A copy of the most popular Wedding Services I do are below. Sample One is a basic ceremony and Sample Two includes some readings, music etc. Please note you do not have to use these, they are added to give you an idea of what you can do (the names are samples only). The words in red are the legal content that can not be changed at all. I have to speak these words for the marriage to be legal.
Sample One - Basic Ceremony
The Marriage of Bill & Lyn
Date: __/__/2009
"Good Afternoon everyone, my name is Adrian Downey, I am the celebrant for Bill & Lyn’s marriage ceremony."
"I would like to welcome you all here on this special day."
"Today is special for Bill & Lyn – They have chosen this day to publicly confess their abiding love for each other. A love they intend to embrace all the days of their lives."
"They understand the solemnity of the vows they soon will take and they are eager to move into the next part of their journey together.
"Bill & Lyn have chosen you their dear family and friends to be the people before whom they declare their love, intentions and commitment. They wish to thank you for sharing this day with them.
"Bill & Lyn in the joining of your lives together in marriage you will be walking the same road together. You met as individuals and as you share your lives, allow each other room to grow and so become greater individuals.
"Offer strength and encouragement when it is needed.
Praise each other's efforts and realise their failures.
Acknowledge all achievements, however small.
Convey any thoughts, confident that they will go no further."
"Express your fears and doubts without reservation.
For it is trust and communication that will support and strengthen your bond of love and friendship and pave the road you will travel."
Monitum of Marriage
"I am duly authorised by Law to solemnize marriage according to Law."
"Before you are joined in marriage in my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn & binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life."
Who brings Lyn to be married to Bill?
"I Do" (optional)
The Asking
Adrian to Bill: "Do you, Bill, take Lyn to be your lawful wedded wife?"
"Will you love her, comfort her, honor her and keep her, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, keep only unto her, so long as you both shall live?"
Bill:"I Do."
Adrian to Lyn:"Do you, Lyn take Bill to be your lawful wedded Husband?"
"Will you love him, comfort him, honor him and keep him, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, keep only unto him, so long as you both shall live?"
Lyn:"I Do"
Adrian to Bill:[Repeat after me]
"I ask the people hear present to witness that I Bill take you Lyn to be my lawful wedded Wife.
To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, while we both shall live."
Adrian to Lyn:[Repeat after me]
"I ask the people hear present to witness that I Lyn take you Bill to be my lawful wedded Husband..
To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, while we both shall live."
Wedding Blessing
Adrian:
"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 life brings your way make your marriage even stronger. And may you always be each others best friend and greatest love."
"You are symbolising your marriage by the exchange of rings, may I please have the rings?"
Ring Blessing
"May these rings represent your love for one another. These two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever they go – may they always return to one another. May these two find in each other the love for which all men and women yearn. May they grow in understanding and compassion. May these rings on their fingers symbolise their love."
"Bill, please place Lyn’s ring on her finger"
"Lyn, please place Bill’s ring on his finger"
Declaration of Marriage
"We have this afternoon been privileged to hear Bill & Lyn make special promises to each other, we have heard them make vows to each other and we have witnessed the giving and receiving of rings."
"And so as duly authorised it is my great honor and privilege to declare them Husband and Wife."
"Bill, you may kiss your Bride."
The Signing of the Register
The Presentation
"Ladies and Gentleman, may I now present"
"Mr & Mrs Bill ......."
Sample Two
[The Bridal Party enters to the song]{'Love is a Gift'}
"Good Afternoon everyone, my name is Adrian Downey, I am the celebrant for Bill and Lyn’s marriage ceremony.I would like to welcome you all here on this special day."
"Last September, the hottest on record in NSW, the fires came early. Close to where Lyn once lived, fires raged.. I needed to travel that way and was saddened. Some weeks later, I passed that way again…..This time I was amazed – regeneration had begun, spelling hope for the future and so from devastation, pain & loss came new life, it was a miracle! Today we are witnesses to a miracle."
"Today is special for Bill & Lyn – They have chosen this day to publicly confess their abiding love for each other. A love they intend to embrace all the days of their lives."
"They understand the solemnity of the vows they soon will take and they are eager to move into the next part of their journey together."
"Bill and Lyn share a loving relationship with a mutual love of hobbies & interests and to Lyn’s amazement she discovered that camping was an experience not to be missed! Having for years maintained that her idea of roughing it was black and white TV and that she only ever went 5 Star. Well, now she has the joy of experiencing 4 ½ stars – the 4 ½ stars Bill painted on the caravan ceiling for her. Now she delights in gazing at the heaven’s nightly performance of millions of stars from their own luxury accommodation. They revel in the joy of the time spent together all this has culminated in their decision to journey forward through life as husband & Wife"
"A verse of significance to Bill & Lyn will now be read
By Bridget.........., Bill’s Daughter."
"I promise you a love that’s true forever and a day,
I promise you a hand to hold each step along the way,
I promise to make time for “Us” to dream and do and dare
To never take for granted all the ways you show you care,
I promise you a friendship that grows deeper through the years,
I promise to be gentle with your hopes, your joys, your fears.
