We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life’s greatest moments, to give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, and to add our best wishes to the words which shall unite Groom and Bride in marriage.

Should there be anyone who has cause why this couple should not be united in marriage, the must speak now or forever hold their peace.

Who is it that brings this woman to this man?

Groom and Bride, I would ask that you both remember to treat yourself and each other with respect, and remind yourself often of what brought you together today.  Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness and kindness that your marriage deserves.  When frustration and difficulty assail your marriage-as they do to every relationship at one time or another-focus on what still seems right between you, not only the part that seems wrong.  This way, when clouds of trouble hide the sun in your lives and you lose sight of it for a moment, you can remember that the sun is still there.  And if each of you will take responsibility for the quality of your life together, it will be marked by abundance and delight.

Groom, do you take Bride to be your lawfully wedded wife?  Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her forevermore?

Bride, do you take Groom to be your lawfully wedded husband?  Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him forevermore?

Repeat after me:

I Groom, take thee, Bride to be my wife.  To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow and I promise my love to you.  With this ring, I take you as my wife, for as long as we both shall live.

I Bride, take thee Groom, to be my husband.  To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow, and I promise my love to you.  With this ring, I take you as my husband, for as long as we both shall live.

Groom and Bride as the two of you come into this marriage uniting you 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 live each day that you may share it together-as from this day forward you shall be each other’s home, comfort and refuge, your marriage 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 core 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 brings.  And it will take commitment, to hold true to the journey you both pledge today to share together. 

Sand Ceremony

At the instruction of the officiant, the couple moves to a table holding five small containers of sand and a larger, empty container.

There is a song that speaks of “a long and winding road” and before you met, your lives were on such a road…..each going in different directions and seemingly leading to different destinations.  But somewhere along the way you took a fork in the road to a destination called love and today you find yourselves standing together at the entrance of a new path that will join your once separate journeys into one family.

Before each of you there is a container of sand.  Each container represents the separate journeys you once were on.  They also represent your own sets of friends and families that once were apart.  I will ask that in a moment you both blend your individual container of sand together…..representing the coming together of your friends and family, through your marriage, into one.  (If children are in ceremony)  The  children will pour their sands in to represent unity within the family.  Bride and Groom will again pour final sand into container to represent their individuality plus sealing the top of the family to show togetherness as one family.  And as the sand is blended into one container, your once solitary journeys will now be one of companionship, as you walk a single path together into your future.

I now ask that you blend your containers of sand together.

As the sand has blended together, your lives are now joined.  Your friends and family are as one as well, for now you will share those who are in your lives and will walk hand-in-hand along the path of your marriage-united and strong as husband and wife.

Groom and Bride, in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in matrimony, have promised your love for each other by these vows, the joining of your hands and the giving of these rings, I now declare you to be husband and wife.

Congratulations, you may kiss your bride!

It is my privilege to present to you Mr. and Mrs.__________________


Sand and containers to be provided by the Bride and Groom.