Celebration ceremonies

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Celebration ceremonies are non-legally binding weddings and are officiated by one of our celebrants in the language of your choice.

Unlike at a civil wedding, a celebration ceremony is a great way to celebrate your wedding, without the need to worry about paperwork or any restrictions the civil registrar may encounter.
You may choose to have a civil ceremony before or after the celebration ceremony. Even if you don’t plan to get married legally, there is nothing to stop you having a celebration ceremony.

Please read through these sample texts to get an idea of what the ceremony could be like.

You are welcome to mix parts of the different ceremony sample texts and change or edit the texts.

The Fee for our Celebration Ceremonies is from 350 €.

Please contact us for more information and bookings or for a non-committal chat on Skype or telephone with our celebrants.

You can also find more information and answers to the frequently asked question regarding celebration ceremonies below.

For the celebration ceremony we have the following options:

Celebration ceremony – from 350 €
Celebration ceremony with Your-Story-text – from 450 €,this is including the option of adding your personal story written by one of our ceremony text writers. We create this story text from the information you give us through the detail sheet or through information given through conversations in a Skype or phone call. Don’t worry you always have the option to see the text prior to the ceremony and make changes to your liking.

Languages for celebration ceremonies

We offer celebration ceremonies in English, German, Portuguese, French, Italian as well as bi-lingual ceremonies.
We also have some ceremony text samples in Dutch and Russian and can translate texts on request. New translations will be quoted by your wedding planner.

Planning of ceremony

We need the base wedding text, chosen from here

English texts: http://www.weddingportugal.com/en_GB/category/ceremony-texts/
German texts: http://www.weddingportugal.com/de_DE/category/ceremony-texts/
Portuguese texts (and other languages) http://www.weddingportugal.com/en_GB/category/ceremony-texts-other-languages/

No less than approx. 2 weeks before the wedding. However, it would be better to send it as soon as you have chosen, to give us time to overlook it. If you would like to add a personal story please let us know and either send us the written answers to the below questions or schedule a Skype call with us no less than 1 month prior to the wedding.
We also need you to fill in the questionnaire at the bottom of this page.
You may also choose any of the wedding rites from this link:

http://www.weddingportugal.com/en_GB/wedding-rites-to-add-to-your-ceremony/

Your-Story

We would be happy to write a personal story for your wedding ceremony, please see a samples of a personalized text here:

http://www.weddingportugal.com/en_GB/personalized-your-story-text/

If you would like us to write a personal text about you to add to the ceremony, then please reply to the questions below. This can also be done through a Skype call.

Optional you can just send us a personal story you would like us to include into the ceremony. (no additional costs apply)

Your Story Questions

Where and when did you meet for the first time?
How and when did you start dating?
Who proposed, how and where?
What does this next step, getting married, mean to you?
What do you like best about your partner?
What do you like least, but agree to live with?
What do the people present as witnesses mean to you?
Is there anyone you’d especially like to mention?

Ceremony rehearsals

A ceremony rehearsal can be held at a pre agreed time. There is an additional charge which is quoted individually for each wedding.

Readings

Find some samples for readings that your guests may want to read during your wedding ceremony.

What happens on the day

On the wedding day the celebrant will arrive approx. 1 hour prior to the ceremony.
Whenever possible the celebrant will briefly visit the bride wherever she is getting ready and agree to who will give the signal to the bride to enter the ceremony area.
After this the celebrant meets and greets the groom, who will, if possible, introduce the ring holder and any guests who might be doing the readings.
The celebrant will also inspect the ceremony site and make sure everything is set up correctly.
He/she will talk to the musicians/sound technician to agree on music queues. The celebrant will advise a messenger to the bride when everyone is being seated. Traditionally the groom and celebrant will await the bride at the end of the aisle, however there are other ways to do this for example the couple could walk in together.

Our Celebrants

Being a celebrant is a task that requests sensitivity to the occasion and a fine tuning of being in the moment.
This is your moment and a good celebrant will manage this in such a way to allow room for all the emotions that go with it and at the same time will be there to guide you safely through.
The moment of taking your vows is an emotional experience for most people.
It is a significant point in time being connected with your family and friends who are sharing the occasion with you.
We also feel very honoured to be part of this.

In case the celebrant booked is not available due to an unforeseen event we will send a different celebrant, ensuring that you have the same quality for the service.

WEDDING CEREMONY SAMPLE 4 (no guests)

Opening

Let us lift our hearts as one in delighted celebration of the marriage union that is about to take place here between bride and groom.
You enter into the sacred and joyous covenant of marriage, the magnificence of your love is a blessing
and so are your open hearts and your vibrant and willing spirits.

Love is an inspiration and may your step of making these marriage promises to each other also inspire others in your live, so it can be a reminder to people to rededicate themselves to their loving relationships.
May your step to create a union enrich all that surround you in your daily lives.

We are here to celebrate your union and to join your lives together in marriage whilst rejoicing in this wonderful occasion.

The essence of the marriage relationship is the openness to another person in his or her entirety as lover, companion, and friend.
We join our lives together in search of something greater and richer; something that transcends our lives.
Loving one another with depth and passion is perhaps the greatest treasure
we human beings can attain.
It adds richness and profound meaning to our lives.
Love is one of life’s greatest joys.
By simply giving ourselves to each other, honestly and courageously, each partner is infinitely enhanced.
As companions in our day-to-day lives, we take pleasure in sharing our time, thoughts, and feelings.
We delight in reporting on our separate adventures in the world.
These become the rhythm of life between devoted life partners as they build their life together.
In marriage, two lives are intimately shared; and the blending of the two
must not diminish either one.
Rather, it should enhance the individuality of each partner.
As a marriage matures, it takes on a life of its own.
And within it, each partner is individually evolving while growing in understanding of the other.
This wonderful intimacy with another person can mirror a depth of inner knowing that awakens levels of awareness we never knew existed.
To be awakened in this way is a priceless gift.
When we give of ourselves into a loving marriage partnership, we do not abandon ourselves;
we do not shed our individuality;
for that is what brought us together in the first place.

Introduction The Asking

bride and groom by entering into the covenant of marriage today you are declaring your faith in each other.
You have indeed earned this faith and trust by creating a sound foundation for this marriage.
Your task now is to build on this solid base.
Fill your loving partnership with the caring, trust, vulnerability, and kindness that are essential to a healthy marriage relationship.
In dedicating yourselves to these values you will create a marriage that is a source of joy, in which you may both grow in love and find fulfilment.
Know that you will be tested by the routines of daily life, by chance and circumstance, and by the full cycle of the seasons of life.
Know that together you must encounter life’s sorrow no less than its sweetness, its frustration along with its grace and ease, its disappointments along with its fulfilment.
Enter your marriage confident in the love and trust you have already created between you.
As you go forward in your journey together as husband and wife, devote yourselves to living according to the vows you share today.
Keep your love alive with your openness to each other and your enthusiasm for each other.
You hold each other’s hearts in the palms of your hands.
Be gentle caregivers, honouring this trust.
Let this be a marriage that enhances your individuality and allows you to know that greatest gift that God has given us the ability to love one another and to be loved.
Groom, do you understand and accept this responsibility, and do you promise to do your very best each day to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage?
Groom: I do.
Bride: do you understand and accept this responsibility, and do you promise to do your very best each day to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage?
Bride: I do.
Groom do you take bride as your wife and partner?
Groom: I do.
Do you promise to love her every day?
Groom: I do.
And will you respect and trust her, laugh and cry with her.
Will you be faithful to her.
Will you be with her in good times and bad times no matter what difficulties you may be facing?
Groom: I will.
And will you give her your hand, your heart and your love?
Groom: I will.
Bride do you take groom as your husband and partner?
Bride: I do.
Do you promise to love him every day?
Bride: I do.
And will you respect and trust him laugh and cry with him.
Will you be faithful to him.
Will you be with him in good times and bad times no matter what difficulties you may be facing?
Bride: I will.
And will you give him your hand, your heart and your love?
Bride: I will.
Your marriage will, no doubt, be filled with surprises.
Some you will welcome, while others will test the strength and flexibility of your bond.
Your life together will present many opportunities to refine and deepen your love and to explore the profound depths of your being.
May your love create a safe haven for you both on the journey that lays ahead of you.
Lead with your hearts and take the time to do the simple things that will nurture your love.
Listen to each other attentively, to your dreams and your frustrations, be helpmates and be playful in finding ways to give your love anew every day.
Let your love be an inspiration to others to reach out for what is good within us all.
May your love be so abundant that you have plenty to share with the rest of us.
It is your love that has brought us here today, may it grow deeper and sweeter with each passing year.

Ring exchange Introduction

These rings are circles,
As arms that embrace, these wedding rings you give and receive this day
reflect the circle of shared love into which you enter as partners in life.
May you always be blessed.

Ring Exchange

groom:
I give you this ring as a sign that I choose you to be my lover, my partner,
and my best friend today, tomorrow, and always.
bride:
I give you this ring as a sign that I choose you to be my lover, my partner,
and my best friend today, tomorrow, and always.

Closing Words

bride and groom,
my best wishes go forward from this day with you.
I wish for you a fulfilling life, rich in caring and in happiness.
I wish for you a gentle and peaceful life that nurtures and comforts you.
I wish for you a noble life, which reflects your honesty, kindness, and integrity.
I wish for you an adventuresome life, exploring the fullness of your own and each other’s true selves.
bride and groom, there is a wonderful life ahead of you.
Live it fully.
Love its changes and choices.
Let life amaze you and bring you great joy.
As the Apache Wedding Blessing declares: [to be read by ….] Example
“Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter to 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 one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place to enter into the days of your togetherness,
And may your days be-good and long upon the earth.”
You may now kiss the bride!!

Wedding Ceremony including children

When two people get married who have children, it is natural that you may want to include them in the ceremony.

There are plenty of different ways you can involve your children into your wedding ceremony. They may bring the wedding rings or they may do a reading during the ceremony, they can take part in the sand ritual if you choose to add this to your ceremony, we can create a Family wedding certificate to be signed and/or we can add text to your wedding ceremony to involve your children, whether they are your children from your relationship or from a previous partnership.

Every story is different and so we offer this option for any personalized celebration ceremony. To find out what would work best for you or to write a text suggestion we recommend a Skype call with the celebrant.

Here is just one text idea from Shyamala Littlefield from Ceremonies For Sacred Days that can be added to a ceremony.

Officiant: These sacred vows are not just between Maddy and Joe because you will not only be a new couple, you will be a new family. So Tina and Missy, will you please join us now for the special family rites of this wedding. [Maddy and Joe turn to face girls as they stand in front of them. Maddy speaks as Joe puts heart necklaces on the girls]

Kids: “Thank you for sharing Daddy with me, loving me and allowing me to love you with all of my heart. I was not there when you took your first steps, but I promise that now I will love and support you in every step that you take in your life. These necklaces are a symbol of our love and devotion to the two of you.

I love you, Tina and I am devoted to making your life full of happiness and accomplishments, nurturing your creativity, encouraging your independence, and making sure you always know what a gift you are to this world.
I love you, Missy and I am devoted to making your life full of happiness and accomplishments, ensuring that you thrive to your fullest potential, and that while you reach for the sky, you remain grounded by the love of our family and our home.”

Officiant: Girls, please come stand by me as we marry Daddy and Maddy. We want you to have a front row seat.

Joe and Maddy, please join hands and face each other so that you can look into each other’s eyes and see the beauty of what is about to happen.

Missy, please hand this ring to your Dad to give to Maddy.

Joe, please place this ring on Maddy’s finger and hold it there as you repeat after me:
I give you my promise to be by your side forevermore.
I promise to love, to honour, and to listen as you tell me of your thoughts, your hopes, your fears, and your dreams.
I promise to love you deeply and truly because it is your heart that moves me, your head that challenges me,
your humour that delights me,
and your hands I wish to hold until the end of my days.

Tina, please give this ring to Maddy to give to your Dad.
Maddy, please place this ring on Joe’s finger and hold it there as you repeat after me:
I give you my promise to be by your side forevermore.
I promise to love, to honour, and to listen as you tell me of your thoughts, your hopes, your fears, and your dreams.
I promise to love you deeply and truly because it is your heart that moves me, your head that challenges me,
your humour that delights me,
and your hands I wish to hold until the end of my days.

