Colorado Wedding Ministers

We Do I Do For YOU!

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A Contemporary Marriage Service

Welcome
(Optional)
Who presents Name to be married to Name?  Who presents Name to be married to Name? 
(Parents or person(s) of honor)
(We/I do) 

Dear friends, we gather here at this hour to witness and to celebrate the drawing together of two separate lives. 
We have come so that this man/woman, Name, and this woman/man, Name, may be joined in marriage. To achieve love is not to be absolved of social responsibility. So, it is that the institution of marriage is ordained as a public recognition of the private experience of love, and as a sanctifying of both parties to its great purposes. At the same time, it represents the desire of Name and Name to share their joy in each other with you, their family and their friends.

Declaration of Intent
Love is the most profound experience that can come to humankind. At its best it reduces our selfishness, deepens our personalities, and makes life far more meaningful. Its very nature is to want to give to another, and to feel joy in the joy of the other. Such love can call forth the best qualities in each other.
Marriage is an estate that is to embody, nurture and protect all the warm and precious values that grow in human companionship and love. Marriage symbolizes the ultimate intimacy between two people. Therefore, it is not to be entered into lightly, but with certainty, with mutual respect, and with a sense of reverence which can include beauty, humor and joy.   A marriage that is to last will be continually growing. Yet the closeness which it assumes should not diminish but strengthen the individuality of each partner. The poet Rilke has written that, "Marriage is not a matter of creating a quick community of spirit by tearing down and destroying all boundaries, but rather a good marriage is that in which each appoints the other guardian of his solitude . . . once the realization is accepted that even between the closest people infinite distances exist, a marvelous living side by side can grow up, if they succeed in loving the expanse between them which gives them the possibility of always seeing each other as whole and before an immense sky."

Khalil Gibran also echoed these sentiments in The Prophet, when he wrote:
"Let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow."

Thus it is out of the resonance between individuality and union, that love, whose incredible strength is equal only to its incredible fragility, is born and reborn.

(Optional)
O, God give your blessings now to what we have done here. Make this moment fruitful to Name and Name through an added devotion to one another, through new inner strength, and through a new sense of the sacredness of all life. We do not ask that they be kept from sorrow and trial, but that they may learn from these and be stronger because of them. We do not ask that all life be easy and profitable to them, but that they find life good and worth celebrating. May all their tasks in life, including the task of being human, be easier because they approach those tasks together. Make them each quick to forgive, quick to laugh, quick to enjoy. Let each so value the personality of the other that he may not wish to alter it into some other course. And let them, in the measure of time that is theirs together, find much joy in small things. 
Amen.

Vows
Today's celebration of human affection is the outward sign of a sacred and inward commitment, which religious societies may consecrate, and states may legalize, but which neither can create or annul. Such union can only be created by loving purpose, be maintained by abiding will, and be renewed by human feelings and intentions. It is in this spirit that these two come now to be wed. The vows through which you accept each other as husband/wife/partners in life contain no hidden power within themselves. It is to the extent that they express in words your intention and commitment that they have meaning. In a world where pressures pushing people apart sometimes seem stronger than those drawing people together, your commitment to each other will need to be creatively re-expressed in the coming days and years. The expression in today's vows is an important and visible milestone in your journey together.

Name, do you take Name as your husband/wife/partner, promising to tenderly care for him/her, to respect his/her individuality, to cherish him/her as he/she is, to love him/her with fidelity?
Name
I do

Please repeat after me-
I, Name, take you, Name, to be my husband/wife/partner from this time onward, to join with you and to share all that is to come, to give and to receive, to speak and to listen, to inspire and to respond, and in all our life together to be loyal to you with all my being.

Name, do you take Name as your husband/wife/partner, promising to tenderly care for him/her, to respect his/her individuality, to cherish him/her as he/she is, to love him/her with fidelity?
Name
I do

Please repeat after me-
I, Name, take you, Name, to be my husband/wife from this time onward, to join with you and to share all that is to come, to give and to receive, to speak and to listen, to inspire and to respond, and in all our life together to be loyal to you with all my being.

