Weddings by Church of the Green Wood

Declaration of Intent

The declaration of intent fulfills the legal aspect of your wedding, where you are informed and asked if you come willingly to be joined in marriage as husband and wife.  The declaration of intent precedes and is often similar to the actual vows  Choose one of these, mix and match, or write your own words.

1. (Bride) and (Groom), is it your intention to share with each other your joys and sorrows and all that the years have to bring, and with your promises today bind each other as husband and wife?
   
   B/G: It is.
   
2. (Groom), 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, and forsaking all others, keep her only unto yourself, so long as you both shall live?
   
   Groom: I will
   
   (Bride), 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, and forsaking all others, keep him only unto yourself, so long as you both shall live?
   
   Bride: I will
   
   
3. Marriage is a bond to be entered into only after considerable thought and reflection.  In the case of (name) and (name) it has been (how many years) of friendship, mutual respect, admiration, and personal growth.  As with all aspects of life, there cycles, waiting and advancing, trials and triumphs, a time for everything, and now dear friends, is the time for love and marriage.  A couple who wed are joined by their resolve that come what may, they remain together through time.  As someone who stands outside of their hearts, I have not the right to bind our Bride and Groom to one another; only they have this right.  So I shall ask them now if this is their choice.
   
   Bride, have you come here today of your own free will to take (Groom) to be your husband, that you may live together as equal partners sharing all that life has to offer?
   
   Bride: I have.
   
   Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him all the days of your life?
   
   Bride: I will.
   
   Groom, have you come here today of your own free will to take (Bride) to be your wife, that you may live together as equal partners sharing all that life has to offer?
   
   Groom: I have.
   
   Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her all the days of your life?
   
   Groom: I will.
   
   Bride's Parents (name and name), do (Bride) and (Groom) have your blessing upon their marriage?
   
   Bride's Parents: They do.
   
   Groom's Parents (name and name), is it also with your blessing that (Bride) and (Groom) become husband and wife this day?
   
   Groom's Parents: It is.
   
   Then not only shall they become one, but may all those touched by the warmth of their love be united in it as well.
   
4. Do you, (Bride), take this man, (Groom), to be your husband? Do you promise to love and comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, for better or for worse, and be to be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?
   Bride: I do.

   And, do you, (Husband), take this woman, (Bride), to be your wife? Do you promise to love and comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, for better or for worse, and to be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?
   Groom: I do.
   

5. The covenant of marriage is one that may only be entered by individuals who are legally and spiritually free to offer themselves to one another. 
   
   (Groom), do you come of your free will and with a conscious desire to be united in marriage with this woman (Bride)?
   
   Groom: I do.
   
   Will you promise to care for (Bride) in all the joys and sorrows of life, come what may, and to share the responsibility for the growth, blossoming, and fruition of your life together?
   
   Groom: I do.
   
   (Bride), do you come of your free will and with a conscious desire to be united in marriage with this man (Groom)?
   
   Bride: I do.
   
   Will you promise to care for (Bride) in all the joys and sorrows of life, come what may, and to share the responsibility for the growth, blossoming, and fruition of your life together?
   
   Bride: I do.
   
6. (Groom), will you have this woman to be your wife?
   
   Groom: I will
   
   (Bride), will you have this man to be your husband?
   
   Bride: I will