. It will take faith to go forward together without knowing exactly what the future will bring. And it will take commitment to hold true to the journey you both pledge to begin today.
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. This being the command of God's Word, that husbands love their wives even as Christ loved the Church and gave His own life for her. For God has ordained the man as the spiritual head, as the responsible provider, and as the initiator of love in this human relationship. By His enablement, 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 difficulty times and to put on the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is, in God's sight, an ornament of great worth. For as His Word commands, wives should be subject unto their husbands even as the church is subject unto Christ, and forsaking all others you should cling to Joe with a love which shall not fail as long as you both shall live. For it is God's purpose that you be a loving wife, that you respond to Joe's love in tenderness with a deep sense of understanding, through a great faith in Christ who brought you together. It is His desire that you have that inner beauty of soul that never fades.

Exchange of Vows and Rings
Rev: Although Joe and Jane will always be bound in spirit, they cannot always be together physically. Therefore, they will exchange rings which will be a constant reminder of the bond they share. 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 respond with ?I Do? while placing the ring on her finger if you promise to live in accordance with these vows.
Rev: Joe, this woman whom you hold by the hand is to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward. She has given you one of the most sacred things under Heaven: a woman's life and a woman's love. You may bring her great joy or cause her deep sorrow. It is not what you bring her in a material way that will make true happiness, for riches without love are nothing. The practice of those virtues as husband that you have shown as her friend and lover will keep her heart won to your heart. Will you therefore promise to love, honor and cherish her for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health all the days of your life?
Joe: I do. (Joe places the ring on Jane?s finger.)
Rev: Jane, please take Joe?s left hand in yours and respond with ?I Do? while placing the ring on his finger if you promise to live in accordance with these vows.
Rev: Jane, this man whom you hold by the hand is to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward. On your life, your love and devotion he will lean for strength and inspiration. He is going to look to you for encouragement, for cheerfulness and for confidence. No matter what the world may say or think, though people may forget him, lose confidence in him, and turn their backs upon him, you must always remain true to him. Your life and your love will be the inspiration that will constantly lead him to be the man he desires to be for you. Will you therefore promise to love, honor and cherish him for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health all the days of your life?
Jane: I do. (Jane places the ring on Joe?s finger.)
Rev: Whom therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder.

Prayer of Dedication
Rev: Let us close with a prayer. Gracious God, richly bless Jane and Joe in the promises that they have made to each other. Grant that the courtesies, the thoughtfulness, and the self giving which already have laid the foundation for their love, build the home which is raised upon it. May they always be loyal and engaging companions to each other. And in this world where there is much disillusion and disappointment, where love brings delight and also wounding in the frailty of our human ways, make them a visible symbol of the love that does not wane when the evening comes but is fresh with each new day. Perfect their love with the joy that comes from above, and may they grow themselves and grow in affirmation of each other. May the Lord bless you and take care of you. May the Lord be kind and gracious to you. And may the Lord look on you with favor and give you peace both now and in the life everlasting. Amen.

Pronouncement
Rev: Forasmuch as Joe and Jane have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and those with us here today, in accordance with the ordinance of Our Lord, and the laws of the State of Louisiana, it is my happy privilege to declare you wedded husband and wife. You may kiss your bride. I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Joe Lastname!