ELOPEMENT PACKAGES IN GULF SHORES, ORANGE BEACH AND PENSACOLA
Excerpt from “Oh, The Places You Will Go by Dr. Seuss
“Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away! You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go. You’ll look up and down streets. Look ’em over with care. About some, you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
Short and Sweet.
The Perfect Ceremony Scripts.
Religious Ceremony Script:
Welcome
Welcome, family, friends and loved ones. We are gathered here today, surrounded by the beauty of creation and nurtured by the sights and sounds of nature to celebrate the wedding of _____ and _____.
You have come here from near and from far away to share in this commitment now they make to one another, to offer your love and support to their union, and to allow ______ and ______ to start their married life together surrounded by the people dearest and most important to them.
If the bride is accompanied by her father/mother/brother/friend, the officiant will ask:
“Who gives _____ to be married to ______?”
Please be seated.
_____ and _____ thank you for your presence here today. They ask for your blessing, encouragement and lifelong support, for their marriage and life shared together. They also remember other loved ones who cannot be here to share this moment.
OPENING PRAYER
Let us bow our heads in prayer. Lord, we thank you for gathering everyone here today. We ask that you help _____ and _____ to remember the strong love that they share. To work that love into practical things so that nothing can divide them. May their love always inspire them to be kind in their words, considerate of the other’s feelings, and concerned for the other’s needs and wishes. Increase their faith and trust in You. Bless their marriage with peace and happiness and make their Love fruitful for Your glory and their joy, both here and in eternity. Amen.
Wedding Readings:
“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.”
– 1 Corinthians: 13
Declaration Of Intent & Sharing Of Vows
_________ and _________, please join hands, look at one another now and remember this moment in time.
Before you declare your vows to one another, I want to hear you confirm that it is indeed your intention to be married today.
____, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to _____ in marriage? If so, answer “I do.”
Groom:
I do.
Officiant:
_____, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to _____ in marriage? If so, answer “I do.”
Bride:
I do.
Officiant:
_____, please take _____’s hand and repeat after me.
“I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”
_____, please take _____’s hand and repeat after me.
“I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”
Exchanging Of Rings
Officiant: Please present the rings
Your wedding ring is a symbol of your promise to one another. The ring, an unbroken, never-ending circle, is a symbol of committed, unending love.
NAME, please place the ring on NAME’s left hand and repeat after me:
As a sign of my love
[“As a sign of my love”]
That I have chosen you
[That I have chosen you”]
Above all else
[“Above all else”]
With this ring, I thee wed.
[“With this ring, I thee wed.”]
And NAME, please place the ring on NAME’s left hand and repeat after me:
As a sign of my love
[“As a sign of my love”]
That I have chosen you
[That I have chosen you”]
Above all else
[“Above all else”]
With this ring, I thee wed.
[“With this ring, I thee wed.”]
Wedding Sand Ceremony Script
The wedding sand ceremony is a significant way of joining two lives as one. This also creates room for couples who have children to blend their families.
“(name) and (name), these two bottles of sand represent your individual life and all that you are. Your friends, families, and children; if any before today. Today we will blend this sand and you will not exist anymore.
You will become one in love and married. And as the sand cannot be quite separated, so also you both cannot be well separated.
Prayers and Blessings
Officiant:
Let us pray,
God, for the joy of this occasion we thank you. For the meaning of this wedding day we thank you.
For this important moment in an ever growing relationship we thank you.
For your presence here and now and for your presence at all times, we thank you.
Conclusion & Pronouncement
This is the beginning of an amazing life together. The start of a magical journey. And it started right here. Right where you are standing right now. This little stretch of sand is where your now intertwined lives began. Please close your eyes. Feel the sand in your toes. Hear the sound of the waves. Now look around you at the beauty of this place. I want you to always remember how you feel right now….”
______ and _____, you have come here today of your own free will and in the presence of family and friends, have declared your love and commitment to each other. You have given and received a ring as a symbol of your promises. By the power of your love and commitment to each other, and by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.
You may now share your first kiss as husband and wife.
Congratulations.
Friends and family, I now present to you the newly married couple!
Non-Religious Ceremony:
Welcome
Welcome, family, friends and loved ones. We are gathered here today, surrounded by the beauty of creation and nurtured by the sights and sounds of nature to celebrate the wedding of _____ and _____.
You have come here from near and from far away to share in this commitment now they make to one another, to offer your love and support to their union, and to allow ______ and ______ to start their married life together surrounded by the people dearest and most important to them.
If the bride is accompanied by her father/mother/brother/friend, the officiant will ask:
“Who gives _____ to be married to ______?”
Please be seated.
You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or during long walks—all those sentences that began with "When we're married" and continued with "I will and you will and we will"—those late night talks that included "someday" and "somehow" and "maybe"—and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding. The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, "You know all those things we've promised and hoped and dreamed—well, I meant it all, every word." Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another—acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few years.
GROOM'S/BRIDE’S NAME , please face GROOM’S/BRIDE'S NAME , and hold his/her hands,
These are the hands of your best friend, strong and filled with love.
These are the hands that promise to love you all the days of your life.
These are the hands that will work alongside yours,
and together to build your future, as you laugh and cry, and share your dreams.
These are that hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years.
Declaration Of Intent & Sharing Of Vows
Before you declare your vows to one another, I want to hear you confirm that it is indeed your intention to be married today.
____, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to _____ in marriage? If so, answer “I do.”
Groom:
I do.
Officiant:
_____, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to _____ in marriage? If so, answer “I do.”
Bride:
I do.
Officiant:
_____, please take _____’s hand and repeat after me.
“I, (Name), take you, (Name), for my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”
_____, please take _____’s hand and repeat after me.
“I, (Name), take you, (Name), for my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”
Exchanging Of Rings
Officiant: Please present the rings
Your wedding ring is a symbol of your promise to one another. The ring, an unbroken, never-ending circle, is a symbol of committed, unending love.
NAME, please place the ring on NAME’s left hand and repeat after me:
As a sign of my love
[“As a sign of my love”]
That I have chosen you
[That I have chosen you”]
Above all else
[“Above all else”]
With this ring, I thee wed.
[“With this ring, I thee wed.”]
And NAME, please place the ring on NAME’s left hand and repeat after me:
As a sign of my love
[“As a sign of my love”]
That I have chosen you
[That I have chosen you”]
Above all else
[“Above all else”]
With this ring, I thee wed.
[“With this ring, I thee wed.”]
Wedding Sand Ceremony Script
The wedding sand ceremony is a significant way of joining two lives as one. This also creates room for couples who have children to blend their families.
“(name) and (name), these two bottles of sand represent your individual life and all that you are. Your friends, families, and children; if any before today. Today we will blend this sand and you will not exist anymore.
You will become one in love and married. And as the sand cannot be quite separated, so also you both cannot be well separated.
Conclusion & Pronouncement
A good marriage must be created.
In the 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 each day.
It is never going to sleep angry.
It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is standing together and facing the world.
It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.
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.
Before we leave the hot Gulf Coast sun, and before you go forth as husband and wife, I would ask you to do one last thing for me. On a day like today, where there is so much excitement and emotion with all the details and all the planning and the sincere hope that the day will go perfect, I don’t want the most important moment of this day to be fleeting. When you wake up tomorrow, it will all be over. But right now, at this very moment, with your toes in the sand, the perfect blue water, the clear sky, in the presence of your family and friends, I want you to take a few seconds to look into each other’s eyes and think about the happiness you’re feeling. Let that feeling consume your heart and your thoughts.
Now imagine 20 years have gone by. Will you remember this moment? Will you be able to feel the tropical breeze? Remember the sound of the waves and the sweet smell of salt in the air? Will you feel that leap in your heart thinking back to this moment?
I am confident that your future together will always allow you to return to this moment. And it is with that confidence that I declare:
In as much as you ____ and you ____ have announced the truths already written in your hearts, by the power vested in me by the State of Alabama/Florida, I now pronounce you husband and wife.
Please kiss your bride!”
Friends and family, I now present to you the newly married couple!
Bride and Groom, I offer these good wishes to you on this special day.
May your life together be blessed with prosperity and good health.
May you always share open and honest communication between each other.
May you respect each other’s individual talents and gifts and give full support to each
other’s professional and personal pursuits.
May you cherish the home and family you will create together.
May all the years to come be filled with moments to celebrate and renew your love.
May your love be a life-long source of excitement, contentment, affection, respect, and
devotion for one another.
Vows
Do you need help writing your own vows? Here is some inspiration:
“Bride/Groom, I love you. You are my best friend. Today I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our love is simple, and when it is an effort. I promise to cherish you and to always hold you in the highest regard. These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life.”
“I, Bride/Groom, affirm my love to you, Bride/Groom, as I invite you to share my life. You are the most beautiful, smart, and generous person I have ever known, and I promise always to respect you. With kindness, unselfishness, and trust, I will work by your side to create a wonderful life together.”
“Bride/Groom, I promise to love you, to be your best friend, to respect and support you, to be patient with you, to work together with you to achieve our goals, to accept you unconditionally, and to share life with you throughout the years.”
“I, Bride/Groom, pledge my undying love to you, Bride/Groom, as I invite you to share my life. I promise to be kind, unselfish, respectful, and trustworthy so that together, our dreams of a beautiful future can come true. To this end I call upon all present to witness that I take you [name] to be my [husband/wife], to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health for as long as we both shall live.”
I promise to love you and uphold our love. To fight for us in the face of the storm, to be your joy and to dry your tears. To cherish you with every fiber of my being. I promise to stand with you and hold your hands, even when we are old and grey. This is my vow.”
You will be the clouds
and I will be the sky.
you will be the ocean
and I will be the shore.
you will be the trees
and I will be the wind.whatever we are, you and I
will always collide“On this day,
I give you my heart,
My promise,
That I will walk with you,
Hand in hand,
Wherever our journey leads us,
Living, learning, loving,
Together,
Forever.”“I take you to be my partner for life,
I promise above all else to live in truth with you
And to communicate fully and fearlessly,
I give you my hand and my heart
As a sanctuary of warmth and peace
And pledge my love, devotion, faith, and honor
As I join my life to yours.”Funny Vows
“I promise to hold off secretly watching episodes of Game of Thrones – until we are actually together.”
“In front of our friends and family gathered here, I promise to love and cherish you in good times and in bad. I promise to put down the toilet seat – and to replace the toilet roll when it’s over and to never, ever, ever forget our wedding anniversary or your birthday.”
“I vow to stand by your side when the zombie apocalypse comes and, should you be turned into one, I promise to let you bite me, so I can too be one and, therefore, stay by your side forever.”
Now that’s love