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SECULAR VOWS
#1 Secular Vows - Answer
Groom, do you come before this gathering of friends and family to proclaim your love and devotion for Bride? Do you promise to respect her, and to care for her during times of joy and hardship? Do you commit yourself to share your feelings of happiness and sadness? Do you pledge to remain faithful to her? Groom: I do.
Bride do you come before this gathering of friends and family to proclaim your love and devotion for Groom? Do you promise to respect him, and care for him during times of joy and hardship? Do you commit yourself to share your feelings of happiness and sadness? Do you pledge to remain faithful to him? Bride: I do.
#2 Secular Vows - Answer
Bride, will you have this man to be your husband; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live? Bride: I will.
Groom, will you have this woman to be your wife; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live? Groom: I will. Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold these two persons in their marriage? People: We do.
#3 Secular Vows - Answer
Do you, Groom, take Bride to be your wife, to love, comfort, and cherish from this day forth? Groom: Yes.
Do you, Bride, take Groom to be your husband, to love, comfort, and cherish from this day forth? Bride: Yes.
#4 Secular Vows – Answer
Do you Groom take Bride to be your lawful wedded wife? Groom: I do. Will you love, respect and honor her throughout your years together? Groom: I Will. Do you promise to love and cherish her, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her, for so long as you both shall live? Groom: I do.
Do you Bride take Groom, to be your lawful wedded husband? Bride: I do. Will you love, respect and honor him throughout your years together? Bride: I Will. Do you promise to love and cherish her, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him, for so long as you both shall live? Bride: I do.
#5 Secular Vows – Answer
Today is a day of memories. You are remembering your childhoods; You are remembering, with gratitude, all that your parents have done to prepare you to lead independent and useful lives. You remember, too, the day you met. You remember your first dates and the way your courtship progressed. Now you begin to build new kinds of memories. From this day on, your lives will fuse in a new way and your memories will be not of you as individuals, but of as a couple, as “us.” Promise today that you will do all that you can to make your future memories happy ones. May you look back and remember today as the best day of your life.
OR (A) I believe in the power of love. I believe that love is the single most potent force in the universe. It is the source of all joy, the unifying strength which links spirit to spirit. The capacity to love is our great chance for happiness. There are, of course, many kinds of love and I believe it is possible to feel more than one kind for the same person. On this wonderful day, may your hearts overflow with feelings of love. Love for your families and friends; love all of you who have come to witness this wedding. Most of all, may your hearts overflow with love for each other. I ask that you believe so strongly in love's great power that you willing now to promise to spend the rest of your lives with each other.
OR (B) Beloved, seek to know each other. Ask for the wisdom to love each other as you are. Take joy in each other and in your life together. Be to each other the whispering of the tides, the seduction of summer’s heat. Be friend and lover to each other. Grow old and wise together. Look forward to the life before you of rainbows and sunsets and a willingness to share all things. Love each other, adore each other and be true to the promises you make here today. Do you, Groom, take Bride to be your partner in all things, to love and trust, care for and cherish? Groom: Yes, with all my soul. Do you, Bride, take Groom to be your partner in all things, to love and trust, care for and cherish? Bride: Yes, with all my heart.
#6 Secular Vows – Answer
Do you Groom take Bride to be your lawful wedded wife? Groom: I do. Do you Bride take Groom to be your lawful wedded husband? Bride: I do. Look into each other’s and answer these questions: Do you mutually promise in the presence of your friends and family that you will at all times and in all circumstances, conduct yourselves toward one another as becomes husband and wife? Both respond: I do. Do you mutually promise you will love, cherish and respect one another throughout the years? Both respond: I do. Do you pledge to love each other and throughout your years together to be honest, faithful, and kind to each other? Both respond: I do. Do you pledge to give to each the same happiness the other gives to you, to react to each other as only you can, and to respect each other for who you are, not who you want the other to be? Both respond: I do.
#7 Secular Vows – Answer You are different people today than you were five years ago. Five years from now, you will be different still. How, then, can you make promises which are meant to last a lifetime? You must expect change, as each of you will change. Promise that as you grow, you will share with each other the growth: that you will encourage the growth. You must not always expect to think and believe exactly as you do today. You must promise to respect each other’s opinions even when they differ from your own. You must be a partner but not a shadow, an equal but not a double. Bring to your ideas and interests to each other, but do not expect that you always will have the same enthusiasms; however the diversity of separate interests will keep your friendship from becoming stagnant. Strive for a love that is flexible, that adapts to your changing needs for only through love can two persons become one and still remain two. Do you accept this challenge? Groom and Bride: It is our challenge and our goal.
