younique celebrations wedding and civil celebrant - Resources for Clients - younique celebrations

Wedding readings and blessings, example ceremonies and vows, rituals, traditions and more ...

Welcome to my resources page for clients! This is a page just for you created so you can peruse some examples in your own time.

On this page you will find some examples of ceremonies, readings, blessings, vows, traditions, rituals and symbols. This page is intended to provide you with a collation of texts and examples to start your thought process for planning your ceremony. You can let me know the type or feel of text you like and we can use some of these directly in your ceremony or you may use these as inspiration to create your own words. I have more resources and examples other than those on this page you can peruse at our meetings and of course there are many more examples out there so if you find something else you like don't hesitate to bring it along to our planning session.

Planning your ceremony

I offer clients a lot of flexibility when it comes to their ceremony. I do not have a set ceremony plan you must follow and I work with you to create a ceremony that reflects your values, the feel you want for the day and the words that are important for you to include.

There are only a couple of legal requirements for a civil wedding ceremony (the celebrant monitum and the first line of your vows) and the rest is up to you.

Typical components of a wedding ceremony include:

processional
welcome and introduction
giving away the bride
couple's story
readings
rituals, symbols and traditions
celebrant authority (monitum)
asking
vows
ring exchange
blessing
declaration of marriage and presentation

I have provided examples of some of these below.

ceremony examples

Examples of Introductions & Giving Away of the Bride

Readings

An excerpt from the poem Venus and Adonis
Love comforteth like sunshine after rain,
But Lust's effect is tempest after sun;
Love's gentle spring doth always fresh remain,
Lust's winter comes ere summer half be done;
Love surfeits not, Lust like a glutton dies;
Love is all truth, Lust full of forged lies.

"Litany" by Billy Collins
You are the bread and the knife,
the crystal goblet and the wine.
You are the dew on the morning grass
and the burning wheel of the
sun.
You are the white apron of the baker
and the marsh birds suddenly in flight.
However, you are not the wind in the orchard,
the plums on the counter,
or the house of cards.
And you are certainly not the pine-scented air.
There is just no way you are the pine-scented air.
It is possible that you are the fish under the bridge,
maybe even the pigeon on the general’s head,
but you are not even close
to being the field of cornflowers at dusk.
And a quick look in the mirror will show
that you are neither the boots in the corner
nor the boat asleep in its boathouse.
It might interest you to know,
speaking of the plentiful imagery of the world,
that I am the sound of rain on the roof.
I also happen to be the shooting star,
the evening paper blowing down an alley,
and the basket of chestnuts on the kitchen table.
I am also the moon in the trees
and the blind woman’s tea cup.
But don’t worry, I am not the bread and the knife.
You are still the bread and the knife.
You will always be the bread and the knife,
not to mention the crystal goblet and—somehow—the wine

An excerpt from "The Prophet" by Khalil Gabran (aka Kahlil Gibran)
You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of heavens dance between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

“Love Is A Great Thing” by Thomas à Kempis
Love is a great thing, yea, a great and thorough good. By itself it makes that is heavy light; and it bears evenly all that is uneven.

It carries a burden which is no burden; it will not be kept back by anything low and mean; it desires to be free from all wordly affections, and not to be entangled by any outward prosperity, or by any adversity subdued.

Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble, attempts what is above its strength, pleads no excuse of impossibility. It is therefore able to undertake all things, and it completes many things, and warrants them to take effect, where he who does not love would faint and lie down.

Though weary, it is not tired; though pressed it is not straitened; though alarmed, it is not confounded; but as a living flame it forces itself upwards and securely passes through all.

Love is active and sincere, courageous, patient, faithful, prudent and manly.

Contemporary Wedding Readings

"If You Can Always Be As Close" by Larry S. Chengges
If you can always be as close,
And as happy as today,
Yet be secure enough to grow
And change along the way.

If you can keep for you alone
Your love as man and wife,
Yet find the time to share your joy
With others in your life.

If you can be as one
And walk through marriage hand in hand,
Yet still support the goals and dreams
That each of you have planned.

If you can dare to always go
Your separate ways together,
Then all the wonder of today
Will stay with you forever.

"The Magic Of Love" by Helen Steiner Rice
Love is like magic
And it always will be,
For love still remains
Life's sweet mystery!
Love works in ways
That are wondrous and strange
And there's nothing in life
That love cannot change!
Love can transform
The most commonplace
Into beauty and splendour
And sweetness and grace!
Love is unselfish,
Understanding and kind,
For it sees with its heart
And not with its mind!
Love is the answer
That everyone seeks...
Love is the language
That every heart speaks...
Love can't be bought
It is priceless and free,
Love, like pure magic,
Is a sweet mystery!

"Sudden Light" by Dante Rosetti
I have been here before,
But when or how I cannot tell:
I know the grass beyond the door,
The sweet keen smell,
The sighing sound, the lights around the shore.

You have been mine before,
How long ago I may not know:
But just when at that swallow's soar
Your neck turned so,
Some veil did fall---I knew it all of yore.

Has this been thus before?
And shall not thus time's eddying flight
Still with our lives our love restore
In death's despite,
And day and night yield one delight once more?

"I Love You" by Roy Croft
I love you
Not only for who 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 of me.
I love you for the part of me that you bring out.
I love you for putting your hand into my heart
And passing over all the foolish, weak things that you can’t help.
Dimly seeing there and drawing out, into the light all the beautiful belongings
That no one else had looked quite far enough to find.
You have done it without a touch, without a word, without a sign.

"I Will Be Here" by Steven Curtis Chapman
If in the morning when you wake,
If the sun does not appear,
I will be here.
If in the dark we lose sight of love,
Hold my hand and have no fear,
I will be here.

I will be here,
When you feel like being quiet,
When you need to speak your mind I will listen.
Through the winning, losing, and trying we'll be together,
And I will be here.
If in the morning when you wake,
If the future is unclear,
I will be here.
As sure as seasons were made for change,
Our lifetimes were made for years,
I will be here.

I will be here,
And you can cry on my shoulder,
When the mirror tells us we're older.
I will hold you, to watch you grow in beauty,
And tell you all the things you are to me.
We'll be together and I will be here.
I will be true to the promises I've made,
To you and to the one who gave you to me.
I will be here.

click here for more contemporary readings

'No Matter What' By Debi Gliori
Small was feeling
Grim and dark.
Playing toss and fling and squash,
Yell and scream and bang and crash
Break and snap and bash and batter…
“Good grief” said Large.
“What is the matter?”

Small said,
“I’m a grim and grumpy
Little small
And nobody
Loves me at all”
“Oh Small” said Large. “Grumpy or not,
I’ll always love you no matter what.”

Small said, “If I was a grizzly bear,
Would you still love me,
Would you care?”
“Of course” said Large,
“bear or not,
I’ll always love you
No matter what.”

Small said “But if I turned into a bug,
Would you still love me and give me a hug?”

“Of course” said Large,
“Bug or not,
I’ll always love you no matter what”

“No matter what?” said Small and smiled
“what if I was a crocodile?”
Large said, “I’d hug you close and tight,
And tuck you up in bed each night.”

“Does love wear out” said Small,
“does it break or bend?
Can you fix it, stick it,
Does it mend?”
“Oh help” said Large, “I’m not that clever,
I just know I’ll love you for ever.”
Small said, “but what about
when your dead and gone
would you still love me then,
does love go on?”

Large held Small snug
as they looked out at the night,
at the moon in the dark,
and the starts shining bright.
“Small, look at the stars
How they shine and glow,
But some of those stars died
A long time ago
Still they shine in the evening skies
Love, like starlight, never dies.”

Religious Readings

Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

"Wedding Prayer" by Robert Louis Stevenson
Lord, 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.
Amen

Song of Solomon 2:10-13
My beloved responded and said to me,
'Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,
And come along.
'For behold, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone.
'The flowers have already appeared in the land;
The time has arrived for pruning the vines,
And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land.
'The fig tree has ripened its figs,
And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance.
Arise, my darling, my beautiful one,
And come along!'

Sirach 26:1-4, 13-16
Happy is the husband of a good wife;
the number of his days will be doubled.
A loyal wife brings joy to her husband,
and he will complete his years in peace.
A good wife is a great blessing;
she will be granted among the blessings of the man who fears the Lord.
Whether rich or poor, his heart is content,
and at all times his face is cheerful.
A wife's charm delights her husband,
and her skill puts flesh on his bones.
A silent wife is a gift from the Lord,
and nothing is so precious as her self-discipline.
A modest wife adds charm to charm,
and no scales can weigh the value of her chastity.
Like the sun rising in the heights of the Lord,
so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home.
Like the shining lamp on the holy lampstand,
so is a beautiful face on a stately figure.
Like golden pillars on silver bases,
so are shapely legs and steadfast feet.

Classic Wedding Readings

This reading is from the Song of Solomon.
You have ravished my heart,
My beloved, my spouse;
You have ravished my heart
With one look of your eyes,
With one link of your necklace.
How fair is your love,
My beloved, my spouse!
How much better than wine is your love,
And the scent of your perfumes
Than all spices!
Your lips, O my spouse,
Drip as the honeycomb;
Honey and milk are under your tongue;
And the fragrance of your garments
Is like the fragrance of Lebanon.
A garden enclosed
Is my beloved, my spouse,
A spring shut up,
A fountain sealed.
Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates
With pleasant fruits,
Fragrant henna with spikenard,
Spikenard and saffron,
Calamus and cinnamon,
With all trees of frankincense,
Myrrh and aloes,
With all the chief spices--
A fountain of gardens,
A well of living waters,
And streams from Lebanon.

"Sonnets from the Portuguese, XIV" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
If thou must love me, let it be for nought
Except for love's sake only. Do not say
'I love her for her smile--her look--her way
Of speaking gently,--for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day'--
For these things in themselves, Beloved, may
Be changed, or change for thee,--and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheeks dry,--
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
But love me for love's sake, that evermore
Thou mayst love on, through love's eternity.

“Sonnet from the Portuguese" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, - I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! – and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

"The Bargain" by Sir Philip Sidney
My true love hath my heart, and I have his,
By just exchange one for another given:
I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss,
There never was a better bargain driven:
My true love hath my heart, and I have his.

His heart in me keeps him and me in one,
My heart in him his thoughts and senses guides:
He loves my heart, for once it was his own,
I cherish his because in me it bides:
My true love hath my heart, and I have his.

From Romeo and Juliet Act II.scene 2, lines 126-135
(Juliet) What satisfaction canst thou have to-night?
(Romeo) The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine.
(Juliet) I gave thee mine before thou didst request it:
And yet I would it were to give again. (135)
(Romeo) Wouldst thou withdraw it? for what purpose, love?
(Juliet) But to be frank, and give it thee again.
And yet I wish but for the thing I have:
My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.

Click here for more classic readings

"I Love You" (also called "The Mother's Day Poem") by Carl Sandberg
I love you for what you are, but I love you yet more for what you are going to be.

I love you not so much for your realities as for your ideals. I pray for your desires that they may be great, rather than for your satisfactions, which may be so hazardously little.

A satisfied flower is one whose petals are about to fall. The most beautiful rose is one hardly more than a bud wherein the pangs and ecstasies of desire are working for a larger and finer growth.

Not always shall you be what you are now. You are going forward toward something great. I am on the way with you and therefore I love you.

"Marriage Joins Two People In The Circle Of Its Love" by Edmund O'Neill
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 or 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, 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.

Today by Ruth Van Gramberg
Today is very special to me!
It is a day on which I witness two people, as wonderful as you both, become one in marriage.
I am certain you will laugh more often than be miserable as you believe in magic and miracles.
I know you will courageously endure any setbacks or failures as you have an amazing quality of resilience.
I know you to be adventurous, always seeking new opportunities, and encouraging each other, to reach one stride beyond.
I feel you will always find time to smile and cherish life’s little pleasures, as you have the ability to spread warmth and kindliness.
Thus you will succeed to grow tall trees from little seedlings.
My wish for you today is to build on all of your dreams and together you can achieve anything, as you have been blessed with the united power of your love!

"The Art of a Good Marriage " by Wilferd Arlan Peterson
The little things are the big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry.

It is never taking the other for granted;
the courtship should not end with the honeymoon,
it should continue through all the years.

It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is standing together facing the world
It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.

It is doing things for each other,
not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice,
but in the spirit of joy.

It is speaking words of appreciation
and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not expecting the husband to wear a halo
or the wife to have wings of an angel.

It is not looking for perfection in each other.
It is cultivating flexibility, patience,
understanding and a sense of humor.

It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.
It is finding room for the things of the spirit.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.

It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal,
dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner,
it is being the right partner.

Light-hearted and Humorous Wedding Readings

'Yes I’ll Marry You My Dear' by Pam Ayres
Yes, I’ll marry you, my dear.
And here’s the reason why.
So I can push you out of bed
When the baby starts to cry.
And if we hear a knocking
And it’s creepy and it’s late,
I hand you the torch you see,
And you investigate.
Yes I’ll marry you, my dear,
You may not apprehend it,
But when the tumble-drier goes
It’s you that has to mend it.
You have to face the neighbour
Should our labrador attack him,
And if a drunkard fondles me
It’s you that has to whack him.
Yes, I’ll marry you,
You’re virile and you’re lean,
My house is like a pigsty
You can help to keep it clean.
That sexy little dinner
Which you served by candlelight,
As I do chipolatas,
You can cook it every night!!!
It’s you who has to work the drill
And put up curtain track,
And when I’ve got PMT it’s you who gets the flak,
I do see great advantages,
But none of them for you,
And so before you see the light,
I DO, I DO, I DO!!

