What should the officiant say at my wedding? Archives

Over my last 10 years providing wedding DJ services, I thought it would be a great idea to put together and share a complete wedding ceremony guide.

During this last decade, I’ve learned that couples spend many days, months and years planning their wedding reception and ceremony.

Wedding Ceremony Guide And Script Outline

After all this planning, there is only about one hour dedicated to rehearsing the wedding ceremony, usually about two days prior to the actual wedding.

At the rehearsal, I’ve noticed couples often ask many of the same questions, which are answered by the hall manager, officiant and DJ.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful and much less stressful to have the answers to these commonly asked questions long before the big day?

Well, that’s what this wedding ceremony guide is all about!

We understand that every wedding ceremony is unique and special.

Furthermore, with so many different traditions, styles and preferences, I have never serviced two weddings that were exactly alike.

With that in mind, this wedding ceremony guide lists samples of the different wedding ceremony components to help guide you in the planning of your own unique wedding ceremony script.

Wedding Ceremony Script Outline

PROCESSIONAL

OPENING REMARKS

THE CHARGE TO THE COUPLE

DECLARATION OF CONSENT

EXCHANGE OF VOWS

EXCHANGE OF RINGS

PRONOUNCEMENT OF MARRIAGE

THE KISS

INTRODUCTION OF THE COUPLE

CLOSING REMARKS

THE RECESSIONAL

Sample Wedding Ceremony Order

Processional

Walking into the ceremony (Bride’s side on Left- Groom’s side on Right)

Grandparents of the Groom – Sit in the front row on the Groom’s side

Grandparents of the Bride – Sit in the front row on the Bride’s side

Parents of the Groom – Sit in the front row on the Groom’s side closest to the aisle

Mother of the Bride – Sits in the front row on the Bride’s side closest to the aisle

Officiant, Groom, Best Man – Stands next to the Groom

Groomsmen

Bridesmaids

Maid of Honor – Stands next to the Bride

Flower Girl – Stands in front of the Maid of Honor, Ring Bearer – Stands in front of the Best Man

Bride with Father of the Bride – Sits next to the Mother of the Bride after “Handing-Off ” the Bride to the Groom.

Sample Opening Remarks

Friends and families! 1._____ and 2._____ are here today to happily proclaim their intention to marry. In so doing they are allowing us to participate in the celebration of a love which they have nurtured for some time.

Theirs is a partnership freely chosen and founded on friendship, trust and respect. A partnership that encourages not only open communication, self-expression and the sharing of knowledge but also an enthusiasm for life. I

t is based on the belief that each is equally important and that any pretense of superiority by either would be injurious to both.

1._____ and 2._____ believe that marriage is essentially a human institution. Therefore this ceremony finds its deepest meaning in the celebration of being human.

Sample Question To The Couple

Do you come with joy and anticipation to this moment when you will be legally joined in marriage? Do you pledge to treat each other with kindness, respect and compassion; to listen to each other and to speak to each other with honesty—always?
Answer: We do.

Sample Charge To The Couple

THE CHARGE TO THE COUPLE
You have come to love each other deeply and sincerely. That love has given you the desire to unite in marriage and to establish a home together. In this ceremony, you are dedicating yourselves to give happiness and well-being, each to the other.

Your marriage is an act of faith. It must not be based on the hope of what the other will do or will not do, might become or might not become.

It must be based on the firm belief in your own individual worth and that of the other. Your pledge today is an expression of your devotion.

The words spoken in this ceremony will validate your marriage only if your love and commitment to one another are strong enough to sustain it.

Today you announce your love for each other in the presence of families and friends. We celebrate with you and we wish you well!

Declaration of Consent Sample

Do you promise to love and cherish her/him, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her/him, for so long as you both shall live?

15 Popular Wedding Vows

I’ll Always Love You

“From this moment, I take you as my best friend for life. I pledge to honor, encourage, and support you every day of our lives.

When things become difficult, I promise to stand by you and uplift you, so that through our union we can accomplish more than we could alone.

I promise to work at our love and always make you a priority in my life. With every beat of my heart, I will love you.”

Wings of Love

“Love has given us wings, and our journey starts today. Wherever the wind may carry me, I will stay by your side as your husband/wife. Take this ring as a sign of my love and commitment to you.”

My Promise

“My promise is 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 my life with you forever.”

Together in Marriage

I (Name), take (Name) to be my wedded wife/husband,
and to live together in marriage.
I promise to love you, comfort you, honor and keep you
for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health,
and forsaking all others, be faithful only to you
So long as we both shall live.

