These are just examples to get your own imagination and thoughts going.  If you write your own vows, I can recite and proceed as you direct.  Feel free to copy, insert and customize as you and your partner  wish.  It is your unique and personalized event.

Civil Ceremony-Most popular:

 Ladies and Gentlemen,  welcome to the marriage of _________________ and ______________
_________________and ______________ want to welcome you to this celebration of their love for one another.  Each of you have given something special to their lives. Your love and encouragement will forever be appreciated. Thank you for sharing one of life's happiest moments with them. May you be as important a part of their tomorrow, as you are of their today.
(Optional) Who Gives _________ to be Married to ________?
_______________ and ________________ have found that "special someone" to love and trust with heart, mind, and soul.  They have found someone to love, support and comfort them in times of trial. They have good reason to be happy together and we rejoice with them in their union.  We also celebrate with them the love they have discovered in each other and we support their decision to commit themselves to each other for the rest of their lives. Marriage is a commitment to take another person as a Friend, Companion and Lover.  The uniting of this couple is an occasion of great significance which we can all celebrate. Marriage is not a casual event nor is it simply a private affair between two individuals. Marriage is to be entered into responsibly.

The marriage ring seals the vows of marriage and represents a promise for eternal and everlasting love.
(Groom: Place Bride’s ring on her finger, and repeat...)

 "I promise to you _____________, before our family and friends, to commit my love to you, to be with you through life’s changes; and to nurture and strengthen the love between us, as long as we both shall live."
(Bride:  Place Groom’s ring on his finger, and repeat after me)
"I promise to you_____________, before our family and friends, to commit my love to you, to be with you through life’s changes; and to nurture and strengthen the love between us, as long as we both shall live.
Today we have heard the willingness of ____________________ and ________________ to be joined in marriage. They have come of their free will and in our presence, have declared their love and commitment to each other. They have also given their pledge each to the other, and by joining of hand and heart;  Therefore, by the power vested in me by the laws of the State of  Nevada, I take great pride and pleasure as I declare them Husband and Wife.
You may now kiss your bride.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I now present to you Mr and Mrs _________________

 

Same Sex Vows:

(Groom)  I___________________, take you, (Bride's name/Groom's name), to be my (wedded wife/wedded husband). I promise to strive always to consider your needs in addition to my own; to be a source of strength for you; to accept your strength for myself; to share freely my thoughts and feelings; to listen when you share yours with me. I make these solemn promises, to keep in times of plenty and in want; in joy and in sorrow; in sickness and in health; from this day forward.
(Deacon)  ________, will you have ________ to be your (wife/husband), to live together as friend and mate? Will you live (her/him) as a person, respect (her/him) as an equal, sharing joy as well as sorrow, triumph as well as defeat. And keep (her/him) beside you as long as you both shall live?
________, is it your will to have this (woman/man) to be your spouse, to live together in the state of marriage? Is it your will to love (her/him), in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others to be faithful to (her/him) as long as you both shall live?
________, are you ready to take ________ as your (wife/husband), to live together with (her/him) in a growing marriage relationship? Will you vow with (her/him) to be partners in life in such a way that together you will meet every situation of life; the peaceful and the chaotic, the routine and the exciting, the sorrowful and the joyful, the threatening and the inviting. Will you love (her/him), affirm (her/him), and commit yourself to (her/him) in marriage relationship as long as you both shall live?

(Groom)
I, (Name), take you, (Name), for my (husband/wife), to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.
I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my (husband/wife), I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.
(Name), our miracle lies in the path we have chosen together. I enter into this marriage with you knowing that the true magic of love is not to avoid changes, but to navigate them successfully. I make this commitment until death parts us.
(Bride)
I, (Name), take thee, (Name), to be my (husband/wife), 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 thereto I pledge thee my faith.
I, (Name), ask you, (Name), to be my (husband/wife), as my friend and my love. On this day I affirm the relationship we have enjoyed, looking to the future to deepen and strengthen it. I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph. Together we will dream, will stumble but restore each other, we will share all things, serving each other and our fellow humanity. I will cherish and respect you, comfort and encourage you, be open with you, and stay with you as long as we both shall live, both freed and bound by our love. I , (Name), promise you, (Name), that I will be your loving and loyal (husband/wife) from now on. I will share with you all of life's joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, until death parts us.

