Sarah Ritchie Wedding Vows

Ring Vows by The Rev. Dr. Jack E. Skiles

2012-01-21T08:45:00.000-08:00

_______ and _______, you have brought rings to exchange.
These rings are gifts to each other to remind you always,
And those they gaze upon their beauty,
That you have pledged your love and commitment
In marriage to each other.
And when you have been together for a long, long time,
You will look at these rings,
And you will feel the indentation they have made on your fingers,
And you will know that these rings contain all the memories
Of what your lives and your relationship have been.
May the always serve to remind you of how great your love is for one another.

Pueblo Blessing

2012-01-21T08:38:00.000-08:00

I add my breath to your breath
That our days may be long on the Earth,
That the days of our people may be long,
That we shall be as one person,
That we may finish our road together.

Vows by Rabbi Rami M.Shapiro

2012-01-21T08:35:00.000-08:00

I choose you this day
To love and confide in,
To hold on to and reach out from.
I choose you this day
To believe in and to share with,
To learn from and grow with.
I choose you this day
To give you my heart.

--Rabbi Rami Shapiro

Classically-Inspired Vows

2012-01-21T07:50:00.000-08:00

A recent couple offered up the following selection for their vow renewal. Subsequently, I heard the final lines uttered in the second Sex and the City movie (when Big gives Carrie her black diamond engagement ring!).

Remain my true,
my only treasure,
my all as I am yours.
Be Calm
Love Me….tomorrow, today, yesterday
Continue to Love me
Never misjudge
The most faithful heart
of Your beloved.
Ever thine
Ever mine.
Ever ours.

photo: courtesy of Scott Nichols Photography.

Cherokee Inspired Vows

2011-09-12T15:52:00.000-07:00

God in heaven above,
please protect the ones we love.
We honor all you created
as we pledge our hearts and lives together.
We honor Mother Earth and ask for our marriage
to be abundant and grow stronger through the seasons.
We honor fire and ask that our union be warm and glowing in our hearts.
We honor wind and ask that we sail through the life save and calm
as in our father’s arms.
We honor water to clean and soothe our relationship--
that it may never thirst for love.
With all the forces of the universe you created,
we pray for harmony as we grow forever young together.
Amen.

Vows by Robert Fulghum

2011-02-07T17:51:00.000-08:00

The popular author and minister Robert Fulghum provides the following vows in his book From Beginning to End: The Rituals of our Lives. Fulghum is also the author of the favorite book All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. The vows are repeated by both the bride and groom, with the respective names inserted:

I (name), take you (name)
To be the husband/wife of my days
The companion of my house

The friend of my life
And the Mother/Father of our children
We shall bear together
Whatever trouble and sorrow
Life may lay upon us
And we shall share together
Whatever good and joyful things
Life may bring us
With these words
And all the words of my heart
I marry you
And bind my life to yours

Roman Catholic Vows

2010-11-25T17:18:00.000-08:00

I, (name), take you, (name), to be my (husband/wife). I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.

BRIDE: I pledge, in honesty and sincerity, to be for you an obedient and faithful wife.

GROOM: I pledge, in honesty and sincerity, to be for you an obedient and faithful husband.

I, (name), take you, (name), for my wife/husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.

Episcopalian Vows

2010-11-25T17:15:00.000-08:00

In the name of God, I, (name), take you, (name), to be my husband/wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.

Presbyterian Vows

2010-11-25T17:10:00.000-08:00

I, (name), take thee, (name), to be my wedded wife/husband, and I do promise and covenant, before God and these witnesses, to be thy loving and faithful wife/husband, in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live.

This ring I give you, in token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love.

Lutheran Vows

2010-11-25T17:03:00.000-08:00

I, (name), take you, (name), to be my (husband/wife), and these things I promise you: I will be faithful to you and honest with you; I will respect, be truthful, help, and care for you; I will share my life with you; I will forgive you as we have been forgiven; and I will try with you to better understand ourselves, the world, and God; through the best and worst of what is to come as long as we love.

