I now pronounce you married!
This is it, the moment we’ve all been waiting for. We’ve oohed and aahed at your gorgeous outfits as you walked the aisle (or didn’t). We have listened and laughed and cried at your story. We’ve heard you share your vows and watched as you exchanged rings. It’s finally time for me (the celebrant) to pronounce you married! (And then you get to kiss, but that’s another post.)
As with every part of the wedding ceremony, I have a bunch of different options for the lead-up to the pronouncement, and I choose one that I think fits you the best. I also have a bunch of options for how you can be pronounced. Let’s take a look!
Options for the lead-up
Here’s a couple of my pronouncement lead-up options – I have others, but these are my most used. I tend to choose between these based on how long the rest of the ceremony is. If there isn’t much to it, I’ll choose the longer version to pad it out a bit. If the ceremony is on the longer side, I’ll choose the shorter option.
Shorter
Family and friends, we have been privileged witnesses here today as Name and Name have declared their love for one another and committed their lives to each other. We have seen and heard them exchange both the symbolic wedding band and their vows. It is with much pleasure that I now pronounce you husband and wife! Please celebrate your marriage with a kiss!
Longer
Name and Name, when you commenced this wedding ceremony, you stood before all assembled here as best friends and partners. And, since then, something quite significant has changed. From this point forward you will continue on in your day to day as partners in life, but with a special sparkle that wasn’t there before.
You will have been told by so many of your family and friends how quickly your wedding day will fly by. This crazy day, which is entirely a celebration of the love between the two of you, will be full of so many amazing moments and yet it may be tricky to take a deep breath together at any one point to make sure you think about the happiness that you’re both feeling. So stop for a moment right now. Soak it in.
If you remember but one moment from this crazy whirlwind day please let it be this one, as now, Name and Name, with the absolute greatest pleasure, I pronounce you husband and wife.
Options for the actual pronouncement
Both of the options above are pretty hetero-centric. Don’t worry, I have other options up my sleeve for all different kinds of couples! How about:
- husband and husband
- wife and wife
- husbands squared
- wifes for life
- partners in life and love
- partners in marriage
- literally anything else you can think of!
Or why not simply just “I now pronounce you married”? That’s actually my favourite, but as with everything, it’s up to you!
More information
Click here to find an overview of a traditional Australian wedding ceremony.
Read all the posts in my series about Australian wedding ceremonies here.
Find all the posts in my series about marriage legalities here.