Wedding Ceremony of Nikolai and Lydia
 

Family and friends, we welcome you today to witness the marriage of Nikolai ............. and Lydia ..............

Each of you have shared in and contributed to their lives in the past, and by witnessing their marriage ceremony today,

Lydia and Nikolai ask you to share in their future.

Marriage is a promise, formed in the hearts of two people
who truly love each other.
This is not an event but rather a process,
something that takes time to mature, a lifetime to fulfill.

When you walk out of here today legally you will be man and wife, but you still must decide each and every day that lays before you, that you want to be married. The contract of marriage is written on paper, whereas the act of marriage is written within the heart.

Within the circle of its love,
marriage encompasses all of life's most important relationships.

A wife and a husband are each other's lover, teacher,
listener, critic, and best friend.

Reading

Who gives this woman to be married to this man?
(brides parents say "we do".)

Nikolai, do you take Lydia to be your wife? Will you love, honour, and cherish her, in good times and in bad, and do you promise to stay true to her as long as you both shall live?

Nikolai - I do.

Lydia, do you take Nikolai to be your husband? Will you love, honour, and cherish him, in good times and in bad, and do you promise to stay true to him as long as you both shall live?

Lydia - I do.

Lydia and Nikolai, may you pledge to each other to be loving friends and partners in marriage.
To talk and to listen, to trust and appreciate one another;
to respect and cherish each other's uniqueness, and to support, comfort, and strengthen each other through life's joys and sorrows.

May you promise to share hopes, thoughts, and dreams as you build your lives together. May your lives be ever intertwined with your love holding you together.
May you build a home that is compassionate to all, full of respect and honour for others and each other.

May your home be forever filled with peace, happiness, and love.

Vows
Nikolai, as you look at Lydia, repeat these words after me:
I Nikolai ......., take you Lydia ........, to be my wife,
to have and to hold, from this day on,
to love, honour, and cherish,
to comfort and respect,
in sorrow or in joy,
in hardship or in plenty,
so long as we both shall live.

Lydia, as you look at Nikolai, repeat these words after me:
I Lydia ........., take you Nikolai ........., to be my husband,
to have and to hold, from this day on,
to love, honour, and cherish,
to comfort and respect,
in sorrow or in joy,
in hardship or in plenty,
so long as we both shall live.

Giving of Rings

The ring is a symbol of unity into which your two lives are now joined in an unbroken circle;
a circle in which, wherever you go, you will return to one another.

Nikolai: Lydia, this ring I give to you is a symbol of our love,
and of the promises I have spoken to you on this day.

Lydia: I shall wear this ring as a symbol of our love, being
always mindful of the vows we have spoken on this day.  

Lydia: Nikolai, this ring I give to you is a symbol of our love,
and of the promises I have spoken to you on this day.

Nikolai: I shall wear this ring as a symbol of our love,
being always mindful of the vows we have spoken on this day.

And now, because of the vows you have made to each other, and your giving and receiving of rings,

It is my great pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife.

Nikolai, you may kiss your bride!

Signing of Register

Lydia and Nikolai, may your home be a haven of peace and your relationship be one of truth and understanding.

May you enjoy long lives together, may your hopes be fulfilled, may peace and contentment be yours as you, day by day, live out this covenant you have made with each other today.

Family and Friends it is my pleasure to introduce Mr and Mrs ........