Ring Vow Samples

2010-09-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

I.

With this ring,
I give you my promise to honor you,
To be faithful to you,
And to share my love and my life with you
In all ways, always.

II.

___________, I give you this ring
As a symbol of my love for you,
And of my promise to honor you,
Comfort you,
And be faithful to you and to our marriage
Through God’s grace, (Alternatively: Line may be omitted)
For as long as we both shall live.

III.

As a sign of my love
And my knowledge that in marrying you,
I am becoming much more than I am,
I give you this ring
With the promise that I will love you
And keep my heart open to you
All the days of my life.

IV.

___________, with this ring
I am giving you my promise
To always love you, cherish you,
Honor you, and comfort you,
I will always be grateful to God
For your presence in my life.
(Alternatively: I will always be grateful for your presence in my life)

V.

This ring is my gift to you,
May it always remind you
That from this day forward,
You will be surrounded by my love.

VI.

I give you this ring
As a sign that I choose you
To be my lover, my partner,
And my best friend
Today, tomorrow, and always.

VII.

___________, I give you this ring
As a symbol of my vow.
My it encircle your finger always
As my love will your heart.

VIII.

___________, this ring is a symbol
Of the strength and beauty of our love.
May it belong to your hand
As my heart belongs to you,
Separate yet close,
Simple yet miraculous.

IX.

I give this ring
As a symbol of my promise
To always love you, cherish you, honor you, and respect you.

Photograph by Rocco Ancora of Ancora & Bell, Australia

2010-08-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

Do you take bride/groom to be your lawfully wedded husband/wife?

I Do

Do you promise to love and cherish him/her,
in sickness and in health,
for richer, for poorer,
for better, for worse,
and forsaking all others,
keep yourself only unto/him/her,
for so long as you both shall live?

I Do

Do you together 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 your husband/wife?

I Do

Do you together promise you will love, cherish and respect him/her
throughout the years?

I Do

Buddhist-Inspired Vows

2010-07-28T19:23:00.000-07:00

(Bride) and (Groom), do you pledge to help each other to develop your hearts and minds, cultivating compassion, generosity, ethics, patience, enthusiasm, concentration and wisdom as you age and undergo the various ups and downs of life and to transform them into the path of love, compassion, joy and equanimity?

“We do”

Recognizing that the external conditions in life will not always be smooth and that internally your own minds and emotions will sometimes get stuck in negativity. Do you pledge to see all these circumstances as a challenge to help you grow, to open your hearts, to accept yourselves, and each other; and to generate compassion for others who are suffering? Do you pledge to avoid becoming narrow, closed or opinionated, and to help each other to see various sides of situations?

“We do”

Understanding that just as we are a mystery to ourselves, each other person is also a mystery to us. Do you pledge to seek to understand yourselves, each other, and all living beings, to examine your own minds continually and to regard all the mysteries of life with curiosity and joy?

“We do”

Do you pledge to preserve and enrich your affection for each other, and to share it with all beings? To take the loving feelings you have for one another and your vision of each other's potential and inner beauty as an example and rather than spiraling inwards and becoming self absorbed, to radiate this love outwards to all beings?

“We do”

When it comes time to part, do you pledge to look back at your time together with joy--joy that you met and shared what you have--and acceptance that we cannot hold on to anything forever?

“We do”

Do you pledge to remember the disadvantages of ignorance, anger and clinging attachment, to apply antidotes when these arise in your minds, and to remember the kindness of all other beings and your connection to them? Do you pledge to work for the welfare of others, with all of your compassion, wisdom and skill?

“We do”

Do you pledge to work to develop the wisdom understanding the relative functioning nature of things and the wisdom knowing their deeper way of existence•that they are empty of inherent existence? And to remember the laws of cause and effect?

‘We do”

Do you pledge day to day, to be patient with yourselves and others, knowing that change comes slowly and gradually, and to seek inspiration from your teachers not to become discouraged?

