Presentation of the Bride

Reverend Debby:  Who gives this woman to be married to this man?….OR….Who supports this woman in her commitment to this man?

Respondent:  “Her mother and I do”….OR….“Our family does”.

Reverend Debby: Groom and Bride, it is with joy and reverence that I welcome you here today.  To our assembled guests, you are welcome to this moment in their lives and to the place they have come to in their hearts.  Groom and Bride, we join with you on this day to witness your vow & commitment before God and humanity that from this point forward you shall live as one.

Reverend Debby:  Would all our assembled guests please be seated.

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To honor relatives or memorable others who have passed on;

Reverend Debby:  Please join with me now as we bow our heads to observe a moment of silence to honor the memory of those who are not with us today in body, but are here in Spirit.  Amen.

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Reverend Debby’s Opening Remarks

Welcome, one and all.  What a beautiful and holy celebration we all shall witness today! Groom and Bride have chosen the act of marriage and this holy ceremony in which to proclaim their promise and pledge before God, and all of you, to be united in the mystical, spiritual and holy bond of matrimony.  Marriage is a very special spiritual connection of two people united for a common purpose, bringing love and trust together, and experiencing the wonder and magnificence God brings to their joining.  The union of husband and wife in heart, body and mind is intended by God for their mutual joy; for the help and comfort given one another in prosperity and adversity, so that their knowledge and love of God may grow.  Therefore marriage is not to be entered into lightly, but reverently and deliberately, with full understanding of its significance.  Groom and Bride now come to be joined in this holy union..  If any of you can show just cause why they may not be lawfully wed, speak now or forever hold your peace.

As of this ceremony, may your tongues be still and utter only the positive, that your energies might support these two, that any words you say might bless and protect the holiness of this bond.

The Hand-Fasting ceremony

Reverend Debby: 

Groom and Bride would like to include an ancient Celtic tradition in their wedding ceremony.  For many, if not most of you, this will be the first time you have observed such a tradition.   They have chosen a symbolic Celtic Hand-Fasting to emphasize their eternal bond and reinforce the feeling that they never wish to be parted from one another.  Hand-fasting symbolizes the binding together of their lives and fates, and their commitment to be bound together in love.

Reverend Debby: 

Groom and Bride, will you please face each other and join your hands?

Reverend Debby holds up the Hand-Fasting Cord

This is the cord of Hand-Fasting.  It will bind Groom and Bride together with bonds of love.  For such bonds to be strong, they need support.  Not only from the couple themselves, but most of all, they will need the support of their community of family and friends.  When I bind their hands together, please focus on this cord and let your support and intentions flow as loving strength into it. 

Reverend Debby now loosely wraps a cord around the couples joined hands, and  places her hand on top of theirs for a blessing

Reverend Debby:  Bless these hands that will hold one another in passion and love.  Let these hands that will bake bread for one another, and build shelter for one another, and comfort one another during times of grief be blessed.  Bless these hands that will hold their children and grand children.  Bless these hands of tenderness, and of strength. And so it is.

Today your separate lives, each with your individual memories, desires and hopes merge into one life.

From this point forward, your beloved’s needs carry the same priority as your own.  May you find in your love profound acceptance and complete release.  You shall not be as two conflicting or competing forces, but rather the energies of your lives shall blend into harmony and oneness through the grace of God.  The angels shall dance between you, and they will rejoice in the dance of life you do together.

The couple now separate their hands while continuing to face each other, with the groom holding onto the Hand-Fasting Cord.

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Reverend Debby:  I would like to now offer a reading from the 1^st Corinthians, 13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor, and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

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Declaration of Consent to Marriage and Vows of Matrimony

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Reverend Debby: Groom and Bride, would you now face each other and both please repeat after me in unison: (the following is spoken by both the bride and groom at the same time to each other)

I give you my love

I give you my heart.

I have no greater gift to give.

These I offer you freely

May my heart be your shelter.

And my arms be your home.

I celebrate my love with you

and share my joy

I will console you in sorrow

I choose to go with you always

I promise to listen to you

To express my innermost feelings

To labor with you

To believe in you

Even when you doubt yourself

To be the mirror of your highest value

And to hold myself beside you

For the rest of our days. 

Reverend Debby: groom, do you receive this woman, Bride, in love, and so choose to share your life with her?  Will you promise to always give to her your love, will you always respect her and comfort her, be sensitive to her needs, express your feelings with her, listen to her, put your trust in her, and forsaking all others, be her intimate friend and honor her as your equal partner? Do you commit before God to honor this vow unto all your days?

 I do.

Bride, do you receive this man, Groom, in love, and so choose to share your life with him?  Will you promise to always give to him your love, will you always respect him and comfort him, be sensitive to his needs, express your feelings with him, listen to him, put your trust in him, and forsaking all others, be his intimate friend and honor him as your equal partner? Do you commit before God to honor this vow unto all your days?

I do.

Presentation of the rings

Reverend Debby: Is it your intention to symbolize this marriage with rings?

"Yes."   The rings are then handed to Reverend Debby

Your rings are circles, symbolizing the circle of the sun, the earth, the universe of peace, perfection and unity.  Like circles, your rings have no beginning and no end and in the sacred tradition of marriage rings have come to symbolize eternal love and the endless union of body, of mind and of spirit.  May the presence of these rings always remind you of the eternal love you have pledged and the devotion you willingly share with one another from this moment on.

(Reverend Debby hands Bride’s ring to the Groom)

“Groom, please repeat after me”:

I Groom, take you Bride, to be my wife.

I promise above all else to live in truth with you,

And to communicate fully and fearlessly.

I give you my hand and my heart

As a sanctuary of warmth and peace,

And pledge my love, devotion, faith and honor

As I join my life to yours.

Ye are blood of my blood, and bone of my bone. 

I give ye my body, that we two might be one.

I give ye my Spirit, ‘til our life shall be done.

He places the ring on her finger.

(Reverend Debby hands Groom’s ring to Bride)

“Bride, please repeat after me”:

 I Bride, take you Groom, to be my husband.

I promise above all else to live in truth with you,

And to communicate fully and fearlessly.

I give you my hand and my heart

As a sanctuary of warmth and peace,

And pledge my love, devotion, faith and honor

As I join my life to yours.

Ye are blood of my blood, and bone of my bone. 

I give ye my body, that we two might be one.

I give ye my Spirit, ‘til our life shall be done.

She places the ring on his finger.

Groom now presents a silver coin to Bride, and says:

“I give you this as a token of all I possess.”  Bride accepts the coin.

Reverend Debby:

(A Celtic 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,

And the rains fall soft upon your fields.

Until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

May God be with you and bless you,

May you see your children’s children.

May you be poor in misfortune

And rich in blessings.

May you know nothing but happiness

From this day forward.

Final Prayer and Pronouncement of Marriage

Reverend Debby: I’d now like to ask you all to bow your heads and join me in prayer, as we all pray:

 Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses,

 as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen

And now Groom and Bride, with the authority vested in me by the State of Michigan, and having given yourselves to each other by solemn vow and the giving and receiving of rings, it is my honor and delight to now pronounce you, henceforth from this moment, husband and wife.  Those whom God has joined together, let no one put asunder.

You may now seal your vows with a kiss!

Reverend Debby:

Blessed Friends and Family: may I now present Mr. & Mrs.!