EXPRESSION OF INTENT: GENERAL EXAMPLES
(SECULAR TRADITIONAL)
1. ____________________, will you have this woman to be your wife?
Groom: I will.
____________________, will you have this man to be your husband?
Bride: I will.
(SECULAR TRADITIONAL)
2. Now that you have heard the high calling of marriage, do you _______________ choose _______________ to be your honored and cherished wife, to live with her in the consecrated state of marriage?
Groom: I do choose to marry her.
Now that you have heard the high calling of marriage, do you _______________ choose _______________ to be your honored and cherished husband, to live with him in the consecrated state of marriage?
Bride: I do choose to marry him.
(SECULAR TRADITIONAL)
3. _______________, do you take _______________ to be your wife? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only unto her forevermore?
Groom: I do.
_______________, do you take _______________ to be your husband? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only unto him forevermore?
Bride: I do.
(SECULAR TRADITIONAL)
4. ____________________, will you have this woman to be your wife; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?
Groom: I will.
____________________, will you have this man to be your husband; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?
Bride: I will.
(SECULAR TRADITIONAL - COMBINED WITH EXCHANGE OF RINGS)
5. _______________, I have not the right to bind thee to _______________, only you have this right. If it be your wish, say so at this time and place your ring in her hand.
Groom: It is my wish.
[Groom places ring in Bride's hand.]
_______________, if it be your wish for _______________ to be bound to you, place the ring on his finger. [Bride places ring on Groom's left ring finger.]
_______________, I have not the right to bind thee to _______________, only you have this right. If it be your wish, say so at this time and place your ring in his hand.
Bride: It is my wish.
[Bride places ring in Groom's hand.]
_______________, if it be your wish for _______________ to be bound to you, place the ring on her finger [Groom places ring on Bride's left ring finger.]
(SECULAR MODERN)
6. Having been reminded once again of the deep value of your own self-knowledge, and understanding that marriage is the convergence of your individual and joint destinies as well as the greatest support for them, that as well as being a mirror for the study of yourselves, your marriage is in itself a worthy enterprise...
do you, _______________, choose to marry _______________, to speak the words that will bind you to her as her husband and allow you to become most fully yourself in her presence for the rest of the days of your life?
Groom: I do.
And do you, _______________, choose to marry _______________, to speak the words that will bind you to him as his wife and allow you to become most fully yourself in his presence for the rest of the days of your life?
Bride: I do.
(SECULAR MODERN)
7. ______________________, do you take this woman to be your wedded wife, to share your life with her, and do you pledge that you will love, honor, and care for her in tenderness and affection through all the experiences of your lives?
Groom: I do.
______________________, do you take this man to be your wedded husband, to share your life with him, and do you pledge that you will love, honor, and care for him in tenderness and affection through all the experiences of your lives?
Bride: I do.
(SECULAR MODERN - FOR A SECOND MARRIAGE)
8. _______________, knowing that your heart has been bruised, that the path of marriage has not always brought you joy, that because of your sorrows you have doubted your wisdom and the wholeness of the self that did the choosing, do you choose now, with fresh joy and new love, to marry _______________ for the long unfurling future, and for the ever-remaining seasons of your life?
Answer: I do.
(SPIRITUAL TRADITIONAL)
9. ___________________, will you have this woman to be your wife, and be faithful to her alone?
Groom: I will, with the help of God.
___________________, will you have this man to be your husband, and be faithful to him alone?
Bride: I will, with the help of God.
(SPIRITUAL MODERN)
10. _______________ and _______________, now that you have heard about the magic and the mysteries of marriage, the way it will continually surprise you, and the strength and wisdom it will everlastingly require of you, I am going to ask if you choose still and happily and in our midst to make the promises of marriage.
Do you then _______________, want to marry _______________, to happily hold her above all and have her as your bride and wife?
Groom: I certainly do.
And do you _______________ want to marry _______________, to happily hold him above all and have him as your groom and husband?
Bride: I certainly do.
(SPIRITUAL MODERN)
11. ______________________, do you here in the presence of God and these witnesses declare your commitment to ______________________ and choose her as the one with whom you wish to spend your life? Do you give yourself to her and accept the gift of self which she gives to you? Do you pledge to endure all of the difficulties which life may offer, even as you look forward to sharing the joys to be experienced together?
Groom: I do.
______________________, do you here in the presence of God and these witnesses declare your commitment to ______________________ and choose him as the one with whom you wish to spend your life? Do you give yourself to him and accept the gift of self which he gives to you? Do you pledge to endure all of the difficulties which life may offer, even as you look forward to sharing the joys to be experienced together?
Bride: I do.
(SPIRITUAL MODERN)
12. The covenant of marriage is one that can be entered into only by persons who are both legally and spiritually free to offer themselves to one another.
___________________, do you come of your free will and with a conscious desire to be united in marriage with ____________________?
Groom: I do.
Will you promise to care for ___________________ in the joys and sorrows of life, come what may, and to share the responsibility for growth and enrichment of your life together?
Groom: I will.
___________________, do you come of your free will and with a conscious desire to be united in marriage with ____________________?
Bride: I do.
Will you promise to care for ___________________ in the joys and sorrows of life, come what may, and to share the responsibility for growth and enrichment of your life together?
Bride: I will.
(RELIGIOUS/SPIRITUAL TRADITIONAL)
13. ___________________ and ___________________, if it is your intention to share with each other your joys and sorrows and all that the years will bring, and with your promises to bind yourselves to each other as husband and wife, I ask you now in the presence of God and this company to declare your intent.
Will you have this woman to be your wife, to live together in a holy marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live.
Groom: I will.
Will you have this man to be your husband, to live together in a holy marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live.
Bride: I will.
(RELIGIOUS TRADITIONAL)
14. _______________, wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?
Groom: I will.
_______________, wilt thou have this man to be thy wedded husband, to live after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve him, love, honor, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?
Bride: I will.
(RELIGIOUS TRADITIONAL)
15. ____________________, will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, keep you only unto her, so long as you both shall live?
Groom: I will.
____________________, will you have this man to be your wedded husband, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, keep you only unto him, so long as you both shall live?
Bride: I will.
EXPRESSION OF INTENT: RELIGION EXAMPLES
(BUDDHIST)
16. ___________________, do you come here freely and without reservation to enter into marriage with ___________________? Do you promise to dedicate yourself completely to her, with body, speech, and mind, in wealth or poverty, in health or sickness, in happiness or difficulty, in every situation in this life?
Groom: I do.
___________________, do you come here freely and without reservation to enter into marriage with ___________________? Do you promise to dedicate yourself completely to him, with body, speech, and mind, in wealth or poverty, in health or sickness, in happiness or difficulty, in every situation in this life?
Bride: I do.
(CHRISTIAN)
17. Christ calls you into union with Him and with one another. I ask you now in the presence of God and these witnesses to declare your intent...
___________________, will you have this woman to be your wife, to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?
Groom: I will.
___________________, will you have this man to be your husband, to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?
Bride: I will.
(MODERN JEWISH)
18. Do you ___________________, take ___________________ to be your lawful wedded wife, to love, to honor, and to cherish?
Groom: I do.
Do you ___________________, take ___________________ to be your lawful wedded husband, to love, to honor, and to cherish?
Bride: I do.
EXPRESSIONS OF INTENT: FROM AROUND THE WEB