If you would please bow your heads so we may as for a blessing.
O God give your blessings now to what we have done here. Make this moment fruitful We do not ask that all life be easy and profitable to them, but that they find life good and worth celebrating. May all their tasks in life, including the task of being human, be easier because they approach those tasks together. Make them each quick to forgive, quick to laugh, quick to enjoy. Let each so value the personality of the other that he may not wish to alter it into some other course. And let them, in the measure of time that is theirs together, find much joy in small things.
Amen.

Rings
Rings are an ancient symbol, blessed and simple. Round they are, like the sun, like the eye, like the arms that embrace. Circles they are, for love that is given comes back round again. Name and Name, may these rings remind you that your love, like the sun, illuminates; that your love, like the eye, must see clearly; and that your love, like the arms which embrace, is a grace upon this world.

(Optional)
At this time could Name please gift us with the rings?
Thank you.

As you place your ring on Name’s finger please repeat after me-
As I give you this ring, I give you my love.

As you place your ring on Name’s finger please repeat after me-
As I give you this ring, I give you my love.

The Lord's Prayer
Everyone once again please bow your heads and please repeat after me-
Our Father, who art in heaven; hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever.
Amen.

Closing
Forasmuch as you Name, and you Name, have consented together in wedlock, and have pledged yourselves each to the other in the presence of God and the presence of this company, I do now pronounce you husband and wife. Let all others honor their decision and the threshold of their house.

Benediction
May all blessings attend you,
May joy pervade your lives together,
May your home be forever a place of peace and true fulfillment.

Dearly Beloved
Welcome
Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together here in the sign of God – and in the face of this company – to join together this couple in holy matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men and women; and therefore – is not by any – to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly – but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together – let them speak now or forever hold their peace.
By gathering together all the wishes of happiness and our fondest hopes for Name and Name from all present here, we assure them that our hearts are in tune with theirs. These moments are so meaningful to all of us, for “what greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined together – to strengthen each other in all labor – to minister to each other in all sorrow – to share with each other in all gladness.
Who gives this man/woman in marriage to this man?
(Optional)
Name mother/father/person of honor-
His/Her family and friends gathered here today do.
 
Charge to the couple
Marriage is the union between in heart, body and mind. It is intended for their mutual joy – and for the help and comfort given on another in prosperity and adversity. But more importantly – it is a means through which a stable and loving environment may be attained.
 
Through marriage, Name and Name make a commitment  together to face their disappointments – embrace their dreams – realize their hopes – and accept each other’s failures. Name and Name will promise one another to aspire to these ideals throughout their lives together – through mutual understanding – openness – and sensitivity to each other.
We are here today – before God – because marriage is one of His most sacred wishes – to witness the joining in marriage of Name and Name. This occasion marks the celebration of love and commitment with which this couple begin their life together. And now – through me – He joins you together in one of the holiest bonds. This is a beginning and a continuation of their growth as individuals. With mutual care, respect, responsibility and knowledge comes the affirmation of each one’s own life happiness, growth and freedom. With respect for individual boundaries comes the freedom to love unconditionally. Within the emotional safety of a loving relationship – the knowledge self-offered one another becomes the fertile soil for continued growth. With care and responsibility towards self and one another comes the potential for full and happy lives.
 
Vows
Before you declare  your vows to one another let us bow our heads and pray-
Dear Lord, 
We have come before you this day to give thanks for the love you have shared with these two people. We ask that you help Name and Name to always remember when they first met and to remember the strong love that grew between them. To work that love into practical things so nothing can divide them. Please help them find words both kind and loving and hearts always ready to ask forgiveness as well as able to forgive. 
Dear Lord, we put this marriage into your hands.
 
Do you Name take Name to be your wife/husband/partner – to live together after God’s ordinance – in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him/her, comfort him/her, honor and keep him/her, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon her your heart’s deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him/her as long as you both shall live?
Name
I will.
Please repeat after me-
I, Name, take you, Name, to be my beloved wife/husband/partner, to have and to hold you, to honor you, to treasure you, to be at your side in sorrow and in joy, in the good times, and in the bad, and to love and cherish you always. I promise you this from my heart, for all the days of my life. 
 
