Faith and Practice

meeting for worship on the occasion of marriage

 Meeting for Worship on the occasion of marriage should be simple and reflect the importance of the step the couple is taking. The Meeting gathers in silence at the appointed time, witnessing as two individuals join together freely and equally.

 The meaning of the Meeting for Worship and the procedure of a Friends wedding should be explained to non-Friends in the invitations or early in the Meeting. After a suitable time the couple should rise (if able) and, taking each other by the hand, each in turn declare to the other words to this effect:

In the presence of God, and before these our Friends, I take thee, ________, to be my (wife, husband, partner, spouse), promising, with Divine assistance, to be unto thee a loving and faithful (wife, husband, partner, spouse) as long as we both shall live. After these or similar declarations, the marriage certificate† should be signed by the couple, using the names by which they will be known. A Friend should be appointed in advance to read aloud the certificate of marriage.<An example of a marriage certificate is found in Appendix 6b>.

 A period of worship follows, in which all are free to speak out of the silence as they are led. When the time seems right the Clerk or designated Acting Clerk should close the Meeting. Everyone present should be invited to sign the marriage certificate.When the marriage is to be recorded, the Clerk is responsible for seeing that the required legal document is delivered to the proper legal authority.

 

† This is not the Marriage License.