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Internet Book of Shadows, (Various Authors), [1999], at sacred-texts.com
Wedding Ceremony
The Bard
THE ORDER OF SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGE (GENERAL)
The Altar shall be dressed with a white cloth, with a Cup, and an un-
sheathed Sword. A small lectern should be provided to the Minister,
that he may hold the Sword and read the ceremony. One candle shall be
unlit upon the altar, and two lit candles shall be provided, to either
side.
Smaller candles shall be provided to at least the wedding party, and
to the whole congregation, if possible.
% Ministers take Altar
% Groom and attendants take altar
% Processional music starts
% Bridesmaids process
% Bride and father process
% Bride and father take altar
MINISTER: Dearly beloved, today you are surrounded by your family,
your friends, and your loved ones, all of whom have gathered here
today in the sight of the ONE to share your joy and witness
your marriage.
Who gives this woman to be wed?
FATHER: I do.
% (the Bride's father shall give the Bride's hand to the
Groom, and then take his seat)
MINISTER 2: This most sacred of bonds is not to be entered into
lightly, but soberly and advisedly, with openness and honesty. I
require and charge you both now, upon your honors, to disclose
any reason or impediment why you may not be lawfully joined
this day.
BRIDE/GROOM: By our honors, there are none.
% (The Minister shall turn to the congregation and say:)
MINISTER: Likewise, I charge all of you now, upon your honors, that if
any know a reason that these two may not be lawfully joined
this day, to speak now or forever hold your peace.
% (There shall be a short pause for any response)
MINISTER: (N) and (N), life has no singular meaning so much as it is
made up of many meaningful events, some of which may be
specified and planned for. One of these is Marriage. As you know,
no minister, no priest, no rabbi, no public official can marry
you; you can only marry yourselves. By a mutual commitment to
love each other and to create an atmosphere of considera-
tion and respect, you can make your marriage come to life.
1527
MINISTER 2: On this, the day of your marriage, you stand somewhat
apart from all other human beings. You stand within the
charmed Circle of your love, and this is as it should be, b u t
love is not meant to be the possession of two people alone.
Rather it should serve as a source of common energy, a form in
which you can find the strength to live your lives w i t h
courage. From this day onward, you must come closer together
than ever before, yet your love should give you the strength
to stand apart; to seek out your own unique des tinies, and to
make your own special contribution to that which is always a
part of us, and more than us.
MINISTER: A marriage that lasts is one which is continually develop
ing, in which each person is continually developing while
growing in understanding of the other. Deep knowledge of
another is not something that can be achieved in a short time.
Real understanding can only develop fully with years of in-
timacy. This wonderful knowledge of another grows out of really
caring for the other so much, that one wants to understand as
completely as possible the intricacies of the other.
MINISTER 2: May you be blessed with this deep knowledge of each other
through all the days of your lives.
Would you now give your vows?
BRIDE/GROOM: We will.
MINISTER: What tokens do you give that you will keep these vows?
BRIDE/GROOM: We give these rings.
% (The rings shall be given to the Minister, who shall take
them in hand.)
MINISTER 2: The ring is used in this ceremony because the Circle is
our symbol for Spirit; that which was in the Beginning, is now,
and ever shall Be, Love, without end. In this ceremony, it is
that love which is deathless and eternal.
% (Both Ministers shall join hands, holding the Rings, and
shall say:)
MINISTER: We ask now the Blessing of the One upon these rings. They
are bands of silver with the Tree of Life cast in relief upon
their surfaces. Let the bands represent eternity, love
without end, and let the trees represent the nurturement you will
share in that Love, now and always.
BOTH: And so it is.
% (The Rings shall be taken by the second Minister.)
% (And if it is a Swordfasting, then the Minister shall take
up the Sword, and flourish it aloft, and then place it
point-down in front of him.)
1528
% (The Bride and Groom shall face each other, and place their
% hands upon the Sword's pommel, with both Ministers placing %
their hands over the Bride and Groom's.)
