Wedding Vows
Roland's Favorites and
Traditionals |
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| PLEASE READ! |
Before I
display the samples, I hope that you read these paragraphs. You may, of course,
just click the above links and "go." However the reason to read from
this point is to help get a better understanding of how to implement the
Wedding Vows that I have listed. The ones below are just some of my personal
favorites. I won't get into all the mechanics, since that will be better
handled by your own Minister/Officiant. By "Minister/Officiant," I am
referring to any and all ministers, clergy, justices of the peace, priests, or
other titles of officials with the power and authority to legally marry people.
It's just easier to use the two terms as a group heading than to constantly
repeat all the possibilities, and take the chance of missing some. Please
forgive me any inaccuracy that these terms suggest.
The following are
samples of Wedding Vows, "Vows Between the Bride and
Groom" (Click here and go, if you like...), added to the site due to it
being a most popular request. It seems that more than ten percent of my
visitors are highly interested in these, and I include them for their benefit.
I hope that they give you ideas that are useful, and will help with your
ceremony planning. Click the above links to jump down to the other two sections
- "Ministers'/Officiant's Pronouncements"
- which are a few examples that I like of closing words leading up to and
including pronouncement of matrimony, and "Enhancements:
Poems and Sayings" which are often used by the Minister/Officiant as a
part of closing words or in various parts of the ceremony. They are not
inclusive of the many possible readings from scripture or other specific
religious writings. My intent is to keep the site content as generic as
possible, and still maintain the respect for the concept and institution of
marriage, which I believe in strongly. I still fail to keep my own feelings
completely separate from the site content, since there are such writings as
"Irish Sayings," or "Indian Prayers," etc., and that foils my effort to be
truly generic. Once again, I hope that my readers and site visitors forgive the
incompleteness of my content, and accept or reject the ideas as they wish. Even
in my efforts to be simply a reporter, I have found that there are things I am
more attracted to. Romanticism is one of them. Class is another. Traditional?
Not always, but often. Thanks for understanding.
There are so many
variations of Wedding Vows, obviously created by couples wanting to
customize, specialize, and personalize the content. I recommend this,
and have had the pleasure to hear innumerous great ones, so many of which I
cannot remember to document here. However I will add them as I hear new ones,
whenever possible. Feel free to send me yours, and perhaps they will, with your
permission upon sending, become part of my samples section.
Some Wedding
Vows are designed in the "...repeat after me," styling, in which the
Minister/Officiant recites the words in short parts, followed by the groom and
then the bride repeating the same words. Most of these end with something like,
"...until death do us part." or, "...until death parts us." or,
"...as long as we both shall live." Others are written to be completely
spoken by the Minister/Officiant, followed by the simple response, "I
do!" or "I will!
Traditions have changed over the decades,
and Wedding Vows have sometimes grown to be much longer statements and
proclamations. It becomes a personal decision as to how to design your wedding
vows, how traditional or how non-traditional is something to be determined by
the Bride and Groom.
Another variation in the new concepts is
"Freeform Vows" in which the Bride and Groom separately design what they
will say and the commitments and declarations may not be the same. The overall
sentiments probably are very similar, but in personalizing the vows the Bride
and Groom have the opportunity to share some special aspects of their loves and
relationships. The effect is that they are not simply repeating someone elses
words, but expressing themselves, and being sincere.
One more wonderful
idea is to have Personal Statements by the Bride and Groom just prior to
the vows, but not technically as part of them. This way, the individualism and
personalization of the ceremony is added, yet the vows can still be handled in
traditional, or other less- and non-traditional fashions in conjunction with
the statements. Sometimes these statements are the actual vows, and
sometimes not. It is a great feature of today's weddings that such a
custom can be modified so that the individuals feel so much more comfortable
with the content, being able to express what is important, and yet the original
tradition is not completely disregarded.
Wedding Vows are a very
flexible concept in this day and age. They all express a dedication on behalf
of the Bride and Groom to each other, and represent in a few words the
integrity and fidelity and love with which they will treat of the rest of their
lives together. They all basically say the same things in different ways.
Mostly they express the commitments to love, honor, and cherish; to respect,
and care for, and be faithful to; from this day forward, for the rest of our
lives. I hope these are helpful to you. Perhaps you will have the
inspiration to write your own wedding vows! Go for it! Be watching for the
release of my new book, "Your Dream Wedding
Vows."
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Wedding Vows - Traditional
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I,
(Bride/Groom), take you (Groom/Bride), to be my (husband/wife), to have and to
hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in
sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward until
death do us part.
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Do you, _______, take ________, to be your lawfully
wedded (husband/wife), to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for
richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from
this day forward until death do us part? (Spoken by Minister/Officiant,
followed by "I do's")
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I, _______, take you, _______, to be my (husband/wife),
and I promise before God and these witnesses to be your loving and faithful
(husband/wife), in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in
health, as long as we both shall live.