May all your days be filled with joy and happiness. It is my honour and great pleasure and by the power vested in me by the state of California, that I now pronounce you husband and wife.

You may kiss your beautiful bride and she may kiss you back.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I now present to you for the very first time – the Stranger family – Joe, Maddy, Tina and Missy

[Wedding couple and girls exit down aisle.]

Source: http://offbeatbride.com/blended-family-wedding-vows/

You can find some more text ideas under this same link, please have a look and let us know your favourite so we can include it into your wedding ceremony.

You can find some more ideas for children here:

https://www.theknot.com/content/ways-to-include-your-kids-in-your-wedding

Your-Story- Sample text

The below is a sample text written from information given by you to us. You can choose to see the Your-Story-Text before the wedding day and make changes or you can choose to keep it as a surprise for the day.

Eight years ago Romeo realized that his passion was not in Engineering, but in Business. However, his friends at the University of Ottawa remained devoted to their Engineering studies and so even though he had changed majors, Romeo found himself still hanging out at SITE, the School of Information Technology and Engineering.

Little did he know that his education in love and passion was just beginning. Juliet was first drawn to SITE by her passion for coffee but it was the table of fun-loving guys that kept her and her friends coming back. She found herself looking for excuses to get closer to one particular “Hot Guy at SITE” and no amount of teasing would keep Juliet from finding out more.

Her research was nothing if not thorough and it wasn’t until she took a photo, zoomed in to check for nose hair and ear wax, that that “Hot Guy at SITE” passed inspection.

With such dedication and painstaking analysis, it’s hard to believe that, by October, Juliet and her friends were struggling with their Physics studies. Luckily, her astute lab partner observed that Engineers are great at Physics and offered to introduce them to some tutors. With nothing but hope and her abysmal quiz results in hand, Juliet followed her lab partner right to the table that she and her friends had so often been watching. And so it was that Romeo, AKA “Hot Guy” met Juliet. It wasn’t long before she knew that she had met “the sweetest and most amazing guy in the world.” ……… Juliet failed the class.

Fast forward to August 5, 2013 in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Romeo and Juliet were on vacation, sailing around Provincetown Bay in an old-fashioned schooner, the Bay Lady II. The day was perfect, bright and sunny, and the sails were full of wind to guide them past the beautiful sand dunes dotted with iconic lighthouses. They sat at the bow for a better view and before Juliet knew what was happening Romeo was down on one knee, addressing her by her full name, holding a ring and asking her to be his wife. Without any thought, Juliet began crying and laughing at the same time. She managed to blubber out a “yes”, much to the delight of the other passengers who burst into a round of applause for the happy couple.

From very early on in their relationship, Juliet and Romeo understood that they had found True Love. And although they have been in a committed relationship for nearly a decade, today is an opportunity for both of them to put that unspoken commitment into words. To say it out loud to each other and in front of the people who love them most. This is a significant moment for these two, a time when nothing is left unsaid, open to speculation or interpretation. Juliet and Romeo are committed to each other for eternity, and they want to say it loudly and proudly. When asked what she likes best about her husband-to-be, Juliet answered with confidence. Quite simply, Romeo shows his love through his actions. It’s much more than just words, it’s the million little things he does for her to let her know how much he cares for her. Anyone Romeo loves, he takes care of. When asked the same question about his wife-to-be, Romeo was equally sure in his answer. “She is the most selfless person I know.” Not to say that Juliet is in any way fragile, she wants what she wants. But her own needs come second to making sure that everyone around her is taken care of. ……Including all of Ottawa’s homeless cats.

When two people can answer with such honest simplicity, we feel that their bond must be strong, unshakable. But love and partnership has to be more than just embracing the positive traits that attract two people to one another. In reality, love can be difficult and sometimes we need to accept those traits that aren’t so enticing. Juliet has revealed that Romeo can be very cautious and reserved. “If we were a car, I’d be the gas and he’d be the brakes.” But rather than seeing this as a conflict of personalities, Juliet is determined to bring more spontaneity and adventure into Romeo’s life. She’s just the girl to get him out of his comfort zone. For his part, Romeo also knows that there is no such thing as perfection. For him, it’s the little things that can be annoying. The way Juliet slurps her soup and piña coladas, her inability to load the dishwasher properly, the constant dish towel on the counter, or the way she can never keep track of her phone. But it’s these little things that make Juliet who she is and Romeo understands this.

In a way, he loves those things, too.

Wedding Rites to add to your Ceremony

Below are some ideas to add rites with a symbolic meaning to your wedding ceremony, we are always open to explore new ideas with you.

Unity Candle

At the ceremony location are three candles placed, two smaller ones and one big one. When bride and groom arrive at the ceremony location they both light one of the smaller candles.
At the end of the ceremony the celebrant will invite the couple to use their individual candle to light the big candle in the middle explaining the symbolism of the two lives being joined together.

UNITY CANDLE CEREMONY Text

___________ and _________, the two separate candles symbolize your separate lives, separate families and separate sets of friends.
I ask that each of you take on of the lit candles and that together you light the centre candle.
The individual candles represent your lives before today.
Lighting the centre candle represents
that your two lives are now joined to one light, and represents the joining together
of your two families and sets of friends to one.
(For couples who are adding music to the ceremony, it is usually placed here)

Signing of Wedding certificate

Bride and groom will now sign the marriage certificate.
I’d like to invite __________ and _________________to join us as witnesses.

Blessing of hands

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.

Permission guests

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

Asking Family

“Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”
(Her family and I do.)

Family support declaration

When a man and a woman come together in marriage, their families and friends are also joined together into a larger circle of caring.
From now on, you will know bride and groom not only as individuals, but as marriage partners, and your individual lives will be linked together as members of this community.
bride’s mother and father, would you please come and stand beside bride?
groom’s mother and father, would you please come and stand beside groom?
bride’s mother and father, you stand before us symbolizing the traditions and family from which bride comes.
Do you willingly and gladly support brides marriage to groom?
bride’s mother and father: we do!
groom’s mother and father, you stand before us symbolizing the traditions and family from which groom comes.
Do you willingly and gladly support grooms marriage to bride?
groom’s mother and father: we do!
(Parents greet each other and return to their seats).

