Traditional Wedding Ceremony Script
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12 Minute Ceremony
This classic wedding ceremony script features all the traditional elements expected in a standard wedding, and can serve as an example of what a “typical” wedding ceremony might look like. Loosely based in the Christian tradition, it features several nods to spiritual concepts. With that said, it is also designed to be customized – the script can be adapted to suit the unique preferences of the couple. To download a copy and begin customizing yourself, scroll to the end of the page.
Welcome Statement/Introduction
OFFICIANT (to congregation):
Please be seated. Thank you. We gather here today before God and one another to witness and celebrate the union of ___________ and ___________. As a community of family and friends, we come together to support ___________ and ___________ as they embark on this journey, stepping into a future filled with hope, love, and shared dreams.
Invocation and Blessing
OFFICIANT (to audience):
Let us begin by sharing our blessings and hopes for ___________ and ___________.
(Officiant guides the audience in a prayer in line with the service’s denomination. Should the couple not request or provide a specific prayer/reading, the following may serve as an alternative.)
OFFICIANT:
Officiant: I’ll now share a passage from Proverbs.
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
(Proverbs 3:3-6, New International Version)
OFFICIANT (to congregation):
Marriage is a profound and sacred bond, a commitment of love, faithfulness, and partnership. Today, ___________ and ___________ pledge to share their lives, facing together whatever may come. Their dedication to each other, rooted in trust, patience, and understanding, should inspire us all as we consider what a true partnership looks like.
Officiant (to the couple): ___________ and ___________, let yourselves return to this moment in time, remembering the love you feel today from those around you, and each other, and help it guide you through life’s inevitable challenges.
Declaration of Intent
OFFICIANT (to Partner 1):
___________, do you take ___________ to be your lawfully wedded spouse, to share life’s joys and challenges, in love and respect, for as long as you both shall live?
Partner 1: I do.
OFFICIANT (to Partner 2):
Officiant (to Partner 2): ___________, do you take ___________ to be your lawfully wedded spouse, to share life’s joys and challenges, in love and respect, for as long as you both shall live?
Partner 2: I do.
Vow and Ring Exchange
OFFICIANT (to the couple):
It’s time to exchange vows and rings as symbols of your love and commitment.
OFFICIANT (to Partner 1):
(Partner 1 places ring on Partner 2’s finger)
OFFICIANT (to Partner 2):
___________, please repeat after me: ___________, with this ring, I wed you, promising to cherish and honor you, through all that life may bring us.
(Partner 2 places ring on Partner 1’s finger)
Pronouncement
OFFICIANT:
Having declared your love and commitment before your friends, loved ones, and all those bearing witness today, by the power vested in me by the Universal Life Church, I now pronounce you married. You may seal your vows with a kiss!
(The Couple kisses)
OFFICIANT (to congregation):
It is my honor to introduce to you, for the first time as a married couple: ___________ and ___________!
Please join the newlyweds for a reception at ___________. Thank you for being part of this special day… now let’s go celebrate!
