Wedding Ceremony
Legally, there are only 4 compulsory components that must be included in your ceremony. Everything else is up to you!
Here is a suggested framework for your order of service.
- Processional
- The Giving Away
- Welcome
- A short introduction about the couple’s commitment to each other and view of marriage
- The love story
- Reading
- Legal Ceremony…section 46 of The Marriage Act… ‘The Monitum.’
- The Couple’s Declaration..this is a public declaration to all those present
- Poetry/Blessing/Ritual
- Ring Ceremony…some form of ceremonial symbolic exchange depending on race or religion
- Vows…a selection of either custom written or poetic vows
- The Declaration …the Celebrant announces the couple ‘Man and Wife’
- The signing of the register
- Final blessing followed by an introduction of the couple
An example of a love story written for one of my lovely couples
It started with a kiss on the 12th day of the 12th month of 2012. Magic happened the night of the staff Christmas party held at the Ivy Club. With the encouragement of his co-workers, planting subliminal messages about the gorgeous Samantha in her little black dress, it wasn’t long before a crowded room of 200 people disappeared, and all Reagan could see was Samantha’s shining light. Reagan’s romantic musings of that night tell of Sam asking him to help her on with her stilettos, to quote Reagan, “on the dance floor Sam was told to put her shoes back on, so it was like something out of Cinderella where I fitted the shoe on the foot I was to marry. From that moment, I threw caution to the wind while we danced close and thought, “what the hell”, and I kissed her.”
A few weeks before this bewitching 12/12/12, Reagan noticed Samantha with her bright red hair, big green eyes, and cute nose when she was being interviewed for a position. She was given the receptionist job, and every morning and afternoon, a mute Reagan walked past her. To be fair, he was constantly questioning if she was the same girl, so often did she change her look. It took him weeks to pluck up the courage to even say hi. The tension was building. While Reagan tells me that Samantha will say she first noticed his maroon pants, what she actually says is that Reagan left an impression on her as he was a different cut of man to what she was used to, to quote Sam, “He is honestly the happiest, most caring person I have ever met.”
What Samantha loves about Reagan is his creativity, compassion, his honesty, and his joyful soul. The little things he does to make her feel truly loved, the creative and generous surprises, the playful gestures, and how badly he sings the cheesy songs he makes up about her.
What Reagan loves about Samantha is her generosity, compassion, her bright sense of humour and the way she lights up the room with a calming presence; he says of her “Samantha’s impressive creativity and childish fun makes for a relationship which is never boring, she continually inspires me to be the best I can be and the best man I can be for her.”
While they are each in a state of wonder about the other, what truly binds and connects them deeply is the mutual respect they have for each other. In turn, this regard created a better understanding of their personal values and transformed them into a collective set of values; generosity, understanding, thoughtfulness, creativity, patience, forgiveness, happiness, honesty, and an adventurous spirit.
By being married what they are each looking forward to is knowing that the person beside them on the couch, opposite them at the dinner table, next to them in the car or the one holding their hand will always be by their side sharing the same love and companionship, which they have always shared, delighting in more surprises, which may come their way, creating a loving family and finding the magic in life’s experiences. They want to gaze upon the other in the comforting knowledge they are husband and wife and be proud that each has chosen the other.
Unlike the fairytale where the story ends with a kiss, Samantha and Reagan’s love is just the beginning of their story.