“We do”

Do you pledge to continuously strive to remember your own Buddha nature, as well as the Buddha nature of all living beings? To maintain the awareness that all things are temporary, and to remain optimistic that you can achieve your greatest potential and lasting happiness.

“We do”

2010-05-01T15:40:00.000-07:00

__________, you have embraced all aspects of my nature. You love me completely, for my strengths and weaknesses. You have given me the courage and faith to trust you, to let you love me as an entire person. Above all others, I take you just as you are, however you may change, to share my life. I gift you with my love and respect and I pledge to you my care and commitment of joy and sorrow, for today and throughout all of our tomorrows. So may it be.

2010-04-16T12:42:00.000-07:00

As your wife/husband
I am blessed to receive your love,
I will honor you with my caring,
sensitivity, strength, and gentleness.
I will be kind and honest, fair and true.
May God always keep us
and watch over our love and our home.

2010-04-12T19:18:00.001-07:00

Mary Huff Chandler

Today

I give you my heart to you

and only you, forever.

I give you my trust,

my support

and my unconditional love.

I promise to be

your constant source of strength

and comfort.

I promise to be your place of rest.

I promise you our love will be endless.

2010-04-11T04:50:00.001-07:00

"I, ________. take you, ________,
from this day forward and into
the long forever to be my beloved,
my sweetheart, my darling, my wife/husband.

I promise always to love you,
to honor you, to adore you,
to give thanks for the gift
of your presence.
You are the one I admire;
You are the one I adore,
You are the one I choose
to go on with forever,
from now until the end
of my life."

2010-04-11T04:42:00.000-07:00

"I ________ take you ________
to be my beloved wife/husband.

To stand with you in the grand love that binds us,
to honor you, to change with you,
to behold the highest meanings of our being,
to learn compassion with you,
to suffer with you,
to rejoice, to be kind.

I promise you this
from my heart
with my soul
till death do us part."

2010-04-11T04:36:00.000-07:00

"All that I am and all that I have
I offer to you, my beloved,
in joy
in service
in sacred union.

All that I dream and all I desire
I ask from you, my beloved,
in thanksgiving
in anticipation
in celebration.

To delight in your body
To nourish your mind
To be at home with your spirit
the way a star is at home in the sky;
To celebrate your whole being with joy
as the sun emblazons the sea with its light;
To know you, love you, hold you, warm you
Through all the long days of our lives."

2010-04-10T19:04:00.000-07:00

"I, ________, receive you, ________
as my wife/husband.
May we love one another with constancy,
live joyously, laugh freely,
and support our marriage
through the trials and triumph to come.

I will strive to be fair and honest,
wise and true.
Join me in making our hopes and dreams come true
today and forever."

2010-04-10T19:03:00.001-07:00

"Do you, ________,
of your own free will and consent,
choose________
to be your beloved wife/husband,
and do you promise
to love, honor, and cherish her/him always?"

2010-04-10T18:57:00.000-07:00

"________, I promise to love you,
to cherish you,
and to respect you
in all ways, always.

I promise to participate fully
in our marriage partnership
I will give fully
of my mind, body, heart, and soul.

I promise to make your plans and dreams
as important to me as my own,
I promise to do my share
so that our lives together
can be healthy, happy, and abundantly satisfying.

I promise to lovingly fulfill these vows
each and every day
for all of my days.

2010-04-10T18:55:00.001-07:00

"As your wife/husband,
I am blessed to receive your love.
I will honor you with my caring,
sensitivity, strength, and gentless.
I will be kind and honest, fair and true.
May God always keep us
and watch over our love and our home."

2010-04-10T18:42:00.000-07:00

"________, I choose you
for the way your smile lifts my spirit,
for the way you support and respect me,
and for the way you make me feel about us.

I promise to share with you
all my hopes, fears, and dreams.
I promise to nurture your spirit
as I nurture my own.
I will keep laughing with you,
learning with you,
and growing with you.
I will faithfully care fo you
with an open heart and with tenderness.

I promise to be there for you,
to warm your toes through the coldest nights,
I promise to remind you of how great you are,
just as I did on our first date.

I promise to be at your side in sorrow and in joy
and to love and cherish you always.
I promise you this from my heart
and with my soul
as I dedicate myself to our marriage,
our friendship, and our life together."

2010-04-10T15:44:00.000-07:00

"________, do you now choose ________ to be your life companion, to share your life openly with her, to speak truthfully and lovingly to her, to accept her fully as she is and delight in who she is becoming, to respect her uniqueness, encourage her fulfillment, and compassionately support her through all the changes of your years together?"

2010-04-10T15:34:00.001-07:00

"I take you to be my wife/husband, my friend, my love, and my lifelong companion: to share my life with yours. To build our dreams together, while allowing you to grow with your dreams; to support you through times of trouble, and rejoice with you in times of happiness; to treat you with respect, love and loyalty through all the trails and triumphs of our lives together; and to give you all the love I can my whole life long. This commitment is made in love, kept in faith, lived in hope, and eternally made new."

2010-04-10T15:26:00.000-07:00

I love you. And I look forward to being your friend and companion, your wife/husband and lover for life. I promise to love you and respect you; to stand by you and be faithful to you; to be open and honest with you; and to always work toward our mutual growth. I promise this for the good times and bad times. Till death do us part.

2010-04-10T11:32:00.001-07:00

"____________, I love you and choose to share my life with you. I will laugh with you in times of joy and comfort you in times of sorrow. I will be at your side through all of life’s challenges.
____________. I will love you forever.”

2010-04-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

“I promise to nurture you, to be kind and patient, forgiving and faithful. I promise to honor our differences and to learn from them. I will encourage you and stand by you in our life together and will growth with you in the shelter of our love. I promise you this with my heart and soul. I vow to you before our families and friends, to dedicate myself to our marriage, our friendship and our love.”

2010-04-10T11:27:00.000-07:00

“As your wife/husband, I am blessed to receive your love, I will honor you with my caring, sensitivity, strength, and gentleness. I will be kind and honest, fair and true. May God always keep us and watch over our love and our home.”

2010-04-10T11:26:00.001-07:00

“___________, I promise to be faithful, supportive, and loyal, and to give you my companionship and love throughout all the changes of our life. I vow to bring you happiness, and I will treasure you as my companion. I will celebrate the joys of life with you. I promise to support your dreams, and walk beside you offering courage and strength through all endeavors. From this day forward, I will be proud to be your wife/husband and your best friend.”

2010-04-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

“I, ______________, choose you, ____________, to be my wife/husband, my friend, my love, the mother/father 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 you and encourage you, and together we shall live, freed and bound by our love.”

2010-04-10T11:23:00.001-07:00

“I ____________ cherish you ______________
For being all that you are,
All that you are not,
And all that you can be.
Know that I am here for you,
And that your pain will be mine,
And your joy mine as well.
All I ask is you—your love, your trust, your caring.
I choose you to be my husband/wife.”

2010-04-10T11:21:00.001-07:00

“I , ______________, offer myself to you ___________,
To be your wife/husband,
Your friend, your lover and your lifelong companion;
To share my life with yours;
To build our dreams together,
To support you through times of trouble,
And rejoice with you in times of happiness;
To treat you with respect, love and loyalty,
Through all the trials and triumphs of our lives together.
This commitment is made in love,
Kept in faith, lived in hope, And eternally made new.”

2010-04-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

“I, _________, choose you, _________, in the presence of our friends and families to be my wife/husband and partner from this time forward; to love you, to be a comfort and safe haven in your life, to hold you close, to listen deeply when you speak, to nourish you with my gentleness, to uphold you with my strength, to weigh the effects of the words I speak and the things I do, to never take you for granted and to always give thanks for your presence in my life.”