Stand by Your Side

I (Name) promise to you, (Name), before our family and friends,
to stand by your side,
to share and support your hopes and dreams.
I vow to always be there for you
When you fall, I will catch you.
When you cry I will comfort you.
When you laugh I will share your joy.
No matter what lies ahead of us,
I will see it as a journey, that can only be completed together.
I promise this now and forever

Sacred Wedding Vow

In the presence of these our family and friends,
I (Name) do take you (Name) to be my wife/husband,
my partner and friend to join my life with yours,
to share with you all that is to be,
to laugh with you in joy,
to comfort you in sorrow,
to grow with you in love.
I will honor you
I will be faithful to you, all the days of my life
this is my sacred vow.

All My Heart

With all my heart, I (Name) take you (Name) to be my wife/husband.
I promise to be your lover, companion, and friend,
Your partner in parenthood,
Your ally in conflict
Your greatest fan
I will be your comrade in adventure,
Your comfort in disappointment,
Your accomplice in mischief,
Your strength in times of need
I will listen with understanding and trust you completely.
All the days of my life

My Person

I believe in you, the person you will grow to be and the couple we will be together. With my whole heart, I take you as my wife/husband, acknowledging and accepting your faults and strengths, as you do mine.

I promise to be faithful and supportive and to always make our family’s love and happiness my priority. I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph.

I will dream with you, celebrate with you and walk beside you through whatever our lives may bring. You are my person — my love and my life, today and always.

True Partnership

I ask everyone present to witness that I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my lawful wedded wife/husband. In doing so, I vow to do my utmost to make our lives together a true partnership.

I commit to being motivated in our marriage and I will observe and act on your needs. I vow to care for your well being and show my love in all I do throughout our lives together.

I will endeavor to comfort you and enrich you with my love. I will show you I can be an equal partner and with my support build a stable foundation for our lives together.

Share in Your Dreams

From this day forward I promise you these things:
I will laugh with you in times of joy and comfort you in times of sorrow.
I’ll share in your dreams and support you as you strive to achieve your goals.

I will listen to you with compassion and understanding, and speak to you with encouragement.

I’ll help you when you need it and step aside when you don’t.
I will remain faithful to you for better or worse, in times of sickness and health.
You are my best friend and I will love and respect you always.

Loving Friend

(Name), I pledge to you to be your loving friend and partner in marriage.

To talk and to listen, to trust and appreciate you; to respect and cherish your uniqueness; and to support, comfort, and strengthen you through life’s joys and sorrows.

I promise to share hopes, thoughts, and dreams as we build our lives together.

May our lives be ever intertwined, our love keep us together. May we build a home that is compassionate to all, full of respect and honor for others and each other. And may our home be forever filled with peace, happiness, and love.

Just as You Are

I promise to give you the best of myself and to ask of you no more than you can give.

I promise to accept you the way you are.

I fell in love with you for the qualities, abilities, and outlook on life that you have, and won’t try to reshape you in a different image.

I promise to respect you as a person with your own interests, desires, and needs, and to realize that those are sometimes different, but no less important than my own.

I promise to keep myself open to you, to let you see through the window of my personal world into my innermost fears and feelings, secrets and dreams.

I promise to grow along with you, to be willing to face change as we both change in order to keep our relationship alive and exciting.

And finally, I promise to love you in good times and in bad, with all I have to give and all I feel inside in the only way I know how…completely and forever.

Love Privileges

“I see these vows not as promises but as privileges: I get to laugh with you and cry with you; care for you and share with you. I get to run with you and walk with you; build with you and live with you.

I get to have you be the person I spend the rest of my life with. I get to be there for you and support you. I don’t have to honor and cherish you – I get to.”

Biggest Adventure

Today I stand before you, ready to start the biggest adventure of our lives. I know it will be really hard, and some days will take a lot of work.

But I also know that there will be days filled with love, laughter, and pure bliss. I can’t imagine sharing this adventure with anyone else but you.

You’re my best friend, the love of my life, and my soul mate. Today I promise to stand by your side and to love you always.

Traditional/Religious Wedding Vows

Holy Estate of Matrimony

I, (Name) do take you, (Name);
to be my wedded wife/husband,
after God’s ordinance,
in the holy estate of matrimony,
To have and to hold
from this day forward,
for better for worse,
for richer for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
I will love you and cherish you,
all the days of my life,
as God is my witness,
I give you this promise.

Exchange of The Rings

Sample Script

I give you this ring
as a reminder
that I will love, honor, and cherish you,
In all times,
In all places,
And in all ways, forever.

With this ring, I marry you and bind my life to yours.
It is a symbol of my eternal love,
My everlasting friendship,
And the promise of all my tomorrows.

Pronouncement of Marriage Sample

As you have both accepted the vows of the other, you may now go forth and fulfill your vows with the same love and devotion which now blossoms between you. You are now (preferred titles). (Optional kiss line)

The Kiss

Sample Introduction of The Newly Married Couple

Ladies and Gentlemen, it gives me great honor to present to you for the first time:___________________

Wedding Ceremony Order

Recessional

Newly Married Couple

Maid of Honor and Best Man

Bridesmaids with Groomsmen

Flower Girl and Ringer Bearer

Parents of the Bride

Parents of the Groom

Officiant

Wedding Guests

Wedding Ceremony Guide

Questions to Ask

Do we need a wedding ceremony sound system?