Name
Do you Name  take Name to be your wife/husband/partner – to live together after God’s ordinance – in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him/her, comfort him/her, honor and keep him/her, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon her your heart’s deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him/her as long as you both shall live?
Name
I will.
Please repeat after me-
I, Name, take you, Name, to be my beloved wife/husband/partner, to have and to hold you, to honor you, to treasure you, to be at your side in sorrow and in joy, in the good times, and in the bad, and to love and cherish you always. I promise you this from my heart, for all the days of my life. 
 
Rings
We've come to the point of your ceremony where you're going to say your vows to one another. But before you do that, I ask you to remember that love – which is rooted in faith, trust, and acceptance - will be the foundation of an abiding and deepening relationship. No other ties are more tender, no other vows more sacred than those you now assume. 
It was said in the Bible through the words of Saint Paul, "love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." Most of all, love never fails.
(Optional)
Name(s) please set forward and gift your rings to this couple standing her before us.
What token of your love do you offer? Would you place the ring(s) in their hands? Name and Name, hold these ring(s) in your hand(s) as we bless them before you place them on your fingers.
May this/these ring(s) be blessed as the symbol of this affectionate unity. These two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever they go – may they always return to one another. May these two find in each other the love for which all men and women year. May they grow in understanding and in compassion. May the home which they establish together be such a place that many will find there a friend. May this/these ring(s) on her/their finger(s) symbolize the touch of the spirit of love in their hearts.
 
Name, in placing this ring on Name's finger, repeat after me-
Name, you are now consecrated to me as my husband/wife/partner from this day forward and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity.
With this ring, I thee wed.
Name, in placing this ring on Name's finger, repeat after me:
Name, you are now consecrated to me as my husband/wife from this day forward and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity
With this ring, I thee wed.

Closing
This relationship stands for love, loyalty, honesty and trust, but most of all for friendship. Before they knew love, they were friends, and it was from this seed of friendship that is their destiny. Do not think that you can direct the course of love – for love, if it finds you worthy, shall direct you .Marriage is an act of faith and a personal commitment as well as a moral and physical union between two people. Marriage has been described as the best and most important relationship that can exist between them. It is the  construction of their love and trust into a single growing energy of spiritual life. It is amoral commitment that requires and deserves daily attention. Marriage should be a lifelong consecration of the ideal of loving kindness – backed with the will to make it last.

(Optional)
Today we ask for blessing upon this ceremony and t​his marriage. We ask that you give Name and Name, words both kind and loving, hearts always ready to ask forgiveness as well as to forgive, and spirits filled with well-being and light. May the love of God be above you to overshadow you, beneath you to uphold you, before you to guide you, behind you to protect you, close beside you and within you to make you able for all things, and to reward your faithfulness with the joy and peace which the world cannot give -- neither can it take away. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, to whom be glory now and evermore. Our dear Heavenly Father. We come before you this day, to consummate the marriage promises and commitment made by Name and Name. We give thanks to you for the many blessings you have bestowed on us. Thank you for bringing their paths together so that they may find and know true love.

Blessing
May the love that brought them together grow and mature with each passing year. Bring them ever closer to You through their love for each other. May their love grow to perfection. May you always share with each other the gifts of love – be one in heart and in mind – may you always create a home together that puts in your hearts – love – generosity and kindness. In as much as Name and Name have consented together in marriage before this company of friends and family and have pledged their faith – and declared their unity by giving and receiving a ring – are now joined.
You have pronounced yourselves husband/wife/partners but remember to always be each other’s best friend.
What – therefore – God has joined together – let no man or woman put asunder.
And so, by the power vested in me by the State of Colorado and Almighty God, I now pronounce you man and wife – and may your days be good and long upon the earth.

