This page includes four sample marriage ceremonies suitable for
lovely beach weddings. They include a number of different elements and
rituals that can be used in any ceremony. I have had a couple choose
different things from each of these weddings and create a "mix and
match" wedding of their own. The Opening Words and Affirmation of
Marriage are perfect opportunities to amend the wording and write
something that uniquely captures the couple and their regard for their
marriage.
This ceremony was written for a traditional, semi-formal, "spiritual but
not religious" beach wedding. It includes adaptations from the Handbook
of Religious Services published by the
Church
of the Larger Fellowship.
The vows
include two formats (repetitive and responsive) with the bride and groom
alternating repeating after the officiant and then alternating by
responding with "I do" to questions put to them by the officiant. It
does not include an Affirmation of Marriage (i.e. Charge to the Couple),
but one can be inserted very easily to personalize the ceremony.
- Presentation of the Bride
- Opening Words
- Blessing of the Parents
- Reading "Marriage Joins Two People In the Circle of Its Love" by
Edmund O'Neill
- Exchange of Vows
- Exchange of Rings
- Sand Ceremony
- Marriage Blessing
- Declaration of Marriage
Presentation of the Bride
Who brings this woman to be married?
Opening Words
Please gather around as we come
together in the presence of this company to join these two in marriage. If life
has meaning to us at all, it possesses it because of love. It is that which
enshrines and ennobles our human experience. It is the basis for the peace of
family and the peace of all humanity. The greatest gift bestowed upon humans is
the gift not of demanding…but of giving love between two persons.
(Bride) and (Groom), your wedding
today is the public and legal joining of your souls that have already been
united as one in your hearts. Marriage will allow you a new environment to share
your lives together, to face life and the world, hand-in-hand. Your union will
expand you as individuals, define you as a couple, and deepen your love for one
another.
Our setting at the beach today
serves as a beautiful metaphor for marriage. Just as the conditions on the sea
range from a blissful calm to a raging storm, so our relationships change
through time. The shore absorbs the pounding of the surf as our love endures the
pressures of change and growth. It is a strength that binds yet ennobles our
human experience.
Blessing of the Parents
From time immemorial, weddings
such as this one have been public occasions where family and friends gather to
express the joy and approval they feel for the new couple. Let me therefore ask
the parents:
Do you, _________________ and
_________________, who have raised and nurtured these two, give your blessings
to them as they enter into this new relationship, and do you aspire in the days
and years ahead to give them your deepest love, understanding, and support
during both good times and bad? If so, please say, “We do.”
Reading At this time I invite, _____________ to come
forward and read "Marriage Joins Two People In the Circle of Its Love"
by Edmund O'Neill
Marriage is a
commitment to life,
to the best that two
people can find and
bring out in each
other.
It offers
opportunities for
sharing and growth
that no other human
relationship can
equal;
a joining that is
promised for a
lifetime.
Within the circle of
its love, marriage
encompasses all of
life’s most
important
relationships.
A wife and a husband
are each other’s
best friend,
confidant, lover,
teacher, listener,
and critic.
There may come times
when one partner is
heartbroken or
ailing,
and the love of the
other may resemble
the tender caring of
a parent for a
child.
Marriage deepens and
enriches every facet
of life.
Happiness is fuller;
memories are
fresher; commitment
is stronger;
even anger is felt
more strongly, and
passes away more
quickly.
Marriage understands
and forgives the
mistakes life is
unable to avoid.
It encourages and
nurtures new life,
new experiences, and
new ways of
expressing love
through the seasons
of life.
When two people
pledge to love and
care for each other
in marriage,
they create a spirit
unique to
themselves, which
binds them closer
than any spoken or
written words.
Marriage is a
promise, a
potential, made in
the hearts of two
people who love,
which takes a
lifetime to fulfill.
Exchange of Vows
(Bride) and (Groom), it is a great joy for me to be
standing here with you on this day, sharing in you marriage ceremony and
witnessing to the commitment you make to one another.
I remind you that the vows you are about to exchange
belong entirely to you. The words I speak have no magical powers and nothing I
say or do on this day can ultimately make your marriage endure with beauty,
fidelity and joy. Only you, by the integrity and diligence of your life, can
make these vows last.
