Wedding Ceremony (Philosophical)

In his Symposium, Plato wrote an account of discussions based on the nature of love. It contains speeches by a group of men that gathered to drink wine in Athens. Aristophanes, one of the men at the symposium, explained in his speech the reason people say they feel "...whole when they have found their love partner" (Wikipedia). Although it was forewarned to be a bit absurd and was written sometime around 385 B.C. or close to 2400 years ago, many of the notions hold true to this day.

I wrote the Philosophical Ceremony as a dedication to all of those who feel that they have found the person who completes them in every way. It can be used as a non-traditional, non-denominational, interfaith or spiritual ceremony. There is a candle unity as well as three poems written into the ceremony.

Philosophical Ceremony
(Candle Unity)

Statement of Purpose
We are assembled together to proclaim the making of one from two. (Groom) and (Bride) are now fulfilling an ancient expression of love.

Plato wrote in his Symposium, “Each of us when separated, having one side only, is but the indenture of a person, and we are always looking for our other half. … And when one of us meets our other half, we are lost in an amazement of love and friendship and intimacy, and would not be out of the other’s sight even for a moment. We pass our whole lives together, desiring that we should be melted into one, to spend our lives as one person instead of two, and so that after our death there will be one departed soul instead of two; this is the very expression of our ancient need. And the reason is that human nature was originally one and we were a whole, and the desire and pursuit of the whole is called Love.”

(Groom) and (Bride) have found each in the other, their other half, the one that completes them and makes them whole. They have chosen to share the rest of their lives together fulfilling the ancient need to become lost in love and friendship and intimacy.

Vows
(Groom) and (Bride) will now profess their vows to one another. (Groom) and (Bride) please face one another and join hands.

(Groom), repeat after me:
(Bride), where there has been cold,
you have brought warmth;
where my life was dark,
you have brought light.
(Bride), I pledge before this assembled company
to be your husband and friend from this day forward.
Let us make of our two lives, one life,
and let us always love, honor and respect each other.

(Bride), repeat after me:
(Groom), where there has been cold,
you have brought warmth;
where my life was dark,
you have brought light.
(Groom), I pledge before this assembled company
to be your wife and friend from this day forward.
Let us make of our two lives, one life,
and let us always love, honor and respect each other.

Candle Unity Ceremony
(Groom) and (Bride), the two lighted candles symbolize your individual lives before today. I ask that you each take one candle and that together you light the center candle. Lighting the center candle represents that your two lives are now joined as one and the brightness of the light will shine throughout your lives and give you courage and reassurance in darkness and warmth and shelter from the cold.

If Children Are Involved
(Child/ren) please take a candle and add your light to the center candle. The lighting of the center candle represents not only the union (Groom) and (Bride) in marriage, but the unity formed in this new family. You will now shine as one family.

Ring Ceremony
You have chosen to exchange rings as a symbol of your unity.

(Groom), please repeat this promise to (Bride),
(Bride), when I met you, I realized how much we could share together.
You have renewed my life.
Today I join that life with yours.
Take this ring as a symbol of our love.

(Bride), please repeat this promise to (Groom),
(Groom), when I met you, I realized how much we could share together.
You have renewed my life.
Today I join that life with yours.
Take this ring as a symbol of our love.

Poetry Reading
(Groom) will read a traditional Shoshone Indian Love Poem:

Fair is the white star of twilight, and the sky clearer
at the day's end, but she is fairer, and she is dearer
She, my heart's friend.
Fair is the white star of twilight, and the moon roving
to the sky's end; but she is fairer, better worth loving
She, my heart's friend."

(Bride) will read a Hindu Marriage Poem:
You have become mine forever.
Yes, we have become partners.
I have become yours.
Hereafter, I cannot live without you.
Do not live without me.
Let us share the joys.
We are word and meaning, unite.
You are thought and I am sound.

May the nights be honey-sweet for us.
May the mornings be honey-sweet for us.
May the plants be honey-sweet for us.
May the earth be honey-sweet for us.

Pronouncement
(Groom) and (Bride), the Baal Shem Tov wrote that…

“From every human being there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven,
and when two souls that are designed to be together find each other,
their streams of light flow together and a single,
brighter light goes forth from their united being."

You are now, two flames, one light.
Walk together always.
May you always walk towards the light.
I now pronounce you husband and wife.

You may kiss.

Contact us if you would like the us to perform this ceremony for you.

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