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Do you, _______, take this (man/woman), _______, to be
your (husband/wife), according to God’s holy decree; do you promise to be
to (him/her) a loving and loyal (husband/wife), to cherish and keep (him/her)
in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, to be faithful only to
(him/her) as long as you both shall live? (Spoken by Minister/Officiant,
followed by "I do's")
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_______, will you have this (man/woman) to be your
(husband/wife) to live together according to God’s decree in the holy
estate of marriage? Will you love (him/her), comfort (him/her), honor and keep
(him/her), in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, faithfully keep
to (him/her) alone, so long as you both shall live? (Spoken by
Minister/Officiant, followed by "I will's")
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Wedding Vows -
Variations
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I,
_______, take you, _______, to be my (husband/wife), according to God’s
holy decree; to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse,
for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till
death do we part; and to that I pledge you my faithfulness.
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I,
_______, take you, _______, to be my (husband/wife), knowing in my heart that
you will be my constant friend, my faithful partner, and one true love. You are
my best friend and I will love and respect you always.
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As freely, _______, as God has given me life, I join my
life with yours. Wherever you go, I will go; whatever you face, I will face.
For good or ill, in happiness or sadness, come riches or poverty, I take you as
my (husband/wife), and will give myself to no other.
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Where there has been cold, you have brought warmth;
where my life was dark, you have brought light. _______, I pledge before this
assembled company to be your (husband/wife) from this day forward. Let us make
of our two lives, one life, and let us always honor and respect each other.
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_______, our miracle lies in the path we have chosen
together. I enter this marriage with you knowing that the true magic of love is
not to avoid changes, but to navigate them successfully. Let us commit to the
miracle of making each day work - together.
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I, _______, take you, ________, to be my wedded
(husband/wife). With deepest joy I receive you into my life that together we
may be one. I promise you my love, my fullest devotion, my tenderest care. I
pledge to you my life as a loving and faithful
(husband/wife).
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All that I am and all that I have, I offer to you in
love and in joy. From this day forward I will love and comfort you, hold you
close, prize you above all others, and remain faithful to you all the days of
our lives.
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I, _______, take you, _______ to be my partner in
marriage and in life. I will love and honor you and take your side, walk with
you through life wherever it may lead, whatever may come. I promise to be
faithful and true from this day forward.
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On this day, (month, day, year), I, _______, join
myself to you _______, before this company. May our days be long, and may they
be seasoned with love, understanding and respect.
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Today I marry you, _______, my best friend, the one I
will live with, dream with and love. I take you to be my (husband/wife). From
this day forward I will cherish you. I will look with joy down the path of our
tomorrow's knowing we will walk it together side by side, hand in hand and
heart to heart.
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From this day forward I promise you these things: I
will laugh with you in times of joy and comfort you in times of sorrow. I will
share in your dreams, and support you as you strive to achieve your goals. I
will listen to you with compassion and understanding, and speak to you with
encouragement. I will help you when you need it, and step aside when you don't.
I will remain faithful to you for better or worse, in times of sickness and
health. You are my best friend and I will love and respect you
always
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I love you. Today is a very special day. Long ago you
were just a dream and a prayer. Thank you for being what you are to me. With
our future as bright as the promises of God, I will care for you, honor and
protect you. I lay down my life for you, my friend and my
love.
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I, _______, take you, _______, to be my (husband,
wife), my friend, my partner in life, and my one true love. On this special
day, I give to you my promise to trust you, honour you, and stay by your side
as your (husband, wife) through the best and worst of times. I promise to grow
with you in spirit, mind, and heart, and to always be open and honest with you.
I also give you my hand to hold, my dreams to share, and my life to keep until
death do us part. These are my promises and pledge to you
today.
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I, ..., take you, ... to be my husband knowing that you
will always be my best friend, my partner in life, and my one true love. Today,
I promise to be your (husband/wife), your best friend, and your soul mate. I
promise to share all your dreams, your sadness, your sorrows, and your
happiness. I will be open and honest with you always. I give you my hand, my
heart, my honour, and my respect, and promise to grow with you in spirit, mind,
and heart. Where you go, I will go; where you stay, I will stay, until death do
us part.
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_______, today my life changes. It is both a day of
fulfillment, and one of new beginnings. I have looked forward to this day for a
long time. The discovery of you - my soul mate, my best friend, and the love of
my life - has changed my purpose for living. You have given me reason to strive
to see farther, reach higher, and endure. On this day I pledge my love to you,
and will continue to honor you and respect you as I have always. Taking care of
your needs, and your well being, are now the most most important parts of my
mission in life. From this day forward I will walk, not as an individual, but
as your partner, to see the world through two sets of eyes and feel with two
sets of hands, yours and mine. I will experience this world and this life with
you as one new spirit, one new mind, and one new heart, you and I, inseparable
as one being. I cherish and adore you, and that will never change. Through all
the rest of our seasons of life together, whether they be difficult or easy,
laced with sadness or filled with joy, I am happy to walk this path with you.