I promise you with all my heart with every day I live.
To share with you the deepest truest love I have to give."
"Bill & Lyn have chosen you their dear family and friends to be the people before whom they declare their love, intentions and commitment. They wish to thank you for sharing this day with them, especially Bill’s Mum, Daphne, also their much loved Children and Grandchildren."
"The verse ‘These I can Promise’by Mark Twain,
Will be read by Paul………………….., Lyn’s Son."
"I cannot promise you a life of sunshine;
I cannot promise riches, wealth or gold;
I cannot promise you an easy pathway
That leads away from change or growing old.
But I can promise all my heart’s devotion
A smile to chase away your tears of sorrow;
A love that’s ever true and ever growing;
A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow."
Monitum of Marriage
"I am duly authorised by Law to solemnize marriage according to Law."
"Before you are joined in marriage in my presence and in the presence of these witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn & binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter"
"Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life."
"Who brings Lyn to be married to Bill?"
“I Do..Garry........."
The Asking
Adrian to Bill: "Do you, William James........., take Lynette Anne........ to be your lawful wedded wife?"
"Will you love her, comfort her, honour her and keep her, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, keep only unto her, so long as you both shall live?"
Bill:"I Do."
Adrian to Lyn: "Do you, Lynette Anne ........, take William James...... to be your lawful wedded Husband?"
"Will you love him, comfort him, honour him and keep him, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, keep only unto him, so long as you both shall live?"
Lyn:"I Do."
Adrian to Bill:[Repeat after me]
"I ask the people hear present to witness that I William James……………. take you Lynette Anne………………. to be my lawful wedded Wife."
"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, while we both shall live."
Adrian to Lyn:[Repeat after me]
"I ask the people hear present to witness that I Lynette Anne………………. take you William James ……………to be my lawful wedded Husband."
"To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, while we both shall live."
Adrian:
"You are symbolising your marriage by the exchange of rings, may I please have the rings."
Ring Blessing
"May these rings represent your love for one another. These two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever they go – may they always return to one another. May these two find in each other the love for which all men and women yearn. May they grow in understanding and compassion. May these rings on their fingers symbolise their love."
"Bill, please place Lyn’s ring on her finger and repeat after me:"
"Lyn with this ring, I take you to be my wife. Take it and wear it as a token of my love and as a symbol of all we share."
"Lyn, please place Bill’s ring on his finger and repeat after me:
"Bill with this ring, I take you to be my husband. Take it and wear it as a token of my love and as a symbol of all we share."
‘Marriage is Love’ by Gloria Matthew
'If two are caring, as they’re sharing life’s hopes and fears
If the music of laughter outweighs the sadness of tears,
Marriage is Togetherness
If both derive pleasure from mere presence of each other,
Yet no jealousies restrict, worry or smother,
Marriage is Freedom
If achievements mean more when they benefit two,
And consideration is shown with each point of view,
Marriage is Respect
And if Togetherness, Freedom and Respect are combined
With a joy words can never fully define
Marriage is Love'
Declaration of Marriage
"We have this afternoon been privileged to hear Bill & Lyn make special promises to each other, we have heard them make vows to each other and we have witnessed the giving and receiving of rings."
"And so as duly authorised it is my great honour and privilege to declare them Husband and Wife."
"Bill, you may kiss your Bride."
The Signing of the Register
'Perhaps Love’ By John Denver & Placido Domingo
Adrian to read:[“I’ll Be There’]{By Louise Cuddon.}
I’ll be there, my darling, through thick and through thin
When your mind is a mess when your head’s in a spin
When your plane’s been delayed, when you’ve missed the last train
When life is just threatening to drive you insane
When your thrilling whodunit
Has lost it’s last page
When somebody tells you you’re looking your age
When your coffee’s to cool and your wine is too warm
When the forecast said ‘fine’ but your out in a storm
When you order the Korma but got the Madras
When you wake in the night and are sure you smell gas
When your quick-break hotel is more like a slum
And your holiday photos show only your thumb
When you park for 5 mins in a residents’ bay
And return to discover you’ve been towed away
When the jeans that you bought in hope or in haste
Stick on your hips and won’t reach round your waist
When the dentist looks into your mouth and just sighs
When your heroes turn out to be wimps in disguise
When the food you most like brings you out in red rashes
When as soon as you boot up then bloody thing crashes
When you’re in extra time and the other team scores
When someone informs you that goldfish have paws
When you gaze at the stars and tread on a nail
When you know you’ll succeed but, somehow, you fail
When your horoscope tells you you’ll have a good day
So you ask for a rise and your boss says, ‘No way’.
So my darling, my sweetheart, my dear……
When you spill your beer, when you shed a tear
When you burn the toast, when you miss the post
When you lose the plot, when I all you’ve got
When you break a rule, when you act the fool
When you got the flu, when you’re in a stew
When you’re last in the queue
Don’t feel blue
‘Cause I’m telling you
I’ll be there
I’ll be there
I’ll be there for you.
The Presentation
"Ladies and Gentleman, may I now present"
Mr & Mrs Bill....."
[The Bridal party, followed by guests will recess.]