Newlywed groom kissing new bride's hand during spring wedding
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  • ~12 minute ceremony

This wonderful wedding ceremony script harnesses the beauty and power of nature in the name of love. It’s personal, a little romantic, and highlights the importance of nature and the outdoors. Love as is? Download, print it and have the perfect wedding in nature. You can also modify it to fit your love story.

Introduction/Welcome/Wedding Sermon

Officiant (to guests):

Welcome to you all, who have traveled from near or far. We have all gathered today to witness and celebrate the marriage of _______________ and _______________. Today, they will affirm this bond formally and publicly. This declaration of love would be meaningless if they could not share it with their most beloved family and friends. As Marcel Proust said, “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”

Officiant (to couple):

_______________ and _______________, we mark your transition into marriage not only by celebrating the love between you, but by also honoring the love between all of us. Without that love, today would be far less joyous. Thank you so much for coming.

Reading

Officiant (to guests):

“I don’t love you as if you were the salt-rose, topaz or arrow of carnations that propagate fire: I love you as certain dark things are loved, secretly, between the shadow and the soul. I love you as the plant that doesn’t bloom, and carries hidden within itself the light of those flowers, and thanks to your love, darkly in my body lives the dense fragrance that rises from the earth. I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where, I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I know no other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you; so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep it is your eyes that close.”

(Sonnet 17 by Pablo Neruda)

Declaration of Intent

Officiant (to couple):

_______________ and _______________, please join hands. Do you, _______________, pledge to love and respect _______________, to share your life and dreams with her/him/them, and to create a home with her/him/them that is a place of love, happiness, commitment, and growth?

Partner 1:

I do.

Officiant (to Partner 1):

Do you pledge to be there for _______________, through all of their accomplishments and failures, joys and sorrows, and to always offer them your unshakable support and, above all, the freedom to be themself?

Partner 1:

I do.

Officiant (to Partner 2):

_______________, do you, _______________, pledge to love and respect _______________, to share your life and dreams with her/him/them, and to create a home with her/him/them that is a place of love, happiness, commitment, and growth?

Partner 2:

I do.

Officiant (to Partner2):

Do you pledge to be there for _______________, through all of their accomplishments and failures, joys and sorrows, and to always offer them your unshakable support and, above all, the freedom to be themself?

Partner 2:

I do.

Exchanging of Vows

Officiant (to couple):

_______________ and _______________, I invite you to share your marital vows at this time. Please face each other and recite your vows to your partner before whatever god(s) you believe in, and all who are gathered here today.

_______________, you may go first.

Partner 1:

I, _______________, pledge to you, _______________, that from this day forward, I will devote my life to enriching our days with beauty and joy. I'll honor your spirit and all of your successes by working to encourage you and reminding you of your beauty and strength. I accept you as my partner, confidante, and other half today, and I promise to love you for the rest of my life.

Officiant (to Partner 2):

_______________, you may now share your vows.

Partner 2:

I, _______________, pledge to you, _______________, that from this day forward, I will devote my life to enriching our days with beauty and joy. I'll honor your spirit and all of your successes by working to encourage you and reminding you of your beauty and strength. I accept you as my partner, confidante, and other half today, and I promise to love you for the rest of my life.

Exchanging of Rings

Officiant (to couple):

Wedding rings are a physical representation of the vows you just made to each other. They should be worn every day to remind you of the vows you've made. In addition, understand that when you put the wedding rings on each other's fingers, you're releasing the past and bringing only the memories, wishes, and hopes that will belong to each of you into your future life together. Please present your rings to one another.

Officiant (to Partner 1):

_______________, place your ring on _______________’s finger and repeat after me. “With this ring, I promise you my soul, my heart, my love and commitment, from today and into eternity.”

Partner 1:

With this ring, I promise you my soul, my heart, my love and commitment, from today and into eternity.

Officiant (to Partner 2):

_______________, place your ring on _______________’s finger and repeat after me. “With this ring, I promise you my soul, my heart, my love and commitment, from today and into eternity.”

Partner 2:

With this ring, I promise you my soul, my heart, my love and commitment, from today and into eternity.

Pronouncement

Officiant (to couple):

_______________ and _______________, you came here today of your own free will and declared your love for one another in front of everyone.

It is with such honor and joy that I now send you out into the universe to spread the beautiful light that you both share with those around you. By the power vested in me by the Universal Life Church Ministries, I now, for the first time, happily pronounce you married. Now kiss and go celebrate!