So it is not to lofty words or institutions that we
appeal at this hour of commitment, but to the resources which you draw from deep
within yourselves…the deep well of human need, the need to live united and
loving and complete in an imperfect world. So will you now please (join
hands/turn to one another) and repeat your vows after me?
(Groom)/(Bride), you are
my one true love,
my best friend, my soul
mate.
You complete my
spirit
and compliment my
soul.
Today, before our
family, friends and the heavens,
I pledge my love to
you
and promise to share the
rest of my life with you.
Officiant: Do you
(Bride)/(Groom), take (Groom)/(Bride) to be your husband/wife? Do you promise to
stand by his side in both times of loss as well as times of gain? Trust, respect
and celebrate him/her? Grow together by unselfishly encouraging, appreciating,
nurturing and supporting him/her? Laugh, play and enjoy the simple pleasures
together? Be there and comfort him/her always? And pledge your fidelity as long
as you both shall live?
Bride (repeat for
Groom): I do.
Ring Exchange
Marriage is a state in which
two people come together and create a union greater than the sum of its parts.
It is difficult to express in words the profound relationship that is love. The
ring has long been a symbol of the sincerity and permanence of a couple's love
for one another and regard for their marriage. As the circle can begin anew at
any point, so a good marriage can pick any point to renew itself. These rings
are symbols of your eternal love. Please repeat after me as you place the ring
on your beloved’s left hand.
I give you this ring
as a symbol
of my love and faithfulness.
As I place it on your finger,
I commit my heart and
soul to you.
I ask you to wear this ring
as a reminder of the vows
we have spoken today, our wedding day.
Sand Ceremony
(Bride)
and (Groom), you have just sealed your relationship by the giving and receiving
of rings. Today this relationship is further symbolized through the pouring of
these two individual containers of sand.
One,
representing you, (Groom) and all that you were, all that you are and all that
you will ever be. The other, representing you, (Bride) and all that you
were, all that you are and all that you will ever be.
As
these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual
containers of sand are joined together as one. Our
prayer for you today is that your lives together be longer than the time
it would take to separate the individual grains of sand.
Blessing of the Marriage
May that glory which rests on all who love,
rest upon you, and bless you and keep you,
and fill you with happiness and a gracious spirit.
Despite all changes of time and fortune,
may all that is noble and lovely and true
abound in your hearts and abide with you,
and give you strength in all your days together.
Declaration of Marriage
What love has brought together, let no one break
asunder. For as much as you, (Bride) and (Groom), have consented to live
together in marriage and have pledged yourselves to one another, have declared
the same by the giving and receiving of rings, with great pleasure and by the
authority vested in me as a Minister in the state of Florida I do hereby pronounce
you husband and wife.
This
is a secular
ceremony (civil wedding) that includes a longer version of the sand
ceremony and a butterfly release. I have also seen lady bugs used as
well.
Presentation of the
Couple
Who brings this man and this
woman to be married this day?
Honored Escorts: We do.
Opening Words
We gather joyfully this hour
to witness the joining of this man and this woman in the sacred bonds of
matrimony. ____ and _____ have chosen to exchange their vows beside the
sea because like the wonder of nature, their love for one another can
never be contained within four walls. They invite you to take a moment
to enjoy the sound of the roaring surf, the warmth of the sun, the smell
of the fresh salt air and the feel of the sand between between your
toes. These are the kinds of simple pleasures in life they wish to bring
joy and wonder to their union. Thank you for standing with them and
granting them you support on this, their wedding day.
Reading
At this time I invite ____________ to come forward to read from “A
Natural History of Love” by Diane Ackerman. (Or the Minister can
certainly read the passage instead of having an honored guest do so.)
"Love. What a small word we use for an idea so immense and powerful.
It has altered the flow of history, calmed monsters, kindled works of
art, cheered the forlorn, turned tough guys to mush, consoled the
enslaved, driven strong women mad, glorified the humble, fueled national
scandals, bankrupted robber barons, and made mincemeat of kings. How can
love's spaciousness be conveyed in the narrow confines of one syllable?
Love is an ancient delirium, a desire older than civilization, with
taproots spreading into deep and mysterious days. The heart is a living
museum. In each of its galleries, no matter how narrow or dimly lit,
preserved forever like wondrous diatoms, are our moments of loving, and
being loved."