It is so important to never assume a DJ, banquet hall or officiant will provide the music or sound system.

Be sure to ask your banquet hall first if they provide all of your audio equipment needs.

If not, your DJ should be able to add music and sound equipment services to his or her wedding package.

Presentation is also something that is overlooked when hiring live sound reinforcement.

You will want to ask if all the speakers being used are in good physical condition.

So much has been put into making the ambiance of your wedding ceremony beautiful.

The last thing you need is for your DJ or venue to add an “eyesore” to your wedding by using dented or dusty speakers.

Will Lapel Microphones Be Used?

This is a very important question so I was sure to address it in this wedding ceremony guide. Picture this for a moment.

You are standing face to face stating your vows to your lovely bride or groom and right in the middle of the two of you is a microphone, microphone stand and audio cable.

Furthermore, the microphone stand can also get in the way while exchanging wedding rings and will be in all of your wedding pictures as well. YUCK!!

The best way to eliminate this problem is for the officiant to wear a wireless omnidirectional lapel microphone.

In addition, this type of mic will also pick up both the officiant and the couple stating their vows.

If somebody is going to do a reading or sing during the ceremony, you will want them to use a separate microphone that is wireless so nobody trips on an audio cable.

What happens if it rains during an outdoor wedding ceremony?

To reduce the chances that your outdoor wedding will be interrupted by light rain, you will want to ask the venue manager or DJ providing the following wedding ceremony guide questions.

1. Does the DJ or hall have sound transparent rainproof speaker covers? These speaker covers will help “buy some time” if there is light rain and you wish to continue the wedding ceremony outdoors.

2. Does the DJ or venue have an audio canopy or adequate shelter at the ceremony location to protect their computer, mixer and other digital components? If not, they will have to stop the wedding at the first sign of rain to protect their equipment.

3. Will the DJ have a second sound system in the reception area set up PRIOR to the ceremony? If the DJ only has one audio setup, they will have to move the wedding ceremony equipment inside if it rains.

In addition, it could take them up to two hours to do this. It’s important to avoid these unprepared DJs at all costs and hire a true professional.

Wedding Ceremony Songs

Check out our list of the top wedding songs that are most requested at weddings.

We know that every wedding is unique and special. These songs are simply suggestions. They might be perfect for your wedding or they may give you some great ideas.

Once you have selected the music for your wedding, please submit your top wedding songs with our online planning forms.

Wedding Ceremony Processional

(Audition all wedding ceremony songs listed by clicking their song titles)

Contemporary

“All This Time” by OneRepublic

“The Only Exception” by Paramore

“Real Love“ by Beach House

“Love” by Lana Del Rey

“Marry You” by Bruno Mars

“Crazy in Love” by Béyonce feat. Jay-Z

“Make You Feel My Love“ by Adele

“Love on Top” by Béyonce

“The One” by Kodaline

“Home” by Phillip Phillips

“Say You You Won’t Let Go” by James McArthur

“Just The Way You Are” by Bruno Mars

“Higher Love” by James Vincent Mc Morrow

“Better Together” by Us the Duo

“Fix you” by Coldplay Boyce Avenue feat. Tyler Ward acoustic cover

“Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” by Haley Reinhart

“I Choose You“ by Sara Bareilles

“History In The Making” by Darius Rucker

“Hallelujah” by Pentatonix

Instrumental

“A Thousand Years” by The Piano Guys

“A Day Without Rain” by Enya

“Beethoven’s 5 Secrets” by The Piano Guys

“Dawn” by Jean-Yves Thibaudet

“Theme Song from On Golden Pond” by Kelly Stewart

“Somewhere in Time” by John Barry

“The Swan” by Robbins Island Music Group

“Pachelbel Meets U2” by Jon Schmidt

“Love Story Meets Love Story” by Jon Schmidt

“Jurassic Park Theme” by The Piano Guys

Favorites

“You & Me” by Dave Matthews Band

“100 Years” by Five for Fighting

“Your Song” by Elton John

“Stand by Me” by Ben E. King

“You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin

“Turning Pages” by Sleeping at Last

“What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong

“At Last“ by Etta James

“Is This Love” by Bob Marley

“All I Ask Of You“ by Andrew Lloyd Webber

“Everything” by Lifehouse

Classical

“Bridal Chorus” by Wagner

“Canon in D” by Pachelbel

“Clair De Lune” by Claude Debussy

“Hymne” by The O’Neill Brothers Group

“Arioso” by J.S. Bach

“Prelude in C” by J.S. Bach, performed by Brian Bradley

“Air on The G-String” by J.S Bach