Announcements

Hello everyone and welcome to ________ and _______’s celebration of love!  I’m ______, their friend and officiate. We have a few announcements before we get started.

 After the ceremony, there will be a cocktail reception before dinner. After ____and ______ are pronounced married, they will exit glamorously and everyone will proceed to the outside deck.

 Please turn off your devices for the next 20 minutes and be present with the couple on their day.

There’s mad libs on the back of your programs, please remember to drop them in the basket at the end of the bridge. These will serve as a guestbook.

 Finally, we’re doing a flower toss at the end. Once ______ and ______ have been pronounced husband and wife, please shower them with petals as they walk out.

 That’s it. Please relax, take some time to enjoy your surroundings while we bring this couple into their next chapter together.

Remembrance and Moment of Silence

______ and _____, you have chosen to take a moment of silence to remember those who could not join us today. Let us take this moment to honor them, especially ____’s dad, who we know full well is here in spirit. 

Gathering Words

Welcome friends and family of ______ and _______! You have gathered from all over the world to be with these two on their day.  While creating this ceremony with ______ and ______, it was remarkable to hear how strongly they spoke of the importance of community. It has been humbling to share the feeling of family these two deeply value in their lives.

We all are their support system, and their biggest fans.  It would be impossible to quantify the interconnectedness of this group gathered today. What is possible is to embrace how important we all are to each other and to ________ and________. So please, take some time today to reflect on your moments with these two and then tell them about it…and don’t forget to instagram it (#__________)

Welcome

______ and ________, welcome to your day!

It has been a journey my friends and you have arrived! Since we began crafting this day of love, we used all the technology (intercontinental phone calls from Africa, emails, texts, the occasional virtual cocktail date). Regardless of how spotty the actual connection was; the clarity of your commitment to each other came through loud and clear. I am so excited to stand with you today and share your excitement.

 Indeed, a wedding is a day when the bride and groom stand before each other and feel like they each won the life lottery.  It is clear that you will always be at the finish lines of each other’s races and find sincere joy in each other’s triumphs.  May that sentiment live on in your happy home for years to come. 

Ring Warming 

As we’ve talked about, everyone here has played an immense role in the cultivation of this relationship. To honor that, _______ and _____ would like everyone to participate in their ring warming ceremony.  We’ll pass the rings in their special dish around and everyone please pass your love and well wishes along with them. This way, not only will these wedding rings serve as a reminder of their commitment to each other, but of the community who supported them along the way.

Marriage Address

We live in a world that affords us more options than ever before about how we choose to spend our lives. 

 What is so impressive and awe-inspiring about this marriage is the intention with which you two approached this day. By choosing to stand before your friends and family and commit, you are not only strengthening the bond between you two, but acknowledging that it’s truly does take a team to summit a mountain.

So speaking of mountains, you two took a trip together this year. And from Chamonix to Zermatt, you literally roped yourselves to one another and traversed some of the most beautiful terrain on this planet. Your preparation was at times stressful.   You were no doubt pushed to your physical and mental limits.  But you did make it and came back better than ever…with some pretty amazing photos to boot!

Now for all you mountaineers out there, you know there are 3 rules of mountaineering. “It’s always further than it looks. It’s always taller than it looks. And it’s always harder than it looks.”  And so you would be wise to prepare.

The manner with which you two prepared for that trip is indicative of how you got here today. Your sense of adventure, compassion for each other and ability to approach things as a united front is exactly what made that trip so memorable and what will make this marriage an incredible journey.

Exchange of Vows

[written by couple]

Reading

[optional]

Exchange of Rings

Now that we’ve warmed the rings, it’s time to exchange them. These rings represent your marriage. They were created for you both and shine with memories of your family. Let them serve as a gentle reminder of your love, happiness, and may they temper you in challenging times.

_______: This ring is a symbol of your commitment to ______ and this partnership.  Do you promise to:

• Support
• Encourage
• Walk with ______ and Love her in all times on this journey?

Place the ring on her finger.

______: This ring is a symbol of your commitment to _____ and this partnership.  Do you promise to:

• Respect
• Encourage
• Embrace the honesty snd Love him in all times on this journey?

Place the ring on his finger.

Declaration of Marriage

_______ and _____, today you have stood before your friends and family and with each other. Let this public display of your commitment burn bright in your memory as you move forward together.

“May your mountains rise into and above the clouds” so that the journey never truly ends.

So! On this day, ________: It is my distinct honor to now pronounce you husband and wife,  _______ and _______.

 ______, you can _____ your bride!