Ceremony Overview

My personal, traditional, and most requested ceremony is simple, yet is an ideal mix of the spiritual, romantic, and humorous, but not an overload any of those things. This traditional ceremony format is still the most popular choice, even for couples who do not consider themselves religious.

You can go to my Q & A Video page and watch a YouTube clip where I talk about my ceremony and give an overview.

Ceremony Outline

Here is a brief outline of my typical ceremony…

Start - We can start from where we are standing or the bride walks up to the minister and groom. If a father/family of the bride is involved this is when he “gives her away.”

Prayer - Here is the prayer that always use:

Our Father in Heaven,

We are here to join together

this man and women

in the sacred estate

of holy matrimony.

Bless this union of

husband and wife,

with bonds of love,

hope, and faith,

We pray,

In Jesus’s name,

Amen.

Introduction - When the bride and groom stand before me, I will say a few words about Adam and Eve, share a quote from Jesus, and mention how you are individuals in your personality, backgrounds, but yet together in purpose, mission, and life. If this is a beach or non-quickie-type wedding, I’ll sometimes share the Grandma story, too.

Vows - I usually ask the couple to turn and face each other. The bride, if she is carrying flowers will hand them over to her Maid-of-Honor.

If the couple is reciting vows, I will quietly direct the groom and than the bride in repeating after me. If the couple is opting for the less stressful two-word approach to wedding vows, I will state the vows and the groom and than the bride respond by saying, “I do.”

Do you __________, take __________,

to be your lawfully wedded (wife/husband),

to have and to hold from this day forward,

for better or for worse,

for richer, for poorer,

in sickness and in health,

to love and to cherish;

to be faithfully yours,

as long as you both shall live?

Rings - My own personal preference is not to include the “With this ring, I thy wed” but to present them as outward cymbals of inward love. I will say, “Do you exchange these rings as an emblem of your love?”

Add a Feature  -  This is a good spot to do your The Sand Ceremony or unity candle ceremony or any other feature like communion, family prayer, tribute to deceased parent, etc.

Pronouncement  -  After the vows, ring exchange, or any added features such as sand ceremony, unity candles, stone throwing, I make the public pronouncement of a newly formed legal marriage.

Finish  -  This is where I tell the groom that he may now kiss his bride. After that, I’ll ask you both to turn and face your guests, and I’ll say “Friends and Family, I introduce to you…”

I you have a big group and you’d like me to say a few words to the guests about the reception, please let me know, and I’ll be happy to do that.