CIVIL CEREMONY # 22
ESL BASIC CIVIL CEREMONY – HAPPILY MARRIED
PRESENTATION OF THE BRIDE
Who is it that brings this woman to this man? / Who gives this woman in marriage? / “I do”
INTRODUCTION
_(Groom)_ and _(Bride)_ are honored to have you as their guests and are pleased that you have come to share these happy and sacred moments with them. As they enter into marriage, they do so with thoughtfulness and reverence. They give thanks for the past, which has brought them to this place, and look forward with hope for what the future will bring.
_(Groom)_ and _(Bride)_ the moment to which you have looked forward has now come. We have come together in this place to witness the exchange of your vows as you commit yourselves to one another in marriage.
DECLARATION
If anyone can show any reason why they may not be legally married, let him say so now.
Please face each other and join hands.
(Groom) , will you have _(Bride)_ to be your wife to live together as a married couple? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep her in sickness and in health: and stay faithful to her as long as you both shall live? / Answer: I will.
_(Bride)_ will you have _(Groom)_ to be your husband to live together as a married couple? Will you love him, comfort him, honour and keep him in sickness and in health: and stay faithful to him as long as you both shall live? / Answer: I will.
VOWS
(Groom) , please repeat your vows after me to _(Bride)_ .
With joy and in love,
I take you _(Bride)_
to be my wife.
I promise to share with you
in whatever happiness or sadness,
wealth or poverty,
troubled times or good times
that may be a part of our lives.
I intend that my life
shall be joined with yours
as long as we both shall live.
_(Bride)_ please repeat your vows after me to (Groom) ?
With joy and in love,
I take you _(Groom)_
to be my husband.
I promise to share with you
in whatever happiness or sadness,
wealth or poverty,
troubled times or good times
that may be a part of our lives.
I intend that my life
shall be joined with yours
as long as we both shall live.
RINGS
May I have the rings please?
(Groom) , as you place your ring on _(Bride)_ ‘s finger, would you please repeat after me your promise to your bride?
_(Bride)_ , I give you this ring
as a symbol of
my marriage vow to you.
With all that I am,
and all that I have,
I honor you.
With this ring,
I take you as my wife,
for as long as we both shall live”
Now, _(Bride)_ as you place your ring on (Groom) ‘s finger, would you please repeat after me your promise to your groom?
_(Groom)_ ,
I give you this ring
as a symbol of
my marriage vow to you.
With all that I am,
and all that I have,
I honor you.
With this ring,
I take you as my husband,
for as long as we both shall live”
CLOSING
_(Groom)_ and _(Bride)_ may the demands of your life together be met with courage and hopefulness. May you learn from your challenges and grow in your success. May life bless you with friends and family who are supportive and whom you enjoy being with.
May your love and care for one another last through all of your moments together, so that in the triumphs and the trials that lie ahead, you will feel just as happy as you do now – happy to be in love and married to one another. Go then in peace, and live more and more in the present, which is beautiful and bountiful and stretches beyond the past toward the future.
PRONOUNCEMENT
_(Groom)_ and _(Bride)_ you have openly declared your wishes to be united in marriage and in the presence of these witnesses have pledged your love to one another. You have confirmed the same by each giving and receiving a ring and by joining hands. By virtue of the powers vested in me by the Province of Ontario it is my honor and delight to pronounce that you are husband and wife.
Please seal your vows with a kiss.
DOCUMENTS
PRESENTATION OF THE COUPLE
Family and friends, it is my pleasure to present to you, the newly married couple, Mr. & Mrs. ——– .
RECESSIONAL
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