Wedding ceremony scripts for officiants

The blank page problem, solved.

Someone you care about asked you to officiate their wedding. That’s a big honor. Then you sit down to write the ceremony and realize you have absolutely no idea where to start.

You don’t need to write it from scratch. Start with ceremony material I’ve refined over 1,000+ weddings, let your couple choose the pieces that sound like them, then put their favorites together into a ceremony you’re proud to deliver.

Get the Ceremony Material for $99

More than 70 selections covering the complete wedding ceremony. Instant access for one year.

Newly married couple walking through a sparkler send off after their wedding ceremony.
You don’t need to become a ceremony writer

Your couple already knows what sounds like them

The hard part is giving them good choices.

Don’t ask them to start with a blank page

Ask a couple what they want in their ceremony and you may get a lot of “I don’t know.” Give them strong welcomes, readings, vows, ring exchanges and other choices, and suddenly they have opinions. That’s a much easier conversation.

Let them choose what feels right

Send them the ceremony material. They read the choices together, keep the pieces that sound like them and skip the ones that don’t. Their ceremony starts taking shape before you write a word.

Put their choices into a proven structure

Everything is organized around the same nine part ceremony structure I’ve used since 2007. You know what comes next, where each selection belongs and how the whole ceremony fits together.

Then make it yours

Use the wording as written, change it, combine pieces or add personal details about the couple. You’re starting with material that’s already been spoken at real weddings instead of staring at a blinking cursor.

From the first words to the kiss

A complete wedding ceremony, start to finish

You aren’t buying one canned wedding ceremony script. You’re getting choices for each part of the ceremony, organized so you and your couple can build the one that’s right for them.

  1. Welcoming guests
  2. Opening commentary
  3. First reading
  4. Wedding imagery or symbolism (like the unity candle)
  5. Second reading
  6. Marriage vows
  7. Wedding ring exchange
  8. Third reading
  9. Pronouncement
Don’t take my word for it

Read some of the ceremony material

If you’re going to stand in front of a couple’s family and friends and say these words out loud, you should know what you’re buying. Here’s a sample from each part of the ceremony, plus one complete reading.

Welcoming Guests

How you open the room.

3 to choose from
“Every love story is great, but this one is their favorite.”

Opening Commentary

Where you turn and speak to the couple.

4 to choose from
“Love isn’t something you fall into once and then own forever. It’s something you choose, especially on the hard days.”

Readings

Where your couple really gets to show their personality.

30 to choose from
“Love like the whole animal kingdom does. Pile up close, play like kittens, and look after each other right down to the unglamorous stuff.”

Imagery

Where symbolism helps to make a great lifelong memory.

16 to choose from
“As their two flames come together, the single flame burns much brighter.”
Imagery is where ceremonies capture extra meaning, and where knowing exactly what to do matters most. The officiant training walks you through leading every one of these moments with calm confidence.See the training
One reading, start to finish

I’ve Got You

“When the alarm doesn’t go off and the coffee runs out and you’re somehow already late, I’ve got you. When the map sends us the wrong way and we end up somewhere we never planned to be, I’ve got you, and those usually turn into the better stories anyway. When the shower drain backs up, when the dog eats something it shouldn’t have and needs to go to the vet, when the thing you ordered shows up looking nothing like the picture, I’ve got you. When you tell the story you’ve told a hundred times, I’ll still laugh in the right places, or at least smile at you, because I’d rather hear it again than hear almost anything from anyone else. When the day runs long and you come home with nothing left in the tank, I’ve got you. When you’re certain you’re right and it turns out you’re not, I’ve got you then too, and I’ll do my best not to enjoy it. When you’re worried and won’t say so out loud, I’ll already know, and I’ll stay close until you feel better. And when it’s the big stuff, the news that changes a whole year, the kind of loss that doesn’t come with a fix, that’s when I’ve got you most of all. Not to fix it or say the perfect thing, but with a hand to hold and a promise to stay. Through the silly days and the heavy ones, the amazing date nights and the burnt dinners, and the plain ordinary Tuesdays in between, you’re not going to face any of it by yourself.
I’ve got you. I’ve always got you.”

Vows

Their promises to each other.

14 to choose from
“I will love you when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our love is smooth and when it’s an effort.”

Ring Exchange

The moment the vows are sealed.

4 to choose from
“The flowers will fade, the music will end. The rings are the part you get to keep.”

Pronouncement

How you send them off.

5 to choose from
“May you still be reaching for each other’s hand long after you’ve forgotten what you were reaching for.”
From people who’ve used the material

What other officiants say

Some people come here because a friend or family member asked them to officiate. Others already officiate weddings and want stronger material or an easier process. What matters is that they want to do the ceremony well.

★★★★★

“I was thrilled when asked to officiate for two gay friends, but unsure how to and had no idea where to find a ceremony that would fit their personalities. Matt’s wedding ceremony material was perfect and I’d highly recommend.”

— Gavin P.
★★★★★

“Matt’s material is fun and the process is simple. I’ve now officiated two weddings for family! It’s a fun reputation to have at extended family gatherings and always seems to get mentioned.”

— Omid F.

Questions officiants actually ask

My friend asked me to officiate their wedding. Where do I even start?

Start with the structure before you try to write beautiful words. This material gives you the complete nine part ceremony outline, then more than 70 selections you and the couple can use to fill it. You always know what comes next, and you aren’t trying to invent an entire wedding ceremony from nothing.

How do I make a wedding ceremony personal without sounding cheesy?

Give the couple strong choices first. Their reactions tell you what sounds like them and what doesn’t. Use those choices as the foundation, then add their story and personal details where they naturally belong. Personal doesn’t mean every sentence has to be custom written.

What’s included in the wedding ceremony scripts for officiants?

You get over 70 selections covering every part of the ceremony, from welcoming guests and the opening commentary to readings, vows, unity imagery, the ring exchange, and the pronouncement. It also includes the officiant instructions and a full ceremony outline, so you can assemble a complete ceremony and shape each piece around your couple.

How do I customize the scripts for my couple?

Start by sending the material to your couple and having them choose the selections they like. Those choices give you the foundation of their ceremony. From there you can use the wording as written, edit it, combine pieces or work personal details into the ceremony where they belong.

Can I use these scripts for a nonreligious, interfaith, same sex or blended family wedding?

Yes. Most of the collection is modern and nonreligious, with religious and traditional choices available when a couple wants them. There are also selections that work well for interfaith couples, same sex couples and ceremonies that include children or blended families. You choose the material that fits the people getting married.

How soon can I access the material, and how long do I have it?

It’s an instant download, so you can start building the moment you check out. You also keep access through your customer portal for a full year, so you can come back for anything you need as the wedding gets closer.

Do I need the audio and video training too, or is the ceremony material enough?

The ceremony material has everything you need to write and lead the ceremony on its own. The audio and video training is an optional extra where Matt performs each part on camera with voice inflection cheat sheets, so you can hear exactly how it should sound. Start with the scripts and add the training anytime.

Your ceremony doesn’t have to start with a blank page

Give your couple good choices. Then build the ceremony they choose.

Get more than 70 ceremony selections, the complete nine part outline and the instructions that show you how to put it all together. You’ll have access immediately and can come back to the material for a full year.

Get the Ceremony Material for $99
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