#8 Secular Vows – Answer
Groom and Bride, you believe in love. If you didn't, we wouldn't be here today. Love has the capacity to forgive and the ability to accept. Love thrives on honesty: try to be truthful with each other. Love is nourished by thoughtfulness: strive to make your actions reflect your regard for each other. Love can change lives: your lives have changed because you love each other. Love can bring joy, hope and strength. May the home you are founding today have love at its core. Groom and Bride, Will you do all that you can to nourish and enrich your love for each other? Groom and Bride: We will.
#9 Secular Vows – Answer
Marriage is an act of faith. To believe in another person without qualification or limit and to be willing to pledge oneself to a lifetime together, requires a trust of the highest order. Groom and Bride have asked us to join them today as they pledge themselves to each other. Bride, do you affirm that you take Groom as your life partner? Do you promise to stay with him in times of celebration and in times of mourning. Do you promise to love him, honor him, cherish and keep him. Do you accept him, without reservation, as your husband? Bride: I do. Groom, do you affirm that you take Bride as your life partner? Do you promise to stay with her in times of celebration and in times of mourning. Do you promise to love her, honor her, cherish and keep her. Do you accept her, without reservation, as your wife? Groom: I do. By the promises you have made, Groom and Bride, you have demonstrated your faith. They have shown us their belief in love, in marriage and in each other. They ask now for the blessing and confirmation of all who have witnessed their vows. If you also believe in and approve of the love which Groom and Bride show for each other, please applaud.
#10 Secular Vows – Answer and Repeat
Today you are crossing an invisible line. You leave behind your yesterdays and start your lives anew. Whatever has happened in the past is over. Today we concern ourselves only with the future. It is a new day, a new commitment, a new life. The vows you take today will change you forever. Bride: I take them gladly. Groom: I take them gladly, too. Groom look into Bride’s eyes and repeat these words to her: Bride, I promise now to cherish you, to protect you and to be faithful to you for all the days of my life. I will care about your feelings; I will soothe your hurts and share your delights. I will do all in my power to make you as happy as I am today. Bride look into Groom’s eyes and repeat these words to him: Groom, I promise now to love you and honor you and to always be honest with you. I, too, will be faithful for all the days of my life. I will believe only the best about you and look always for your good qualities. I will do all in my power to make you as happy as you have made me.
Groom (repeat after officiant): Today is the first day of the rest of my life. I choose to spend today - and the rest of my life - with you.
Bride (repeat after officiant): My tomorrows stretch joyfully before me because I will be sharing them with you.
#11 Secular Vows – Answer and Repeat
Groom, will you receive Bride as your wife? Will you pledge to her your love, faith and tenderness, cherishing her with a husband's loyalty and devotion? Groom: I will.
Bride, will you receive Groom as your husband? Will you pledge to him your love, faith and tenderness, cherishing him with a wife’s loyalty and devotion? Bride: I will. Groom and Bride receive each other from your fathers and mothers, who give you into each other's keeping, by saying now, each to the other, words which will tell of your love.
Groom look into Bride’s eyes and repeat these words to her: I, Groom, take you, Bride to be no other than yourself, in all the ways life may find us, tending you in sickness and rejoicing with you in health, as long as we both shall live to love.
Bride look into Groom’s eyes and repeat these words to him: I, Bride, take you, Groom to be no other than yourself, in all the ways life may find us, tending you in sickness and rejoicing with you in health, as long as we both shall live to love.
#12 Secular Vows – Answer and Repeat
Groom and Bride will you take vows here before all of us which symbolize the manifested vows you have already made and will continue to make to each other throughout your lives? Bride and Groom: We will. Bride look into Groom’s eyes and repeat these words to him: I, Bride, take you, Groom, as my friend and love, beside me and apart from me, in laughter and in tears, in conflict and tranquillity, asking that you be no other than yourself, loving what I know of you, trusting what I do not yet know, in all the ways that life may find us.
Groom look into Bride’s eyes and repeat these words to her: I, Groom, take you, Bride, as my friend and love, beside me and apart from me, in laughter and in tears, in conflict and tranquility, asking that you be no other than yourself, loving what I know of you, trusting what I do not yet know, in all the ways that life may find us.
OR (B) Groom look into Bride’s eyes and repeat these words to her: I promise you Bride, that I will be your loving and loyal husband from now on. I will share with you all of life's joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, until death parts us.
Bride look into Groom’s eyes and repeat these words to him: I promise you Groom, that I will be your loving and loyal wife from now on. I will share with you all of life's joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, until death parts us.
