Everything you need to know to add a handfasting ceremony to your wedding or vow renewal, including the symbolism and meaning of the handfast ritual, how to tie a handfasting cord into a beautiful knot, when to include the handfasting in the ceremony (what order), and how to perform a handfasting as an officiant -- with examples of what to say and do and links to a sample script!

Looking for the perfect wedding ring exchange script for the officiant? Maybe something offbeat? Funny? Classic and traditional? Modern? Whatever tone you’re looking for, these popular examples are sure to be a perfect fit! Use as is, or personalize a sample script below to suit your ceremony.

The Anonymous Officiant #8: A special guest dropped in on this Australian couple's gravity-defying Grand Canyon wedding in Arizona -- a rare, endangered California Condor! Read about the dizzying heights, incredible views, and unexpected excitement of these national park nuptials, in this installment of American Marriage Ministries’ new candid column about real weddings and real officiants.

Legislation to raise Connecticut’s legal marriage age to 18 years old has passed the House and Senate, and is on its way to Gov. Ned Lamont’s desk for final approval. Learn more about this ban on child marriage in CT, and what wedding officiants in the state should know about the changing law. (House Bill 6569 / HB06569 2023)

The AMM Wedding Ceremony Script Library contains more than 100 sample wedding scripts to choose from. Every template is written by a real wedding officiant, making it a creative and authentic alternative to an generic online wedding script generator. You'll find a variety of themes, styles, and tones to choose from -- including religious and nonreligious wedding scripts, themed weddings, funny and lighthearted scripts, romantic scripts, LGBTQ+ inclusive ceremony scripts, and more.

Curious what to expect when asked to attend or officiate a Satanic wedding ceremony? Learn what happens at a Satanic wedding, where Satanic weddings are held, who officiates, how to find an officiant, and what wedding traditions and rituals you might see -- including handfasting, candle lighting, sword exchanges. Plus, details about what The Satanic Temple and its members believe, and the common values of modern Satanism.

Lawmakers in Maine passed legislation this week to prohibit the marriage of minors and raise the legal age to apply for a marriage license to 18 years old. The bill now heads to Gov. Mills for approval. Learn how LD 443 will amend the current law by removing provisions that allow 16 and 17 year olds to marry with parental permission, and if the change will impact American Marriage Ministries Ministers in Maine.

Unique vow booklets to help you write your own vows and deliver them in style! These vow books contain questions & prompts to inspire you, plus suggestions & examples to organize your words into heartfelt vows in time for the wedding day. Two designs and color themes to choose from, making these sweet vow journals perfect for any wedding or elopement.

Learn how to write a couple’s love story for a personalized wedding officiant script with this simple advice, including examples from real wedding scripts written by real officiants. A great wedding ceremony script tells a story!

A step-by-step guide to help you plan a wedding or elopement in Oklahoma - including how to apply for your marriage license, how to find a wedding officiant, choose the best wedding venue, plan your ceremony, and when to file / return your OK marriage license after the ceremony. Get married in the Sooner State!

Want to use AI to write your wedding vows or toast? It's important to write a great prompt! Check out these tips on how to write a better ChatGPT prompt for custom vows that sound like you, including the best structure to use, examples of effective prompts and commands, and a prompt writer 'template' to get you on the right track -- without all the work and stress of writing something from scratch.

The Anonymous Officiant #7: Who's got the rings? When the Best Man misplaces the wedding rings before the ceremony things gets interesting... Learn how a quick-thinking officiant and a well-stocked open bar saves the wedding day (and the Groom's sanity) in this installment of American Marriage Ministries’ new candid column about real weddings and real officiants.

This marriage advice from 1880 offers an interesting glimpse into the past! The wedding reading, titled 'How to Perpetuate the Honeymoon,' has been reprinted and read at weddings by wedding officiants for decades, and was re-discovered over the weekend on Reddit, when a poster found it attached to a vintage marriage license from 1946.

Good news! Ex-county clerk Kim Davis has been ordered to pay $100,000 in damages for refusing to issue a marriage license to same-sex partners David Ermold and David Moore in Kentucky in 2015. Davis was previously found guilty of violating the couple's constitutional right to marry, following the Supreme Court's 2015 ruling in Obergefell v Hodges.

The City of Boston just removed gender markers from marriage licenses and applications! Beginning this week, applicants are no longer required to register their sex or gender identity when applying to marry, and this information will no longer appear on their license. Officials hope the change will make the city more inclusive of gender diverse residents and more welcoming to the LGBTQIA+ community and their families.

Want to get married at a funeral home? 5 great reasons to have your wedding at a funeral home, mortuary, or cemetery, and why more couples are choosing this unusual and surprising wedding trend. Funeral homes can make easy, affordable, elegant, and accessible wedding venues!

Newly sober and going to a wedding? Here are 7 tips to help you have a wonderful time (and stay sane and safe), whether you're a sober wedding guest, wedding officiant, or wedding vendor. Advice on staying happily alcohol-free while officiating, attending, or working during a marriage ceremony.

Prepare for an unforgettable ‘123123’ New Year’s Eve wedding or elopement with advice from expert numerologist Rebecca Scolnick, author of The Witch's Book of Numbers! Learn the numerology meaning of this unique date, why it’s auspicious for marriage, what to do if you’re asked to officiate, plus cute NYE wedding ideas and a custom ceremony script. (New Year’s Eve 2023 ; 12/31/23)

See recent updates and new California Marriage Laws for wedding officiants and couples, and visit American Marriage Ministries marriage laws library to learn who can perform marriage in each state, officiant registration requirements, and more.

Introducing our newest ceremony planning guide! A creative ‘how-to’ book that explores ancient Pagan traditions, the marriage rite, and how to add the magic of handfasting into modern wedding and commitment ceremonies. Rooted in history and accompanied by colorful illustrations, detailed instructions, sample wedding ceremony scripts, Pagan holidays to help you choose a date, a lucky lunar guide, the meaning of colors, tips for writing your own vows, and much more!

There's a new product in the AMM store! These sleek, high-quality custom wood frames protect and display your ordination certificate and minister credentials, or showcase a commemorative wedding certificate, handfasting, or commitment ceremony certificate to create a thoughtful gift!