Lasso, Bible, Veil, Coins Wedding Ceremony

Bride escorted to dais

Groom accepts bride

“Welcome family” – present “how they met” – through “appreciation for each other”

Thank you all for gathering here to witness the joining of [Bride] and [Groom] on their special day.
[Something Personal about how the Bride and Groom Met, Fell In Love and Decided to Commit to a Life Long Relationship]

Invite [family] to bring chairs and candles

Today you have decided to share the rest of your lives together. This beautiful union is symbolized by the lighting of the union candle. The candle you are about to light is a candle of marriage. The individual candles represent all that you are and all that you have been until this moment. It is a candle of unity because both candles must come together to be complete. It is also a candle of commitment, because it takes two people to keep it ablaze. Together you must protect it from being extinguished. [Bride] and [Groom] please light the candles to symbolize the union of your lives.

Lighting of the candles – resume seats

Because you have lit this candle, may the brightness shine throughout your lives together. The life that each of you experience, now individually, will hereafter be united, for each of you shall become one.

1 Corinthians 13 – [family member] brings up bible

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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.

Laying of the veil – invite [family] to apply the veil

Let this be a symbol of the faithful love you have for each other. Through the passing of the years let the veil remind you that you belong to each other.

Lasso – invite [family] to place cord around couple

This cord symbolizes the infinite bond of love that you share. That keeps your relationship strong in the face of adversity. As well that you are no longer two, but one in marriage. May this cord remind you to face your life together courageously, and to be mutual in your support of each other, in carrying out your duties and responsibilities as a couple. And may your love grow stronger and bind you closer together day by day.

Exchange of “Aras” coins – invite [family], barer of the coins

Originally there was an understanding of husband as bread winner, and wife as homemaker. So these coins are given not as a sign of reciprocity, but as a sign of a give and take relationship. Today these coins are a reminder of good stewardship for all couples: That they will be mutually supportive of each other, their children and the world around them. May God bless these coins and what they represent in mutual responsibility.

Pass coins to [Groom] – who in turn passes them to [Bride]

[Groom] repeat after me:
[Bride] ,
I give you these “Aras”
as a pledge of my dedication
to your welfare
[Bride] repeat after me:
[Groom], I accept them
and in the same way
pledge my dedication
to you and the care of our home
and the welfare of our children.

Return coins to barer

Remove cord and veil

Remove chairs

Please face each other and hold hands.

Vows

[Groom] and [Bride], I remind you that marriage is a precious gift, a lifelong commitment, and a challenge to love one another more completely each and every day.
Please join hands and look into each other's eyes.

[Groom], with this understanding, do you take [Bride] to be your wedded wife to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others and to be faithful only to her, so long as you both shall live?

Groom: “I do.”

[Bride], with this understanding, do you take [Groom] to be your wedded husband, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others and to be faithful only to him, so long as you both shall live?

Bride: “I do.”

Rings

May I have the rings please?
The ring, an unbroken, never-ending circle, is a symbol of committed, unending love.
[Groom], as you place this ring on [Bride]'s finger, repeat these words after me:

This ring, a gift for you,
symbolizes my desire
that you be my wife
from this day forward.
As this ring has no end
neither shall my love for you.

[Bride], as you place this ring on [Groom]'s finger, repeat these words after me:

This ring, a gift for you,
symbolizes my desire
that you be my husband
from this day forward.
As this ring has no end
neither shall my love for you.

These Hands

These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times. These are the hands that will comfort you when you are sick or console you when you are down. God bless these hands before you today, may they always be held by one another. Give them the strength to hold on during storms of stress, and the dark of disillusionment. Keep them tender and gentle as they nurture each other and their wondrous love. Help these hands to continue building a relationship rich in caring and devoted toward reaching perfection. May [Groom] and [Bride] see their hands as healer, protection, shelter and guide.

Blessing

Bless their marriage, oh God, as they begin their journey down the road of life together. Help them continue to enjoy each other as they did when they first met. Help them to realize that nothing, nor no one, is perfect, and to look for You in all the good in all the people including themselves. Help them to learn from each other and help each other and to grow financially and spiritually. Help them realize that no matter what happens they will hold on to each other and know that things have a way of working out for the good. But most of all, dear God, help them to keep lit the force of love that they now share, so that by their loving example they may pass on the life of love to their children and their children’s children forever.
To make your relationship work, it will take love. This is the core of you marriage, and why you have come together today. It will take commitment, to hold true to the direction you have taken.

Pronouncement:

[Groom] and [Bride], you have consented together in holy matrimony before God and these witnesses, have pledged your vows to each other, and have exchanged rings as tokens of your love and commitment to each other. In accordance with the laws of the state of California, with the authority of the Universal Life Church, and with great joy, I now pronounce you husband and wife.
YOU MAY SEAL YOUR VOWS WITH A KISS!

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. [Groom’s Surname]!