OR (C) Groom look into Bride’s eyes and repeat these words to her: Bride, I take you now to be my wife. I promise to live with you, to trust you and to cherish you. I will love you when we are apart as well as when we are together, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health. I will work with you toward our common goals and share our leisure joyfully. I pledge myself now to be ever faithful to you with my body, my mind and my heart.
Bride look into Groom’s eyes and repeat these words to him: Groom, I take you now to be my husband. I promise to live with you, to trust you and to cherish you. I will love you when we are apart as well as when we are together, in good times and bad, in sickness and in health. I will work with you toward our common goals and share our leisure joyfully. I pledge myself now to be ever faithful to you with my body, my mind and my heart.
#13 Secular Vows – Answer and Repeat
Groom and Bride, if it is your intention to share with each other your joys and sorrows and all that the years will bring, with your promises, bind yourselves to each other as husband and wife. Groom, will you take Bride as your wedded wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, and forsaking all others, keep only unto her, as long as you both shall live? If so, say, “I do.” Groom: I do.
Bride, will you take Groom as your wedded husband? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, and forsaking all others, keep only unto him, as long as you both shall live? If so, say, “I do.” Bride: I do.
Groom look into Bride’s eyes and repeat these words to her: I, Groom take you Bride to be my wife. I promise to stand beside you and with you always, in times of celebration and in times of anger, in sickness and in health, I will live with you and love you, as long as we both shall live.
Bride look into Groom’s eyes and repeat these words to him: I, Bride, take you Groom, to be my husband. I promise to stand beside you and with you always, in times of celebration and in times of anger, in sickness and in health, I will live with you and love you, as long as we both shall live.
#14 Secular Vows – Repeat to each other
Please share your vows with each other: Groom look into Bride’s eyes and repeat these words to her: I promise to live with you, to encourage and celebrate your growth and fulfillment through all the changes of our lives, and to be your faithful husband. May respect for ourselves, for each other and for the earth continue to be the cornerstone of our lives together. Bride look into Groom’s eyes and repeat these words to him: I promise to live with you, to encourage and celebrate your growth and fulfillment through all the changes of our lives, and to be your faithful wife. May respect for ourselves, for each other and for the earth continue to be the cornerstone of our lives together.
OR (A) I, Groom, choose you Bride to be my wife, to respect you in your successes and in your failures, to care for you in sickness and in health, to nurture you, and to grow with you throughout the seasons of life.
OR (B) I, Groom take you, Bride, as my wedded wife. Though the unknown future brings joy or sorrow, health or sickness, prosperity or adversity, sunshine or shadow, hopes fulfilled or dreams shattered, I pledge to be true to you for the rest of my life.
OR (C) I, Groom, having full confidence that our abiding faith in each other as human beings will last our lifetime, take you, Bride, to be my wedded wife. I promise to be your loving and faithful husband in prosperity and in need, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, and to respect your privileges as an individual as long as we both shall live.
OR (D) I accept you, Bride, as a person, and as my wife, with your strengths and with your weaknesses. I promise to be loyal to you in health or illness, to share what I have and who I am, to love enough to risk being hurt, to trust when I misunderstand, to weep with you in sorrow, to celebrate with you in joy, and to live with you in reverence.
OR (E) I, Groom, choose you, Bride to be my wife, my friend, my love, the mother of our children. I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in failure and in triumph. I will cherish you and respect you, comfort and encourage you, and together we shall live, freed and bound by our love.
OR (F) I, Groom, promise you, Bride, to be your husband as long as I live. I promise to love you and to support your growing toward full maturity. I promise to seek peace for ourselves, for our children, and for the world which encircles us. As I commit myself to care for you, I also offer myself into your loving care, now and throughout our lives.
OR (G) Because you have brought so much joy into my life and taught me the healing power of love, have shown me how to trust and feel and give the best that is in me freely and fearlessly, I pledge to you my unswerving devotion and the love which will be yours for as long as I live.
OR (H) I bring with me all of my yesterdays, but also the promise of all of my tomorrows. Let me touch your life with mine but let me not stand in your shadow. Let me blend all that is me with all that is you so that we can bring new growth to one another. I promise in the midst of our families and friends that I will love and cherish you and will be faithful to you alone as long as I live.
#15 Secular Vows – Repeat to each other
Groom and Bride, look into each others eyes and repeat these phases to each other: I promise to be your lover, companion, and friend, Your partner in parenthood, Your ally in conflict, Your greatest fan and your best friend. Your comrade in adventure, Your student and our teacher, Your consolation in disappointment, Your accomplice in mischief, Your strength in your need and vulnerable to you in my own, And most of all, your associate in the search for enlightenment.
