SAMPLE CEREMONIES
-
Welcome, everyone.
Thank you all for being here today to celebrate _____ and _____. Whether you've traveled across town or across the country, your presence means so much to them. Looking around, they see not just guests, but the people who have helped shape their lives, supported their relationship, and cheered them on as they've made their way to this moment.
Marriage ceremonies are interesting things. We gather together, dress up, take a lot of photos, and ask two people to stand in front of everyone they know and declare their love out loud. It's a little vulnerable, a little emotional, and sometimes a little awkward.
But we do it because some moments deserve witnesses.
Today is one of those moments.
Today, _____ and _____ aren't just celebrating the love they already share. They're making a promise about the future. They're choosing each other intentionally and publicly, and inviting all of us to support that choice.
Now, every couple's story is different.
Maybe your story began with an introduction from a friend. Maybe it started with a dating app, a chance encounter, or a conversation that was supposed to last five minutes and somehow lasted five hours.
Whatever brought you together, you've spent time learning one another's strengths, quirks, habits, dreams, and favorite takeout orders. You've discovered the things that make each other laugh and the things that make each other feel loved. You've built a relationship strong enough that standing here today feels less like the beginning of something new and more like the next chapter of a story already well underway.
The truth is that marriage isn't about finding someone perfect.
It's about finding someone whose imperfections you can laugh about, whose dreams you want to encourage, whose burdens you want to help carry, and whose victories feel like your own.
Marriage means having a partner for ordinary Tuesdays as much as for milestone celebrations. It means having someone to text when something funny happens, someone to call when life gets hard, and someone who knows exactly how you take your coffee and still loves you anyway.
_____ and _____, today you make promises that will guide your marriage through all of life's seasons.
Please face one another and join hands.
Repeat after me:
I choose you today / To be my partner, / My best friend, / And my home. / I promise to celebrate your joys, / To support your dreams, / And to stand beside you / Through whatever life may bring. / I will laugh with you, / Learn with you, / Grow with you, / And love you, / For all the days of my life.
May I have the rings, please?
These rings are simple circles with no beginning and no end. Let them serve as daily reminders of the promises you make today and of the love that brought you here.
_____ , please place the ring on _____'s finger and repeat after me:
With this ring, / I give you my love, / My trust, / And my commitment. / Today and always.
_____ , please place the ring on _____'s finger and repeat after me:
With this ring, / I give you my love, / My trust, / And my commitment. / Today and always.
_____ and _____, you have declared your love before these witnesses, exchanged vows, and given rings as symbols of your commitment.
By the power vested in me by the State of _____, and by the promises you have made to one another today, it is my great honor to pronounce you married.
You may now share your first kiss as a married couple.
Friends and family, it is my absolute pleasure to present for the very first time, _____ and _____!
-
Welcome, family and friends.
We are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of _____ and _____. Marriage is a commitment entered into thoughtfully, freely, and with a deep appreciation for the promises being made.
_____ , do you take _____ to be your spouse, your partner, and your love? Do you promise to cherish, support, and respect them, sharing in life's joys and challenges for all the days to come?
[Response]
_____ , do you take _____ to be your spouse, your partner, and your love? Do you promise to cherish, support, and respect them, sharing in life's joys and challenges for all the days to come?
[Response]
May I have the rings, please?
Wedding rings are a visible symbol of an invisible promise. Their circular shape reminds us that love has no beginning and no end. May these rings serve as a daily reminder of the commitment you make to one another today.
_____ , please place the ring on _____'s finger and repeat after me:
With this ring, / I choose you. / I give you my love, / my trust, / and my commitment, / today and always.
[Repeat]
_____ and _____, you have declared your love and commitment before these witnesses and exchanged rings as symbols of your promises.
By the authority vested in me by the State of _____, I am delighted to pronounce you married.
You may now share your first kiss as a married couple.
-
Welcome, family and friends.
We are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of _____ and _____. This is a celebration of love, commitment, friendship, and the promises these two are about to make to one another.
Marriage is more than a single day or a single moment. It is built through shared experiences, mutual support, laughter, patience, and trust. Today, _____ and _____ choose one another openly and intentionally, surrounded by the people who know and love them best.