Affirmation of Marriage
____ and ____, as you affirm your faith and love
for one another this day, I ask that you always remember to hold each
other as special and unique individuals. Respect one another's dreams
and ideas. Do not let grudges take root, but instead be forgiving and
compassionate. From this day forward you shall be each other's home and
refuge. Guard it well. Build strength through the beauty of love. This
is the core of your marriage and why you have come to make the pledges
to one another you are about to exchange. Trust yourself and trust one
another to know what is truly best for each of you and your marriage. A
healthy marriage requires dedication and the ability to remain open to
change--to learn and grow together. Have faith that even though you know
not what the future may bring, you go face it together. Hold true to the
journey you vow today to share forever.
Exchange of Vows
Would you please turn to one another, join hands and look into one
another's eyes as you repeat after me? (Minister prompts bride and
groom in turn)
____________, I cannot
imagine
spending the rest of my
life with anyone but you.
I pledge my heart, my
body and my soul to our union.
I promise to support you
in your endeavors
and counsel you when you
need my guidance.
I will accept your
counsel
with an open heart and
open mind.
I will share my thoughts,
dreams,
hopes and fears with you.
I will hold you close
when you laugh and when
you cry.
I vow to be a strong
individual within a solid union
so we may both grow in
love and wisdom
all the days of our
lives.
Blessing of the Rings
As circles have no beginning
and no end, rings have naturally come to symbolize eternal love within
the union of mind, body, and spirit that constitutes the sanctity of
marriage. The are freely offered as gifts of faith and hope as visible
signs of the promises given this day. May these rings be blessed and
hold the dreams ____ and ____ share for their union. May the shiny metal
mirror the sacred vows made between them, now and forever.
Exchange of Rings
____ please look into ____________’s eyes repeating after me as you
place the ring on his/her hand.
I give
this ring in remembrance of our vows,
a symbol
of love that is complete, beautiful, and endless.
Sand Ceremony
________and _________, will you now step up to this table and
hold close to your heart the container of sand representing the essence
of all that you are and all that you bring to this union. As you do so,
remember that like these grains of sand your differences and uniqueness
are a wonderful gift that you give to one another, as important to your
relationship as your commonality and the strength of your togetherness.
Once this sand is poured it can never be separated, for it has moved on
to create something new and beautiful, that shall be forever shared,
much in that same way that your marriage will forever join your lives.
Bride and Groom come to to the table holding the sand and each
take their own container of sand in hand
Will you now pour the sand that is to represent both your
individuality and your togetherness within your union?
Bride and Groom intermingle their sand
As you pour remember marriage is a promise to be together in
harmony and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. To empower
each other and allow your relationship to evolve to it's highest
purpose. To sing and dance together and be joyful. To care for one
another, share your lives with one another and to unite in spirits with
every fiber of your being. Bring your union to the foreground of your
thoughts always and through all of your moments together, so that in the
triumphs and trials that lie ahead, you will you will feel just as you
do now - happy to be in love and married to one another. Be at peace and
live more and more in the present, which is beautiful and stretches away
beyond the limits of the past and towards the horizons of the future.
Bride and Groom finish pouring their sand
And will you now seal the vessel as a reminder that nothing is
more important nor more sacred than the bond you share as husband and
wife.
Bride and Groom seal the vessel
Marriage Blessing
Behold our family here assembled. We thank you for this place in
which we dwell, for the love that unites us, for the peace accorded us
this day, for the hope with which we expect the morrow, for the health,
the work, the food, and the bright skies that make our lives delightful;
for our friends in all parts of the earth. Bless this marriage with all
the gifts for which we give thanks this day.
Butterfly Release
The caterpillar is a lowly
being, bound to the earth and bemoaned as an indiscriminate consumer of
abundant vegetation. Yet this homely creature, with patience, care and
sustenance becomes a venerated symbol of dignity and beauty.
We now ask that you open the
envelopes presented to you when you arrived today. The release of these
butterflies is important to (bride) and (groom) because it demonstrates
their commitment to the cycle of life.
<guests
release butterflies>
What is held captive cannot thrive. But when
granted freedom in an environment of opportunity and respect, lives to
bring about another generation. May (bride) and (groom's) marriage last
as long as the offspring of these butterflies endure in grace and
liberty.
Declaration of Marriage
What _________ and ____________ have brought
together in the bonds of love, let not these bonds be broken. For as
much as you have exchanged vows of sacred matrimony and symbolized your
intent with the giving and receiving of rings, it is my pleasure as a
Minister in the state of Florida to pronounce you husband and wife. You
may kiss your bride.
This
is another
secular ceremony (civil wedding) that includes a knot ceremony for a
unity ritual and concludes with the guests participating by making a
wish upon sea shells and tossing them into the surf. It also has a
shorter version of the Blessing of the Hands.
- Opening Words
- Reading “A Gift From the Sea” by Anne
Morrow Lindbergh
- Affirmation of Marriage
- Exchange of Vows
- Blessing of the Hands
- Blessing of the Rings
- Exchange of Rings
- Knot Ceremony
- Blessing of the Marriage
- Declaration of Marriage
- Wish Upon A Shell
Opening Words
We come together on happy occasions such as ____
and ____'s wedding ceremony not to merely observe as two people pledge
their love to one another. Our presence also indicates our affirmation
of their decision to join together in marriage. Our setting at the beach
today reminds us of the inevitable changes life will bring to ____ and
____. Just as the shoreline changes shape from the forces of wind, water
and sand, but this beach remains, they will inevitably change as
individuals and as a couple from the forces of time and fortune, yet
their marriage will endure. Our blessings abound for ____ and ____ that
they may be granted the beauty and strength we see around us today.
Reading
At this time I invite ____________ to come forward
to read from “A Gift From the Sea” by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. (Or the
Minister can certainly read the passage instead of having an honored
guest do so.)
One recognizes the truth of Saint Exupery's line: Love does not
consist in gazing at each other. But in looking outward together in the
same direction. For in fact, man and woman are not only looking outward
in the same direction, they are working outward. Here one forms ties,
roots, a firm base....Here the bonds of marriage are formed. For
marriage, which is always spoken of as a bond, becomes actually, in this
stage, many bonds, many strands, of different texture and strength,
making up a web that is taut and firm. The web is fashioned of love.
Yes, but many kinds of love: romantic love first, then a slow-growing
devotion and, playing through these, a constantly rippling
companionship. It is made of loyalties, and interdependencies, and
shared experiences. It is woven of memories of meetings and conflicts;
of triumphs and disappointments. ...The web of marriage is made by
propinquity, in the day to day living side by side, looking outward and
working outward in the same direction. It is woven in space and in time
of the substance of life itself.
Affirmation of Marriage
____ and ____, I remind
you of the serious nature of the relationship you are about to enter.
Your marriage is a voluntary and absolute commitment you make to love
one another from this day forward. For your marriage to succeed, you
must be loyal each other, stand solid in your defense of the other and
support one another’s aspirations and and dreams. It is a solemn,
binding, challenging, yet ultimately rewarding partnership. Many of
around you will not hesitate to share the challenges of marriage. Much
less frequently do we hear of the sublime joys of this sacred estate. I
ask you to keep your conflict private and make your bliss public. Praise
one another often and complain rarely. Find to bestow compliments when
criticisms seem to prevail. Renew the vows you are about to exchange
regularly and endeavor to keep them vibrant and fresh in your loving
hearts forever.
Exchange of Vows
___, please look into _____’s eyes as you repeat
after me.
I love you ______ with all my heart and soul,
as you are everything
that I could ever hope to find in a woman/man.
You are loving, thoughtful, and caring,
smart, and beautiful/handsome in my eyes
and your love always makes me feel
like the happiest and luckiest man/woman alive.
I am proud to have you as my life's partner
and I promise that I will always be at your side,
through good times and in bad,
and give you everything
that is in my power to grant
to assure your health and happiness
for as long as I live.
I am yours forever.
Blessing of the Hands
_____ and _____, please hold one another's hands
and see the gifts they are to you. These are the hands that will work
together as you build your future. These are the hands that will give
you strength, supporting and encouraging you in all your endeavors.
These are the cherished hands that will help you to express your love,
compassion and desire.
These are the hands that will always be there to
wipe the tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow and tears of joy. They
will cradle your children in their loving embrace, helping keep your
family warm and secure.
May these hands we see before us this day be
blessed. May they long be held by wonder another, remaining tender and
gentle. May these hands help to create a relationship founded in love,
rich in caring and devoted to one another always. May these hands that
will hold your rings, forever be ready to reach out to one another in
the glory of your love.