#16 Secular Vows – Repeat
Groom look into Bride’s eyes and repeat these words to her: There was darkness for a long time and then there was light, and that light was you. Your love has given me wings, and our journey begins today. I pledge before this assembled company to be your husband from this day forward. Let us make of our two lives one life. I want you for today, tomorrow, and forever. Bride look into Groom’s eyes and repeat these words to him: I have dreamed my whole life of having someone as wonderful as you love me the way you do. I give myself to you as your wife, and I promise here to treasure for all of my days the love we celebrate today. Let us bring together our lives and find ourselves anew each day.
(Repeated to each other in unison, after officiant, by phrases) With all my heart I take you to be my spouse. I will love you through the good and the bad, through the joy and the sorrow. I will try to be understanding, and to trust in you completely. I will make you a part of me and in turn, become a part of you. Together we will face all of life's experiences and share one another’s dreams and goals. We will be equal partners in an open, honest relationship throughout the years.
#17 Secular Vows – Repeat
Groom look into Bride’s eyes and repeat these words to her: With all my heart I take you to be my wife. I will love you through the good and the bad, through the joy and the sorrow. I will try to be understanding, and to trust in you completely. I will make you a part of me and in turn, become a part of you. Together we will face all of life's experiences and share one another's dreams and goals. We will be equal partners in an open, honest relationship throughout the years.
Bride look into Groom’s eyes and repeat these words to him: With all my heart I take you to be my husband. I will love you through the good and the bad, through the joy and the sorrow. I will try to be understanding, and to trust in you completely. I will make you a part of me and in turn, become a part of you. Together we will face all of life's experiences and share one another’s dreams and goals. We will be equal partners in an open, honest relationship throughout the years.
OR: I offer myself to you as companion, lover, and friend. I promise to love you and to honor our love even if I fear others' disapproval. I respect your strengths and accept your weaknesses. I vow to be faithful to you and to love you with all my heart, to always strive for our happiness, harmony, and future together for as long as I shall live.
#18 Secular Vows – Repeat
This is a day of rejoicing. Let us rejoice in the goodness of love. From this time on, your joys will be multiplied because you will celebrate together. From this time on, your sorrows will be lessened because you will share our burdens with each other. Your marriage will be successful if you respect each other’s wishes and opinions; put your marriage above all else; if you share your material goods as well as your thoughts and feelings. Cherish your times together. Keep your relationship special. Try to keep your home peaceful and harmonious. Encourage each other to meet whatever challenges you may face and to grow and to become all that you are capable of becoming. Make your love is the single most important part of your lives.
Groom look into Bride’s eyes and repeat after me: Because our love is the single most important part of my life, I promise to be faithful to you in thought, word and act.
Bride, look into Groom’s eyes and repeat after me: Because our love is the single most important part of my life, I promise to be faithful to you in thought, word and act. This is a day of rejoicing. Today we rejoice in the goodness of love.
#19 Secular Vows – Repeat
No judge nor pastor nor justice of the peace can perform a marriage because a marriage, truly, is nothing except the promises made and kept between two individuals. Today Groom and Bride stand before us in a desire to publicly declare their love and to share with us their marriage promises.
Groom look into Bride’s eyes and repeat after me: I promise to love you with all my heart and mind and strength. I promise to be faithful to you in thought, word and act for all the days of my life. I promise to consider your welfare and happiness before I make any decisions and I promise to offer you comfort, encouragement and companionship.
Bride, look into Groom’s eyes and repeat after me: I promise to love (man's name) with all my heart and mind and strength. I promise to be faithful to him in thought, word and act for all the days of my life. I promise to consider his welfare and happiness before I make any decisions and I promise to offer him comfort, encouragement and companionship.
Do you both, before these witnesses, pledge to do all in your power to make this a happy and enduring union? Together: We do.
#20 Secular Vows – Repeat
Love is more than an emotion. It is a way of life. Love is more than a feeling. It is a channel through which all feelings flow. Marriage is more than a ceremony. This ceremony brings us together for only an hour but marriage is a lifetime of living together. Marriage is more than a promise. Promises made today will soon be weightless words which float in your memories. Marriage is a promise kept, a phrase translated into action. Groom, look into Bride’s eyes and repeat these words to her: As we begin our lifetime together, I pledge to you my love and loyalty. I will share with you all that is important to me. I will do all that I can do to encourage peace and happiness between us.
Bride, look into Groom’s eyes and repeat these words to him: As we begin living our promises, I pledge to you my love and loyalty. I will share with you all that is important to me. I will do all that I can to encourage peace and happiness between us.
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