You may now kiss.
An Modern Jewish Wedding
Welcome
Shalom! And Hello and Welcome!
We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, a marriage celebration between Name and Name. 
(Optional)
If there is anyone present who has just cause why this couple should not be united..... Sussh!
(Optional)
Who gives this woman and this man thier blessings to be married today?
(Names reply)
We Do 
As I said before, today we have come together to witness the joining of these two lives, and their friends and family in to one. For Name and Name, out of the routine of ordinary life, the extraordinary has happened. They met each other, fell in love and are finalizing it with their wedding today. Name and Name marriage is a promise between two people who love each other, who trust that love, who honor one another as individuals in that togetherness, and who wish to spend the rest of their lives together. It enables the two separate souls to share their desires, longings, dreams, and memories, their joys and sorrows, and to help each other through all uncertainties of life. A strong marriage also nurtures each of you as separate individuals and allows you to maintain your unique identity and grow in your own way through the years ahead. It is a safe haven for each of you to become your best self while together you become better than ever could be alone.
You are adding to your life not only the affection of each other, but also the companionship and blessing of a deep trust. You are agreeing to share strength, responsibilities and love. To make this relationship work, therefore, takes more than love. It takes trust, to know in your hearts that you want only the best for each other. It takes dedication, to stay open to one another, to learn and grow, even when it is difficult to do so. And it takes faith, to go forward together without knowing what the future holds for you both.
 
Declaration of Love
 Name and Name, life is given to each of us as individuals, and yet we must learn to live together. Love is given to us by our family and friends - we learn to love by being loved. Learning to love and living together is one of the greatest challenges of life; and it is the shared goal of a married life.
But we also must remember that it is not humankind which created love, but God who created love.
(Optional)
Blessed art thou, O Lord God, creator of all things.
A good marriage must be created.
In marriage the "little" things are the big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say, ”I love you" at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry.
It is standing together and facing the world.
It is speaking words of appreciation, and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
It is not only marrying the right person -- it is being the right partner.
 
(Optional)
Before you take your vows, I would I ask everyone to bow our heads in reverence. Let us pray that God will bless the home of Name and Name and that they each, and together, may achieve their highest hopes.
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up his countenance unto to you, and give you peace.  
Amen 
 
Vows
A Holy Union between two people is a beautiful thing indeed. It’s something to be thankful for and something to never take for granted. Each morning when you awaken give thanks for the gift that you have been given in each other and for your willingness to receive it. Marriage will bring to you all of the unlimited possibilities of consciously choosing to become all that you desire, giving you the opportunity to become your highest vision of yourself. This path is not only incredibly challenging but very rewarding as well; it brings to each of you the choices that you want to have for your own growth as well as the wonderful moments of diving blessing that you yearn for in your lives. Marriage is a path of divine humanness. It takes great courage and commitment to continue a conscious and loving union with one other. This very act of joining with each other will increase your potential for self knowledge, joy, fulfillment, peace, and growth a hundred fold because until you have fully committed to each other, the well spring of God’s gifts have only a small river in which to flow through you. By committing to each other, you commit to life more intimately.
The path of true marriage is not for the meek. You no longer have the luxury of leaving when the going gets tough and the ugliness comes to the surface. It requires courage and strength, as well as an open mind and a heart filled with hope and joy. Through the mirror of each other, marriage teaches you compassion, understanding, trust, commitment, love, gentleness, and patience. Within your marriage, all things are possible; all dreams, goals, and visions are possible within your Holy Union. A lifelong, loving marriage brings to you more peace than a life filled with quietude and solitary meditation.
It takes the peace of your connection with God into your relationship and into all that you say, think, and do. Because you have prayed for every gift available to you, your marriage leaves no stone unturned, enriching your lives beyond your wildest dreams, and making you greater than you ever imagined.
 
With that understanding in mind I have these questions to ask of  you-
Do you Name take Name to be your husband/wife/partner? 
Name
I do. 
Do you promise to love, cherish and protect him/her, whether in good fortune or in adversity, and to seek with him/her a life hallowed by the faith of Israel? 
Name
I do
 
And now Name-
Do you Name take Name to be your husband/wife/partner? 
Name
I do. 
Do you promise to love, cherish and protect him/her, whether in good fortune or in adversity, and to seek with him/her a life hallowed by the faith of Israel? 
Name
I do
 
Name now repeat after me-
I, Name, take you, Name, to be my wife/husband, my constant friend, my faithful partner and my love from this day forward. In the presence of God, our family and friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live.
 