Ring Warming

Before we start, bride and groom would like to ask you to pass the rings between each other during the ceremony, and for each of you to warm them with positive thoughts.
They would like you to think of it as a quick marination of love!
The rings will be worn by bride and groom as symbols of the eternal nature of energy that cycles through all living things and cannot be either created or destroyed.
This energy unites and levels us all during our short time on earth, making us realise that we are all connected and part of a bigger unknowable universe that will go on when we are gone.
The rings are small circles that represent this bigger cycle and our part in it, and remind us how special it is to find love and friendship.
The rings will remind them to always cherish and nurture this marvellous occurrence.

Remembrances

bride and groom have asked that we take a moment to honour the memory of those loved ones who could only be here today in spirit, (you can also personalize this text and add the names of those who you remember)

Special Wedding Introduction

Today is a celebration; A celebration of love, of commitment, of friendship, of family, and of two people who are in it for forever.
You don’t have to have a ceremony to have a marriage. And when you think about it, the whole thing is kind of weird, right? You’re standing on a stage, looking fancy, holding flowers, and being stared at by pretty much everyone who has meant anything to you in the past twenty-something years. So why do we do it? The marriage ceremony has been an important feature across nearly every culture, religion, generation, and society. We have thousands of important moments that happen throughout our lives, but this one is regarded as one so critical, we acknowledge its special status by sharing it with others. Why this moment?
Because despite all of our differences, love is what we all share. It’s the great unifier — our one universal truth. That no matter who we are, where we’ve come from, what we believe, we know this one thing: love is what we’re doing right. That’s why you both are standing here. That’s why you all are here to watch them stand up here. We have all loved in our lifetimes, and in this moment, we’re reminded that the ability to love is the very best part of our humanity.

WEDDING CEREMONY SAMPLE 1

Opening

“Dearly beloved,
we are gathered in the presence of this company to witness the joining together of B&G in matrimony.
Those who enter into this relationship shall cherish for each other mutual love and respect;
share in each other’s joy;
bear each other’s infirmities and weaknesses;
comfort each other in trouble and sorrow;
and encourage each other through the trials and challenges of life.”
“Marriage is therefore not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but discreetly, thoughtfully, and with reverence.
Into this unique relationship, Bride and Groom come now to be joined in this very special place.
We rejoice with them as they become husband and wife.”

Readings

If you wish you can add some readings here, which can be read by family and friends or by the celebrant

The Asking

“Bride and Groom, having heard how the covenant of marriage is to be entered into with joy and reverence, I ask that you declare your intent
to enter this covenant by answering the following:
“_ Groom _, will you have this woman to be your wife?
Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, and be faithful to her, from this day forward?”
(GROOM: I will.)

“_ Bride _, will you have this man to be your husband?
Will you love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, and be faithful to him, from this day forward?”
(BRIDE: I will.)

Vows

“_ Bride and Groom, you have chosen to stand before these witnesses
to pledge yourselves to one another.
Please join hands and make your promises.”
(The following is repeated to each other after me phrase by phrase.)

GROOM:
With all my heart I take you to be my wife.
I will love you through the good and the bad, through the joy and the sorrow.
I will do my best to be understanding, and to trust in you completely.
I will make you a part of me and in turn, become a part of you.
Together we will face all of life’s experiences and share one another’s dreams and goals.
I promise to love you, comfort and encourage you, be open and honest with you, and stay with you as long as we both shall live.

BRIDE:
With all my heart I take you to be my husband.
I will love you through the good and the bad, through the joy and the sorrow.
I will do my best to be understanding, and to trust in you completely.
I will make you a part of me and in turn, become a part of you.
Together we will face all of life’s experiences
and share one another’s dreams and goals.
I promise to love you, comfort and encourage you, be open and honest with you, and stay with you as long as we both shall live.

The Exchange of Rings

Please repeat after the celebrant whilst placing the ring

GROOM:
This ring I give to you as a symbol of my commitment and of the love we share.

BRIDE:
This ring I give to you as a symbol of my commitment and of the love we share.

The Pronouncement

“I have the pleasure of pronouncing you husband and wife.”
“You may now seal your vows with a kiss.”

Presentation

“And now it is my happy privilege to congratulate the couple and introduce to you Mr. & Mrs.________

WEDDING CEREMONY SAMPLE 2

Opening

We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life’s greatest moments, to give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, and to add our best wishes to the words which shall unite_________ and ________ in marriage.

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

___________ and ______ , I would ask that you both remember
to treat yourself and each other with respect, and remind yourself often of what brought you together today.
Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness and kindness that your marriage deserves.
When frustration and difficulty assail your marriage
– as they do to every relationship at one time or another –
focus on what still seems right between you, not only the part that seems wrong.
This way, when clouds of trouble hide the sun in your lives and you lose sight of it for a moment, you can remember that the sun is still there.
And if each of you will take responsibility for the quality of your life together, it will be marked by abundance and delight.

The Asking

(Groom ) ____________, do you take __________ to be your Wife?
(“I do”)
Do you promise to love, honour, cherish and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her forevermore?
(“I do”)

(Bride) ___________, do you take ____________ to be your Husband?
(“I do”)
Do you promise to love, honour, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him forevermore?
“(I do”)

Vows

(Groom) I __________, take thee, ___________ to be my Wife-
To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow and I promise my love to you.

(Bride ) I _____________, take thee __________, to be my Husband.
To have and to hold, in sickness and in health , for richer or for poorer, in joy and sorrow, and I promise My love to you.

The Exchange of Rings

Please repeat after the celebrant whilst placing the ring

Groom
“With this ring, I take you as my wife, for as long as we both shall live.”

Bride
“With this ring, I take you as my husband, for as long as we both shall live.”

The Pronouncement

_________ and ________ as the two of you come into this marriage uniting you as husband and wife, and as you this day affirm your faith and love for one another, I would ask that you always remember to cherish each other as special and unique individuals, that you respect the thoughts, ideas and suggestions of one another.

