Same-sex marriage: A signing ceremony

[TechBear_Seattle]

I had a business as a humanist celebrant for a few years, designing and officiating at non-religious ceremonies, mostly weddings. Back in 2004, when San Francisco and Multnomah County (Portland, Oregon) were defying state law to hand out same-sex marriage licenses, I took my basic "signing ceremony" -- for when there is no big wedding, just a few signatures on the marriage certificate -- and made some changes for when equal marriage might become a reality. I am still waiting in Washington, but I would like to share my work with the DU community.

The "signing only" marriages had always seemed a bit sterile to me. Since this is really nothing more than a jurat (a notary public taking an oath upon signature), I decided to follow the recommendation of the Washington Secretary of State and make a brief ceremony of the event.

Notice: This work is copyrighted © 2004 by Gregory Gadow. Permission is hereby granted for NON-COMMERCIAL use and distribution, PROVIDED that this notice is included. All other rights are reserved to the copyright holder.

Marriage Signing Ceremony

All stand. Couple, flanked by Witnesses, face Celebrant.

Celebrant: We have come together at this time to witness the joining these two people in legal marriage under the laws of California.

Marriage is a promise to support one another. It is a commitment to a common life. It is a vow of mutual respect. It formalizes certain rights and responsibilities and is not something that should be entered in to lightly. A, B, do you come here freely and without reservation to be joined in legal marriage?

Couple (together): We do.

Celebrant: Will you respect each other, care for each other and grow with each other, through good times and hard times, being friends, companions and partners?

Couple (together): We will.

If the witnesses are friends of the couple, the Celebrant may add:

Celebrant (to witnesses): Witness 1, Witness 2, will you support this couple in their married life?

Witnesses (together): We will.

Celebrant: May the love with which you join heart and hand today never fail, but grow deeper and surer with every year you spend together.

The papers are now signed.

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. Bump in preparation for The Day.

:hi: