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Suite 204
Columbus, OH 43229
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Traditional Religious Ceremony – Sample

(This sample ceremony is long but will give you some ideas.
Many religious ceremonies are alot shorter)

We are gathered here today in the sight of God, and in the presence of friends and loved ones, to celebrate one of life's greatest moments. To give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, and to add our best wishes and blessings to the words which shall unite _____________and________________ in holy matrimony. Marriage is a most honorable estate, created and Instituted by God, signifying unto us the mystical union, which also exists between Christ and the Church; so too may this marriage be adorned by true and abiding love.

(If bride is escorted forward)

Who is it that brings this woman to this man? (If the father, he may answer  "her mother and I", "her father on behalf of the family" or simply "I do" . He will place the  bride’s hand with the groom's and steps back).

______________and____________________, in the days ahead of you, there will be times of difficulty and conflict. When you find yourselves in these situations, I ask you to reflect on this marriage advice:
Let your love be stronger than your anger. Learn the wisdom of compromise, for it is better to bend than to break. Look for the best in your beloved rather than the worst. Confide in your partner and ask for help when you need it. Remember that true friendship is the basis for any lasting relationship.
Give your spouse the same courtesies and kindnesses you bestow on your friends. Say "I love you" every day.

And I ask you to remember what the Bible teaches us of love:
Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love is never-ending.

VOWS

(You may use these or write your own)

Groom and Bride, I remind you that marriage is a precious gift; a lifelong dedication to love and a daily challenge to love one another more fully and more freely.

Would you please face each other and join hands. With this understanding:

(Groom ) ___________________do you take _________________to be your beloved wife? Do you promise to be a tender, faithful husband? Do you promise to love, honor, and cherish her, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, for better for worse, for as long as you both shall live? ("I do")

And, (Bride ) ________________do you take_________________ to be your beloved Husband? Do you promise to be a tender, faithful wife? Do you promise to love, honor, and cherish him, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, for better for worse, for as long as you both shall live? ("I do")

You May add a reading or song here

HAND CEREMONY

Best Man reads this:

[Bride's name], please face [Groom's name], and hold his hands,
palms up, so you may see the gift that they are to you.
These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and vibrant with love, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as he promises to love you all the days of his life.
These are the hands that will work along side yours, as together you build your future, as you laugh and cry, as you share your innermost secrets and dreams.
These are the hands you will place with expectant joy against your stomach, until he too, feels his child stir within you.
These are the hands that look so large and strong, yet will be so gentle as he holds your baby for the first time.
These are the hands that will work long hours for you and your new family
These are that hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when fear or grief wrack your mind.
These are the hands that will tenderly lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into his eyes: eyes that are filled completely with his overwhelming love and desire for you.

Maid of Honor reads this:

[Groom's name], please hold [Bride's name] hands, palms up, where you may see the gift that they are to you. These are the hands of your best friend, smooth, young and carefree, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as she pledges her love and commitment to you all the days of her life.
These are the hands that will hold each child in tender love, soothing them through illness and hurt, supporting and encouraging them along the way, and knowing when it is time to let go.

These are the hands that will massage tension from you neck and back in the evenings after you’ve both had a long hard day.

These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.
These are the hands that will comfort you when you are sick, or console you when you are grieving.
They are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.
These are the hands that will hold you in joy and excitement and hope, each time she tells you that you are to have another child, that together you have created a new life.
These are the hands that will give you support as she encourages you to chase down your dreams. Together as a team, everything you wish for can be realized.

(Minister)
God, bless these hands that you see before you this day. May they always be held by one another. Give them the strength to hold on during the storms of stress and the dark of disillusionment. Keep them tender and gentle as they nurture each other in their wondrous love. Help these hands to continue building a relationship founded in your grace, rich in caring, and devoted in reaching for your perfection. May [Groom's name] and [Bride's name] see their four hands as healer, protector, shelter and guide. We ask this in your name, Amen

Exchange of Rings

(rings are not required for a marriage ceremony)

Groom and Bride have chosen rings as outward symbols of the commitment they make today.

From earliest times, the ring has been a symbol of committed love. An unbroken and never-ending circle symbolizes a commitment to love that is also never ending. Wedding rings are an outward and visible sign of an inward spiritual grace, signifying to all the uniting of this man and this woman in marriage. We ask that God bless these rings and this union of souls.

(Bride and Groom will repeat these vows as they place the ring on the other’s finger:)

(Groom) ___________________please place the ring on _________________ finger and repeat after me: "With this ring, I thee wed. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

(Bride) ___________________please place the ring on _________________ finger and repeat after me: "With this ring, I thee wed. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."

             (If a song is being sung, it is often added at this point)

Blessing

 May the peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ: and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you always

Charge to the Couple

______________________ and ___________________ as the two of you come into this marriage uniting you as husband and wife, and as you this day affirm your faith and love for one another, I would ask that you always remember to cherish each other as special and unique individuals, that you respect the thoughts, ideas and suggestions of one another. Be able to forgive, do not hold grudges, and live each day that you may share it together - as from this day forward you shall be each other's home, comfort and refuge, your marriage strengthened by your love and respect.

Pronouncement
____________________ and ___________________in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in Matrimony, have promised your love for each other by these vows, the giving of these rings and the joining of your hands, I now declare you to be husband and wife.

Congratulations, you may kiss your bride.