Be able to forgive, do not hold grudges, and live each day that you may share together fully Your marriage is strengthened by your love and respect for each other.

Just as two threads woven in opposite directions will form a most beautiful tapestry, so too can your two lives merged together make a beautiful marriage.
To make your relationship work will take love.
This is the core of your marriage and why you are here today.
It will take trust , to know in your hearts that you truly want the best for each other.
It will take dedication, to stay open to one another – and to learn and grow together.
It will take faith, to go forward together without knowing exactly what the future brings.
And it will take commitment, to hold true to the journey you both pledge today to share together.

Presentation

____________ and ________, 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.
Congratulations, you may kiss your bride.

It is my privilege to present to you Mr. & Mrs. ______________________________

WEDDING CEREMONY SAMPLE 3

OPENING

We are joyfully gathered today to witness and to celebrate the joining of two lives in marriage, Let us rejoice with each other in the making of this important covenant.

The essence of this covenant is the taking of each other in entirety, as an everlasting lover, friend and companion.

It is, therefore, a decision which has not been entered into lightly but rather undertaken with great consideration and respect for one another.

We have come together in the hope that the love which has brought you both to this union may go out beyond itself into the lives of others.

Thus, we ask that your promises and hopes be realized.

We ask that you both be granted the patience to listen, the capacity to understand, the compassion to give comfort and the joy to laugh and just to be together…

Most importantly, let your marriage make a home where neither person is a stranger, and, remember, it is just as important to be the right partner as it is to choose the right partner.

Let your marriage offer illumination and growth.

Bask in the joy of shared discoveries.

Let your union be strong enough to endure the darkness of all things.

May silence and despair never separate you;

may you always return to each other.

Readings (optional) – can be added here

The Vows

Groom, please face your bride and repeat after me…

I will share my life openly with you.
I will walk hand in hand with you.
I will grow with you, not away from you, in each of our discoveries.
I will support your strengths with love and honesty and protect you, as we go forth together into this world as two yet one.

I ____G__, take you _B_, to be my wedded wife.

To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish ’till death do us part.

And hereto I pledge you my faithfulness.

Bride, please repeat after me

I, _B_, take you _G__, to be my 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 and to cherish, ’till death do us part.

And hereto I pledge you my faithfulness.

Ring Exchange Introduction
In the first letter to the Corinthians it tells us what love is like and what love does:

“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.

Love… Never… Fails

Having this kind of love in your hearts, you have chosen to share rings as the sign and seal of the vows you are making today.

Your rings are circles which have no beginning and no ending.

They are tokens of this growing relationship you have come here today to celebrate and confirm, emblems of eternity which can never be tarnished, and which are without end.

Ring Exchange

G, as a symbol of your faithfulness, place the ring on B’s finger and repeat after me.

With this ring, I thee wed.

I accept you B, as my partner, as my friend, and as my wife, through all of the experiences life holds for us, in abiding faith and love.

B, as a symbol of your faithfulness, place the ring on G’s finger and repeat after me.

With this ring, I thee wed.

I accept you G, as my partner, as my friend, and as my wife, through all of the experiences life holds for us, in abiding faith and love.

Closing Words

Now, Allow me to share this wedding blessing with you…

Be together in harmony and let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Empower each other and allow your relationship to grow to its highest purpose.

Nourish each other’s possibilities and lift up each other’s spirits.

Care for one another, share your love openly and let it be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Sing and dance together and be joyful.

Share your lives with each other and unite your love with our Creator.

May your union last through all of your moments together, so that in the triumphs and the trials that lie ahead, you will feel just 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 stretches away beyond the limits of the past and towards the horizons of the future.

Having witnessed the vows you have just made to each other, surrounded by your love,

I now pronounce you husband and wife.

Mr. and Mrs. ______, you may now seal your love with a kiss.

WEDDING CEREMONY SAMPLE 4

Opening

Let us lift our hearts as one in delighted celebration of the marriage union we are about to witness between bride and groom.

As they enter into the sacred and joyous covenant of marriage, we are blessed to witness the magnificence of their love, their open hearts, and their vibrant and willing spirits.

Inspired by their love, let each of us rededicate ourselves to the loving relationships in our own lives.

May we all be enriched for having shared this day together.

We are gathered here as family and friends to celebrate the union of bride and groom, and witness the joining of this man and this woman in marriage as they rejoice in their making of this important and lasting commitment.

The essence of the marriage relationship is the openness to another person in his or her entirety as lover, companion, and friend.

We join our lives together in search of something greater and richer;

something that transcends our lives.

Loving one another with depth and passion is perhaps the greatest treasure we human beings can attain.

It adds richness and profound meaning to our lives.

Love is one of life’s greatest joys.

By simply giving ourselves to each other, honestly and courageously, each partner is infinitely enhanced.

As companions in our day-to-day lives, we take pleasure in sharing our time, thoughts, and feelings.

We delight in reporting on our separate adventures in the world.

These become the rhythm of life between devoted life partners as they build their life together.

In marriage, two lives are intimately shared;

and the blending of the two must not diminish either one.

Rather, it should enhance the individuality of each partner.

As a marriage matures, it takes on a life of its own.

And within it, each partner is individually evolving while growing in understanding of the other.

This wonderful intimacy with another person can mirror a depth of inner knowing that awakens levels of awareness we never knew existing.

To be awakened in this way is a priceless gift.

When we give of ourselves into a loving marriage partnership, we do not abandon ourselves;

we do not shed our individuality;

for that is what brought us together in the first place.

Readings

Introduction The Asking

bride and groom

by entering into the covenant of marriage today you are declaring your faith in each other.

You have indeed earned this faith and trust by creating a sound foundation for this marriage.

Your task now is to build on this solid base.

Fill your loving partnership with the caring, trust, vulnerability, and kindness that are essential to a healthy marriage relationship.

In dedicating yourselves to these values you will create a marriage that is a source of joy, in which you may both grow in love and find fulfilment.

Know that you will be tested by the routines of daily life, by chance and circumstance, and by the full cycle of the seasons of life.