Blessing of the Rings
Let us bless these rings. These circles, symbols
that remind us of the the sun that shines above us, the Earth holding
the sand beneath our feet and the cycle of the tides before us that rise
and fall against this beach. In this moment, bring blessings to these
rings to be symbols of unity, commitment and renewal. Grant that the
love which _____ and ____ feel for each other this day reside always in
their hearts.
Exchange of Rings
____, please look into ___’s eyes repeating after
me as you place the ring on his/her finger.
May this ring be a symbol
of my promises to you
and a reminder of my
devotion to you.
I am honored to call you
my (wife/husband).
Knot Ceremony
At this time I ask ________
and ________'s mothers to come forward to represent their respective
families. These families have raised and nurtured this man and this
woman and helped them become the person each holds most dear. It is
right and fitting to acknowledge that now these two previously separate
circles of love are being united in a new and wider circle.
_______, I ask you now to
drape the cord over your son's wrist. This cord represents all the
wishes and blessings your family bestows upon your child, all that he is
now and all that he may become.
_______, I ask you now to
drape the cord over your daughter's wrist. This cord represents all the
wishes and blessings your family bestows upon your child, all that she
is now and all that she may become.
________ and ________ please
tie these cords over your children's hands as a visual symbol of the
joining of your two families through their hearts, bodies and souls. Our
prayer today is that their marriage endure in faith and fidelity knowing
they have the blessing and support of the families that gave them life,
hope and love.
(Minister places a hand
over the knot.)
At this time I ask everyone
present to join in a moment of silence as we think about the blessings
we wish for _____ and _____'s marriage.
(Minister removes the
knot and hands it to an attendant for safe keeping).
So may it ever be.
Blessing of the Marriage
Bless this marriage, as ____________ and
______________ begin their journey through life together. May your home
be filled with laughter and warm embraces. May you find peacefulness and
beauty, challenge, and satisfaction, humor and insight, healing and
renewal, love and wisdom, within your union. May you always feel what
you have is more than enough.
Declaration of the Marriage
_________ and __________, as you have exchanged
vows of love in our presence, pledged your faith and declared your unity
by each giving and receiving a ring, and, as you are now joined together
in mutual esteem and devotion, it is my joy and privilege as a Minister
in the state of Florida to pronounce you joined in matrimony. Please
begin your marriage with a kiss.
Wish Upon a Shell
At this time, would everyone please take a shell
from the basket and follow me to the shoreline. On each shell you will
find written ______ and _____'s names and today's date--the day they
begin their life together as husband and wife. Please take a moment to
think about the future of their union. Make a wish, say a prayer or just
think a special thought for this happy couple....and then toss your
shell into the ocean where your hopes and dreams will become one of the
universe and join the well wishes of all of us gathered here today.
This
is a
non-denominational theist ceremony. It recognizes the importance God
holds in the couple's lives, but does not use specifically Christian
language. The ceremony includes a scripture reading from the Hebrew
Bible (Old Testament) and a wine ceremony. This ceremony also
incorporates the little used, but absolutely lovely Bell of Truce.
-
Presentation of the Bride
-
Opening Words
-
Declaration of Intent
-
Opening Prayer
-
Affirmation of Marriage
-
Blessing of the Rings
-
Exchange of Rings
-
Reading Ecclesiastes, Chapter 4 Verses
9-12
-
Wine Ceremony
-
Blessing of the Marriage
-
Presentation of the Bell of Truce
-
Declaration of Marriage
Presentation of the Bride: Who brings this
woman to be married this day? (Honored Escort responds.)
Opening Words
_____ and _____ bid you welcome and express their
gratitude for your presence as they pledge their love and fidelity in
the holy estate of matrimony on this joyful this day. We gather on this
beach where the pounding of the surf, the light of the sun and the glory
that is nature represent the strength, power and grandeur ___ and
___wish to bring to their union. The strength of their commitment, the
power of their spirits and the wonder of their love bring us to this
hour. May they always feel the depth of these emotions like the depths
of these waters and their marriage endure in beauty and in faith.
Declaration of Intent
Do you, ____ and _____ come here legally and
spiritually free to pledge yourselves to one another in holy matrimony?
We do.
Opening Prayer (St. Francis of Assisi)
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, Grant that we may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Affirmation of Marriage
____ and ____, I ask that you both remember to
treat yourselves and each other with compassion and respect, and remind
yourself often of the love that brings you together this day. Give your
marriage the tenderness and kindness it deserves and needs to thrive.
