Greeting

Friends and family, we are gathered here today before God and in the presence of this company to share in the joy of Henry and Carmen as they are joined in holy matrimony.

Henry and Carmen, today you celebrate one of life’s greatest moments and give recognition to the worth and beauty of love, as you commit yourselves to one another through your vows of marriage.

Henry and Carmen, do you come here freely and without reservation?

Vows

Henry do you take Carmen to be your wife? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her?

Carmen, do you take Henry to be your husband? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him?

Rings

I Henry, take you Carmen to be my wife. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, and I promise my faith and love to you. With this ring, I thee wed.

I Carmen, take you Henry to be my husband. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, and I promise my faith and love to you. With this ring I thee wed.

Unity candles

Henry, please light the individual candles?

The separate candles symbolize your separate lives, separate families and separate sets of friends. I ask that each of you take your candle and that together you light the center candle.

The individual candles represent your lives before today. Lighting the center candle represents that your lives are now joined to one light, and represents not only the marriage but the joining of your two families and sets of friends to one.

Blessing

Lord, our hearts are filled with happiness for Carmen and Henry as they come before You pledging their hearts and lives to one another. Grant that they may ever be true and loving, living together is such a way as to never bring shame or heartbreak into their marriage.

Temper their hearts with understanding. Rid them of all pretense or jealousy. Help them to remember to be each other’s sweeheart, helpmate, best friend and guide, so that together they may meet contentment in the rich joy of senior companionship.

May the home they share truly be a place of love and harmony, where Your Spirit is always present, bless this marriage we pray and walk beside them throughout their lives together. We ask these things through Jesus name. Amen.

Pronouncement

Henry and Carmen, in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in matrimony, have promised your love for each other by these vows, I now declare you to be Husband and Wife.

Congratulations, you may kiss your bride.