"I Ask The Impossible" by Anna Castillo
"I ask the impossible: love me forever.
Love me when all desire is gone.
Love me with the single-mindedness of a monk.
When the world and all its entirety,
and all that you hold sacred, advise you
against it: love me still more.
When rage fills you and has no name: love me.
When each step from your door to your job ties you-
love me; and from job to home again.

Love me when you are bored -
when everyone you see is more beautiful than the last,
or more pathetic, love me as you always have:
not as admirer or judge, but with
the compassion you save for yourself
in your solitude.

Love me as you relish your loneliness,
the anticipation of your death,
mysteries of the flesh, as it tears and mends.

Love me as your most treasured childhood memory-
and if there is none to recall -
imagine one, place me there with you.
Love me withered as you loved me new.

Love me as if I were forever -
and I will make the impossible
a simple act,
by loving you, loving you as I do."

click here for more light-hearted readings

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

Proverbs 31:10-13,19-20,30-31
A capable wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.
She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy.
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her a share in the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the city gates.

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Ephesians 5:25-32
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind--yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish.

In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, because we are members of his body.

"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church.

click here for more religious readings

Rituals, Symbols and Traditions

There are many examples of rituals, traditions and symbols that have been utilised in weddings around the world. I have provided a list of some below but please feel free to let me know of any you would like included in your wedding.

Unity Symbolism
The following rituals and traditions are focused uniting the bride and groom, who have previously been separate entities, together as one.

Candles

The bride and groom each take a lit candle and simultaneously light a third larger 'unity candle'. The first candles may have been lit by the bride and groom or their families. They may blow out their individual lights, or leave them lit, symbolizing that they have not lost their individuality in their unity.

Rose/ Flower Ceremony

A simple ceremony where the bride and groom exchange roses. Other variations include the families exchanging roses, the bride and groom exchange roses with their families, the bride and groom exchange roses, then present their mothers with the roses.

Wine Ceremony

The bride and groom each take a carafe of wine and each pour some into a single glass, which they both drink from.

Water ceremony

The couple each pour a different colored water into a single glass, creating a third color. This ceremony can incorporate children and families.

Sand ceremony

The bride and groom both pour different coloured sand into a glass, taking turns, a little at a time, which creates colorful swirls and patterns. This ceremony can incorporate children and families.

Unity Bowl

This tradition is a way to honor multiple generations of the bride‘s and groom’s families, and/or a way to include any children that the couple may have. The couple selects a glass bowl they would enjoy having in their new home. Each grandparent, parent, stepparent, godparent and so on is given a vase filled with a different colour of flat coloured marbles, with the separate colours signifying the individuality of each family member. The grandparents pour their separate colours into the Unity Bowl as the foundation of the wedding of the bride and groom. Each set of parents does the same. Siblings and other special friends may be invited to participate, as well. Then the bride and groom add their two colours. If there are children, they add theirs after the bride and groom, as we are honoring each generation. After each addition the bowl is stirred creating new mosaics.

Painting Ceremony

A fun alternative to the traditional unity candle ceremony or sand ceremony, the Canvas Painting ceremony lets the couple celebrate their unity ceremony in an artistic way that truly represents themselves.
'Every marriage starts out as a blank canvas and every day is a splash of colour. This blank canvas represents the day of the wedding, and a new beginning. The paint colors signify the experiences that lie ahead; colors of joys and sorrows, blessings and heartache. The colors represent BRIDE and GROOM’s milestones, their celebrations, tribulations, passions and dreams. They are the moments that become the days that make-up the years. There will be places on the canvas when the colors blend and mix, flowing together, creating a new color of experiences shared. There will be places when the colors stay separate and stand out alone and independent… yet, still a compliment to the bold color by it’s side. And there may be places of contrast. Parts of the canvas that look dark or messy and not at all to the couples liking. While another spot remains blank and bare. However, when you step back and look at the canvas in its entirety, you will see that it clearly is an original masterpiece unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.'

Hand print or finger print tree
Hand fasting

A handfasting ceremony is an ancient marriage ritual. The couple kneel or stand and face each other whilst their hands are bound together and a reading performed.

Future Focused Symbolism
Whilst incorporating the unity theme of two becoming one, these traditions and rituals have a focus on the future of the bride and groom together.