Know that together you must encounter life’s sorrow no less than its sweetness, its frustration along with its grace and ease, its disappointments along with its fulfilment.

Enter your marriage confident in the love and trust you have already created between you.

As you go forward in your journey together as husband and wife, devote yourselves to living according to the vows you share today.

Keep your love alive with your openness to each other and your enthusiasm for each other.

You hold each other’s hearts in the palms of your hands.

Be gentle caregivers, honouring this trust.

Let this be a marriage that enhances your individuality and allows you to know that greatest gift that God has given us the ability to love one another and to be loved.

Groom, do you understand and accept this responsibility, and do you promise to do your very best each day to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage?

Groom: I do.

Bride: do you understand and accept this responsibility, and do you promise to do your very best each day to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage?

Bride: I do.

Groom do you take bride as your wife and partner?

Groom: I do.

Do you promise to love her every day?

Groom: I do.

And will you respect and trust her, laugh and cry with her.

Will you be faithful to her?

Will you be with her in good times and bad times no matter what difficulties you may be facing?

Groom: I do.

And will you give her your hand, your heart and your love?

Groom: I will.

Bride do you take groom as your husband and partner?

Bride: I will.

Do you promise to love him every day?

Bride: I do.

And will you respect and trust him laugh and cry with him.

Will you be faithful to him?

Will you be with him in good times and bad times no matter what difficulties you may be facing?

Bride: I will.

And will you give him your hand, your heart and your love?

Bride: I will.

Your marriage will, no doubt, be filled with surprises.

Some you will welcome, while others will test the strength and flexibility of your bond.

Your life together will present many opportunities to refine and deepen your love and to explore the profound depths of your being.

May your love create a safe haven for you both on the journey that lays ahead of you.

Lead with your hearts and take the time to do the simple things that will nurture your love.

Listen to each other attentively to your dreams and your frustrations, be helpmates and be playful in finding ways to give your love anew every day.

Let your love be an inspiration to others to reach out for what is good within us all.

May your love be so abundant that you have plenty to share with the rest of us.

It is your love that has brought us here today, may it grow deeper and sweeter with each passing year.

Ring exchange Introduction

These rings are circles,

As arms that embrace, these wedding rings you give and receive this day reflect the circle of shared love into which you enter as partners in life.

May you always be blessed.

Ring Exchange

groom:

I give you this ring as a sign that I choose you to be my lover, my partner, and my best friend today, tomorrow, and always.

bride:

I give you this ring as a sign that I choose you to be my lover, my partner, and my best friend today, tomorrow, and always.

Closing Words

bride and groom,

our best wishes go forward from this day with you.

We wish for you a fulfilling life, rich in caring and in happiness.

We wish for you a gentle and peaceful life that nurtures and comforts you.

We wish for you a noble life, which reflects your honesty, kindness, and integrity.

We wish for you an adventuresome life, exploring the fullness of your own and each other’s true selves.

bride and groom,

there is a wonderful life ahead of you.

Live it fully.

Love its changes and choices.

Let life amaze you and bring you great joy.

As the Apache Wedding Blessing declares: [to be read by ….]

Example

“Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter to 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 one life before you.

Go now to your dwelling place to enter into the days of your togetherness,

And may your days be-good and long upon the earth.”

You may now kiss the bride!!

WEDDING CEREMONY SAMPLE 5

Opening Words

I would like to welcome you here today to share in the celebration of bride and groom marriage. We are here today to share with bride and groom a most joyous occasion.

They have decided to seal their love with the rite of passage known as marriage and have invited us to witness this tradition and their commitment to each other.

bride and groom want to thank you for being such an integral part of their lives and for the love and support you have always given them.

On this very special day they are also thinking of all their family in ______________.

They hope that this day is one of joy for you all with a celebration of life, love, family and friendship.

bride and groom are looking forward to love, happiness, having a family to cherish and growing old together.

Real love in marriage is something beyond the warmth and glow, the excitement and romance of being deeply in love.

It’s caring as much about the welfare and happiness of your marriage partner as your own.

But real love is not being totally absorbed in each other.

It is looking outward in the same direction together.

Love makes burdens lighter because you divide them, it makes joys more intense because you share them.

It makes you stronger so you can reach out and become involved with life in ways you dared not risk alone.

The beautiful thing about love is that it’s an experience we share with the whole of mankind and yet, to everyone who falls in love, it is the most unique and precious thing in the world.

A really happy marriage is founded on love and friendship.

There is nothing in life that love cannot change.

Love is, of its nature, unselfish, understanding and kind.

True love too, is a commitment of heart and mind.

There is no stronger bond to ensure a happy married life.

Reading

The Asking

bride and groom, as it is now time to exchange your vows could you please face each other and join hands.

Groom, will you take bride to be your wife?

Will you love her, comfort her, honour and cherish her in times of sickness and health and forsaking all others be true only to her as long as you both shall live?

groom: I will.

Bride, will you take groom to be your husband?

Will you love him, comfort him, honour and cherish him in times of sickness and health and forsaking all others be true only to him as long as you both shall live?

Bride: I will.

The Vows

Groom, please repeat after me:

I ask the people here present to witness that I, groom take you, bride, to be my wife;

to live with you and laugh with you;

to stand by your side and sleep in your arms;

to be joy to your heart and food to your soul;

to bring out the best in you always;

and, for you, to be the most that I can;

to laugh with you in the good times;

to struggle with you in the bad;

to support you when you are downhearted;

to wipe your tears with my hands;

to comfort you with my body;

to mirror you with my soul;

to share with you all my riches and honours until we grow old.

Bride, please repeat after me:

I ask the people here present to witness that I, bride, take you, groom

to be my husband.

Groom, you have brought me happiness and adventure, you have encouraged and inspired me and helped me to be a more beautiful person and a kinder soul.

With you by my side,

I know my life is more complete.

As your faithful wife,

I promise to love and respect you,

to support and encourage you in life decisions,

to stand by you in sickness and in health,

through the good and the bad times,

to laugh and cry with you,

to share our dreams

and to grow together in the years to come.

Today I marry my best friend,

my true love,

the one I laugh with, live for and love.

Ring Ceremony

bride and groom,

today you have chosen to exchange rings to symbolise the commitment you have made to each other and the love you share.