_____ , do you take _____ to be your spouse, your partner in life, and your love?
[Response]
_____ , do you take _____ to be your spouse, your partner in life, and your love?
[Response]
_____ and _____, please join hands and repeat after me:
Today I give myself to you. / I promise to encourage and inspire you, / to laugh with you, / and to comfort you / in times of sorrow and struggle. / I promise to love you / in good times and in bad, / when life seems easy / and when it seems difficult, / when our love feels effortless / and when it requires patience and work. / I promise to cherish you, / respect you, / and always hold you in the highest regard. / These things I give to you today, / and for all the days of our lives.
May I have the rings, please?
Wedding rings are symbols of promises made and kept. Their unending circle reminds us that love grows and continues throughout a lifetime.
As you exchange rings, please repeat after me:
I give you this ring / as a symbol of my love / and my commitment to you. / With this ring, / I honor you, / I cherish you, / and I choose you, / today and always.
[Repeat]
_____ and _____, you have declared your love before these witnesses, spoken your vows, and exchanged rings as symbols of your commitment.
By the authority vested in me by the State of _____, I am delighted to pronounce you married.
You may now seal your vows with a kiss.
-
Welcome, family, friends, and loved ones.
We gather here today to celebrate the marriage of _____ and _____. Thank you for being here to witness this important moment, to offer your love and support, and to surround them with the people who matter most as they begin this new chapter together.
Whether you have traveled across town or across the country, your presence is a gift. _____ and _____ are grateful to share this day with you and ask for your encouragement, your support, and your friendship in the years ahead.
Marriage is one of life's greatest adventures. It is built not in a single day, but through countless everyday moments—through patience and understanding, through shared laughter and mutual respect, through listening, supporting, forgiving, and growing together.
No ceremony can create a marriage. Only _____ and _____ can do that through the promises they make and the life they build together. What this ceremony can do is celebrate and affirm the choice they are making today: to walk through life side by side as partners, companions, and best friends.
_____ and _____, today you stand before those who love you to make promises that will guide your marriage for years to come. As you exchange these vows, remember that love is not only a feeling but also a choice—one that is made again and again through kindness, trust, grace, and commitment.
The promises you make today are not made because they are required by law or tradition, but because you have chosen one another freely and wholeheartedly. May the home you create together be a place of joy, comfort, growth, and belonging.
_____ , do you take _____ to be your husband/wife, your partner in life, and your love?
[Response]
_____ , do you take _____ to be your husband/wife, your partner in life, and your love?
[Response]
Please join hands and repeat after me:
I, _____, take you, _____, / to be my husband/wife, / my partner, / my best friend, / and my love. / I promise to respect you, / support you, / and encourage you / as we build our life together. / I will celebrate your successes, / comfort you in difficult times, / and stand beside you / through whatever life may bring. / I promise to grow with you, / laugh with you, / learn with you, / and continue choosing you every day. / Together, we will create a home / filled with love, / kindness, / and welcome. / Above all, / I promise to love you wholeheartedly / and unconditionally / for all the days of my life.
May I have the rings, please?
Wedding rings are a visible symbol of an invisible promise. They serve as a daily reminder of the love, commitment, and partnership you share. May these rings remind you not only of this day, but of the vows you make to one another today.
As you place the ring on _____'s finger, please repeat after me:
I give you this ring / as a daily reminder / of my love for you.
And as you place the ring on _____'s finger, please repeat after me:
I give you this ring / as a daily reminder / of my love for you.
_____ and _____, you have declared your love before these witnesses, exchanged vows, and given rings as symbols of your commitment.
By the power vested in me by the State of _____, and by the promises you have made to one another today, I am delighted to pronounce you married.
You may now kiss!
Friends and family, it is my pleasure to present for the first time, _____ and _____!
-
Good afternoon, everyone.
_____ and _____ join me in welcoming you and thanking you for being here today. Your presence is a reflection of the love, friendship, and support that have helped shape their lives and their relationship. It is because of this community that they stand here today surrounded by encouragement, joy, and the people who matter most.
_____ and _____, your journey to this moment began long before today.
It began with a conversation, a meeting, a shared laugh, or a spark of curiosity. Over time, you learned what brings each other joy, what provides comfort during difficult seasons, and what makes the other feel loved and supported.
You welcomed one another's families, friends, traditions, and dreams. Together, you created something larger than yourselves—a shared life built on trust, commitment, and connection. You brought together two circles of people and created a new community centered on your love.
