Elopement Service Options

Below are three options for your ceremony at The Gastonian. Our ministers and officiates are happy to customize this text, but these are our most requested services. Please select one of the three services below, and let us know if you would like to personalize this text with you own vows, readings, or symbolic addition.

Sweet & Simple Service

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of family and friends to celebrate the joining of this man and this woman in the unity of marriage.

~Readings may be added here.~

There are no obligations on earth sweeter or more tender than those you are about to assume. There are no vows more solemn than those you about to make. There is no human institution more sacred than that of the home you are about to form.  True marriage is the holiest of all earthly relationships. The state of matrimony is based in this deep union of two person who seek to find completion in one another.

___________, will you take this woman, whose hands you hold, choosing her alone to be your wedded wife? Will you live with her in the state of true matrimony, meaning will you love her, comfort her, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, honor her at all times, and be faithful to her?

I will.

____________, will you take this man, whose hands you hold, choosing him alone to be your wedded husband? Will you live with him in the state of true matrimony, meaning will you love him, comfort him, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, honor him at all times, and be faithful to him?

I will.

I would have you to remember:

To love is to come together from the pathways of our past and then move forward… hand in hand… along the uncharted roads of our future, ready to risk, to dream, and to dare… And always believe that all things are possible with faith and love in God, and in each other.

________________, please repeat after me:

I, ______________,   take you, ____________, to be my wife, to love and to cherish from this day forward. And I promise to always be there for you, as long as we both shall live.

________________, please repeat after me:

I, ______________,   take you, ____________, to be my husband, to love and to cherish from this day forward. And I promise to always be there for you, as long as we both shall live.

You have brought rings as a token of your sincerity, may I have them please?

Let us pray:

Bless O God these rings that each gives and receives and wears as a token of the covenant between them and God, and may they ever abide in your peace, living together in unity, in love, and in happiness, and with good purpose, doing your will.  Amen.

____________, please repeat after me as you look at your bride and place this ring on her finger:

With this ring, I thee wed.

______________, please repeat after me as you look at your groom and place this ring on his finger:

With this ring, I thee wed.

In as much as you, __________, and you, _____________, have consented together in the union of matrimony and you have pledged your faith each to the other in the presence of these witnesses. Now, by the authority vested in my by the State of Georgia, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife.

You may kiss.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with privilege and honor I present to you:

Mr. & Mrs. ________________________

Contemporary Service:

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of family and friends to celebrate the joining of this man and this woman in the unity of marriage. There are no obligations on earth sweeter or tender than those you are about to assume. There are no vows more solemn than those you about to make. There is no human institution more sacred than that of the home you are about to form. True marriage is the holiest of all earthly relationships. The state of matrimony is based in this deep invisible union of two souls who seek to find completion in one another.

__________, will you take this woman, whose hands you hold, choosing her alone to be your wedded wife? Will you live with her in the state of true matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, honor her at all times, and be faithful to her?

I will.

__________, will you take this man, whose hands you hold, choosing him alone to be your wedded husband? Will you live with him in the state of true matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, honor him at all times, and be faithful to him?

I will.

I would have you to remember:

To love is to come together from the pathways of our past and then move forward… hand in hand… along the uncharted roads of our future, ready to risk, to dream, and to dare… And always believe that all things are possible with faith and love in God, and in each other.

__________, please repeat after me:

I __________, take you __________, to be my wife, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, and I promise to always be there for you, as long as we live.

__________, please repeat after me:

I __________, take you __________, to be my husband, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, and I promise to always be there for you, as long as we live.

You have brought rings as a token of your sincerity, may I have them please?

Bless O God these rings that each gives and receives and wears as a token of the covenant between them and God, and may they ever abide in your peace, living together in unity, in love, and in happiness, and with good purpose, doing your will.  Amen.

__________ please repeat after me as you look at your bride and place this ring on her finger:

With this ring, I thee wed. Let it always be to us a symbol of our love.

__________, please repeat after me as you look at your groom and place this ring on his finger:

With this ring, I thee wed.  Let it always be to us a symbol of our love.

In as much as you __________ and you __________ have consented together in the union of matrimony and you have pledged your faith each to the other in the presence of these witnesses. Now, by the authority vested in my by the State of Georgia, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife.

You may kiss.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is with privilege and honor I present to you: ________________________

Non-Denominational Religious Service:

Dear Family and Friends,

We are gathered here today in the presence of God and this company to join __________ and __________ in the bonds of sacred marriage. An institution by God ordered and by Christ endorsed and declared by the Holy Spirit to honor in the sight of all.

In as much as we are here today to celebrate an institution given by God it is altogether fitting and proper that we impress our minds with the teaching of the Scripture as it regards this subject. In Matthew 19:4-6, Jesus, in quoting this passage warned, "What God has joined, let no one separate." The union you are about to form is not imaginary or antiquated. It is as real as the God who instituted it and the Christ who endorsed it. It is to remain undissolved in this life even as the vows you make will affirm this.

It is a new relationship which calls for the severance of other relationships in order to honor the marriage partner. Men and women never show more honor for one another than in the marriage relationship Godly fulfilled.

At this time, we will ask you to make your vows to one another.  Join right hands, please. Do you, __________, take this woman to be your lawful and wedded wife? Do you promise to love and cherish her in sickness and in health? To care for her above all others in prosperity and adversity and to cleave to her alone until death do you part?

I do.

Do you, __________, take this man to be your lawful wedded husband? Do you promise to love and honor him above all others and in sickness and in health and prosperity and adversity and forsaking all others, cleave unto him until death do you part?

Are there rings? For generations, rings have been used as tokens of pledges made in good faith and as seals of sacred vows honorably declared. The circular nature of the ring symbolizes the eternal nature of the relationship which you have enjoined yourselves to, its precious metal, the preciousness of your devotion and love. It is a symbol of your pledge to faithfully discharge the duties of husband and wife to one another.

__________, repeat after me:

With this ring, I thee wed and with all that I have, I give to you: my name, and my home, my heart and my hand, my life and my all, as long as we shall live.

__________, repeat after me:

With this ring, I thee wed.  I pledge to you the loyalty of my life, the love of my heart, and the devotion of my soul, and I promise to you, to be your faithful wife while together, we walk along life’s path.

And now, by the authority vested in me by the State of Georgia, I pronounce you husband and wife.

__________, you may kiss your bride.

I am pleased to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. __________.