How to Write an Inspiring Wedding Officiant Speech
By The Wedding Experts at the Universal Life Church Ministries
Being chosen to officiate a wedding or vow renewal is a monumental honor. With that honor, however, comes the responsibility to deliver a touching and memorable officiant speech.
Feeling uncertain about how to structure the ceremony or what to say in your speech? You've landed in the right spot! This all-inclusive guide provides key insights for crafting and delivering a wedding officiant speech that will both impress the audience and check the necessary legal boxes.
But before diving deep into preparations, pause for a moment to appreciate the significance of being selected to officiate. This honor is typically reserved for someone the couple views as an important figure in their lives, and who possesses the poise and confidence to speak before a gathering.
If you’ve been asked to officiate, that person is you – congratulations!
If you’ve never performed a wedding before, referencing ceremony examples can be hugely helpful. To give you a better idea of what a wedding officiant speech script should look like, we’ll be showcasing snippets from our catalog of sample ceremonies. Feel free to use them as a framework for crafting your own officiant speech!
Heads up: If you require official credentials or any other wedding essentials prior to the big day, please check out our minister store.
Alright, let's dive into building that ceremony script!
Guidelines for Crafting an Officiant Wedding Speech
Many new officiants are surprised that a wedding ceremony script can take whatever form they (and the couple) want it to take. There aren’t any specific rules for how your speech should be structured – the ceremony blueprint is quite flexible, provided a few legal stipulations are adhered to.
However, we recognize that “do whatever you want” isn’t the most helpful advice. That’s why we’ll be examining a conventional script structure to give you a starting point in your planning process (and to explain the legal elements that must be included).
What role does an officiant play during the ceremony?
Typically, the wedding officiant begins with an opening address, guiding the couple through the ceremony's various segments — directing the moments for vows, ring exchanges, the kiss, and finally, pronouncing the newly married couple to be wed.
The officiant's core responsibility is to smoothly navigate each ceremony segment, incorporating any desired elements from the couple and making sure the legal requirements are met.
What sets an officiant speech apart?
Your significant creative input as an officiant is most evident in the introduction, sometimes termed the "invocation". This initial section of the ceremony usually involves greeting the attendees, underscoring the significance of the day, and explores the couple's love story.
Wondering what this looks like on paper?
Let's dive in! Below you’ll find a sample wedding officiant speech, borrowing segments from various speeches housed in our wedding script collection.
Officiant Speech Overview With Examples
Here’s a typical structure for a wedding ceremony:
1. Introduction
In the introduction (often also called the Invocation), the officiant welcomes the couple and the wedding guests to the ceremony, and announces why everyone has gathered on that day. This opening statement should focus on the couple's love story, and the significance of having those close to them bearing witness to their nuptials.
OFFICIANT (to audience):
Please be seated… Thank you. Friends, family, and loved ones, we come together today, in the sight of the divine and of you as witnesses to join _________ and _________ in marriage. We gather around them now in this wonderful place, and we look on with love and hope as these two begin their new life together as one.
OFFICIANT (to audience):
Marriage is a sacred institution in our culture. It’s a tradition of partnership, of trust, and of dependence on one another to navigate the sometimes stormy seas of life. People have said that marriage requires things like work, like commitment, and like sacrifice - and certainly all of those things are true. No matter what it looks like in the end, however, a healthy marriage always needs a solid foundation.
It begins with love, to be sure, but what does that mean? People say they love chocolate, is that the same as the love we need for a solid marriage? Of course not. The love we need comes from being willing to make those sacrifices. The love we need comes from being committed to working through everything together, and maintaining open communications - even when it is difficult. The love we need makes the work it takes to maintain it all worth it.
On top of that foundation of love - a mixture of work, sacrifice, and commitment - we can build things like trust and intimacy, and all of the beautiful things that make a marriage worthwhile.
OFFICIANT (to couple):
_________ and _________, are you ready to proclaim that foundation of love for one another in the sight of the heavens and these witnesses?
