Officiant: Do you come of your own free will and accord?
Spouse1 & Spouse2: Yes.
Officiant: Since your lives first crossed, you have formed ties between each other. The promises you make today will bind your lives together. With full awareness, know that you declare your intent to be handfasted before your friends and family. Do you still seek to enter this ceremony?
Spouse1 & Spouse2: Yes.
Officiant: I bid you look into each others eyes.
Officiant: [Spouse1’s Name], will you honor him?
Spouse1: I will.
Officiant: [Spouse2’s Name], will you honor her?
Spouse2: I will.
Officiant: [To Both] Will you seek never to give cause to break that honor?
Spouse1 & Spouse2: Yes.
Officiant: And so the binding is made. Join your hands. (First cord is draped across the Spouse1 and Spouse2’s hands.)
Officiant: [Spouse1’s Name], will you share his dreams?
Spouse1: I will.
Officiant: [Spouse2’s Name], will you share her dreams?
Spouse2: I will .
Officiant: [To Both] Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes?
Spouse1 & Spouse2: Yes.
Officiant: And so the binding is made. (Second cord is draped across the couple’s hands.)
Officiant: [Spouse1’s Name], will you share his laughter?
Spouse1: I will.
Officiant: [Spouse2’s Name], will you share her laughter?
Spouse2: I will.
Officiant: [To Both] Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?
Spouse1 & Spouse2: Yes.
Officiant: And so the binding is made. (Drape third cord across the couple’s hands.)
Officiant: [Spouse1’s Name], might you ever burden him?
Spouse1: I might…
Officiant: Is that your intent?
Spouse1: No.
Officiant: [Spouse2’s Name], might you ever burden her?
Spouse2: I might…
Officiant: Is that your intent?
Spouse2: No.
Officiant: [To Both] Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?
Spouse1 & Spouse2: Yes.
Officiant: And so the binding is made. (Drape fourth cord across the couple’s hands.)
Officiant: [Spouse1’s Name], might you ever cause him pain?
Spouse1: I might…
Officiant: Is that your intent?
Spouse1: No.
Officiant: [Spouse2’s Name], might you ever cause her pain?
Spouse2: I might…
Officiant: Is that your intent?
Spouse2: No.
Officiant: [To Both] Will you share each other’s pain and seek to ease it?
Spouse1 & Spouse2: Yes.
Officiant: And so the binding is made. (Drape fifth cord across the couple’s hands.)
Officiant: [Spouse1’s Name], might you ever cause him anger?
Spouse1: I might…
Officiant: Is that your intent?
Spouse1: No.
Officiant: [Spouse2’s Name], might you ever cause her anger?
Spouse2: I might…
Officiant: Is that your intent?
Spouse2: No.
Officiant: [To Both] Will you together take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?
Spouse1 & Spouse2: Yes.
Officiant: And so the binding is made. (Drape sixth cord across the couple’s hands. Tie cords together while saying:)
The knots of this binding are not formed by these cords, but rather by your vows. For as always, you hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union. You are now handfasted as one.
Click this post’s title to share on your favorite social media!
