Wedding Ceremony Wording

First, before you go through all the work of writing your own wedding ceremony wording, check with your ceremony location about whether your house of worship will allow this. Most officiants will probably be happy for a nice break from the norm. For sure, your guests will appreciate a breath of fresh air, having attended a dozen weddings following the “dearly beloved” bit.

If you have a favorite poem of piece of romantic prose, include this in your ceremony. You can read it yourself, or ask a trusted friend who is not already an attendant to read it. Incorporate elements of your wedding time and location into the ceremony. For example, if it is springtime, talk openly about new beginnings. Is your wedding date going to fall near an important day, such as the anniversary of your first date? Does the location play a certain role, such as being the church where you were first introduced? Your guests will appreciate any insight the wedding ceremony wording brings.

Of course, some parts of the wording are not open for discussion, such as the verbal agreement to the marriage and the pronouncement of marriage. But even these can be tweaked to your liking. Consider “I declare that you are forever one” rather than "I now pronounce you man and wife."

Speak openly with your fiancée, your parents, and your minister about whether this is a feasible option for you. You might discover that your mother has always dreamed of hearing you say the same “with this ring, I thee wed” as she said to your father thirty years ago. Do this before you get attached to any particular wording.