Wedding Ceremonies

By Rev. Jim and his Wife

Circle will be erected before guests arrive and will be outlined with flowers. On the altar there will be four quarter candles, Goddess and God candles, unity candles, incense, 3 chalices with wine and cakes, wand, pentagram. Person 1 (will light incense and all candles EXCEPT the unity candle) Person 1 (will sweep x 3 and place broom at the door.) Person 2 (will ring bell x 3 and summon) Come ye who are light of heart, The celebration is about to start. Come to the Northeast and wait, For the Priestess to guide you through the gate. Let your smiles be merry, let your worries be still And let none be here, but of their own free will.? (Cast and Admit) (Cleanse circle with elements while singing:) ?Earth our body? ?Earth our body Water our blood Air our breath and Fire our spirit? Repeat until back at your quarter (Four Quarters we will be invoked Each Quarter will offer milk cake and mead) East: Person 3 South: Person 4 West: Person 5 North: Person 6 East: ?Playful Dryads we call to thee, come frolic with us lighthearted Sidhe(she) come sing to the tune of your homeland as we join together this woman and man.? South: ?Bright Geancanoch (Gan-chan-ock) we call to thee, come play with us mischivious Sidhe (she), come dance to the tune of your homeland as we join together this woman and man.? West: ?Brave Tuatha de Danann (Too-ah-day-Thay-nan) we call to thee come rest with us trooping Sidhe(she), come tap your toes to the tune of your homeland as we join together this woman and man.? North: ?Cheerful Cluricauns (kloo-ree- kahn) we call to thee, come sing with us joyful Sidhe (she), Come hum the tune of your homeland as join together this woman and man.? Person 7 (Will call Deities) Person 1 and Person 7 will bless wine and cakes Person 7 ? (will cut a door to let wedding party in.) Bride and her father ? (will walk to the door) Officiant ? ?Who brings Bridenifer here today? Raise energy with ?we are a circle?: ALL - ?We are a circle within a circle With no beginning and never ending? x 3 Officiant - (will begin with a few heartfelt words) Person 7 ? ?The joining together of man and woman in the Sacred Rite of Marriage brings together great forces from which may flow the seeds of future generations to be nurtured within the womb of time. Within every masculine nature lies the Feminine; within every feminine nature lies the masculine. The interplay of masculine and feminine forces, when flowing freely in a union based upon Love, finds many expressions and that union is truly Holy.? Officiant ? ?Who walks the path of the moon to stand before the Gods and declare her Sacred vows? (Bride steps forward) Do you Bride, come to this place of your own free will?? Bride ? ?I do.? Officiant ? ?Who walks the path of the sun to stand before the Gods and declare his Sacred vows? (Groom steps forward) Do you Groom, come to this place of your own free will?? Groom ? ?I do.? Person 2 ? (Gives Officiant Binding Cloth) Officiant ? (wraps the couple?s hands.) Officiant ? ?Will you walk together the circle of time traveling through the Elements and Seasons?? Bride and Groom ? ?We will? (walk, hands, bound to each quarter) South ? ?Will your love survive the harsh fires of change? Bride and Groom ? ?It will.? South ? ?Then accept this blessing of the element of fire in this the place of summer. May your home be filled with warmth.? West ? ?Will your love survive the ebb and flow of feeling?? Bride and Groom ? ?It will? West ? ?Then accept this blessing of water in this the place of autumn. May your life together be filled with love.? North ? ?Will your love survive times of stillness and restriction?? Bride and Groom ? ?It will? North ? ?Then accept the blessing of the element of earth in this the place of winter. May your union be strong and fruitful.? East ? ?Will your love survive the clear light of day?? Bride and Groom ? ?It will? East ? ?Then accept the blessing of the element of air in this the place of spring. May your marriage be blessed by the light of every new dawn.? Person 7 ? ?All things are circlular- night becomes day, day becomes night and night becomes day again. The moon waxes and wanes and waxes again. There is spring, summer, autumn, winter