Chris and Anders sign their license.

This is the ceremony I use when people just want something quick and pre-written with their names plugged in. I love the Richard Bach quote. Always brings a tear to my eye.

***

KATHRYN: Welcome! Here we are. This is the moment. A festive, holy, transformational event. NAME and NAME, you are about to make another expression of your profound connection. You are about to get married.

You are two people deepening an already remarkable covenant, and giving each other the gift of a lifetime of commitment. You are pledging to stand by each other through all the shades of life, to being a source of unconditional love and support, for as long as you live.

Your deep connection as true loves, as soulmates shines brightly in the world, and is a powerful blessing of possibility to everyone around you. Soulmate is a remarkable role to play in someone else’s life. As Richard Bach said:

A soulmate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are; we can be loved for who we are and not for who we’re pretending to be. Each unveils the best part of the other. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person we’re safe in our own paradise. Our soulmate is someone who shares our deepest longings, our sense of direction. Our soulmate is the one who makes life come to life.

And now we come to the heart of the matter, the moment of making life come to life: your exchange of vows.

NAME, only you have the power to marry this man/woman/human, your best friend and partner, who stands beside you. Do you now wish to have NAME as your husband/wife/spouse?

NAME: I do.

KATHRYN: NAME, only you have the power to marry this man/woman/human, your best friend and partner, who stands beside you. Do you now wish to have NAME as your husband/wife/spouse?

NAME: I do.

KATHRYN: Then if we can have the rings, and NAME, if you will offer NAME your ring and repeat after me: NAME, today I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you and to comfort you. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life is easy and when it’s hard. I promise to cherish and respect you. These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life.

Now NAME, if you will offer NAME your ring and repeat after me: NAME, today I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you and to comfort you. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life is easy and when it’s hard. I promise to cherish and respect you. These things I give to you today, and all the days of our life.

And now, one final blessing:

May your home be filled with laughter and the warm embrace of a summer day. With each other, may you find peacefulness and beauty, challenge and satisfaction, humor and insight, healing and renewal, love and wisdom. May you always feel that when you have each other, what you have is enough.

NAME and NAME, you have pledged your love, and exchanged vows and rings. There is nothing more which can, should, or need be done. So with great joy and best wishes, I pronounce you united in marriage! Have a great big kiss!