Dove release

Love letter and wine box

A love letter exchange is a romantic ceremony that will serve as a lasting reminder of the commitments made to one another. Heartfelt letters, encapsulating your thoughts and feelings are locked away in a wine box to be revealed several years into your marriage.

Breaking bread ceremony

The bride and groom tear off pieces of bread, and then each eat a piece. Sometimes the bread is also shared with family and friends. It symbolizes their future as a family together.

Standing and giving a wish

Celebrant invites the crowd that during a moment of reflection and relative silence (or during a song chosen by the couple), when anyone who is so moved can get up and give a wish for the couple's marriage, or simply an observation. This custom was originally based on a Quaker wedding ceremony, but has since become something unto itself.

Bell of Truce Ceremony

A bell is rung on the wedding day, the happiest day of the couple's lives and then is placed in a central location in the home. If the couple starts to argue, one of them can ring the truce bell, reminding them both of that happiness and hopefully ending the disagreement quickly.

Butterfly release

Butterflies symbolise transformation, new beginnings, and freedom. Butterflies, with their unsurpassed beauty, have always been a symbol of the soul, of hope and of new beginning.
'According to an ancient butterfly legend … If you desire a special wish to come true, whisper it to a butterfly. Since butterflies make no sound, they can not tell the wish to anyone. So by making your wish and releasing the butterfly your wish will be taken to the heavens to be granted.'
'If a butterfly lands on the palm of my hand… I cannot hold onto that butterfly. If I try to hold it, it will be crushed. If I keep my hand open, it will be safe… Just like our relationships… the butterfly needs to be free…'

Hand Ceremony

'Please face each other and take each other’s hands, so that you may see the gift that they are to you. These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow and forever. These are the hands that will work alongside yours as together you build your future.
These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch will comfort you like no other. These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief temporarily comes to you. 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 tenderly hold your children, the hands that will join your family as one. These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it, support and encouragement to pursue your dreams, and comfort through difficult times.
And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.'

Cultural Traditions

Garland Ceremony or Lei Ceremony

The bride and groom exchange garlands of flowers. This is a common part of Indian weddings, where the ceremony is called varmala or jaimala, and represents a proposal by the bride and acceptance by the groom. It also represents their new unity, blessed by nature. In Hawaiian weddings, the bride and groom typically exchange leis. The families may also exchange leis with the couple. Leis represent the love and respect you have for the person you are giving it to, and the unity of the new family.

Salt Ceremony

Indian weddings often include a salt ceremony, where the bride passes a handful of salt to her groom without spilling any. He then passes it back to her and the exchange is repeated three times. She then performs the salt exchange with all the members of the groom's family, symbolizing her blending in with her new family.

Circling

In Eastern European ceremonies, the bride and groom circle the altar three times, which are their first steps together as husband and wife. In Hindu ceremonies, couples circle the fire seven times, sealing their bond. The unbroken circle represents the unbroken commitment to each other.

Exchanging the Peace

One of the simplest ways of involving your guests is also one of the nicest. Towards the end of the ceremony, each guest will turn to their neightbors, say hello and shake hands. They might say "Peace be with you," or "Peace and love." Though exchanging the peace is not directly asking for their support, it is helping to form community and human interaction. And ultimately, that community is what will support you, for many years to come.

Stone Ceremony

In early Australia, our convict forebears and many of our early settlers could not afford the normal symbolic presentation of rings at a wedding ceremony. To confirm their vows, instead of a ring or rings being given and received, the bride and groom cast a stone each into a nearby river or ocean - thus symbolising their remaining together forever while the tides of time ebbed and flowed over their lives.

The Asking, Vows and Exchange of Rings

The Asking
The Asking provides couples with the opportunity to make promises to each other other than those they intend to state in their vows and to say "I Do".
Some 'Asking' examples are shown below (I have a lot more examples and can write a personalised one for you):

NAME and NAME, do you come here freely, and without reservation, to enter a marriage as companions living together as one, enjoying equality? 'We do' Do you promise to love, respect, assist and look after each other for the rest of you lives? 'We do' Are you prepared to live in harmony and jointly strive for the welfare of your family? 'We are'
NAME Have you/Do you come here today of your own free will and without reservation, to take NAME to be your husband/wife, to live together as equal partners sharing all that life has to offer? 'I Do/ I Have'

Do you NAME take NAME to be your (wife/husband), 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 you part?

NAME have you come here today of your own free will to take NAME to be your husband/wife, that you may live together as equal partners sharing all that life has to offer? 'I have'
Will you love him/her, comfort him/her, honor and keep him/her all the days of your life? 'I Will'
NAME, do you love NAME willingly and completely, withholding nothing? Will you protect her/him, and give her/him your deepest considerations of her/his feelings, desires and needs? Will you strive to keep your love flexible and adapt to changing circumstances in the marriage? 'I Will'
Do you NAME promise to love NAME and respect her/him, to share your life and your dreams, to build with her/him a home that is a place of love, happiness, commitment and growth? 'I do'. Do you promise to be a companion to her/him in all of her successes and failures, her/his happiness and sadness, to always give to her/him your unwavering support and above all else, the freedom to be herself/himself? 'I do'.

Do you NAME promise to love NAME freely without restrictions, honestly without deceit, now without hesitation? 'I do'. Do you promise to accept her/him just as s/he is, sharing with her/him and supporting her/him through the experiences of your lives, be they easy or difficult, happy or sad, challenging or mundane, till death do you part? 'I do'.
NAME, do you here in the presence of family and friends, declare your love for and commitment to NAME, choosing her/him as your life partner and soul mate? Do you freely offer yourself to her/him and willingly accept the gift of self s/he offers to you? 'I do'.
From this day onward, do you choose NAME to be your husband/wife, your best friend and your only love? To live together, play together and laugh together; To work by her/his side and dream in her/his arms; To fill her/his heart and feed her/his soul; To always seek out the best in her/him; Always loving her/him with all your heart, until the end of your forever? If so, Say, “I do!

Asking Examples

The Vows
Your wedding vows are the sacred and precious promises you make to one another on your wedding day about your future together. You may choose to recite traditional vows, take inspiration from many contemporary vow examples available or write your own vows.
If writing your own wedding vows, acknowledge what your upcoming marriage means to you. Focus on what makes your relationship so special. Describe what your partner, the marriage ceremony and spending the rest of your life together mean to you.

In Australia, The Marriage Act requires that each party say to the other, in the presence of an authorised celebrant and the witnesses, the words:
‘I call upon the persons here present to witness that I, NAME, take thee, NAME, to be my lawful wedded wife/husband/spouse’.
The following wording substitutions and changes are acceptable:

‘call upon’ may be changed to ‘ask’
‘persons’ may be changed to ‘people’
‘thee’ may be changed to ‘you’
‘husband’ or ‘wife’ may be changed to ‘spouse’
‘persons here present’ may be changed to ‘everyone here’ or ‘everybody here’ or ‘everyone present here’ or ‘everybody present here’, or
the couple may leave out either ‘lawful’ or ‘wedded’, but not both.

Couples wishing to personalise their vows further are able to lengthen their vows by adding their chosen wording after saying the minimum words (so long as any material added does not contradict the minimum vows).

Some Traditional Vow Examples

I take you to be my wife/husband, 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.
I, take you to be my husband/wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love and honor you all the days of my life.
I, [Name], promise you, [Name], that I will be your [wife/husband] from this day forward, to be faithful and honest in every way, to honour the faith and trust you place in me, to love and respect you in your successes and in your failures, to make you laugh and to be there when you cry, to care for you in sickness and in health, to softly kiss you when you are hurting, and to be your companion and your friend, on this journey that we make together.

I (name), take you (name) to be my (husband/wife), my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live.

Some Contemporary Vow Examples

I promise to always be there for you, to shelter and hold your love as the most precious gift in my life. I will be truthful and honor you. I will care for you always and stand by you in times of sorrow and joy.

I (name), take you (name) to be my (husband/wife), my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live.
I love you. You are my best friend. Today I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our love is simple, and when it is an effort. I promise to cherish you, and to always hold you in highest regardThese things I give to you today, and all the days of our life.”

I (name) affirm my love to you, (name) as I invite you to share my life. You are the most beautiful, smart, and generous person I have ever known, and I promise always to respect you and love you. With kindness, unselfishness and trust, I will work by your side to create a wonderful life together. I take you (name) to be my lawful (wife/husband), to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health for as long as we both shall live.

(Name), today I take you for my (husband/wife/spouse). Now we will feel no rain, for each of us will be shelter for the other. Now there will be no loneliness, for each of us will be companion to the other. There is only one life before us, and our seasons will be good and long. I promise to love, honor, and cherish you, no matter what lies before us, for as long as we both shall live.

I take you to be my lawfully wedded husband/wife. Before these witnesses I vow to love you and care for you as long as we both shall live. I take you with all your faults and your strengths as I offer myself to you with my faults and strengths. I will help you when you need help, and I will turn to you when I need help. I choose you as the person with whom I will spend my life.

