Anyone writing their own ceremony script?

This is what I used as a template: http://ryanhupfer.com/wedding-ceremony-script/

Tweaked it to fit us of course but I loved the simplicity of it

This is why I'm super excited about our officiant. He is doing all this for us. And he seems like we are a lot alike. We met in person to talk and ended up talking for 2 hours about non wedding stuff. I want to be as least responsible for stuff as possible Good luck!

Thanks Milwaukee. I read through it and think that script will provide really great groundwork.

I envy you Kathleen. He sounds great!

I wrote our entire ceremony. Our officiant and later or pastor both told us they could take care of it, but I loved doing it. Take it in chunks. Decide first what you wanted to include (a timeline) than fill on from there only looking at the key areas one at a time. It takes bit of research but so worth it. I love our ceremony and it's uniquely us with a sprinkling of things we added that other couples opted to do.

I know exactly how you feel! I was in your shoes a few months ago. I took a lot of elements from this website: http://anotherdamnwedding.com/2011/01/09/our-ceremony/

They took a lot of elements from many other websites. lol

We are doing a little of both, editing vs writing. My officiant is a close friend and mentor. She has never done a wedding, or gotten married. So she is getting advise from a friend of hers. She's going to send me some sample scripts and I can edit them.

I also wrote something up myself. I googled Sand Ceremony outline, and wedding ceremony outline and used those to get started. If you are doing any type of sand or candle ceremony there are lots of resources. I didn't get things from just one source, so I don't have a great site to share, but just pick and put things together as you like them. Good luck!

I took from about 3-4 websites and pieced ours together. BIL (who was deputized for the day to officiate) had to insert his requirements from the state in order to make it legal:

Welcome

On behalf of Ryan and Angi, I welcome you and thank you all for gathering here on this beautiful day to witness their marriage ceremony. The fact that you all have traveled to be here today is a testament to the amazing amount of love and support they have. You have given them much happiness, love, warmth, and guidance through the various stages of their lives. They would like to sincerely thank you all for being here to celebrate their big day.

This beautiful setting should remind us that, like the ocean, human life is an ebb and flow. The life of the spirit and emotions moves in cycles. To be in a relationship does not guarantee an eternal summer. To make a sincere and honest commitment does not promise, an end to all struggle. What a good relationship does offer, much like this ocean, is the opportunity for renewal. It recognizes the abiding, shared hope that after every fall and winter, spring and summer will come again.

The Hands Ceremony

Angela and Ryan, please face each other and take each other’s hands, so that you may see the

gift that they are to you.

These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow and forever.

These are the hands that will work along side yours as together you build your future.

These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch will comfort you like no other.

These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief temporarily comes your way.

These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow and tears of joy.

These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children.

These are the hands that will give you support and encouragement to chase down your dreams.

These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.

These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.

These are the hands that will lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look

into eyes that are filled with overwhelming love for you.

And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.

Marriage Vows and Intent

Angela, do you take Ryan....? {or insert whatever they told you you need to say}

"I do."

Repeat after me:

I give you my promise to be by your side forevermore.

I promise to love, to honor, and to listen as you tell me of

your thoughts, your hopes, your fears, and your dreams.

I promise to love you deeply and truly

because it is your heart that moves me,

your head that challenges me,

your humor that delights me,

and your hands I wish to hold until the end of my days.

Because your love means so much to me,

I offer you my heart.

As your partner in life, I will share your joys and your sorrows,

your laughter and your tears.

Through all the changes that life will bring, I promise you this:

I will always love you.

Ryan, do you take Angela....?

"I do."

Repeat after me:

I give you my promise to be by your side forevermore.

I promise to love, to honor, and to listen as you tell me of

your thoughts, your hopes, your fears, and your dreams.

I promise to love you deeply and truly

because it is your heart that moves me,

your head that challenges me,

your humor that delights me,

and your hands I wish to hold until the end of my days.

Because your love means so much to me,

I offer you my heart.

As your partner in life, I will share your joys and your sorrows,

your laughter and your tears.

Through all the changes that life will bring, I promise you this:

I will always love you.

Exchange of Rings

May I have the rings please?

The ring, an unbroken, never-ending circle, is a symbol of committed, unending love.

Angela as you place this ring on Ryan's finger, repeat these words after me:

This ring, a gift for you,

symbolizes my desire

that you be my husband

from this day forward.

As this ring has no end

neither shall my love for you.

Ryan, as you place this ring on Angela's finger, repeat these words after me:

This ring, a gift for you,

symbolizes my desire

that you be my wife

from this day forward.

As this ring has no end

neither shall my love for you.

{Insert Pronouncement and direction to smooch}

Friends and family, for the first time, I am pleased to introduce Mr. & Mrs. Smith!

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@MizizAngi- I was hoping you'd show up! I remember your post with the hands ceremony. Love it!

Thanks everyone! This should give me enough to piece together my own!

We sort of are. Our officiant gave us a whole pile of samples and we're copy and pasting from a bunch of them. Our problem is that we have TOO many readings!!

I wrote ours :-) I pulled a couple things from good ol' googs, but between me and my officiant we wrote most of it! She is finalizing the whole thing this weekend and then it will be ready. If I remember I'll come back and post it!

So glad you posted this, Emily! I also started with the mindset that I'd of course (!) write our ceremony, but like you did some research and found it to be very daunting and uninspiring.

Following! Thanks ladies.

We wrote our entire ceremony and used this book written by a reverend as a planning guide / reference. It is excellent:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Wedding-Ceremony-Planner-Essential/dp/1402278225

I wrote our ceremony, my FFIL is officiating and we are going to review the ceremony Sunday while we are out for lunch with him. I can send you a copy of the ceremony if you want to see it.

I took pieces from a lot of ceremony scripts! So far I love mine!!

*follow'd* Thank you for posting this!! I've been thinking about this! Our friend is officiating our wedding and this is his first one, so we need to start figuring out how to go about doing this. I know we're writing our own vows, but I have no idea wtf else is going on!!

We're writing our (secular) ceremony too, and as someone earlier mentioned, we're doing the 'Hands Ceremony' reading. The website A Practical Wedding is an AWESOME resource for writing your ceremony, and/or your vows. I wrote my own vows also - I have no idea how I'll get through them without bawling...