How to Write a Wedding Ceremony

A wedding ceremony can be short and sweet, traditional, alternative and anything your heart desires. This guide will help you get started either as wedding officiant or to aid in the planning of your own wedding.

Steps

1. When planning a wedding, you will want to write down the spoken parts of the wedding ceremony for review and rehearsal. This includes the introduction by officiant, the vows by bride and groom and the exchange of rings.
2. Decide which kind of ceremony you need. There are three examples below of some easy wedding ceremonies. If you want a customized or alternative wedding, write your own idea or use one of the examples below as a starting point.
3. If you want a simple ceremony, try this template:The minister states: I stand before this couple this day to united them in the bonds of matrimony. If there be anyone present that may present just and lawful cause why these two individuals may not be lawfully wed, let him speak now or forever hold his peace.To the Groom: Do you take __________ as you wedded wife?If so, answer "I DO."To the Bride: Do you take __________ as your wedded husband?If so, answer "I DO."(The giving of one or two rings)The minister states: I now pronounce you husband and wife.
4. A variation of this is the civil ceremony:To the Couple: We are gathered together here to unite this man ____________ and this woman ____________ in the bonds of matrimony.To the Groom: Do you take _________ to be your lawfully wedded wife? If so answer "I DO."To the Bride: Do you take ___________ to be your lawfully wedded husband? If so answer "I DO."The minister states: By the authority vested in me by the State of ______________ I pronounce you husband and wife.
5. For a traditional ceremony, you can use this template:The minister states: Dearly Beloveds and Honored Guests: We are gathered here this day in the sight of God and the company assembled to witness the giving and receiving of the marriage vows.Marriage is an institution ordained of God and is not to be entered into lightly or in jest and only after much consideration.To the Groom: Do you __________take this woman _________to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in heath, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto her for as long as you both shall live? If so, answer "I DO."To the Bride: Do you ________take this man _________to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and health, to love, honor and obey, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto him for as long as you both shall live? If so, answer "I DO."The minister states: If there be anyone present who may show just and lawful cause why this couple may not be legally wed, let him speak now or forever hold his peace.(Giving or exchanging of rings)By the authority vested in me by the State of ___________ I pronounce you man and wife and what God hath joined together, let no man nor woman put asunder.

Sources and Citations

• Taken from original article with permission: Universal Life Church Wedding Training

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