Wedding Ceremony Template for Officiants

The officiant template wedding script below focuses on the names of the parts of the ceremony. Speaking stage directions are included to clarify when the officiant is addressing the couple versus the wedding reception.

Well, that's the basic officiant template. Looks pretty simple, right? That's because it is, and if that's the officiant template that works for you, then by all means feel free to download it and fill in the appropriate names and dates. But even if you want to keep things simple, the quality of your delivery will improve if you've got a good grasp on how we got to this simple wedding service template.

So let's spend a few minutes unpacking this.

The invocation is sometimes called the introduction, or wedding speech, but it's always near the beginning of the ceremony. You can think of it as the foundation of the officiant template. It's going to set the tone for the rest of the ceremony, remind the guests why they are there, and create the wedding service template for the next ten minutes of the ceremony.

Some other points to keep in mind when creating your own invocation are:

• Gratitude: Start the invocation by expressing gratitude for the gathering, the love shared between the couple, and the opportunity to witness their union. You can thank any higher power or divine presence that the couple believes in.
• The Couple's Values and Worldview: If the couple follows a particular spiritual practice, address it in a way that is fitting. Use language that is respectful and inclusive of their faith. Alternatively, for non-religious couples, find a way to include the values that they hold dear.
• Support the Couple: Give voice to the collective support for the couple as they embark on this journey together. You can ask for guidance, strength, love, and unity to be bestowed upon them as they start their new life.
• Love: Reflect on the meaning of love and marriage and how they relate to the couple. Talk about the importance of love, commitment, and partnership.
• Personal Touches: Incorporate stories and moments from the couple's love story. Guests love to hear about how they met, how they grew together, and the things that make their relationship special.
• Unity: We've found that emphasizing unity and togetherness is a great way to close out this part of the ceremony. Wish the couple a lifetime of happiness and love as they begin the next chapter of their life.

The declaration of intent is a relatively simple procedure, and you can use either of the templates provided above. That said, this part of the ceremony is where the couple verbally states that they are willingly entering into the contract of marriage, so you don't want to get too creative. Make sure that it's clear what is being said and why.

Some couples want to state this part together, which means the wording needs to be changed slightly, and that the response is “We do…” As the officiant, you can help couples understand their options here and find words that they are happy with.

The vows and ring exchange for this ceremony have been merged, because this is a stripped down ceremony, but in theory, they are distinct components. The script above includes the introduction from the officiant, but once you're done, the couple will take turns speaking. As the officiant, try using the suggestions here to help the couple write their own words.

The pronouncement is pretty simple, but it's important because it signals to the guests that the ceremony is ending. We recommend using some version of, "By the authority vested in me by American Marriage Ministries…” but there are variations that might make more sense. You can use a pronouncement such as, “Having entered willingly into the contract of marriage, I am honored to welcome…” or something like that.

That's it! Now it's recession time, that's when the couple, wedding party, family, and guests make their exit, usually in that order. As always, we urge you to make whatever changes make sense. Now that you've got a working model, see what works for the couple, and the rest should fall into place nicely!