Today I dedicate my life to you, keeping myself faithfully yours, now, and
forever. It is my priviledge and honor to become your (husband/wife) on this
day.
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Ministers'/Officiants' Pronouncements
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Having
heard your vows for marriage, and by the authority vested in me by the State of
_______, it is with great joy that I pronounce you husband and wife. You may
kiss your bride.
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Before
this gathering, _______and _______ have promised each other their love and have
given each other rings to wear as a sign of their deep commitment. Therefore,
by the authority vested in me by the state of _______, I now declare that they
are husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it
is my honor and distinct pleasure to introduce to you for the first time, Mr.
and Mrs. ______________.
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_______
and _______, you have chosen each other in love and freedom. You have declared
your purpose before God and this gathering, and you have made your pledges one
to another. Therefore, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Those whom God has
joined together - let no one put asunder.
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In the
presence of God, and before this congregration, _______ and _______ have given
their consent and made their marriage vows to each other. They have declared
their marriage by joining of hands and by giving and receiving of rings. I
therefore proclaim that they are husband and wife. Those whom God has joined
together let no one put asunder.
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By the
exchanging of vows and the giving and receiving of rings, you have proclaimed
and affirmed your intentions to enter into a sacred union. In recognition of
these actions, and by the power vested in me as a Minister of the Gospel and in
accordance with the laws and statutes of this state, I now pronounce you
husband and wife. You many now kiss.
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Enhancements: Poems and
Sayings
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Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.
But
if you love and must needs have desires, let here be your desires:
To melt
and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the
pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of
love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged
heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour
and meditate love’s ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with
gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart
And a song of praise upon your lips.
Kahlil
Gibran
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The Irish Wedding Blessing
May the road rise to
meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm
upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon the fields.
May the light of
friendship guide your paths together.
May the laughter of children grace
the halls of your home.
May the joy of living for one another
trip a
smile from your lips, a twinkle from your eye.
And when eternity
beckons,
at the end of a life heaped high with love,
May the good Lord
embrace you
with the arms that have nurtured you
the whole length of your
joy-filled days.
May the gracious God hold you both
in the palm of
His hands.
And, today, may the Spirit of Love
find a dwelling place
in your hearts.
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The
Apache Marriage Blessing
Now you will feel no rain for each of you will
be shelter for the other.
Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be
warmth for the other.
Now there is no more loneliness; now you are two
persons,
But there is only one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling
– to enter into the days of your life together,
And may your days
together be good and long upon the earth.
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I love
you not only for what you are,
But for what I am when I am with you.
I
love you not only for what you have made of yourself,
But for what you are
making me.
I love you for the part of me that you bring out.
I love you
for passing over all my foolish and weak traits
That you can’t help but
see
I love you for drawing out into the light my beauty
That no one else
had looked quite far enough to din
I love you.
(Author
Unknown)
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Leap
Into The Void
Come with me into the void
If you return one day
You
who, like me dream,
Of that wonderful void
That absolute love
I know
that together
Without needing to say a single word to each other
We will
leap
Into the reality of that void
That awaits our love
The way I wait
for you every day
Come with me into the void
Yves Klein -
1957
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From
the Sanskrit
Look to this day for it is life
The very life of life in
its brief course
Lie all the varieties and realities of your
existence
The bliss of growth
The glory of action
The splendor of
beauty
For yesterday is already a dream
And tomorrow is only a
vision
But today, well lived, makes every yesterday a dream of
happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope
Look well, therefore, to
this day.
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Wedding
Prayer - Adapted; Robert Louis Stevenson
Lord, behold our family and
friends here assembled
We thank you for this place in which we
celebrate
For the love that it unites us
For the peace accorded to this
day
For the hope with which we dream
For the health, the work, the
food,
And the bright skies that make our lives delightful
For our friends
and family in all parts of the earth.
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Marriage Joins Two People In The Circle Of Its
Love
By Edmund O'Neil
Marriage is a commitment to life, the best that
two people can find and bring out in each other. It offers opportunities for
sharing and growth that no other relationship can equal. It is a physical and
an emotional 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. And 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 a love that
is deeper than life.
When two people pledge their love and care for
each other in marriage, they create a spirit unique unto 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 each other and takes a
lifetime to fulfill.
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It has
been fun to compile these writings. Each one of them touches me deeply in some
way. I hope that you find them useful and inspiring. It will please me if you
use any of them, and I am glad to have been of some service.
Sincerely,
Roland. Takaoka
Author - Your Dream Wedding.
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...an education
in
Wedding Planning! |
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