Name now repeat after me-
I, Name, take you, Name, to be my wife/husband, my constant friend, my faithful partner and my love from this day forward. In the presence of God, our family and friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live.
 
As we go forward, I know it is common to give advice to the newly wedded couple. I have a few words of wisdom that I would share with not only Name and Name but also  with everyone gathered here to day. I ask that you always treat yourself and each other with respect, and remind yourselves often of what brought you together today.
Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness and kindness that your marriage deserves. When frustration and difficulty assail your marriage - as they do to every relationship at one time or another - focus on what still seems right between you, not only the part that seems wrong. This way, when clouds of trouble hide the sun in your lives and you lose sight of it for a moment, you can remember that the sun is still there. And if each of you will take responsibility for the quality of your life together, it will be marked by abundance and happiness.
 
Rings
Throughout human tradition, when you make a pledge, it has been deemed good to have a token to remind you of that pledge. For this purpose you have chosen rings. They are appropriate to the task because they are circles never ending, like the promises you made to each other today. A circle is the ancient symbol of wholeness and peace. And as these rings are fashioned from one of the earth’s most precious materials, so may your love, nourished and sustained by the love of God, let them be the physical tokens of the love you share. In giving and receiving these rings, you again acknowledge that your lives remain joined in one unbroken circle, wherever you go, you will always return to your shared life together.
 
(Optional)
Could Name, please step forward with the rings?
Thank you.
 
As you Name place your ring on Name's finger please repeat after me,
Name, I promise my love to you. And with this ring, I take you as my wife/husband/partner, for as long as we both shall live according to the law of God and the faith of Israel.
 
As you Name place your ring on Name's finger please repeat after me,
Name, I promise my love to you. And with this ring, I take you as my wife/husband/partner, for as long as we both shall live according to the law of God and the faith of Israel.
 
7 Jewish blessings Sheva B'rachot
In closing of this ceremony today I would like say another blessing, the traditional 7 blessings.
We praise You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.
We praise You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of all things for Your glory.
We praise You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of man and woman.
We praise You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates us to share with You in life's everlasting renewal.
We praise You, Adonai our God, who causes Zion to rejoice in her children's happy return.
We praise You, Adonai our God, who causes loving companions to rejoice. May these loving companions rejoice as have Your creatures since the days of Creation.
We praise You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of joy and gladness, friends and lovers, love and kinship, peace and friendship. O God, may there always be heard in the cities of Israel and in the streets of Jerusalem: the sounds of joy and happiness, the voice of loving couples, the shouts of young people celebrating, and the songs of children at play. 
We praise you, Adonai our God, who causes lovers to rejoice together.
 
Closing
To make your relationship work will take love. This is the core of your marriage and why you are here today. It will take trust, to know, that in your hearts, you truly want what is best for each other. It will take dedication, to stay open to one another - and to learn and grow together. It will take faith, to go forward together, without knowing exactly what the future brings. And it will take commitment, to hold true to the journey you both have pledged to today.
 
Crushing of the Glass
The final act of this ceremony is the shattering of the glass.
This old custom has many traditions, with many interpretations. At one time it was meant to scare off demons that frequent celebrations (or pesky wedding guests) Today, the fragility of the glass suggests the frailty of human relationships. Name and Name in fact everyone, should consider these marriage vows as an irreversible act.  Just as permanent and final as the breaking of this glass is unchangeable. Knowing that this marriage is permanent, Name and Name should strive every day to show each other love and respect and happiness. 
(Optional)
Name, Mother of Name would you please bring us the glass, and bless this union today.
“May your bond of love be as difficult to break, as it would be to put back together these pieces of glass.”
Thank you.
 
After Name breaks the glass, I invite everyone to shout the Hebrew words “Mazel Tov,” meaning “Good Luck” and “Congratulations.”
Name- please break your glass!
 
There for by the power vested in my by God, and this great and beautiful state of Colorado, I now pronounce you husband and wife.
 
You may now kiss!