Ceremony Script Draft sent by Officiant

Oooooooooh, lovely!! I love reading others Irish ceremonies!!

We are having a traditional Irish ceremony, complete with a hand fasting. Here is the ceremony I put together. I pulled traditional Irish poems and prayers from different sites and combined them into one ceremony, Our officiant added a couple lines at the end, but thats the only edits he made:

CEREMONY:

Here they stand, hand in hand, to exchange wedding bands.

Today is the day of all their dreams and plans.

In good times and bad times, in sickness and health,

May they know that riches aren't needed for wealth.

Help them face problems they'll meet on their way -

Bless this couple who marry today.

May they find peace of mind comes to all who are kind,

May the rough times ahead become triumphs in time,

May their children be happy each day,

Bless this family who started today.

As they go, may they know every love that was shown,

And as life it gets shorter may their feelings grow.

Wherever they travel, wherever they stay,

Bless this couple who marry today.

Blessed be this union with the gifts of the East.

Communication of the heart, mind, and body

Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun.

The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of silences.

Blessed be this union with the gifts of the South.

Warmth of hearth and home

The heat of the heart's passion

The light created by both to illuminate the darkest of times.

Blessed be this union with the gifts of the West.

The deep commitments of the lake, the swift excitement of the river

The refreshing cleansing of the rain

The all-encompassing passion of the sea.

Blessed be this union with the gifts of the North

Firm foundation on which to build;

And the fertility of the fields to enrich your lives.

RING EXCHANGE:

For thousands of years, lovers have exchanged rings as a token of their vows. These simple bands are not of great value by themselves, but instead they are made precious by your wearing of them.

The ring is worn on the third finger, because of an ancient belief that a vein from that finger goes directly to the heart, thus connecting emotion to physical body.

The rings are a circle without end. May your marriage and your love for each other continue to be as infinite, as the circle of these rings. The two of you have been joined together in one unbroken circle, in which, wherever you go, you will always return to one another and to your togetherness.

Nicholas, please take Shayla’s ring and place it on her finger.

Do you, Nicholas, take Shayla, to be your wedded wife? (I do)

Do you promise to be her constant friend, her partner in life, and her one true love? (I do)

Do you promise to love her without reservation, honor and respect her, and protect her from harm? (I do)

Do you promise to comfort her in times of distress, and to grow with her in mind and spirit? (I do)

Shayla, please take Nicholas’s ring and place it on his finger.

Do you Shayla, take Nicholas, to be your wedded husband? (I do)

Do you promise to be his constant friend, his partner in life, and his one true love? (I do)

Do you promise to love him without reservation, honor and respect him, and protect him from harm? (I do)

Do you promise to comfort him in times of distress, and to grow with him in mind and spirit? (I do)

HANDFASTING CEREMONY:

The bride and groom have chosen to conclude their ceremony with a traditional handfasting. This is a symbolic binding of the hands that inspired the terms "Bonds of Holy Matrimony" and to "Tie the knot". Throughout history in many different ways and in many different parts of the world, the hands of the bride and groom were bound as a sign of their commitment to one another. In many times rings were only for the very rich, while love knows no such bounds. The cords are not permanent but perishable as a reminder that all things of the material eventually return to the earth, unlike the bond and the connection that is love which is eternal.

Please join your right hands.

(Couple can choose to either hold hands and cord is wrapped around wrists in a figure 8 type fashion-the infinity symbol-or they hold elbows, Groom right to Bride left, and then bind over the forearm lose enough for them to drop into holding hands for the kiss as the cords make the figure 8 around their wrists, then make a comfortable exit.)

May you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.

May the road rise to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home

And may the hand of a friend always be near.

May green be the grass you walk on,

May blue be the skies above you,

May pure be the joys that surround you,

May true be the hearts that love you.

CEREMONY ENDING:

Now you are bound one to the other, with a tie not easy to break.

To grow in wisdom and love, that your marriage will be strong.

That your love will last; in this life and beyond.

And now, by the powers vested in me by the laws of the State of New York, it is my honor, and my pleasure, to pronounce you Husband and Wife.

Nicholas, you may kiss your bride!

Erin, thank you so much for sharing this! I've never read an Irish ceremony script, but it sounds absolutely beautiful! I was almost in tears reading it!

Also, dying laughing at the "pronounced panties and peonies" the same way!!