Just Us
Short Elopement Ceremony
INTRODUCTION
[Groom] and [Bride], today may be a little different from the traditional wedding. There may not be a room full of guests, a huge reception, or hundreds of pictures. But there is something here that matters far more. There are the two of you. And sometimes, that's really all you need.
You have chosen to step away from the noise, the expectations, and all the planning that can come with a wedding and simply focus on what this day is really about: the two of you choosing each other.
Marriage is a funny thing. You start out thinking you know exactly what you're getting into, and then you discover that the person you're marrying has opinions about how the dishwasher should be loaded. And somehow, you're expected to love them anyway.
The truth is, a good marriage isn't about agreeing on everything. It's about finding someone whose weirdness you can live with—and who is willing to put up with yours. It's about having someone to laugh with, someone to come home to, and someone who will be there when life gets complicated.
There will be exciting days ahead. There will be quiet days. There will be adventures you plan and adventures that happen completely by accident. There will be moments when you look at each other and think, "I can't believe I get to do life with you." And there will probably be moments when you look at each other and think, "I really love you...but you're getting on my nerves."
That's marriage. And through all of it, keep remembering why you're here today. You found someone you want beside you. Someone you want to share the ordinary days with, not just the extraordinary ones. Someone you want to laugh with, grow with, and grow old with.
So don't worry about having a perfect marriage. Have a real one. Laugh often. Forgive quickly. Don't take yourselves too seriously. Make time for each other. And when life gets busy, remember to stop every once in a while and appreciate the person standing beside you. Because years from now, you probably won't remember every detail of today. But you'll remember that this was the day you chose each other. And that's what makes this day special.
[Groom] and [Bride], may your life together be filled with more laughter than arguments, more adventures than plans, and enough love to carry you through everything that comes your way. And if you can keep choosing each other, I think you're going to be just fine. So… let's make this official.
Marriage is a commitment to life — to the best that two people can find and bring out in each other. It offers opportunities for sharing and growth that no other human relationship can equal, a physical and emotional joining that is promised for a lifetime.
VOWS
I invite you now to confirm these vows to each other.
For [Groom]:
Do you, [Groom], take [Bride] to be your lawfully wedded wife? From this day forward, to have and to hold, forsaking all others, for better or for worse, for richer and poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, for so long as you both shall live?
[Groom]: “I do.”
For [Bride]:
And do you, [Bride], take [Groom] to be your lawfully wedded husband? From this day forward, to have and to hold, forsaking all others, for better and for worse, for richer and poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, for so long as you both shall live?
[Bride]: “I do.”
RINGS
May these rings act as the symbol of this affectionate union. These two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever they go, may they always return to one another in their togetherness. May these two find in each other the love for which all men and women yearn. May they grow in understanding and in compassion. May the home which they establish together be such a place of sanctuary that many will find there a friend. May these rings, on their fingers, symbolize the touch of the spirit of love in their hearts.
For [Groom]:
[Groom], in placing this ring on [Bride]'s finger, repeat after me:
"With this ring I thee wed" ([Groom] repeats)
"And with all I am and all I have, I honor you" ([Groom] repeats)
For [Bride]:
[Bride], in placing this ring on [Groom]’s finger, repeat after me:
"With this ring I thee wed" ([Bride] repeats)
"And with all I am and all I have, I honor you" ([Bride] repeats)
PRONOUNCEMENT
You have vowed to love and remain steadfast and loyal to one another as you stand before your friends and family. You have each formalized and sanctified your bond by exchanging wedding vows and rings. May your love be eternal and undying.
As you step into this new chapter of your lives, hold close the sacred vows you’ve spoken to one another today. Let them live not just in memory, but in every choice, every embrace, and every shared breath along the way.
Life, as you both know, is not always a gentle path. There will be moments of challenge, of change, of uncertainty. In those times, return to the love that brought you here, and to the promises you made. Lean on your faith and let it be the light that guides you through shadowed days.
Let your love be a quiet sanctuary, a refuge you return to again and again—growing deeper, stronger, and more radiant with each passing day.
Therefore, it is by the authority vested in me by the State of West Virginia, I now pronounce you to be husband and wife!
[Groom], you may kiss the Bride!
Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you [Titles and Names].