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.

Love freely given has no giver and no receiver – for each is the giver and each is the receiver of love.

May these rings remind you always of the vows you have taken here today.

Groom,

as you place the ring on bride s finger, please repeat after me:

bride, with this ring, I give you my love for eternity.

Bride,

as you place the ring on groom s finger, please repeat after me:

Groom, with this ring, I give you my love for eternity.

Closing Words

bride and groom,

in the years to come, these rings will remind you of the overwhelming joy of this special occasion.

May you always be as happy together as you are today.

We have gathered here and witnessed

the celebration of love that bride and groom have shown and the commitment they have made to each other.

bride and groom

you share today the joy of a deep commitment and a sacred trust.

You have given each other the most precious gift of love.

Treasure it, nurture it and encourage it with all the honesty you used in creating it.

You are sharing something rare and beautiful.

Always speak the truth and listen attentively, so that you may understand each other’s thoughts and intentions.

Inspire each other by sharing your accomplishments.

Say “I love you” often to retain the warmth between you.

Laugh a lot too and remember, you are each other’s best friend.

Stand together and for each other always, be content in mind and spirit and make each day a blessing and fulfilment of your dreams.

bride and groom

you have declared before all of us your love and commitment to each other and have symbolised this love by joining hands, taking vows and exchanging rings.

Everyone here shares your joy and joins me in wishing you a long and happy life together.

By the love that has brought you here today, the vows you have exchanged and by the integrity of your commitment, in the presence of the witnesses here, it is my very great pleasure to now pronounce you, husband and wife.

groom, you may kiss your beautiful bride.

Presentation

bride and groom,

On behalf of all of us here today, congratulations to you both and we wish you lives full of love, laughter and happiness.

May this beautiful day be the start of the next chapter in your journey together.

Please join me everyone in congratulating, bride and groom

WEDDING CEREMONY SAMPLE 6

Opening Words

You must all be very special to this couple because they have asked you to be here to share their happiness and their joy and to be with them as they publicly declare their love and commitment to one another.

This is one of the most important things that two people will ever do, and it is our privilege to be here with them today as they take these important steps together.

The poet Rowena Edin-White describes the significance of today in her poem ‘Wedding Day’
Now comes the knitting, the tying, entwining into one,
Mysterious involvement of two, whole, separate people
Into something altogether strange and changing, new and lovely.
Nothing can be, will never be, the same again:
Not merged into each other irrevocably, but rather
From now on we go the same way, in the same direction,
Agreeing not to leave each other lonely, or discouraged, or behind.
I will do my best to keep my promises to treasure you and keep you warm;
And we will make our wide bed beneath the bright
And ragged quilt of all the yesterdays that make us who we are,
The strengths and frailties we each bring to this marriage,
And we will be rich indeed.
(Rowena Edlin-White)

This wedding celebrates the joy and the beauty of life.

groom and bride view marriage as a relationship based on love, concern and respect that allows individuals to grow in their respective ways.

Marriage is the maturing of love, freely given and gladly returned and is both ordinary and extraordinary, because it is about everyday living.

It is the couple’s belief that there is equality between men and women in every way, and so marriage is a cooperative venture in every sense.

It is a relationship based on love, respect and a determination on the part of both wife and husband to adjust to each other’s temperaments and conditions, in health or sickness, joy or sadness, ease or hardship.

Marriage is about partnership and sharing, and has less to do with perfection than with loving someone for who they really are, their faults as well as their virtues.

What I say and even what bride and groom say is far less important than how they behave towards each other and how they settle their differences when they disagree.

If they can do that with tenderness and love then they can look forward to a future of happiness and contentment, whatever life casts their way.

Readings

The Asking

And so we come now to the vows and promises that these two will make to each other.

No other human ties are more tender and no other vows more important than those you are about to take.

Both of you come to this day with the deep realization that the contract of marriage is sacred as are all of its obligations and responsibilities.

Bride, are you ready to enter into this marriage with groom,

believing the love you share and your faith in each other will endure all things?
bride: I am.
Groom, are you ready to enter into this marriage with bride, believing the love you share and your faith in each other will endure all things?
groom: I am.

groom and bride, please face each other and join your hands?

groom and bride, will you allow each other to change and develop, to live together as equal and different individuals, and to recognise and accept each other’s strengths and weaknesses?

We will

Will you seek to trust the ebbs and flows of your love, understanding that the nature of it may change, having faith that it will always return?

We will

Will you seek always to learn from your shared experiences, and to build from them a full and caring friendship based on trust and on respect?

We will

Introduction of Rings

All of you have witnessed these solemn declarations.

groom and bride will now exchange rings as tangible and lasting symbols of their commitment to one another.

Each ring is a symbol of their unending love.

A circle is the symbol of the sun and the earth, and of the universe.

It is a symbol of wholeness, and perfection, and of peace.

The rings you give and receive this day are symbols of the union you enter as husband and wife;

one unbroken circle, in which, wherever you go, you will always return to one another.

Ring Exchange

groom as you place this ring on brides finger, please repeat after me:

As this ring surrounds your finger, so my love surrounds you;

wear it and know that I love you.

bride as you place this ring on groom finger, please repeat after me:
As this ring surrounds your finger,

so my love surrounds you;

wear it and know that I love you.

Closing Words

May every joy and happiness be yours;

May your love grow stronger and deeper with each passing year.

Here in the space between you both,

lies all the future of the fragment of the universe which is your own.

Your lives are now bound into each other’s keeping.

Pronouncement

Following the declarations made before me and in the presence of these witnesses, it is now my happy duty, bride and groom to pronounce you husband and wife.

You may now kiss

Presentation

Ladies and Gentlemen, I now present the married couple.

WEDDING CEREMONY SAMPLE 4 (no guests)

____________&________, When you first joined hands and hearts in marriage ___ years ago, you did not know where life would take you.

Many people believe that entering into marriage is the final step in a romantic relationship.

As they see it, a couple meets, gets to know each other, falls in love, decides they want to go through life together, and then take the final step—marriage.

But marriage is not meant to be the final step in a couple’s relationship— it is really just the beginning of a grand adventure, that hopefully, will be long and fruitful for each couple.

