Are you thinking about writing a part or all of your marriage ceremony? If you are, you can use the following for your wedding, or for an informal spiritual re-confirmation of your marriage commitment. Just fill in your names and enjoy!

(Names of couple), we are gathered here today for a very special occasion. Your family and friends have blessed you with their presence to witness this divine ceremony. It is a ceremony of bonding?of bonding with love and joy. (Names of Couple), every relationship is like a bridge that is supported by two separate foundations. If you are strong by yourselves, and you communicate constructively, your bridge, that is your relationship together, will flow with life?s many lessons and remain standing strong and proud for a very long time.

The following thoughts and guidelines will help you be a strong foundation for your relationship. (Name of Couple):

1. You are here to be your individual selves and to experience life to the fullest.

2. You have the free will and the power to be whatever you want in your life.

3. What you do and say does make a difference.

4. Speak and act from your heart.

5. Be the designer and master of your life.

6. Follow your path of joy.

7. Do what makes you happy and excited.

8. Live in the now and have fun.

9. Know that you are worthy of all that you desire.

10. Listen inside yourself for your truths.

11. Accept responsibility for all your feelings.

12. Understand that fears are False Evidence Appearing Real.

13. Release your fears and judgments.

14. Know that you have your problems in order to learn lessons.

15. Everything you do enhances your life through the wisdom you gain from it.

16. Forgive yourself for all the things you have done which you feel were wrong.

17. You do deserve a fantastic relationship.

18. Take the responsibility to love yourself.

19. Love yourself no matter what you say and how you feel.

20. Self love is the key to your health, happiness and success.

21. Depend on yourself to fulfill your needs.

22. Be your own best friend.

23. Measure your success for each day not by how much you have done, but by how much you have loved.

24. Be the person you want your partner to be.

25. Know that you are primarily together to learn unconditional love and for the joy of sharing with each other what you already have.

26. Focus on the essence which is love instead of the form which is the relationship.

27. Be patient with yourselves and each other.

28. If you are upset, look to see what your partner is mirroring in you.

29. Then explore what you need to do to remember that you are love and you have it all.

30. Experience inner peace, your greatest contribution to world peace.

Let?s now honor these truths by lighting these special candles, (bride and groom light candles.) and with this sacred drink (drink grape juice with arms encircled).

Now please face each other. Repeat your chosen vows as you place a ring on your beloved?s finger.

(Name), I promise to:

1. Communicate clearly so that you can know how I feel and what I want.

2. Listen to you when you talk to me, and then you will want to keep sharing your thoughts and feelings.

3. Keep clearing my resentments with you so that we can continue to feel close.

4. Release my anger constructively and then tell you calmly what I am angry about or if I feel hurt or frightened.

5. Help solve our problems with win-win solutions.

6. Keep my agreements and tell you the truth so that you can trust me.

7. Take responsibility for all my feelings and behavior.

8. Forgive myself for all my wrongdoings, and accept that I deserve a fantastic relationship.

9. Accept you the way you are even though you may be different than me.

10. Understand that what you say or do is a reflection of you and not of me.

11. Be patient with you, and forgive you when you make mistakes.

12. Encourage you to explore your unique interests, talents, and potential.

13. Spend quality time with you, and then you will be convinced that you are important to me.

14. Treat you as I would my best friend.

15. Compliment and appreciate you, and tell you how much I care.

16. Balance my life between work and play, and encourage you to do the same.

17. Continue to seek excitement, fun, and the magic of life with you.

18. I promise, my beloved, to love you unconditionally.

(Song of love)

With the power invested in me by God, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may seal your commitment with a kiss. (Couple faces guests) Loving Guests, I would like to introduce to you a very blessed couple:

Mr. & Mrs.___________.

Note: For more information about relationships, note Helene?s booklet and e-book: ?A Promise of Love? and her tape: ?Fantastic Relationships.?

?1997 by Helene Rothschild, MS, MA, MFT, Marriage, Family Therapist, speaker, author - www.helenerothschild.com