OPENING
We are gathered here today in friendship and happiness to witness BRIDE and GROOM pledge their love in a setting that can never be duplicated in the entire world.
The reality is… that everyone’s life is limited to only a certain amount of time.
As Robert G. Ingersoll said, “The time to be happy is now. The place to be happy is here.”
Take the time to make your partner feel special. Never take each other for granted.
Take the time to listen and to share.
Give each other the benefit of the doubt because communication will be different at times and misunderstandings are inevitable.
It takes time, effort, courage, and commitment to make a successful marriage.
Take the time to negotiate, to talk about your fears, failures, and disappointments.
Talk about each other’s expectations, hopes, and dreams.
Be flexible and willing to adapt well to changes and new circumstances.
Above all, take the time to tell each other what you want.
Take the risk of being vulnerable with each other.
BRIDE and GROOM, take each other by the hand and exchange your vows.
BRIDE please go first.
VOWS
BRIDE Vows: personally written
GROOM Vows: personally written
RING VOWS
GROOM, please take the ring you have selected for BRIDE, place it upon her finger and repeat these words:
As your husband and your friend –
I promise that I will stand by you –
In sickness and in health –
For better and for worse –
For richer and for poorer –
For as long as we both shall live –
Do you, GROOM take BRIDE to be your wife and pledge to her your respect and faithful love from this day forward?
BRIDE, please take the ring you have selected for GROOM, place it upon his finger and repeat these words:
As your wife and your friend –
I promise that I will stand by you –
In sickness and in health –
For better and for worse –
For richer and for poorer –
For as long as we both shall live –
Do you BRIDE, take GROOM, to be your husband and pledge to him your respect and faithful love from this day forward?
SAND CEREMONY
Now we will celebrate GROOM and BRIDE’S union as it is symbolized through the pouring of two individual containers of sand. One represents GROOM (he pours a portion of her sand in vase) and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be.
The other represents BRIDE (she pours a portion of her sand on top GROOM’S sand) and all that you were and all that you are, and all that you will ever be.
As the two vials of sand are poured into the third keepsake vase, (both GROOM & BRIDE together pour their remaining sand in the central vase) the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, as they are now joined together as one. Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual vases, so will the love and bond between the two of you render you inseparable.
PRONOUNCEMENT
You will be reminded each day of your commitment to this marriage with the wearing of your wedding ring.
BRIDE and GROOM, you have formalized in our presence the existence of the bond of love between you – vowing to be loyal and loving toward one another.
In expressing your affirmations, you have pronounced yourself husband and wife.
I now pronounce BRIDE and GROOM to be husband and wife.
You may now seal your vows with a kiss.