Officiant

With the ring  these two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever they go, may they always return to one another in their togetherness. May these two find in each other the love for which all long. May they grow in understanding and in compassion. You may kiss your partner.

 

Wiccan/Pagan Handfasting Ceremony

WELCOME STATEMENT
OFFICIANT (to congregation):
Welcome friends, family, and loved ones - all who come in piece to witness the union of _________
and _________. We are here today to celebrate with them and to share in their triumph as they
proclaim their love for one another and the bond their souls have formed together.
SPEECH / SERMON / INTRODUCTION
OFFICIANT (to congregation):
For those who my not be familiar, a Handfasting ceremony is a little different from a traditional
wedding ceremony in that it recognizes that love, like life, is dynamic. Traditionally, these
ceremonies were done in Celtic lands, and vows could be taken for a year, or they could be taken
forever, because those Celtic ancestors understood that love changes from moment to moment,
and that every couple is unique - as is every relationship.
_________ and _________ have chosen to commit to one another today for the rest of their lives, but
they understand that the love they commit to is dynamic and fluid, and what we celebrate is the
eternal connection between the souls of _________ and _________, no matter what physical form
their love may take.
Having spent some time with _________ and _________ before agreeing to officiate their
handbinding, I’ve seen the evidence of that connection between these two souls. It’s in the way
_________ smiles when she sees _________ come into the room, or when she lights up ever so
slightly at the mention of his name. It’s the gleam in _________’s eye when he talks about _________,
or the way he holds him/her/them close when they’re together. There’s no denying that these two
souls are connected - and that is what we’ve gathered to celebrate - here in this moment - the love
that _________ and _________ share between their spirits.


DECLARATION OF INTENT
OFFICIANT (to couple):
_________, _________, let there be no mistake. While the tradition of handbinding recognizes and
accepts love as dynamic in nature, it is not to be entered into lightheartedly, because it is a sacred
vow.
The vows you make today signify that your souls are bound eternally, whether or not your bodies
are. You make these vows today with the understanding that you are committing to be a partner
to one another, and to honor the connection your souls now share with one another. These vows
are sacred, and they should not easily be broken, as you make them to one another in the site of
these loved ones as witnesses.
Knowing this, _________ and _________ is it your intent to enter into this commitment to one
another?
COUPLE: It is.
HANDBINDING CEREMONY
OFFICIANT (to couple):
Then let us begin.
_________ and _________, you will be making six vows in total to one another before me and these
witnesses. For each, I will ask _________ for his/her/their commitment first, then I will ask
_________. Once they have both affirmed, we will move to the next vow.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________, will you share in _________’s pain, and seek to protect him/her/them from it and ease
him/her/them of it?
_________: I will.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________, will you share in _________’s pain, and seek to protect him/her/them from it and ease

him/her/them of it?
_________: I will
OFFICIANT: Then let the binding be so.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________, will you share in _________’s joy, rejoice in it with him/her/them, and look for the best in
him/her/them always?
_________: I will.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________, will you share in _________’s joy, rejoice in it with him/her/them, and look for the best in
him/her/them always?
_________: I will
OFFICIANT: Then let the binding be so.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________, will you share in _________’s hardships and toil, so that the two of you may grow
together?
_________: I will.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________, will you share in _________’s hardships and toil, so that the two of you may grow
together?
_________: I will
OFFICIANT: Then let the binding be so.

OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________, will you share in _________’s dreams and work with him/her/them to fulfill them?
_________: I will.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________, will you share in _________’s dreams and work with him/her/them to fulfill them?
_________: I will
OFFICIANT: Then let the binding be so.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________, will you use your anger to strengthen and temper the bond between you and _________?
_________: I will.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________, will you use your anger to strengthen and temper the bond between you and _________?
_________: I will
OFFICIANT: Then let the binding be so.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________, will you honor and respect _________, treating him/her/them as an equal in this bond?
_________: I will.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________, will you honor and respect _________, treating him/her/them as an equal in this bond?
_________: I will

OFFICIANT: Then let the binding be so.
VOW/RING EXCHANGE
OFFICIANT (to couple):
Now that the binding ceremony is complete, it’s time to seal your bond with the exchange of
rings. The ring has a special significance within Wiccan, Pagan, and Celtic culture because it is a
symbol of unbrokenness. It is also a symbol of completion - as the two of you are now complete.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________ please repeat after me: _________ I promise on this day to share your pain, your joy, your
burdens, and your dreams, and to help you navigate the maze of life together as our love grows
with us.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________ please repeat after me: _________, I promise on this day to share your pain, your joy, your
burdens, and your dreams, and to help you navigate the maze of life together as our love grows
with us.
PRONOUNCEMENT
OFFICIANT (to couple):
_________ and _________ having proclaimed the bond of your souls together in the sight of these
witnesses, and based on the strength of that bond, and the power vested in me by the Universal
Life Church and the state of _____________, I now pronounce you married.
Please seal your bond with a kiss!

© Universal Life Church Ministries — ulc.or

 

BDSM Wedding/Collaring:

The Bride, Groom and their "seconds" stand before mantle with the deacon standing facing them.  The Groom leads the Bride to top of stairs, where she kneels and is uncollared. Groom helps the Bride to her feet and they proceed to stand before mantle.
(Deacon)
_____________, you come here as equals to celebrate the love and commitment you have for each other. We share in this with you by giving recognition to your decision to accept each other as husband and wife, master and slave.
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, and always perseveres.   Love never fails.
You are now taking into your care and keeping the happiness of the one person in all the world whom you love best. You are adding to your life not only the affection of each other, but also the companionship and comfort of a deep trust. You are agreeing to share strength, responsibilities, and love.
May you be a blessing and comfort to each other, sharers of each others dreams, counseler to each others sorrows, helpers to each other in all life's challenges. May you encourage each other in what ever you set out to achieve. May you trust each other, trust life, and be unafraid. May you love each other, and offer love and support to those around you.
_________do you take ________ to be your wife and slave, to live together in the bonds of marriage and submission? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, so long as you both shall live?
(Groom) I do.
(Deacon)
________ do you accept ______ as your husband and Master? Will you love and comfort him, honor and obey him, in sickness and in health and forsaking all others be faithful to him so long as you both shall live?
(Bride) I do.
(Groom)
I, ________, choose you, _______, to be my wife and slave, my friend, my love, and the mother of our children.   I will be there for you in plenty and in want. In sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph, I will cherish and respect you, guide and encourage you, and together we shall live freed and bound by our love.   You belong to me.
(Bride)
___________, I surrender to you as my husband and Master with your strengths and your weaknesses.   I will be true to you in all things.   I will give all that I have and who I am. I will love enough to risk being hurt, and trust when I misunderstand.   I will keep with you in heartache, celebrate life with you in joy, and obey you to the best of my abilities throughout my life.   I belong to you.
(Deacon)
The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two loyal hearts in endless love. (exchange rings)
The collar is the outward and visible sign of a mental and spiritual ownership and surrender. (Groom places collar on Bride)
(Deacon)
With the ring and collar these two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle, husband and wife, master and slave. Wherever they go, may they always return to one another in their togetherness. May these two find in each other the love for which all men and women long. May they grow in understanding and in compassion. You may kiss your bride and slave.

 

YOUR WORDS ARE THE BOND...THE RING IS THE SYMBOL