BRIEF ELOPEMENT CEREMONY
Sample 23
(This it a brief elopement ceremony - shortest non religious ceremony -
only about 5 minutes - but still more meaningful than an courthouse
wedding.
You may add a PRAYER and/or Bible verse however if you wish a brief
Christian elopement ceremony- pick your own or from this material. Or
the Apache or Cherokee Blessing... or any other changed. You are
welcome to make any changes, deletions or additions to this ceremony.)
___________ & __________, today you celebrate one of life's
greatest moments and give recognition to the worth and beauty of love,
as you join together in vows of marriage.
(Vows used unless other vows are wished. You may change the vows as you wish)
(Groom ) ___________________, do you take ________________ to he
your Wife? ("I do") Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect
her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her? ("I do")
(Bride _____________________ , do you take __________________ to be
your Husband? ("I do") Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and
protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him? ("I
do")
(If rings are exchanged each does so before repeating the following
vows - unless you wish other vows or do not wish to repeat vows. It is
not required to repeat vows.) Rings are NOT required)
(Groom) ,I _____________, take thee, ________________ to be my Wife- To
have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer,
and I promise my love to you. (With this ring, I thee wed.)
(Bride), I _________________ , take thee _______________, to be
my husband. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer
or for poorer, and I promise My love to you. (With this ring, I thee
wed.)
____________________________ and ___________________________, just as
two very different threads woven in opposite directions can form a
beautiful tapestry, so can your two lives merge together to form a very
beautiful marriage. To make your marriage work will take love. Love
should be the core of your marriage, love is the reason you are here.
But it also will take trust - to know in your hearts you want the best
for each other. It will take dedication - to stay open to one another;
to learn and to grow together even when this is not always so easy to
do. It will take faith - to always be willing to go forward to
tomorrow, never really knowing what tomorrow will bring. And it will
take commitment - to hold true to the journey you both now pledge to
share together.
(Some couples will add the "Standard Christian Ceremony Prayer" to make
this a Christian ceremony. This adds about 2 minutes. Others add their
favorite song, reading or poem at this point. Others will add Unity
Candles or the Rose Ceremony. )
________________________ and _________________________, in so
much as the two of you have agreed to live together in Matrimony, have
promised your love for each other by these vows, I now declare you to
be Husband and Wife.
Congratulations, you may kiss your bride.