SIMPLE CIVIL WEDDING CEREMONY

BRIDE/GROOM, 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 my strengths.
I will help you when you need help,
and will turn to you when I need help.
I choose you as the person with whom I will spend my life.

CIVIL WEDDING CEREMONY #1

Declaration of Consent

If the father of the Bride or family member is present and giving the Bride away, the officiant should recite the next line.

Who is it that brings this woman to this man? (I do or We do)

Greeting / Welcoming Words

You have come here today, GROOM and BRIDE, because you believe that by being together your lives will be better and more productive than they would be apart.

Should there be anyone who has just cause why this couple should not be united in marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace.

The Charge / Question of Intent

GROOM do you take BRIDE to be your Wife? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her forevermore? (I do)

BRIDE do you take GROOM to be your Husband? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him forevermore? (I do)

Wedding Vows

In honor of the solemn pledge you are about to make, and symbolizing its unbroken perpetuity, please join hands.

I, GROOM, take thee, BRIDE, to be my wife. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow, I promise my love to you.

I, BRIDE, take thee GROOM, to be my husband. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health , for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow, I promise my love to you.

Exchange of Wedding Rings

BRIDE, I give you this ring as my promise that I will always love you, cherish you and honor you all the days of my life. With this ring, I thee wed.

GROOM, I give you this ring as my promise that I will always love you, cherish you and honor you all the days of my life. With this ring, I thee wed.

Pronouncement as Husband and Wife

GROOM and BRIDE in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in Matrimony, have promised your love for each other by these vows, the joining of your hands and the giving of these rings, I now declare you to be husband and wife.

CIVIL WEDDING CEREMONY #2

Welcome. We are gathered here today to unite GROOM and BRIDE as husband and wife. What we do today is done in conformity to the laws of the state of California and in the tradition of men and women of all places and times.

GROOM and BRIDE, you stand before me having requested that I marry you. Do you both do this of your own free will, with no pressure upon you from other persons?(We do)

Do any of the witnesses know of any reason why we may not legally continue with this wedding? (I do not or We do not)

Wedding Vows

Then let us continue... Today, the vows you will take are beautiful words representing even more beautiful intentions. But you will find that as you live these vows over the years,  investing your time and your love and your commitment to one another, the happy times of your life will be twice as joyous, because there will be someone to share those joys with. And when life gets tough, it will only be half as bad, because there will be someone by your side to help carry the burden.

GROOM, if it is your wish to become the husband of BRIDE, then please repeat after me.

I, GROOM, take you, BRIDE, to be my wife. In this moment I promise before these witnesses to love you and care for you all
of our days. I accept you with your faults and your strengths, even as I offer myself with my faults and strengths.

I promise to support you when you need support and to turn to you when I need support. I choose you as the one with whom I will spend my life.

BRIDE, if it is your wish to become the wife of GROOM, then please repeat after me.

I, BRIDE, take you, GROOM, to be my husband. In this moment I promise before these witnesses to love you and care for you all of our days. I accept you with your faults and your strengths, even as I offer myself with my faults and strengths

I promise to support you when you need support and to turn to you when I need support. I choose you as the one with whom I
will spend my life.

Exchange of Wedding Rings

GROOM and BRIDE, you have shared promises in our presence. Do you have a token or symbol which you wish to exchange? (We do)

GROOM, please give your token to BRIDE and repeat these words:

I give you this ring as a constant reminder of the promises we exchanged today. As you receive this ring, receive my promise of faithfulness to you.

BRIDE, please give your token to GROOM and repeat these words:

I give you this ring as a constant reminder of the promises we exchanged today. As you receive this ring, receive my promise of faithfulness to you.

Pronouncement as Husband and Wife

GROOM and BRIDE, you have exchanged your promises and given and received tokens in my presence. By these acts you have become husband and wife. According to the laws of the state of California, I hereby pronounce that you are husband and wife.

You may seal your promise with a kiss.

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. GROOM and BRIDE!