The Partnership in Life Ceremony
DOUG
DAVIES - COMMISSIONER
Dear friends and families
We are gathered here today to witness and to
celebrate the marriage of John and Jane and to be with them as
they pledge themselves to each other. Theirs is a partnership freely chosen and
founded on love, friendship, trust and respect. A partnership that encourages
not only self expression, understanding and the development of wisdom through
the sharing of knowledge, but also an enthusiasm for life and living. It must be
done with respect, consideration and a deep and gentle caring for one another.
You are the people with whom they want to share their joy as they enter into
marriage and they hope that, in the years ahead, your love will be a continuous
source of strength for them.
Charge to the Couple
You are here today with
your families and friends to publicly declare your love for one another. Do you
pledge to treat each other with kindness, respect and compassion; to listen to
each other, and to speak to each other with honesty always?
The couple will answer: We do
Marriage is a way of life
that none should lightly undertake. If anyone present
know a reason why John and Jane may not lawfully marry, you must
declare it now.
John and Jane,
if either of you knows a reason why you may not lawfully marry, you must also
declare it now.
Repeat after me…(each
of the participants in turn)
I do solemnly declare that I do not know of any lawful impediment why
I,___JOHN___may not be joined in matrimony to __JANE____.
SAME FOR JANE
The Wedding
DOUG
Your marriage is an act
of faith, which must not be entered into lightly. It must be based on the firm
belief in your individual worth and in that of the other, remembering that the
pledge you make today will only remain valid as long as you look upon it as an
expression of your devotion and freedom. Today you are dedicating yourselves to
that most fragile of all endeavours; a human relationship. The words spoken in
this ceremony will not validate your marriage unless your love and your
commitment to one another are strong enough to sustain it.
John, will you have this woman as part of your life?
Will you love her, care for her and respect her? Will you promise to cherish
her in honesty, tenderness and faithfulness as long as you both shall live?
The groom shall answer: I
will.
I call upon these persons here present, to witness that I, __JOHN_, do take
you, __JANE____, to be my lawful wedded wife (or to be my lawful wedded partner
or to be my lawful wedded spouse),
Jane, will you have this man as part of your life? Will
you love him, care for him and respect him in honesty, tenderness and
faithfulness, as long as you both shall live?
The bride shall answer: I
will.
I call upon these persons here present, to witness that I, ___JANE__, do
take you, _JOHN____, to be my lawful wedded husband (or to be my lawful wedded
partner or to be my lawful wedded spouse),
The Marriage Vows
(the couple face each
other and join hands.)
Repeat after me…(each
of the participants in turn)
Jane, I take you as my wife, to love, cherish and
respect. I promise to share my life openly with you; I promise to tenderly care
for you, I promise to encourage you in the fulfillment of your dreams and your
individuality, throughout the changes in our lives.
John, I take you as my husband, to love, cherish and
respect. I promise to share my life openly with you; I promise to encourage you
in the fulfillment of your dreams and your individuality, throughout the
changes in our lives.
The Exchanging of Rings
The perfect circle of a
ring symbolizes eternity. In the years to come these rings should remind you of
the overwhelming joy of this special occasion when you were united in marriage.
DOUG TO GROOM:
Place the ring on her finger,
hold it there and say these words to her.
Jane, with all my love I
give you this ring, an everlasting symbol of the vows we have made to each
other, and as a token of my love for you.
DOUG TO BRIDE:
Place the ring on his
finger, hold it there and say these words to him.
John, with all my love I give you this ring, an
everlasting symbol of the vows we have made to each other, and as a token of my
love for you.
The Declaration of
Marriage
DOUG
John and Jane, from this day on, may you always communicate
openly and honestly with each other and live these days of joy. May you live in
each other's company in peace and trust May you endlessly delight in each other
and love and fulfill each other always.
John and Jane, you have chosen each other in love and freedom.
You have declared your purpose before your family and friends gathered here
today and you have made your pledges one to the other.
I, _DOUGLASS R. DAVIES__, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the
Marriage Act, do hereby pronounce you __JOHN DOE__ and ___JANE DOE__________ to
be husband and wife (married).
The Nuptial Kiss