Marriage will bring both beautiful days and difficult ones. There will be moments of celebration and moments that require patience, grace, and perseverance. What matters is that you will face them together.
Today is not only a celebration of your love, but a recognition of everything you have already built and the future you will continue creating side by side.
At this time, _____ has asked _____ to share an original poem in honor of their marriage.
[Reading]
_____ and _____, please join hands and repeat after me:
I choose you today / to be my partner, / my confidant, / and my closest friend. / I promise to fill our life together / with laughter, kindness, and joy. / I will celebrate your successes, / support your dreams, / and encourage you to be fully yourself. / I will stand beside you / through life's challenges and triumphs, / and continue choosing you / each and every day. / With all that I am, / and all that I have, / I give you my love / for the rest of my life.
_____ and _____, do you choose one another as partners in life, promising to love, support, and cherish one another for all the years to come?
Together: "We do."
And to all of the family and friends gathered here today: Will you support this marriage, celebrate this couple's joys, and encourage them through life's challenges?
Guests: "We will."
_____ and _____ have chosen rings as symbols of the promises they make today. Like a circle, these rings have no beginning and no end, reminding us that love continues to grow and evolve throughout a lifetime.
As you place the rings on one another's fingers, please repeat after me:
I give you this ring / as a symbol of my love, / my trust, / and my commitment. / May it remind you each day / of the promises we make today.
_____ and _____, today you have declared your love before your family and friends, exchanged vows, and given rings as symbols of your commitment.
By the power vested in me by the State of _____, it is my great honor and joy to pronounce you married.
You may now share your first kiss as a married couple.
Friends and family, it is my pleasure to present _____ and _____!
-
Welcome, family and loved ones.
We are gathered here today, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the people who matter most, to celebrate the marriage of _____ and _____.
Today is a celebration of love, friendship, commitment, family, and the life these two have chosen to build together.
You don't have to have a ceremony to have a marriage.
And when you think about it, weddings are a little unusual. Two people stand in front of everyone they know, dressed up, holding flowers, and making promises they'll remember for the rest of their lives.
So why do we do it?
Because some moments deserve witnesses.
Out of all the experiences we have throughout our lives, this is one of the few we intentionally share with our community. We gather together because love matters. We gather because commitment matters. And we gather because the promises made today deserve to be celebrated by the people who care about them most.
Despite our differences, love is something we all understand. Every person here knows what it means to care deeply for another human being. And today, we're reminded that one of the greatest gifts in life is the ability to love and to be loved in return.
_____ and _____, your relationship began with a chance meeting, a conversation, or a moment that neither of you could have predicted. But standing here today is not chance.
It is a choice.
You are choosing one another.
You are choosing a partner for ordinary days and extraordinary ones. You are choosing someone to celebrate life's joys with, someone to lean on during difficult seasons, and someone whose happiness matters as much as your own.
At its heart, marriage is a promise to keep showing up. To keep choosing one another. To keep building a life together, one day at a time.
_____ , do you choose _____ to be your partner in life? Will you laugh with them, encourage them, support them through life's challenges, celebrate their successes, and continue finding new reasons to love them with each passing year?
[Response]
_____ , do you choose _____ to be your partner in life? Will you laugh with them, encourage them, support them through life's challenges, celebrate their successes, and continue finding new reasons to love them with each passing year?
[Response]
Will you both commit yourselves to this partnership, bringing out the best in one another, sharing life's adventures together, and loving one another wholeheartedly for all the years to come?
[Response]
You have chosen rings as symbols of the promises you make today.
A ring has no beginning and no end, just as love continues to grow and evolve throughout a lifetime. May these rings remind you not only of this day, but of the commitment, trust, and partnership you share.
_____ , as you place the ring on _____'s finger, please repeat after me:
This ring symbolizes my love for you / and the promises we make today. / May it remind us always / that we are partners, / friends, / and home to one another.
[Repeat]
_____ and _____, you have come here freely and with open hearts. Before your family and friends, you have declared your love, exchanged promises, and given rings as symbols of your commitment.
By the power vested in me by the State of _____, and by the promises you have made to one another today, I am delighted to pronounce you married.
You may now seal those promises with a kiss.
Friends and family, it is my pleasure to present _____ and _____!
-