Our choice is made. Our minds are clear and our hearts strong. This love means more to us than anything else in life. There is no person, precondition, or approval I value more than your love. There is no obstacle I would not overcome to reach you. I give myself to our union. I welcome you as my partner in life. May our love forever keep us strong.

When you need strength, I will offer mine. When you need words of encouragement, I will listen and provide support. When you need solace and comfort and the silent speech of love, I will understand. I place you in my heart today, before all others, and I pledge to work from this hour forward to make our commitment a sound and challenging one.

As we stand beside the ocean today, may our love be as continuous and unchanging as the tides, flowing endlessly from the depths. Just as the waves lap against the shore, so your love came into my heart. Just as the waves will continue to rise and swell for all eternity, so will my love for you continue. Today I promise to be your loving wife/husband as constant and dependable as the tide.

As we stand beside the ocean tide, may our love always be as constant and unchanging as these never-ending waves that pour beneath our feet, flowing endlessly from the depths of the sea; your love came softly upon my heart, just as the foam comes softly upon the sand, and just as there will never be a morning without the ocean’s flow, so there will never be a day without my love for you. I pledge myself to you this day. Our love will be as unchanging and dependable as the tide; as these waters nourish the earth and sustain life, may my constant devotion nourish and sustain you until the end of time.

More vow examples

Exchange of Rings
The exchange of rings or other is a symbol of the vows the couple are making to each other, a lasting reminder of the promises made on the wedding day. Wedding rings mark the beginning of the journey - a journey to be filled with laughter, tears, celebration, grief, joy, and surprise.
Your rings say that even in your uniqueness you have chosen to be bound together.

The exchange of rings can be introduced identifying the precious nature of the rings and their symbolism or perhaps with a focus on the unbroken circle of love they represent.

'You have for each other a golden ring. This most precious of metals symbolises that love is the most precious element in your life together. The ring has no beginning and no ending, which symbolises that the love between you will never cease. You place these rings upon each others fingers as a visible sign of the vows which, this day, have made you husband and wife.'

'Traditionally, the passage to the status of husband and wife is marked by the exchange of rings. These rings are a symbol of the unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have taken.'

'The ring is an ancient symbol, so perfect and simple. It has no beginning and has no end. It is round like the sun, like the moon, like the eye, like arms that embrace. It is a circle; for love that is given comes back round again. Your rings are precious because you wear them with love. They symbolise your commitment in marriage. They remind you of who you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re going. As you wear them through time, they will reflect not only who you are as individuals, but also who you are a couple.'

'Throughout human tradition, when you make a pledge, it has been deemed good to have a token to remind you of that pledge. For this purpose you have chosen rings. They are appropriate to the task because they are circles never ending, like the promises you make to each other today. And they are made of precious metal, never to be tarnished, like the love you have expressed before me and these witnesses. Please take these rings and honour each other in their giving.'

You may choose to have the rings blessed (either by the celebrant or a guest) or hold a ring warming ceremony (the ring warming is an opportunity for guests to send the bride and groom good luck and love through a silent wish to the rings when passed to them).

When exchanging the rings you may choose to state further promises or statements about your rings or keep it simple.

'I (name) give you (name) this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you.'
'With this ring, I thee wed.'
'I give you this ring, as I give to you all that I am, and accept from you, all that you are.'
'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.'
'I have for you a golden ring. The most precious metal symbolizes that your love is the most precious element in my life. The ring has no beginning and no ending, which symbolizes that the love between us will never cease. I place it on your finger as a visible sign of the vows which have made us husband and wife.'
'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.'
'I give you this ring to wear with love and joy. As a ring has no end, neither shall my love for you. I choose you to be my (wife / husband) this day and forevermore.'
'With this ring I give you my heart. I promise from this day forward you will not walk alone. May my arms be your shelter and my heart be your home.'
'With this ring, I marry you and bind my life to yours. It is a symbol of my eternal love, my everlasting friendship, and the promise of all my tomorrows.'
'I take you to be my wife/husband. I promise you love, honor and respect, to be faithful to you and forsaking all others, until death do us part.'
'You are my life, my love, and with this ring I marry you. I promise to be open and honest in our partnership, and I pledge myself to you from this day forward and for all eternity.'

Ring exchange examples

Wedding Blessings

A wedding blessing may be performed by the celebrant or a close family member or friend. The blessing may be religious or not and reflects the wishes and hopes of family and friends present for the couple's marriage. I have collated a few examples below however for those wanting a bespoke personalised ceremony I can work with you to create your own blessing.

