Click hereAbout the Pronouncement of Marriage
The pronouncement of marriage is perhaps the single most important thing you will do every time you perform a wedding in that it introduces the couple as man and wife (or some variation thereof) for the first time. Making a pronouncement of marriage, when combined with the signing of a marriage certificate, are the two necessary acts that need to occur in order to make a marriage legally binding.
It is your job as a wedding officiant to make sure the pronouncement of marriage is done in the way required by county and/or state law every time you perform a wedding and that the pronouncement is suitably beautiful and moving for the couple and their guests. The pronouncement of marriage is literally the newlywed's first moment together, and you, as a Universal Life Church minister, have the ability to make it a magical one that they will remember forever!
How to Prepare a Pronouncement of Marriage
The words comprising the proclamation of marriage are allowed to vary greatly from ceremony to ceremony, so Universal Life Church wedding officiants have the ability to be creative and fun as they tailor the pronouncement to the couple's preferences. Is the couple devoutly religious? Liberally sprinkle references to "God" and "the Almighty" throughout the pronouncement. Is the couple secular? Refrain from using religious terms and instead focus on their hobbies and personalities.
Examples Pronouncements of Marriage
The following example pronouncements of marriage were drafted by a Universal Life Church wedding officiant who has used these pronouncements, and other pronouncements much like them, in the past when he has been asked to perform a wedding. Feel free to treat these example pronouncements of marriage as inspiration or use them verbatim if you need to perform a wedding yourself.
Example Pronouncement of Marriage #1
Throughout the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom have vowed to love and remain steadfast and loyal to one another as they stand before their assembled community of friends and family.
The bride and groom have each formalized and sanctified their bond by exchanging wedding vows and rings. May your love be eternal and undying.
In witness of your love and commitment, it is now my pleasure to introduce you to those present here as husband and wife.
In honor of your entrance into holy wedlock, you may now kiss the bride!
Example Pronouncement of Marriage #2
Before me stands a bride and groom who have joined their souls together in holy wedlock.
In doing so, they have chosen to provide companionship, love and support to each other during both the happy and difficult moments of life and marriage. They have declared their perpetual love to each other before the witnesses assembled here and before almighty God. They have also demonstrated their solemn love for each other by exchanging wedding rings and joining hands as they prepare to walk through life together.
In the name of the Holy Spirit, I now solemnly declare you husband and wife.
Let no one put asunder those that have been joined together today in the presence of almighty God. You may now kiss the bride.
Example Pronouncement of Marriage #3
When you commenced this wedding ceremony, you stood before all assembled here as best friends and partners. Through the poignant exchange of wedding vows, you are sealed together in bond of holy wedlock as wife and husband.
You may have kissed many times before, but now your kiss is a demonstration of your perpetual love and commitment to each other. Your kiss is also a promise to stand together during the happy times and during times of adversity.
May you experience great love, joy and happiness as you walk through life together. May you also have the strength and perseverance to weather the storms that life may bring your way.
In celebration of your love and commitment to one another, you may now kiss the bride.
This is the fifth and final blog post in the "Perform a Wedding" series. Click here to view the series's introductory blog post. Let us know if there are sections of the traditional wedding ceremony we omitted and we will gladly retroactively add information about them to the "Perform a Wedding" series.
