Long Ceremony

 

This is a very special day in your lives because you have come here to be joined in the estate of matrimony.  You are demonstrating the best that life can offer; your love, faith and respect, each to the other.

 

Marriage is a sincere and mutual commitment to love one another.  It is not to be entered into lightly, but with discretion and true love.

 

A good marriage doesn't just happen.  It has to be created by the constant efforts of  both of you.  Developing a good marriage can be described as an art and in the art of marriage:

 

It is the little things which become the big things.

It is never being too old to hold hands.

It is always remembering to say "I Love You."

It is never going to sleep angry.

It is standing together, and facing the world "together".

It is having the ability to forgive.  Not only to forgive, but to forget.

It is giving each other space to grow.

It is never forgetting what it was that brought you two together,

those qualities in each other that caused you to fall in love.

And then, never losing those qualities,

but continuing to build on them each and every day of your lives.

 

Do you, Groom, take Bride as your wife?  Do you promise to love, honor and cherish her so long as you both shall live?

 

Do you, Bride, take Groom as your husband?  Do you promise to love, honor and cherish him so long as you both shall live?

 

The ring is an outward and visible sign of your love and devotion to each other.  The circle of the ring is as love freely given.  It has no beginning and it has no end.

 

(Groom places the ring on Bride's finger and repeats)..."With this ring I thee wed.  Let this ring be a symbol of our unending love."

 

For inasmuch as you, Groom, and you, Bride, have consented to be joined together in marriage, by the authority vested in me, but most of all by the power of your love for each other, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Medium Ceremony

 

We are gathered here today, on this happy and joyous occasion, to join this man and this woman in lawful wedlock.

 

Marriage is a solemn institution to be held in honor by all, it is the cornerstone of the family and of the community.  It requires of those who undertake it a complete and unreserved giving of one's self.  It is not to be entered into lightly, as marriage is a sincere and mutual commitment to love one another.  This commitment symbolizes the intimate sharing of two lives and should enhance the individuality of each of you.

 

Groom, do you take this woman to be your wedded wife?  Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health, remaining faithful to her as long as you both shall live?

 

Bride, do you take this man to be your wedded husband?  Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health, remaining faithful to him as long as you both shall live?

 

I now ask you, Groom, to place the ring on Bride 's finger and repeat after me: 

 

            I, Groom, take you, Bride, for my lawful wedded wife - to have and to hold -

            from this day forward - for better for worse -  for richer for poorer -

            in sickness and in health - to love, honor and cherish - till death do us part.

 

I now ask you to hold hands while Bride repeats after me:

 

            I , Bride, take you Groom, for my lawful wedded husband - to have and to hold -      from this day  forward - for better for worse - for richer for poorer -

            in sickness and in health - to love, honor and cherish - till death do us part.

 

Inasmuch as you, Groom and you, Bride, have consented to be joined together in marriage, and by virtue of the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Short Ceremony

 

We are gathered here for the purpose of uniting in marriage

           

Groom and Bride.

           

I ask you both to recognize that the foundation of a happy and enduring marriage is:  Love, Communication, Trust, Honesty, Respect and Understanding.  No other vows are more important than those you now assume.  The keeping of these vows will help you to grow together, to be happy, and fulfilled.

 

The contract of marriage is most solemn and is not to be entered into lightly,  but thoughtfully and seriously, and with a deep realization of its obligations and responsibilities.

 

Do you, Groom, choose Bride to be your lawful wedded wife?  Do you promise to love and comfort her, and to honor her and keep her in sickness and in health, in prosperity and adversity, and hold her needs above all other's, so long as you both shall live?

 

Do you, Bride, choose Groom to be your lawful wedded husband?  Do you promise to love and comfort him, to honor him and keep him in sickness and in health, in prosperity and adversity, and hold his needs above all other's, as long as you both shall live?

           

(Groom places the ring on Bride 's finger)

           

This ring is a symbol of your marriage.  It represents the unending love you have for each other.

 

Inasmuch as Groom and Bride have thus consented together in marriage; by virtue of the authority vested in me by the State of California as a Deputy Commissioner of Civil Marriages for the County of Mariposa, I now pronounce you husband and wife.