Blessing of the Sea

PARTNER 2 and PARTNER 1, as we stand by the ocean, may your love always be as constant and unchanging as these never-ending waves that break before us, flowing endlessly from the depths of the sea.Your love came softly upon each other's hearts, just as the sea foam lies softly before us, and just as there will never be a morning without the ocean's flow, may there never be a day without your love for each other.

As the tides ebb and flow so to, do the fortunes of life. Footprints in the sand are washed away, driftwood moves on its endless quest for a peaceful harbor. Only a deep and abiding love can withstand the tides of change in two lives.

Pledge yourselves to each other this day, and promise to be as faithful and dependable as the tide. Just as these waters nourish the earth and sustain life, may your constant love nourish and sustain each other until the end of time.

The Charge / Question of Intent

PARTNER 2 and PARTNER 1, marriage is one of the most precious occasions in life when we are presented with a profound opportunity to enter the timeless dimension of love. It emphasizes and reminds us that our lives have meaning and purpose beyond the day-to-day affairs of worldly life and that Love is the strongest bond, the greatest joy and the sweetest nourishment we can ever experience.

Every experience you have ever had, everything you have ever done, and everything you have ever learned has brought you to this moment as you now stand before each other and your friends and family.

Believing that you understand something of the reason for marriage as it has been revealed to you, are you ready now to confirm your commitment to each other in marriage? (We are)

Before we come to the exchange of vows, I will ask each of you your intent.

PARTNER 1, do you take PARTNER 2 to be your partner for life? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him / her, forsaking all others and holding only unto him / her forevermore? (I do)

PARTNER 2, do you take PARTNER 1 to be your partner for life? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him / her, forsaking all others and holding only unto him / her forevermore? (I do)

To your wedding ceremony we bring joy, happiness, and the hopes and dreams for a marriage filled with life, love and laughter. Your wedding day will be remembered as one of the most joyful days of your life and may you begin your journey with the support and love of your family and friends here today.

Wedding Vows

The vows you will now take are an everlasting solemn pledge of love and symbolize the unbroken perpetuity of your commitment to one another. Please face each other and join hands.

PARTNER 1, if you wish to join with PARTNER 2 in marriage, then please repeat after me:

I pledge to you, PARTNER 2, that my love and my loyalty will weather the storms of life.
I will always seek counsel when I make life decisions, and will respect your needs and concerns.
No matter what course we set, we will do it together.
Today, I proudly take you as my life partner, for as long as we both shall live.

PARTNER 2, if you wish to join with PARTNER 1 in marriage, then please repeat after me:

I pledge to you, PARTNER 1, that my love and my loyalty will weather the storms of life.
I will always seek counsel when I make life decisions, and will respect your needs and concerns.
No matter what course we set, we will do it together.
Today, I proudly take you as my life partner, for as long as we both shall live.

PARTNER 1 and PARTNER 2, from this day forward, may you live together in love, peace and happiness; may you grow each day in understanding and compassion. When you are apart, may you return to one another in togetherness. May the home you establish be a place of sanctuary, where many will find a friend.

And may your love always be as beautiful as the sunset, as strong as the wind and as endless as the sea.

Exchange of Wedding Rings

For thousands of years lovers have exchanged rings as a token of their vows.

These simple bands are not of great value themselves, but instead are made precious by your wearing of them. It is worn on the third finger, because of an ancient belief that a vein from that finger goes directly to the heart, thus connecting emotion to physical body.

May I have the rings, please?

A circle is the symbol of the sun and the earth and the universe. In these rings it is the symbol of unity, in which your lives are now joined in one unbroken circle, in which, wherever you go, you will always return to one another and to your togetherness.

May they remind you always of the vows you have taken today and of the promises that have been made.

PARTNER 1, please place the ring on PARTNER 2’s left hand and repeat after me:

PARTNER 2, I give you this ring
As a symbol of my love and friendship.
With this ring, I marry you, and I am honored to call you my wife / husband / life partner.

PARTNER 2, please place the ring on PARTNER 1’s left hand and repeat after me:

PARTNER 1, I give you this ring
As a symbol of my love and friendship.
With this ring, I marry you and I am honored to call you my wife / husband / life partner.

Sand Ceremony

You have just sealed your relationship by the giving and receiving of rings. This beautiful union is symbolized through the combining of these two individual containers of sand.

The first represents you PARTNER 1, and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be, and the other represents you PARTNER 2, and all that you were, all that you are and all that you will ever be.

Each one holds its own unique beauty, strength, and character. They can stand on their own and be whole, without need of anything else. However when these two are blended together they create an entirely new and extraordinarily more intricate entity. Each grain of sand brings to the mixture a lasting beauty that forever enriches the combination.

Please pour the sand into this common container to symbolize the union of your two lives. Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be a molding of two individual personalities, bonded together forming one heart, one love. The life that each of you experienced individually, before this moment, will hereafter be inseparably united, for the two shall become one.

Benediction

Dearest PARTNER 2 and PARTNER 1… take a moment to look at your rings, and then look at all of these people who have gathered here for you. Take a good look around—you only get one chance; it goes by very fast. These people believe in you and in your marriage. Here are the people you can share your joys with and lean on in hard times.

May all that you are, always be in love; may all that is love, always be in you. May your love be as beautiful on each day you share as it is on this day of celebration, and may each day you share be as precious to you as the day you first fell in love. May you always see and encourage the best in each other. May the challenges that life brings your way make your marriage even stronger, and may you always be each other's best friend and greatest love.

Pronouncement as Husband and Wife

And now in as much as you, PARTNER 1 and PARTNER 2, commit to one another and have signified this by the exchanging of vows, and the giving and receiving of rings, we recognize, congratulate and celebrate your marriage.

I am pleased to say that, in keeping with the laws of the state of California and the eyes of all those who are here as witnesses, the two of you are officially married.

Your lives as life partners have begun—start your journey with a kiss!

After the kiss, PARTNER 1 and PARTNER 2 turn to face their guests.

I am very happy to introduce, for the first time as a married couple, PARTNER 1 AND PARTNER 2!