Acts of loving kindness open the heart and magnify a love that knows no
bounds. When frustration and disappointment challenge your marriage - as
is inevitable in every relationship - devote your attention to what is
good between you, not just the part that seems wrong at the time. Thus,
when the storm clouds of strife hide the sun in your lives you may
recall the sun is still there ready to shine brightly again by the
diligence of your words and deeds. If each of you take responsibility
for the quality of your marriage, your lives together will endure in
beauty and delight.
Exchange of Vows
___ and ____, please turn to one another, join
hands and in so doing, join your hearts. ____ please look into ____’s
eyes as you repeat after me.
As we
stand here with our family and friends
and in
the midst of God ‘s eternal love
I,
__________, pledge my dedication to you.
You are
the one person who, with your love,
has
given me the hope
of a
future full of happiness.
I give
to you everything
within
my heart, body and soul to give
As long
as I shall live.
Blessing of the Rings
Let us ask God’s blessings upon these rings. These
circles, symbols that remind us of the the sun that shines above us, the
Earth holding the sand beneath our feet and the cycle of the tides
before us that rise and fall against this beach. In this moment, bring
blessings to these rings to be symbols of unity, commitment and renewal.
Grant that the love which _____ and ____ feel for each other this day
reside always in their hearts. Amen.
Exchange of Rings
____, please look into ____’s eyes repeating after
me as you place the ring on his/her finger.
__________, I give you this ring
as a
symbol of my vow,
and with
all that I am, and all that I have,
I honor
you, in God’s name.
Reading
A Reading from the Book of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 4
Verses 9-12
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their
effort. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to the
person who is alone when he stumbles and has not a helpmate to lift him
up. Again, if two lie together, they are warm; but how can one be warm
alone? And though someone might prevail against one who is alone, two
will withstand any challenge.
Wine Ceremony
It is the goal of marriage to achieve a blending of hearts and
lives—but let there be spaces in your new life together, so that each
may encourage and nurture the individual growth of the other. Even so,
your separate lives will become one life; your separate homes, one home,
your separate fortunes, one fortune.
Over the horizon of the future, there come toward you even now hours
of brightness and hours of shadow—for such is the nature of life.
(Pick up the goblet of sweet wine.)
Life has, indeed, many bright and happy experiences, of which this
sweet wine is a token. As you drink of it together, may it serve as a
symbol of the joy that comes with loving and sharing, and may your
happiness be tempered with gratitude and modesty and a bountiful
sympathy for those who are less fortunate than you.
(Pass goblet to partner #1, who drinks and passes it to partner
#2, who drinks and passes it back to you. Return goblet to table and
pick up goblet of bitter wine.)
But when hardship and sorrow and disappointment come, of which this
bitter wine is a token, may you care enough to help one another with
courage and compassion, neither one blaming the other for folly or
failure, or regretting the obligation of marriage to share and bear
together the chances and changes of a life deeply lived.
(Goblet is passed as above.)
Blessing of the Marriage
May your mornings bring joy and your evenings bring
peace. May your troubles grow few as your blessings increase. May the
saddest day of your future Be no worse than the happiest day of your
past.May your hands be forever clasped in friendship And your hearts
joined forever in love. Your lives are very special, God has touched you
in many ways. May his blessings rest upon you And fill all your coming
days. Amen.
Presentation of the Bell of Truce
Bells have long been associated with weddings as their joyous tones
announce good tidings. I present this bell to _____ and ______. I ask
them to give the bell a hardy ring while thinking lovely thoughts about
one another and their future life together.
<couple rings bell>
_____ and ______, keep this bell in your home to remind you of your
wedding day. When arguments arise, and they will, put this bell to its
best use. One of you should ring the bell to call a truce. Its sound
will remind you of your wedding vows, conjure up the happiest memories
from this day and help you resolve our differences lovingly and
compassionately.
Declaration of Marriage
____ and ____ , in the presence of God and this
company, you have pledged yourselves to one another in love, compassion,
righteousness and truth and symbolized your vows with the giving and
receiving of rings. In the presence of these witnesses it is my honor
and joy as a member of the clergy in the state of Florida to pronounce
you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.
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Beach Weddings
