10 Alternatives to “You May Now Kiss the Bride!”

"You may now kiss the bride": Alternatives for Creative Couples and Wedding Officiants

 

If you’re here, you’re planning a wedding ceremony that’s modern, personal, and true to your relationship – not something that sounds like it was written a hundred years ago. Not every couple wants to hear their officiant say “you may now kiss the bride” at the end of a ceremony!

 

Maybe it feels outdated, one-sided, gendered, or just plain boring. Maybe it doesn’t reflect who you are, or who’s standing at the altar. (Not every wedding has a bride, after all.) Instead, consider one of the “you may kiss the bride” alternatives below to create a ceremony that's inclusive, meaningful, and absolutely yours.

 

Who says "you may now kiss the bride," traditionally?

 

This phrase (and any alternative) is spoken by the Wedding Officiant. The officiant leads the wedding ceremony from start to finish, and will guide you through each familiar part (such as the exchange of wedding vows and rings) with gentle prompts and instructions.

 

LEARN MORE: ...So What Does a Wedding Officiant Really Do?

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When do you say "you may kiss the bride," traditionally? 

 

This traditional phrase follows the wedding officiant’s Pronouncement of Marriage at the end of the wedding ceremony. After the kiss, the couple makes their exit down the aisle (the Wedding Recession / Recessional) and heads out to the wedding reception. 

 

LEARN MORE: Wedding Ceremony Outline & Order : Understanding the Parts of a Wedding Ceremony

 

But as you know, some traditions are meant to be broken! in celebration nontraditional wedding lovers everywhere – from feminist couples to same-sex couples, non-binary, genderqueer, and other LGBTQ+ couples, to modern wedding officiants and beyond – here are 10 alternatives to help you end your wedding ceremony in style! 

 

RELATED: Write a Personal Wedding Pronouncement Using This Outline

 

 

"You may now kiss the love of your life!"

10 Modern Alternatives to “You May Kiss the Bride”

 

 

1. “You may now kiss!” or "You may kiss!"

 

If you like the familiar wording but want a gender-neutral option, consider this simple fix. Or consider similar variations: “You may now kiss the groom!” ; “You may now kiss the love of your life!”; or “You may now kiss each other!” You get the idea – so get to kissing!

 

Planning a bilingual wedding ceremony? This sounds just as sweet in Spanish:

 

"Se pueden ahora besar!"

 

 

2. “Let’s make your marriage official! Seal it with a kiss!”

 

This phrase keeps the kiss, but makes the phrase gender-neutral and modern.

 

 

3. “Let’s show the newlyweds our support!”

 

This version gets the wedding guests involved, and leaves the ending up to the couple. While everyone claps and cheers, you can kiss, embrace, or show of your wedding rings in joy – whatever happy display of affection you choose. This is a great choice for couples who don't love PDA, even on the wedding day.

 

(We might see this more often as platonic marriages and openly-besties lavender marriages become more popular, too.)

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 “Let’s show the newlyweds our support!”

 

 

4. “You may now seal your marriage with a toast!”

 

AMM Minister Liz Babinski (aka Liz Rae Weddings) suggests ending the marriage ceremony with a toast, and we love this idea! As Officiant Liz points out in this Bustle article, it’s a great way to add a meaningful unity toast to your ceremony, and ends things on a festive note.

 

RELATED: Ceremony Writing with AMM Minister Liz Rae (of Liz Rae Weddings)

 

 

5. “And now, for your first PDA as a married couple… Show us what you’ve got!”

 

A little humor can be a great way to end a casual wedding ceremony, and this playful wording will leave all your guests smiling (and maybe blushing). 

 

6. “You may now step into your new chapter as wife and husband!” 

 

This version, and the similar "as husbands," "as wives," etc., are a great fit for couples who want to start their exit down the aisle without a kiss or hug. You can simply hold hands and head on out into your next big adventure!

 

This creative wording can personalized to be gender neutral, too: “as partners for life,” or “as a married couple," etc.

 

7. “Everyone grab your cameras, because I think these two are about to kiss!”

 

This playful wording works best if you're planning DIY wedding photos, and almost guarantees a great first kiss photo! But officiants should use caution here , especially if the couple has hired a professional wedding photographer! You don't want guests to get in the way of a perfect shot by standing up to snap photos with their phones and cameras. 

 

RELATED: Want Great Wedding Photos? Get Centered… For the KISS, That Is!

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Every part of the wedding ceremony should reflect the personality and values of the couple, including that first kiss!

 

 

8. “You may now seal your marriage with the secret handshake. Guests, please look away.”

 

This cute wording is a great choice if you want a funny, surprising ending to your wedding ceremony. Plus you get to choreograph a special handshake! Practice the routine ahead of time to make sure you get your moves right, then seal your vows with this one-of-a-kind unity ceremony. 

 

 

9. “(Five years) ago you shared your very first kiss. Today, you share your first kiss as wives.”

 

This sweet sentiment is a perfect choice for a heartfelt wedding, vow renewal ceremony, or second wedding / sequel wedding. Personalize the phrasing to reflect your relationship, such as "your first kiss as husbands," "husband and wife," "partners for life," etc. 

 

 

10. Say nothing…

 

It might surprise you, but many modern weddings skip this part of the ceremony altogether. After your wedding officiant has pronounced you married, as in “I pronounce you partners for life,” you might not need any prompting – you already know what comes next! And besides, you wouldn't be able to hear anything over your friends and relatives cheering, anyway. So sweet!

 

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Explore More Wedding Ideas & Inspiration from American Marriage Ministries

 

• What to Say at the Start of an Unplugged Wedding Ceremony

 

• 12 Fun Nontraditional Ideas for a Lesbian Wedding
   
• 12 Creative Pronouncement Ideas for Your Wedding Ceremony

 

• How to Officiate a Same-Sex Wedding Ceremony
   

 

From the article: 12 Creative Pronouncement Ideas for Your Wedding Ceremony:

10 alternative pronouncement ideas, from funny to formal examples, gender neutral to bilingual, and more. The best ways for a wedding officiant to say, “I now pronounce you married!”

 

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