JIM PALMER

Each humanist non-religious wedding ceremony is unique and created especially for a particular couple and their circumstances. This means there is no set script and no fixed structure. Instead, your celebrant will guide you through various options and together you can create an occasion that’s fitting for your specific circumstances.

 

Here is an example of how a wedding ceremony might be organized, but you do not have to include any of these, and you may also want to include other components.

 

Example structure of a humanist wedding ceremony:

 

• Closing and departure

• Words of well-wishing

• Pronouncement as married

• Exchange of rings

• Meaningful symbolic act (e.g., handfasting)

• The couple’s promises/vows

• Reading, poem or song

• What marriage means to the couple

• The couple’s story—how they met, their shared values, hopes for the future

• Reading or poem

• Words about love and commitment from a non-religious perspective

• Introductions and welcomes

• The arrival of the couple (individually or together)