Enjoy this intro excerpt? It was taken from our simple officiant ceremony script. All ULC wedding scripts are available to download for free!
2. Declaration of Intent
In this section, the officiant confirms the couple’s desire to be lawfully wed. This is a crucial component, as it is needed for the wedding to be considered legally binding.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________, do you take _________ to be your lawfully wedded husband/wife/partner from this day forward - to have and to hold, in good times and bad, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health; will you love, honor, and cherish him/her/them for as long as you both shall live?
_________: I do.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________ do you take _________ to be your lawfully wedded husband/wife/partner from this day forward - to have and to hold, in good times and bad, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health; will you love, honor, and cherish him/her/them for as long as you both shall live?
_________: I do.
This sample declaration of intent can be found in our traditional wedding script, which is free to use.
3. Exchange of Vows
In this section, the couple exchange their vows with one another. These can be either personal vows they wrote for one another, or a scripted statement the officiant assists with.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
Okay, _________, now it’s time to put a ring on it. Repeat after me, please. _________ I give you this ring as a symbol that I will love you, honor you, cherish you, and that I’ll let you have the remote every once in a while, and I’ll try to clean up after myself.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
Alright, _________, it’s your turn. Repeat after me, please. _________, I give you this ring as a symbol that I will love you, honor you, cherish you, and that I’ll try not to nag you about spending too much time with the guys/gals, and I may even make you dinner once in a while.
See the free humorous wedding ceremony script that this excerpt comes from.
4. Ring Exchange
The couple exchange wedding rings next. The couple typically recite their vows in a call-and-response style.
Now it is time for the exchange of rings.
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________, please repeat after me: _________, I give you this ring as a symbol of my eternal love for you, and my unbreakable connection to you. With it, I promise to love you, cherish you, and stand by you in good times and bad, for as long as I live.
(_________ repeats phrase-by-phrase and places ring on _________’s finger.)
OFFICIANT (to _________):
_________, please repeat after me: _________, I give you this ring as a symbol of my eternal love for you, and my unbreakable connection to you. With it, I promise to love you, cherish you, and stand by you in good times and bad, for as long as I live.
(_________ repeats phrase-by-phrase and places ring on _________’s finger.)
This ring exchange variation can be found in our interfaith wedding ceremony script, which can be accessed for free.
5. Pronouncement
The other part of the ceremony required by law, the Pronouncement, is when the officiant declares the couple legally married (and typically invites their first kiss!).
OFFICIANT (to couple):
______________ and ____________, I am so overjoyed to say that your pledges have been formalized with the exchange of the rings in front of all these witnesses. By the power vested in me by the Universal Life Church Ministries, I officially pronounce you married – you may now kiss!
Our gender neutral wedding ceremony script is free to use and includes this pronouncement section.
6. Closing Statement
OFFICIANT (to audience):
Following the processional, _________ and _________ will greet their guests. They ask that you meet them for the reception at __________. Thank you so much again for joining us today. This concludes our ceremony.
Like the sound of this closing statement? It can be found in our free-to-download all-inclusive wedding ceremony script.
The Key to an Inspiring Wedding Officiant Speech
As the wedding officiant, your role is an important one. However, you’re obviously not the star of the show. Captain the ship soundly, and then get out of the way.
Creating an inspiring wedding officiant speech often means striking a balance between humor and heartfelt moments. A sprinkle of jokes is fine, but take care not to overdo it (a wedding probably shouldn’t be mistaken for a comedy show, unless the couple insists that’s what they want).
Avoid becoming overly preoccupied with the smaller details, too – the focus of the wedding ceremony should squarely rest on the couple and the deep affection they share. Tailor your speech to the couple's personalities, values, and the overall atmosphere of the wedding.
With careful preparation and genuine delivery, your speech will create a memorable and inspiring moment for the couple and their guests.
Finally, don’t forget to enjoy the moment yourself! Bringing two people together in matrimony is an unforgettable experience, and you should be proud of the work you’ve done!
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