WEDDING
PROCESSION:
The Celebrant moves to the
front and calls all the assembled people together so as to be ready to welcome
the bride who is escorted by her father.
The wedding march music is
played during the procession.
WELCOME:
Celebrant:
Good afternoon everyone, my name is Jeff Oates and I am
duly authorised by Australian law to solemnize marriages according to that law and
so I am pleased to officiate at this very joyous occasion this afternoon.
On behalf of __________ and __________ I would like to
welcome you all here today and ask that you join with us in the spirit of love
and joy as __________ and __________ are united in marriage.
ADDRESS:
Celebrant:
We, who are gathered here
today, are privileged to witness and to participate in a ceremony celebrating
the public acknowledgement of a love which __________ and __________ have for
each other.
__________ and __________, before
you are joined in marriage, in my presence and in the presence of your family
and friends, I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the
relationship into which you are now about to enter. Marriage, according to Australian law, is the
union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered
into for life.
And so, we are gathered here
today to witness the coming together of two special people, __________ and
__________, whose hearts and spirits are entwined as one. They now desire to profess to the world and
in front of you all today, their intention to walk the road of life together.
THE ASKING:
Celebrant:
__________ and
__________, have you come here in the company of your
family and friends to affirm your commitment to each other?
Bride
and Groom:
We have.
Celebrant:
I now ask that __________ and __________’s parents to please stand.
Celebrant
to Groom’s Parents:
_______________ do you give
your blessing to the marriage of __________ and __________ here today, will you
receive __________ as a daughter and at all times give her your love, support
and understanding?
Groom’s
Parents Response:
We will
Celebrant to Bride’s Parents:
_______________ do you give your
blessing to the marriage of __________ and __________ here today, will you receive __________ as a son and at
all times give him your love, support and understanding.
Bride’s
Parents Response:
We will
Celebrant
to Groom:
_________________, will you receive _________________ as
your wife? Will you pledge to her your
love, faith and friendship, cherishing her with a husband’s loyalty and
devotion?
Groom
Response:
I will.
Celebrant
to Bride:
_________________, will you receive _________________ as
your husband? Will you pledge to him
your love, faith and friendship, cherishing him with a wife’s loyalty and
devotion?
Bride
Response:
I will.
VOWS:
Celebrant:
The next part of the services is where __________ and
__________ declare their love and
commitment to one another.
The groom and bride
face each other and join hands
The groom repeats after the
celebrant:
I
call upon everyone here today
to witness that I ____________________,
take you, ____________________
to be my lawful wedded wife.
I promise to love and cherish you,
to stand beside you as we
share all of life’s experiences together.
I promise to respect you for who you are
and to be a faithful and caring husband.
I look forward to our life together
and pledge to you
my unquestionable love and loyalty
as we grow together.
The
bride repeats after the celebrant:
I call upon everyone here today
to witness that I ____________________,
take you, ____________________
to be my lawful wedded husband.
I promise to love and cherish you,
to stand beside you as we
share all of life’s experiences together.
I promise to respect you for who you are
and to be a faithful and caring wife.
I look
forward to our life together
and pledge to you
my unquestionable love and loyalty
as we grow together.
THE RING CEREMONY:
Celebrant:
__________
and __________ have decided that they wish to exchange rings as a symbol of
their love and commitment to each other.
The celebrant collects the
rings from the best man
Celebrant to the groom
____________
place the ring on ____________’s finger and repeat after me:
_________,
with this ring I thee wed.
Take it and wear it as a sign of my love
and as a symbol of all we share.
Celebrant to the bride:
____________
place the ring on ____________’s finger and repeat after me:
____________,
with this ring I thee wed.
Take
it and wear it as a sign of my love
and
as a symbol of all we share.
Celebrant:
Let
these rings serve as locks – not binding you together – but as keys, unlocking
the secrets of your hearts for each other to know, and thus bringing you closer
together forever.
DECLARATION:
Celebrant:
May these two find
happiness in their matrimony
May the years be rich in the joys of life,
And may their days be long upon the earth.
__________ and __________ having thus
pledged yourselves each to the other, I do now by virtue of the authority
vested in me by Australian law, pronounce you husband and wife.
You may now celebrate your
marriage with a kiss!
SIGNING OF REGISTER:
I now invite the __________
and __________ along
with ______________________ to sign the register and certificates.
PRESENTATION
OF THE NEWLY MARRIED COUPLE:
Celebrant:
Ladies
and gentlemen please welcome for the first time as husband and wife, Mr and Mrs
__________ and __________.
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