% (the Minister #2 shall turn to the Groom, and say:)
MINISTER 2: (N), repeat after me:
(N), I take you as my wife.
I pledge to share my life openly with you
To speak the truth to you in love
And to honor and cherish you all the days of our lives.
I promise to love and tenderly care for you
For better and for worse
For richer and for poorer
In sickness and in health
In all storms and fair days we may weather together
For as long as we both shall live.
I promise to respect your needs,
To support you in your endeavors
And encourage you as an individual
Through all the changes of our lives.
With these words, I pledge my love.
% (The Groom shall take the Ring)
And with this ring I seal my vows
Now and forever.
% (The Groom shall place the Ring upon the Bride's finger.)
% (The Minister shall then turn to the Bride, and say:)
MINISTER: (N), repeat after me:
(N), I take you as my husband.
I pledge to share my life openly with you
To speak the truth to you in love
And to honor and cherish you all the days of our lives.
I promise to love and tenderly care for you
For better and for worse
For richer and for poorer
In sickness and in health
In all storms and fair days we may weather together
For as long as we both shall live.
I promise to respect your needs,
To support you in your endeavors
And encourage you as an individual
Through all the changes of our lives.
With these words, I pledge my love.
% (The Bride shall take the Ring)
And with this ring I seal my vows
Now and forever.
% (The Bride shall place the Ring upon the Groom's finger.)
1529
% (Both Ministers shall then say:)
MINISTER: May you never hunger.
MINISTER #2: May you never thirst.
% (Here there may be an interlude of music)
MINISTER 2: At this time, I would like to speak of some of the things
that many of us wish for you.
First,wewish foryou aLove thatmakes youboth better
people, That continues always to give you joy
And a zest for living,
Andprovidesyouwith theenergytoface theresponsibili
ties of life.
Wewish foryoua Home,notaplace ofstoneor wood,butan
island of serenity and sanity.
Wehopethat thisHome isnot justaplace ofprivate joy
and retreat, But rather serves as a Castle wherein the
values of your life and family are generated and upheld.
We hope your home stands as a symbol of humans living
together in Love and peace, Seeking Truth and nurturement
through each other.
We hope that it has within it the elements of Simplicity,
Exuberance,Beauty,Silence,Colorandaconcordancewith
the Rhythms of Life.
We wishforyou aHomewith Books,Poetryand Music,Fora
home with all the things that represent the highest striv ings
Of men and women.
Finally, we wish that your lives be blessed with Spiritual
Abundance, and that your spiritual involvement be enhanced
through This marriage.
% (The Minister shall turn to the congregation, and shall
say:)
MINISTER: Let us all stand together for the closing benediction, and
the passing of the Light.
% (The congregation shall stand. The Bride and Groom shall go
% to the Altar and light the single candle from their candles,
% and then shall light their attendant's candles, and shall %
light the candles of the first person in each row of the %
congregation. They shall then return to the altar, and %
extinguish their candles, placing them on the altar, and %
return to their place before the Ministers.)
MINISTER 2: May we all recognize that the Presence of the One has
already blessed you with the presence of each other. Keep in your
rememberance the sacredness of this trust and the love that
knows no end. May that Peace, which passes all human
understanding abide with you now, and for always.
BOTH: And so it is.
1530
MINISTER 2: And forasmuch as (N) and (N) have expressed their desire
to be husband and wife, showing their love and affection by
joining hands, and have made promises of faith and devotion, each
to the other, and have sealed these promises by giving a n d
receiving of rings:
MINISTER: In the presence of this company of witnesses, by virtue of
my sacred stewardship and the power vested in me by the State
of Arizona, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife.
You may kiss the Bride.
% (The Bride and Groom shall then recess from the altar, %
followed by their attendants. The congregation shall be %
released by rows.)
% (Here ends the Order Of Solemnization Of Marriage (General)