Have you been asked to officiate your friend’s wedding and you’re looking for some help with writing your own ceremony script? You don’t need to look any further. In this article we’ll take you step-by-step through the process of writing your own personalized wedding ceremony script.
Brainstorm
The first step in the writing process is getting your ideas down on paper. Think about the style and theme of the ceremony. Is it meant to be religious, funny, or lighthearted? Are there certain elements like special readings or unity ceremonies which the couple would like to include? It’s important that you sit down with the couple beforehand to discuss possible ideas which they would like to include in the ceremony.
Start Drafting
Once you have a few ideas written down, and you’ve sat down with the couple to discuss the general theme of the ceremony, the next step is writing a simple draft of the wedding ceremony script. There are typically seven different parts to a wedding ceremony. They include the Processional, Invocation, Declaration of Intent, The Vows Exchange, The Rings Exchange, The Pronouncement, and finally the Recession.
We suggest taking out a piece of paper and writing out each of these headings leaving plenty of space to fill in underneath to fill in with the details. We’ll walk you through each of the different sections and give suggestions for what could be included in each one.
The Processional
For this section you don’t need to write anything. This is the beginning of the ceremony where the officiant stands at the front either alone or with the groom and waits for the bride to walk down the aisle.
The Invocation
This is the opening of the ceremony. Here you will welcome the guests, thank them for coming and ask them to be seated for the ceremony to continue. This part can be kept short and sweet, but it sets the tone for the ceremony so make sure it’s heartfelt and welcoming.
The Declaration of Intent
This is the part of the ceremony where the couple declares their intention to get married. As the officiant, you can prompt this part of the ceremony by asking questions like “Do you _________ , come here to seek the hand of __________ in marriage.”
Reading
In between the Declaration of Intent and the Vows Exchange is a great time in the ceremony to include a short reading or a poem. Ask the couple if this is something that you should take on, or if they have a special friend who should perform the reading.
The Vows Exchange
This is the part of the ceremony where the couple will make promises to love each other for the rest of their lives. Ask the couple if they would like to write their own vows or if they would like your assistance for this part of the ceremony. Sometimes an officiant will assist in this part of the ceremony, asking each partner in turn if they will promise to love the other and remain faithful and true until death do them part.
This part of the ceremony can be kept super simple, but also leaves the opportunity for the couple to exchange heartfelt words.
The Ring Exchange
Once again, it’s up to the couple how much you are involved as the officiant in this part of the ceremony. Maybe all you’ll need to do is announce something like, “now the couple will exchange rings.” If the couple wishes, you can give a quick explanation of the symbol of the wedding ring – how they are a constant reminder of their eternal commitment.
Perhaps there is a special story behind the rings which you could include, such as whether they are a generational item or made out of special material.
The Pronouncement
Finally, pronounce the couple married. Something to the effect of “By the power vested in me by _________, I now present to you for the first time Mr. and Mrs ________” is one of the more popular pronouncements.
The Recession
This part of the ceremony doesn’t need to be included in the script. It simply involves smiling warmly at the audience as the couple makes their happy exit!
Final Remarks
By now you should have a good idea of how to write your own wedding ceremony script. There are plenty of sample wedding ceremony scripts online if you need any help in brainstorming or structuring your script. It’s important that the script sounds genuine and heartfelt. Make sure you go over the final draft with the couple and spend plenty of time practicing. The most important thing is that you deliver your speech with confidence and a genuine joy in the wedding!
-Bernard Paul