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1135 views
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~12 minute ceremony
Written and reviewed by elopement experts at Vow of the Wild
Eloping is more popular than ever as couples eschew the traditional courthouse or church wedding for more exciting wedding locations and more intimate ceremony settings. The following example elopement wedding script includes all the key elements required for the ceremony to be legally-binding, as well as script language specific to elopements. Throughout the script, you’ll also find expert tips from our friends at Vow of the Wild who specialize in helping couples elope!
Welcome Statement
* Note from the experts: The ceremony may start with a walk down the aisle, even if the aisle is a hiking trail or similar. Coordinate with the couple on their desire for whether they just start in place, walk in together, or walk in with a parent/loved one.
Officiant
Thank you everyone for being here, and putting in the effort required to get to this incredible view we have before us. _________ and _________ have invited you here today because despite their desire to forego many of the traditional aspects of a wedding day, the one thing they couldn’t give up was your presence.
* Note from the experts: Here is the space that you may add your own personal anecdotes about the couple and their relationship if you know them, or if you have asked them questions for the ceremony. These questions can be simple, such as “What do you remember about the earliest part of your relationship?”, “Tell me a story from your relationship that encapsulates why you fell in love.”, and “What are the qualities you use to describe why your partner is special to you?” Make sure the couple is aware you may share these stories so they don’t also include them in their vows!
On the Gravity of Marriage
Officiant:
_________ and _________, please hold hands and take a deep breath.
Sometimes, all at once, it may fill your entire perception. Of touch, of sight, of sound. But, love, isn’t often loud. Even in the moments when you can think of nothing else, and every thought is consumed by love’s presence screaming in your ear, louder, and louder, warming you from the inside out, it does so only for the two of you. Others may see it, but they can not feel it the same way that you do.
But that’s okay, because love does not demand to be seen. Yes, love is in every milestone, all your favorite stories together, and in the big moments like this one. But it is also in every quiet moment, every small gesture, and the steady presence of another who truly knows you and chooses you every day. Today, amongst the peace of this place, you stand together, knowing that love does not need to be shouted to feel shouted.
Anne Lamott wrote, “To love fully and deeply requires us to be present, to be here, to see and be seen.” And that is what today is about—being here, deeply, truly seeing each other, and choosing a lifetime together. There will be grand moments in your life—adventures, celebrations, anniversaries.
But remember that love is also found in the spaces between, in the unspoken understanding, in the quiet comfort of knowing you are never alone. Remember that love is the clasp of a hand, a glance across a room, the steady heartbeat of the one who stands beside you.
* Note from the experts: Sometimes a good quote can really help with giving you an idea to start from, and you’re welcome to include that quote or leave it out. Examples of some great quotes are:
- “For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.” - Carl Sagan
- “The mountains are calling, and I must go.” - John Muir
- “A good marriage is that in which each appoints the other guardian of his solitude and thus they show each other the greatest possible trust.” - Rainer Maria Rilke
- “To love fully and deeply requires us to be present, to be here, to see and be seen.” - Anne Lamott
- “The moment I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along.” - Mawlana Jalal-al-Din Rumi
- “If you remember me, then I don’t care if everyone else forgets.” - Haruki Murakami
- “Love is our essential nutrient. Without it, life has little meaning. It's the best thing we have to give and the most valuable thing we receive.” - Cheryl Strayed
- “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” - Paulo Coelho
Exchange of Vows
Officiant:
Now, _________ and _________, I’d like you to read the vows you’ve prepared for one another. _________, you’ll go first.
[Partner 1 shares their vows]
Officiant:
Okay, _________, now it’s your turn.
[Partner 2 shares their vows]
* Note from the experts: The officiant may want to step to the side slightly to allow the couple space for this moment. Once both people have finished speaking, return to your spot and feel free to comment on their vows. This is also our favorite place for the officiant to include a prayer or unity ceremony if the couple wishes to do so.*
Ring Exchange
Officiant:
As a symbol of the promises you have made, we come to the exchanging of rings. These rings are small in size but infinite in meaning. They represent not only the commitment you make today but the journey you will continue, side by side, through every landscape, in every season.
_________, please place the ring on _________’s left hand.
* Pause. *
Officiant:
Now _________, please place the ring on _________’s left hand.
* Note from the experts: While the second ring is being exchanged, take several steps to the side of the couple so you aren’t in the first kiss photos.*
Pronouncement
Officiant:
By the power vested in me by the Universal Life Church, I now pronounce you husband/wife and husband/wife! (interchange as needed)
You may kiss!
* Note from the experts: Once the couple has had their moment, encourage family and friends to come forward and give them hugs/congratulate them.*
Final expert tip
Some couples choose to elope with a few close friends or family members. Others choose to hold a ceremony with just themselves and an officiant. If there will be no guests at the ceremony, you can simply modify this script to remove references to guests in the introduction. If there is no photographer, ignore the photography cues.
