“We have come together here today to witness the joining in the state of matrimony of this man and this woman, according to the order and the custom prevailing and under the authority that has been given and provided by the Government of the Province of British Columbia.”

“Marriage, as we understand it, is a state that has been ennobled and enriched by a long and honourable tradition of devotion. It is set in the basis of the law of our land, affording each of the two participants an equality before that law, and supporting the common rights of each of the two individuals in this marriage.”

“You have a desire for a lifelong companionship with the generous sharing of the help and the comfort that a husband and a wife ought to have from one another, through whatever circumstances of joy or sorrow, sickness or health, adversity or prosperity that your lives may experience.”

“Marriage is, therefore, not to be entered upon thoughtlessly or irresponsibly, but, instead, with a due and a serious understanding, an appreciation of the ends for which it was begun, and of the material, the intellectual, and the emotional factors which will contribute to its fulfillment.”

“A marriage, by its very nature, is a state of giving, of offering, for a marriage requires the giving of one’s self, in order to support the marriage, the home in which it may flourish, and the children of that home.”

“It is unto this high and serious state that Ritchie and Suzanne wish to join today.”

“I charge and require of you both, in the presence of these witnesses, that if either of you knows of any legal impediment to this marriage, that you do now reveal the same.”

(THE GROOM TO REPEAT AFTER ME:)

“I solemnly declare that I do not know of any lawful impediment why I, Ritchie Alan Pezick may not be joined in matrimony to Suzanne Elizabeth Marr.”

(THE BRIDE TO REPEAT AFTER ME:)

“I solemnly declare that I do not know of any lawful impediment why I, Suzanne Elizabeth Marr may not be joined in matrimony to Ritchie Alan Pezick.”

(SPEAKING TO GROOM:)

“Do you, Ritchie, promise to give to Suzanne, the love of your person, the comfort of your companionship, and the patience of your understanding? Do you promise to share equally with her of the necessities of life? Do you promise to respect the dignity of her person with her own personal rights? And finally, do you promise to recognize the need for open communication on all matters that pertain either to the present or to the future of this household that you are creating today with your marriage to Suzanne?”

(GROOM: “I do.”)

(SPEAKING TO BRIDE:)

“Do you, Suzanne, promise to give to Ritchie, the love of your person, the comfort of your companionship, and the patience of your understanding? Do you promise to share equally with him of the necessities of life? Do you promise to respect the dignity of his person with his own personal rights? And finally, do you promise to recognize the need for open communication on all matters that pertain either to the present or to the future of this household that you are creating today with your marriage to Ritchie?”

(BRIDE: “I do.”)

(SPEAKING TO BRIDE AND GROOM:)

“Please, now turn and face one another and join your right hands together. Although you will be repeating these words after me, please do look at and speak to each other, for your marriage vows are words that should be spoken eye to eye, and, more importantly, heart to heart.”

(THE GROOM TO REPEAT AFTER ME:)

“I call on those present, to witness that I, Ritchie Alan Pezick, do take you, Suzanne Elizabeth Marr, to be my lawful wedded wife to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse; for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish in sickness and in health; forsaking all others for as long as we both shall live.”

(THE BRIDE TO REPEAT AFTER ME:)

“I call on those present, to witness that I, Suzanne Elizabeth Marr, do take you, Ritchie Alan Pezick, to be my lawful wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse; for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish in sickness and in health; forsaking all others for as long as we both shall live.”

(SPEAKING TO BRIDE AND GROOM:)

“Ritchie and Suzanne, the words that you just spoke to one another were indeed your marriage vows, and those words should be written in your minds and in your hearts forever. This (these) ring(s) is (are) the tangible symbol of those vows, and it (they) will signify to everyone who sees you wearing it (them), that the two of you have made the ultimate commitment that a woman and a man can make to one another. It (they) should also serve as a beautiful and a gentle reminder to each of you every day, of the commitment you have made to each other here today and all that your marriage and your personal relationship to one another mean to you. Since you have placed this (these) ring(s) before me, I would ask now that it (they) be used and regarded as a seal, an acceptance, and a confirmation of the marriage vows that you have spoken to one another.”

(GROOM: PLACE RING ON BRIDE’S FINGER AND REPEAT AFTER ME:)

“With this ring, as the symbol of my love, I give myself to you, to be your husband, and I pledge to honour you with all that I am and all that I shall become.”

(BRIDE: REPEAT AFTER ME:)

“In accepting your ring, I promise to give to you, the truth and the faithfulness of my life in marriage.”

(BRIDE: PLACE RING ON BRIDE’S FINGER AND REPEAT AFTER ME:)

“With this ring, as the symbol of my love, I give myself to you, to be your wife, and I pledge to honour you with all that I am and all that I shall become.”

(GROOM: REPEAT AFTER ME:)

“In accepting your ring, I promise to give to you, the truth and the faithfulness of my life in marriage.”

“The shape of a wedding ring is that of an endless circle, and so also may your lives together be an equally endless circle, of success and happiness, of a warm and a fulfilling friendship and companionship, and, most of all, of a very deep and long abiding love.”

“In just another few moments, I will be saying what is really a rather remarkably short phrase of words. However short that phrase of words may be, it is going to have an amazing impact on your lives. From today onwards, in the eyes of the law and society in general, but more importantly, in the eyes of those who know and love you, the two of you will have become one. When I speak of the oneness of marriage, it does not mean that you give up being the unique and separate individuals that you have always been, and somehow you blend yourselves together. Rather, each of you retaining all of the qualities that have always been a part of who you are, the two of you now come together into what is a oneness of purpose; the desire to make this commitment to build and to share the rest of your lives together within the partnership of your marriage.”

“Marriage today does seem to bring with it something of an awesome responsibility, but along with that it also brings an equally awesome potential for growth. First of all, there will be the continued growth of each of you; again as the individuals that you have always been, pursuing your own personal goals, but, at the same time, leaning on each other and helping each other to reach those goals. And in so doing, somewhere in the process, the individual goals end up becoming also shared goals, and, eventually, wonderful triumphs for you to also share when you finally reach them.”

“Secondly, there will be your growth as a married couple where today you take your place in our society according to a custom that is ages old.”

“And lastly, but certainly not least, the growth of your happiness, which, I hope, will enhance and enrich your lives for a very long time to come.”

“And now, for as much as you Ritchie, and you Suzanne, have consented in legal wedlock, have declared your solemn intention to wed before this company, before these witnesses, and in my presence; and have exchanged this (these) ring(s) as the pledge of your troth to one another; therefore, upon the authority vested in my by the Province of British Columbia, I now pronounce you “husband and wife”.”

(SIGNING OF DOCUMENTS)

(PRESENTATION TO GUESTS)