Super complete and NON-religious wedding officiant script (2023)

FAQs

What do officiants say at non-religious weddings? ›

Acknowledge all of the wedding couple's family and friends. Let them know how important their presence is. Honour deceased family members and remember absent loved ones (optional). We have gathered today to unite the couple in marriage.

Do you [Name], take this [woman/man/person] to be your lawfully wedded [husband/wife], to live together in matrimony, to love [her/him/them], comfort [her/him/them], honor and keep [her/him/them], in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live ...

A secular officiant is usually the best bet for couples who are non-religious or not affiliated with any religion. Also, couples of the same sex or different faiths may use secular officiants for their wedding ceremonies.

These can include words of welcome, passages about marriage, sharing your love story and giving your guests instructions for after the ceremony.

The only things that are must-haves/requirements are the declaration of intent (i.e. the formal “I dos” and legal acknowledgement that 'yes, I want to marry this person, and yes, I'm here by choice” and the pronouncement, whereby the officiant confirms the two are officially married.

Woman answers, "I do." Notary states, "Repeat after me." To the man: "I, (his name), take you (her name ), to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part."

It's then the officiant's job to get the bride and groom ready for their journey ahead. This message can be anywhere from 5-15 minutes, depending on the stories they tell and wisdom they inspire.

The audience will want to know who you are and why you're up there. So, start by introducing yourself—briefly—and explain why you were chosen or how you know the couple. Then, share those two or three specific stories you brainstormed or crowd-sourced. And lastly, zoom out.

Some non-religious couples get married by a minister of religion, while others get married by a government official, such as a civil celebrant, judge, mayor, or Justice of the peace.

A humanist celebrant or humanist officiant is a person who performs humanist celebrancy services, such as non-religious weddings, funerals, child namings, coming of age ceremonies and other rituals.

Do officiants have to be religious? ›

Lastly, a wedding officiant is anyone who can legally officiate a marriage ceremony. In wider use, a wedding officiant often refers specifically to a non-denominational and sometimes non-religious official who carries no affiliation with a church.

From exchanging wedding rings, to scattering ashes, rituals are part of humanist ceremonies of all kinds. Rituals typically involve one or more of the following: the reciting of specific phrases, the making of vows or promises, objects, gestures, music, songs, dances, and special food and drink.

Aim for a 15-20 minute ceremony if you're unsure, which is the perfect amount of time for a non-religious ceremony. Religious ceremonies tend to go a bit longer depending on your religion and the traditions you decide to include.

One of the most important tasks of the officiant is to explain and define the flow of the ceremony, the rituals, the ebbs and flows, vows and rings, etc. - adding requests if necessary, and giving the couple a sense of time and space for that event.

Wedding ceremony speeches by officiants begin with a love story about the couple. You may also read a funny poem that makes meaning to the couple. Talk about love, commitment, and faithfulness. Say lines on commitment and ask them to repeat after you.

Marriage Vows

The wedding officiant speeches can include two options, depending on the type of ceremony the couple opts for. In a case where there are specific vows that should be included, the officiant will guide the partners to repeat the vows line by line.

Gracious God, our hearts are filled with great happiness on this the wedding day of NAME and NAME. They come before you, pledging their lives and their hearts to one another. Grant that they may be ever true and loving, living together in such a way as to never bring heartbreak into their marriage.

Traditionally, the groom says his vows first followed in turn by the bride. That said, some couples may choose to say them in unison to each other, and if you'd rather the bride go first, speak to your registrar or celebrant well in advance to see if it's something that can be arranged.

Introduce Yourself As the Wedding Officiant.

Your introduction is your first opportunity to set the tone for your wedding officiant speech, so it's important to make it count.

PLEASE BE SEATED - the officiant should ask everyone to please rise or stand when the last person (the bride, or groom, or both) is walking down the aisle. They will typically kiss or hug a parent or loved one, then begin the ceremony. At this time, your officiant needs to tell everyone to be seated!

Does the officiant write the script? ›

As the officiant, you'll write the wedding script based on your conversation with the couple while also intertwining the themes of love, commitment, and marriage in some way.

Normally there is a separate piece of music for the Bride's processional, and the officiant will usually say “If everyone will please rise,” in order to invite your guests to stand.

Typically English people speak at a rate of 100-120 words per minute (obviously varying depending upon the individual). So if you aim for a speech of approximately 700-800 words you're starting off right. This allows for gaps, pauses, and interruptions – but also with enough 'meat' to make it memorable.

For instance, if you're officiating a black-tie event, a floor-length evening gown and a tuxedo are the best options, according to planner Lea Stafford. For cocktail weddings, midi-length or tea-length dresses and a suit and tie are elevated choices.

The typical pronouncement from the big screen goes like this, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!” It's when the officiant announces the marriage and sets the stage for the big smooch.

