Let's Get Married
When Ever Two or More of You are Gather in His Name
Traditional wedding vows have many variations that are used in non-denominational marriage ceremonies.
The most basic non-denominational traditional marriage vows are the Question of Intention and the Standard Civil Ceremony. The Question of Intention, adapted from the traditional Medieval Christian ceremony, commences with the officiant performing the ceremony asking the couple to join hands before asking each participant the following questions:
"John, do you take Mary to be your wedded [husband/wife] to live together in marriage. Do you promise to love, comfort, honor and keep [him/her] For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. And forsaking all others, be faithful only to [him/her] so long as you both shall live?"
Which is answered by "I do" .
This is sometimes followed by a reading of a poem or a quotation from the bible such as Corinthians 13.
The officiant then pronounces them man and wife by the power vested in him or her.
The Standard Civil Ceremony is very similar except that the bride and groom make similar statements for themselves rather than answering questions, as follows:
"[Name], I take you to be my lawfully wedded [husband/wife]. Before these witnesses I vow to love you and care for you as long as we both shall live. I take you, with all of your faults and strengths, as I offer myself to you with my faults and strengths. I will help you when you need help, and will turn to you when I need help. I choose you as the person with whom I will spend my life."
Or the couple can speak their own written vows of commitment, which can bring a few tears in the house.
Other commonly used traditional ceremonies are centered on the exchange of rings. There is an official Blessing and Exchange of Rings within the Christian tradition which celebrates the wedding ring as the outward expression of an inner spiritual bond. This is the source of the phrase, "With this ring, I thee wed." The rings are a symbol of an unbroken circle of love, freely given and received equally and with no beginning or end. They serve as a lifelong symbol and reminder of the wedding vows taken and the promises therein.
Any discussion of traditional marriage vows would not be complete without mention of the Form of Solemnization of Matrimony from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. This service has remained virtually unchanged since 1662 and is the source of the phrase,
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this Man and this Woman in holy matrimony."
