|
Opening:
You have
come here today from your varied life experiences to make public the commitment
you have made, each to the other. You come to combine your two separate
lives into one.
Although
you will be sharing one life, never forget, you are two separate people.
Cherish and affirm your differences. Love each other. Keep your commitment
primary. Together you will laugh and cry, be sick and well, be happy and
angry, share and grow.
Grow, sometimes
together, sometimes separately. But never remain stagnant. Love and life
are always changing, always new.
If you will ensure a healthy lasting marriage, always, always value each other.
Although you will disagree, remember to respect each other’s feelings, needs and
wants. And above all, never, never lose your sense of humor.
Ceremony
Readings:
Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as
the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the
oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow
Question of Intent:
Officiate:
_____________, do you come before this gathering of friends and family to
proclaim your love and devotion for ____________? Do you promise to affirm
him/her, respect him/her, and care for
him/her during times of joy and hardship
?
Answer:
I do or I will
Do you commit
yourself to share your feelings of happiness and sadness? Do you pledge
to remain faithful to him/her ?
Answer:
I do or I will
(repeats
again for second person)
The
Vows:
Officiate:
___________, will you look into ____________'s eyes and into his/her heart,
and repeat after me?
I commit
my life to our partnership in marriage. I promise to comfort you, to encourage
you in all walks of life. I promise to express my thoughts and emotions
to you, and to listen to you in times of joy and in times of sorrow. ____________,
I love you, and you are my closest friend. Will you let me share my life
and all that I am with you ?
Answer:
I will
[Same vows
repeated by officiate and second person]
The
Ring Exchange:
Officiate:
The circle is the symbol of the sun, the earth and the universe. It is
a symbol of holiness and perfection and of peace. This ring is a symbol
of unity, in which your two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle.
___________, please give this ring to _____________ and repeat after me:
[Each Partner
in Turn] "I give you this ring to keep as a symbol of our unity."
Blessing:
___________
and _____________, you have now affirmed before your families and friends
your love and your caring for each other. You have come from different
backgrounds. You have walked different paths. You are different individuals.
Your love has transcended these differences. In the years before you may
the richness of the traditions that have nurtured you enhance and brighten
your lives as you help to create and shape the future.
May the
challenges of your life together be met with courage and optimism. May
you
learn from your failures and grow in your achievements. May life bless
you with children, friends and family in a wide network of mutual support
and enjoyment. May you face pain, toil and trouble with a stout but light
heart. May you share with others the radiance of your seasons of joy and
pleasure. May you always remember that laughter is the medicine of the
gods. May the
spirit of love be ever a part of your lives so that the union we here celebrate
this day be worthy of continued celebration tomorrow and forever.
Closing:
Out of this
tangled world, two souls have come together, drawn by mutual love and respect.
May their days and years yet unborn deepen the joy of their choice and
make it abidingly true. |