What is referred to as the traditional order of vows is simply the way wedding ceremonies have been performed in a patriarchal religious society for centuries; the groom says his wedding vows first.

Traditionally, the emcee would say, “For the first time as husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. John Doe!” or the more progressive, “Mr. and Mrs.

A wedding officiant is perhaps best known as the person who leads the ceremony. However, that's only part of their job. An officiant, whether secular or religious, works with the couple in the months before the wedding day to craft the ceremony, which may include personal vows, readings, music selections, and more.

It is your legal right to get married in your Parish church (and once you've attended 6 times you are considered part of the parish... We'll get onto that later.) You do not have to be baptised, Christened, or even part of the same religion.

Can a celebrant legally marry you? ›

Celebrants can support and guide couples in completing the necessary requirements for the marriage license, but don't have the authority to approve it. But they can officiate a far more bespoke ceremony.

Non legal ceremonies can be performed anywhere, by anyone, at anytime, but it's very popular, and often wise to use a trained celebrant. There is no need to be ordained by a random internet church (America anyone?!) as the ceremony isn't binding.

A commitment ceremony is a marriage ceremony in which two people commit their lives to each other, but it isn't legally binding. Commitment ceremonies can even look the same as legally binding weddings, but at no point does the couple go off to sign paperwork and make the marriage legal by government standards.

There is no difference between a wedding celebrant and a wedding officiant. Both write and perform wedding ceremonies. The only slight difference is where they are based with Officiants as the official name in the USA and celebrants more commonly used in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and UK.

Non-religious weddings

There are no strict rules when it comes to a humanist wedding ceremony. You can have something that suits you as a couple, whether that's getting wed in a forest, a hotel or on top of a cliff. Your ceremony can include traditions and rituals, if you wish.

These are the familiar, “Do you take this person to be your lawfully wedded…,” and, “By the power vested in me… I now pronounce you married!” parts of the ceremony, respectively. So, you must ask the couple if they wish to enter the marriage contract, and they must verbally declare it so.

(Don't be thrown by the names — even atheists are welcome to get ordained.)

Ceremonies for individuals are usually performed to mark a rite of passage such as Birth, Baptism or Naming, Coming of Age, Graduation, Marriage, Anniversary, Retirement, and death. Ceremonies are also performed at different times in our lives to celebrate an important occasion such as receiving a special award.

I, (Groom), take you (Bride) to be my wife, my partner in life, and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face.

How do I make my wedding not boring? ›

First things first. Let's review the primary or traditional wedding roles! These roles are usually the first to be filled, as they ensure a much smoother wedding day. The majority fall under the category of wedding party roles, including the bride and groom, bridesmaids and groomsmen, and the officiant.

In order to perform marriage ceremonies in South Africa, you must be a member of SASS and have paid for at least three months of membership. Candidates must first go through an interview, provide three references, and pass a two-hour DHA exam (with a minimum pass rate of 75%) before being considered for a MO.

Wedding ceremony speeches by officiants begin with a love story about the couple. You may also read a funny poem that makes meaning to the couple. Talk about love, commitment, and faithfulness. Say lines on commitment and ask them to repeat after you.

Theoretically, they could still write their own and repeat after you, but typically the officiant provides the vows for this style.

Aim for a 15-20 minute ceremony if you're unsure, which is the perfect amount of time for a non-religious ceremony. Religious ceremonies tend to go a bit longer depending on your religion and the traditions you decide to include.

The audience will want to know who you are and why you're up there. So, start by introducing yourself—briefly—and explain why you were chosen or how you know the couple. Then, share those two or three specific stories you brainstormed or crowd-sourced. And lastly, zoom out.

1. The Father of the Bride or Parents of the Bride. The father of the bride speech is often one of the most special and tear-jerking speeches at the wedding reception—and it's usually the first toast given. The father of the bride will typically start off by welcoming guests and thanking them for coming.

Your immediate families, the bridal party (including the parents of the flower girl and ring bearer, even if they're not in the wedding), any ceremony readers, and your officiant (plus his or her spouse, if married) should always be invited to the rehearsal dinner.

What are the best wedding opening remarks? ›

“Welcome to the most important day in the lives of [NAME] and [NAME].” “Today, promises have become permanent and friends have become family.” “Today is a celebration and we are here to celebrate with [NAME] and [NAME].” “Thank you for joining us today on such a wonderful occasion.”

Officiant. The officiant can be given the opening spot in the processional and walk down the aisle first. Alternatively, the officiant can enter the ceremony from the side of the venue to take his/her place at the altar.

Traditionally, the groom says his vows first followed in turn by the bride. That said, some couples may choose to say them in unison to each other, and if you'd rather the bride go first, speak to your registrar or celebrant well in advance to see if it's something that can be arranged.

I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today. I give you this ring to wear with love and joy. As a ring has no end, neither shall my love for you.