Apache 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 to the other. Now there will be no loneliness, for each of you will be companion to the other. Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you. May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead and through all the years, May happiness be your companion and your days together be good and long upon the earth."

The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran: "You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore. You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days. But let there be spaces in your togetherness, and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another, but make not a bond of your love; let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your soul. Fill each others' cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone. Even as the strings of a lute are alone, though they quiver with the same music. Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping. For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts. And stand together yet not too near together: for the pillars of the temple stand apart, and the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow."

"May you always need one another, not to fill an emptiness, but to help each other know your fullness. May you want one another, but not out of lack. May you embrace one another, but not encircle one another. May you succeed in all important ways with each other, and not fail in the little graces. May you have happiness, and may you find it in making one another happy. May you have love, and may you find it in loving one another."

" Love one another, but make not a bond of that love. Let it rather be like a moving sea between the shores of your souls. And stand together, and yet not too near together. For even the pillars of the temple must stand apart; and the oak tree and the cypress will not grow in each other’s shadow. Remember that love gives nothing but from itself. Love possesses not, nor would it be possessed, for love is sufficient unto love. And think not that you can direct the course of love. For love, if it finds you worthy, will direct your course."

Welsh blessing ~ Wishing you A house full of sunshine, Hearts full of cheer, Love that grows deeper each day of the year.

"BRIDE and GROOM, you came here today, in the presence of family and friends, to express your love for, and commitment to each other. Your lives are forever changed. Now, you can face your fears, for you each will be strength to the other. Now, you can brave the wind, for you each will be shelter to the other. Now, you can reap the rewards, for you each will be partner to the other. Now though you are two bodies, there is one life before you. And there, in that life, may you always find love."

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."

Beach Wedding Blessing ~ "As we stand here under the vast sky of love's possibilities, beside the ocean wide and deep, we give expression to our intention that this marriage grow stronger through the seasons. We honour earth and ask that this marriage be abundant and fruitful; We honour wind and ask that they be lifted up to soar through life, safe and calm; We honour fire and ask that their union be warm and glowing with love in their hearts; We honour water to cleanse and soothe this union that it may never thirst for love; Under this wondrous canopy of nature and with all the vast universe as our witness, we hope for them harmony and happiness as they grow forever together."

Our dear Heavenly Father. We come before you this day, to consummate the marriage promises and commitment made by groom & bride. We give thanks to you for the many blessings you have bestowed on us. Thank you for bringing their paths together so that they may find and know true love.
Today we ask for blessing upon this ceremony and this marriage. We ask that you give bride and groom, words both kind and loving, hearts always ready to ask forgiveness as well as to forgive, and spirits filled with well-being and light.
May the love that brought them together grow and mature with each passing year. Bring them ever closer to You through their love for each other. May their love grow to perfection.
Amen

Dear Lord,
We have come before you this day to give thanks for the love you have shared with these two people. We ask that you help (groom) and (bride) to always remember when they first met and to remember the strong love that grew between them. To work that love into practical things so nothing can divide them. Please help them find words both kind and loving and hearts always ready to ask forgiveness as well as able to forgive.
Dear Lord, we put this marriage into your hands.
Amen

May you be blessed by God.
May you be touched by angels.
May your hearts stay full, your spirits stay connected, and may you love long and happily in one another’s arms.

blessing examples

Rehearsal

I recommend a rehearsal to all of my couples where it is possible. At rehearsal we will

confirm all details for the day
check arrival times
wet weather plans
sign the declarations of no impediment to marriage
work out staging for the ceremony
run through lifting the veil and 'giving away of the bride' , handing off of bouquets, are guests sitting or standing on entry and exit, where are the bridal party walking to etc
what sides to the bridal party stand on (if outdoors brides may wish to switch sides if the wind is blowing unfavourably)
practice readings and vows

check timing of music
run through signing procedures
practice putting a ring on each others finger
check any impacts of sun, shade, tides etc
where I will stand throughout the ceremony to provide the best photo opportunities for you

seating for important guests

At rehearsal it is good to have all people who will be involved in the ceremony present.

If it is not possible to have a rehearsal we will run through these things separately.

Applying for your marriage certificate

At your ceremony I will provide you with your certificate of marriage (form 15). This is not a document of identity but is evidence of your marriage. Each marriage certificate has security features built in during the printing stage, and a unique identifying number on the back and cannot be replaced.

In order to change your name on your passport, drivers licence etc you will need to obtain an official marriage certificate from the relevant state BDM. In Queensland you can complete the application via this link: https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/birth-death-and-marriage-certificates/marriage-certificates/