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:

Officiant: _____________, 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?

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:

Officiant: ___________, 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 officiant and second person]

The Ring Exchange:

Officiant: 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.