You have shared the joys, blessings, and yes, the challenges, of married life for _______ years.

And, today I’ d like to ask you if you wish to reconfirm your commitment to working together to make your marriage grow and blossom in the years to come.

(YES)

May this ceremony,

The renewing of the vows you took to become husband and wife on your wedding day, remind you that despite the stresses inevitable in every life, your love, respect, trust and understanding of each other will continue to increase your contentment and heighten your joy in living.

_____________&__________please join hands ________, will you continue to have _________ as your wife and continue to live in this marriage?

(I WILL)

Do you reaffirm your love for her, and will you love, honour and cherish her In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?

(I DO)

_________, will you continue to have __________ as your husband and continue to live in this marriage?

(I WILL)

Do you reaffirm your love for him, And will you love, honour and cherish him in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?

(I DO)

I WOULD LIKE TO READ A SHORT TEXT FROM THE BIBLE TO YOU FROM THE LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS ABOUT LOVE:

Love endures and is kind.

Love is not envious or jealous.

Love wants not for itself.

Love is not puffed up, nor does it behave wrongly.

Love seeks not for its own.

Love is not easily provoked.

Love is not rude.

Love thinks No evil.

Love does not rejoice in wrong, but dwells in the truth.

Love bears all things, believes all things, endures all things, and love never fails.

On your wedding day you exchanged rings as a symbol of the never-ending circle of love.

Rings serve as a reminder of your wedding vows to each other, and your commitment to live in unity, love and happiness.

At this time, it is appropriate to reconfirm the meaning of the rings you wear.

Please join your left hands together so that _______(man’s) hand is on top.

______, please repeat after me…………………

_______, I wear this ring you placed on my hand as a symbol of my love and commitment to you.

Now, with __________(woman’s) hand on top, ____________please repeat after me:

_________, I wear this ring you placed on my hand as a symbol of my love and commitment to you.

I ask that you each remember to continue to cherish each other as special and unique individuals and that you each respect the thoughts and ideas of one another.

And most of all, be able to forgive each other, and not hold grudges against one another.

Live each day in love with each other, always being there to give love, comfort, and refuge to each other, in good times and bad.

____________&________, today you have renewed the promises and vows you made to each other on your wedding day.

You have symbolized the renewal of the marriage union by the joining of hands, the taking of vows, and by the wearing of your wedding rings.

It is with pleasure that I conclude the ceremony of renewing the vows of marriage that joined you and binds you as husband and wife.

Please celebrate this renewal of vows with a kiss!

Wedding Readings

Wedding readings are a tradition that bring the guests and the couples closer together during the ceremony. So it is not the couple doing “their thing” with the celebrant and the guests just watch. No, some guest will come to the front and present a reading to the couple and there are so many to choose from. Of course there is also the option to write your own, which some might feel inspired too, but certainly not everyone. So it is good to have a vast library to choose from, so you can find some words that fit.

If you asked someone to do a reading at your wedding ceremony and they don’t know where to start, you can at least help them with pointing them into the right direction, as there is plenty of material on the web about readings for wedding ceremonies.

We suggest the library from About Weddings which you can find here.

Below are some more readings to choose from:

“On Marriage” From The Prophet, by 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 the 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.

“The Invitation”, by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn’t interest me
what you do for a living.
I want to know
what you ache for
and if you dare to dream
of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me
how old you are.
I want to know
if you will risk
looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me
what planets are
squaring your moon…
I want to know
if you have touched
the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened
by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know
if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know
if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you
to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations
of being human.

It doesn’t interest me
if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear
the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know
if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live
or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me
who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me
where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know
what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know
if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like
the company you keep
in the empty moments.

An excerpt from ”The Two Towers”, the Second Part of The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien

ENT: When Spring unfolds the beechen leaf, and sap is in the bough;
When light is on the wild-wood stream, and wind is on the brow;
When stride is long, and breath is deep, and keen the mountain-air,
Come back to me! Come back to me, and say my land is fair!

ENTWIFE.: When Spring is come to garth and field, and corn is in the blade;
When blossom like a shining snow is on the orchard laid;
When shower and Sun upon the Earth with fragrance fill the air,
I’ll linger here, and will not come, because my land is fair.

ENT.: When Summer lies upon the world, and in a noon of gold
Beneath the roof of sleeping leaves the dreams of trees unfold;
When woodland halls are green and cool, and wind is in the West,
Come back to me! Come back to me, and say my land is best!

ENTWIFE. : When Summer warms the hanging fruit and burns the berry brown;
When straw is gold, and ear is white, and harvest comes to town;
When honey spills, and apple swells, though wind be in the West,
I*ll linger here beneath the Sun, because my land is best!

ENT.: When Winter comes, the winter wild that hill and wood shall slay;
When trees shall fall and starless night devour the sunless day;
When wind is in the deadly East, then in the bitter rain
I’ll look for thee, and call to thee; I’ll come to thee again!

ENTWIFE : When Winter comes, and singing ends; when darkness falls at last;
When broken is the barren bough, and light and labour past;
I’ll look for thee, and wait for thee, until we meet again:
Together we will take the road beneath the bitter rain!

BOTH : Together we will take the road that leads into the West,
And far away will find a land where both our hearts may rest.
Thank you Craig and Becky

From Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres
Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides.

And when it subsides you have to make a decision.

You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part.

because this is what love is.

Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of eternal passion.

That is just being “in love” which any fool can do.

Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident.

Those that truly love, have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two.

The Amber Spyglass by Phillip Pullman

“I will love you forever; whatever happens.

Till I die and after I die, and when I find my way out of the land of the dead, I’ll drift about forever, all my atoms, till I find you again… I’ll be looking for you, every moment, every single moment.

And when we do find each other again, we’ll cling together so tight that nothing and no one’ll ever tear us apart.

Every atom of me and every atom of you…

We’ll live in birds and flowers and dragonflies and pine trees and in clouds and in those little specks of light you see floating in sunbeams… And when they use our atoms to make new lives, they won’t just be able to take one, they’ll have to take two, one of you and one of me, we’ll be joined so tight…”