and then spring returns. These things are part of the Great Mysteries. Bride and Groom do you bring your symbols of these Great Mysteries of life?? Bride and Groom ? ?We do.? Person 8 ? (gives ring to Bride) Officiant ? ?Then before all present repeat these words: (Bride faces Groom and places ring on his finger and repeats after Officiant) I pledge my love, strength, and my friendship. I bring thee joy now and until love lasts. I vow upon this holy Earth that through you I will honor all men. Will you accept in freedom this circle of gold as a token of my vows?? Groom ? ?I will? Person 8 ? (gives ring to Groom) Officiant ? ?Groom, place this ring on Bride?s finger and repeat after me? (Groom faces Bride and places ring on her finger and repeats after Officiant) ?I pledge my love, strength and my friendship. I bring thee joy now and until love lasts. I vow upon this holy Earth that through you I will honor all women. Will you accept in freedom this circle of gold as a token of my vows?? Bride ? ?I will.? Person 7 ? (gives Bride a lit tapered candle) Bride ? ?In the name of Diana I bring you the warmth of my heart.? Best Man ? (hands Groom lit tapered candle) Groom ? ?In the name of Pan I bring you the light of my love.? (Both light the unity candle.) All ? ?May the light of your union be blessed? Officiant ? ?By the law of three do you swear to keep sacred your vows?? Bride and Groom ? ?We swear.? Person 2 and Person 1 ? (wrap Bride and Groom with wrap.) Officiant ? ?Benificent Spirits and Souls of our Ancestors, accept the union of your children. Help them, protect and bless their home and children of their union. May their life together reflect the harmony of all life in its perfect union. May they work together in times of ease and times of hardship, knowing that they are truly blessed. From this time forth you walk together along life?s path. May your way be blessed.? Bride ? (Takes chalice in hand and speaks oath) ?By seed and root, by bud and stem, by leaf and flower and fruit, by life and love, I ,Bride, take you, Groom, to my hand and heart at the rising of the sun and the setting of the stars.? Groom ? (Takes chalice in hand and speaks oath) ?By seed and root, by bud and stem, by leaf and flower and fruit, by life and love, I, Groom, take you Bride, to my hand and heart at the rising of the sun and the setting of the stars.? (Both pour the mead from their chalices into the union chalice and Groom serves Bride first. Then say as serving:) ?may you never thirst?. (Pass around another chalice of mead for everyone to sip.) (Bride and Groom taste wine and cakes and pass around) Officiant ? ?Let Diana, Pan and the Spirits of the four directions be thanked for their blessings.? Person 7 ? (Release God and Goddess) (Release Quarters:) North ? ?We thank thee cheerful Cluricauns (kloo-ree-kahn) for lending us your protection we thank thee, our faery friends, for joining us today Go if thou must, stay if thou will We bid thee hail and farewell? West ? ?We thank thee brave Tuatha de Danann (Too-ah-day-Thay-nan) for lending us your sense of adventure. We thank thee, our faery friends, for joining us today Go if thou must, stay if thou will We bid thee hail and farewell ? South ? ?We thank thee bright Geancanoch (Gan-chan-ock) For lending us your passion We thank thee our faery friends, for joining us today Go if thou must, stay if thou will We bid thee hail and farewell? East ? ?We thank thee playful Dryads for lending us your lighthearted song, We thank thee our Faery friends, for joining us today Go if thou must, stay if thou will We bid thee hail and farewell ? Officiant ? ?This sacred rite of marriage ends in peace, as in peace it begins. Let us leave, holding peace and love in our hearts until we meet again. (Then pronounces Bride and Groom Husband and Wife) Person 7 (cuts door in the air at circles edge) (Broom is laid across doorway) (Bride and Groom jump the broom on the way out of the circle) (Bride and Groom lead everyone out and guests blow bubbles in celebration of the union. ) Person 7 (Unwinds the circle) ******************** The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training. 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