Standard Vows

Introduction

We are gathered here today to witness the formal joining of (groom).....and (bride).... in the legal state of matrimony. You are to be married according to the orders, customs, and the authority granted by the government of the Province of Alberta.

Matrimony, as understood by us, is a state enriched by a long and honorable tradition of devotion. According to the law each participant is equal and supports the common rights of one another to the marriage.

Marriage is not just a ceremony here today. It is a commitment for life. Therefore, it is not to be entered into thoughtlessly, or irresponsibly.

There must be a desire for lifelong companionship. Couples will support and comfort each other, thought the changing experiences of life. May you laugh together in joy, grieve together in sorrow, and grow together in love.

Marriage means caring as much about the welfare and happiness of your marriage partner as about your own well-being. Marriage also means working together to create and sustain a home in which the marriage may flourish. With this understanding (groom)... and (bride)... wish to be joined in marriage.

Therefore

If any person can show just and sufficient reason why these two persons may not be joined in matrimony, let them now declare reasons, or else from this time forward, keep their peace

I now call upon you both in the presence of these witnesses, to repeat after me:

Let the bride say: I DO SOLEMNLY DECLARE THAT I DO NOT KNOW OF ANY LAWFUL IMPEDIMENT WHY I, (full legal name)... MAY NOT BE JOINED IN MATRIMONY TO (full legal name)...

Let the groom say: I DO SOLEMNLY DECLARE THAT I DO NOT KNOW OF ANY LAWFUL IMPEDIMENT WHY I, (full legal name)... MAY NOT BE JOINED IN MATRIMONY TO (bride - full legal name)...

As no impediment was declared or admitted, I require you to give answers to these questions: Do you (groom)... promise to give to this woman the love of your person, the comfort of your companionship, and the patience of your understanding? Will you share with her equally the necessities of life as they may be earned or enjoyed by yourself; and to respect the dignity of her own personal rights? Answer: I DO

Do you (bride)... promise to give to this man the love of your person, the comfort of your companionship, and the patience of your understanding? Will you share with him equally the necessities of life as they may be earned or enjoyed by yourself; and to respect the dignity of his own personal rights? Answer: I DO

The marriage vows

Now would the groom and bride please face one another, join hands, and let the groom repeat after me: I CALL UPON THOSE PERSONS PRESENT TO WITNESS THAT I, (groom)... DO TAKE YOU, (bride)... TO BE MY LAWFUL WEDDED WIFE, TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, IN WHATEVER CIRCUMSTANCES OR EXPERIENCES LIFE MAY HOLD FOR US.

Let the bride repeat after me: I CALL UPON THOSE PERSONS PRESENT TO WITNESS THAT I, (bride)... DO TAKE YOU (groom)... TO BE MY LAWFUL WEDDED HUSBAND, TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, IN WHATEVER CIRCUMSTANCES OR EXPERIENCES LIFE MAY HOLD FOR US.

The ring exchange

Having declared these marriage vows, let the groom place the ring on the third finger of the bride's left hand, repeating after me: (name)... I GIVE YOU THIS RING THAT YOU MAY WEAR IT AS A LASTING REMINDER OF OUR MARRIAGE VOWS AND AS A SYMBOL OF MY LOVE AND COMMITMENT TO YOU. Let the bride say after me: I ACCEPT THIS RING AS A SYMBOL OF YOUR LOVE AND COMMITMENT. If a second ring is presented, let the bride place the ring on the third finger of the groom's left hand, repeating after me: (name)... I GIVE YOU THIS RING THAT YOU MAY WEAR IT AS A LASTING REMINDER OF OUR MARRIAGE VOWS AND AS A SYMBOL OF MY LOVE AND COMMITMENT TO YOU. Let the groom say after me: I ACCEPT THIS RING AS A SYMBOL OF YOUR LOVE AND COMMITMENT.

The declaration

(name)... and (name)... you have consented in marriage, and have declared your solemn intention in this company, before these witnesses and in my presence. You have exchange this ring(s) as the pledge of your love to each other; you have joined your hands to accept one another.

Now upon the authority vested in me by the Province of Alberta, I pronounce you 'husband and wife'.
(Commitment may be sealed with kiss)

As you begin your marriage, let your home be a haven of peace in the midst of a busy and changing world; let your relationship be one of complete truth, love and understanding between marriage will yield what you give to it. May you enjoy a long life, fulfill your hopes, feel content as you live day by day, and keep your promises to one another.

I would highly recommend Shaughan Whalen to anybody looking for a GREAT Wedding Commissioner. She is great at her job and makes you feel comfortable, loved and your big day is like hers as well.

~ The Ravens

One of the most important things Shaughan told my fiancé and me from the start was to “Remember that this is YOUR day”. Those words echoed in my mind over the next few months of decision making and planning, juggling and over-thinking.

We were concerned what would be thought of our Wednesday Wedding at our own home (being small) but we were treated great and no different than if it was a Church Wedding with 100+ guests.

Thank you so much for being part of our wedding day, for such a lovely ceremony (we received lots of comments) and being so supportive and helpful.

~ Matt and Kate

Thank you so much for doing such a great job at our ceremony. We were honoured to have you be a part of our wedding ceremony. Thank you for adding so much humour and for making it so special. You knocked it out of the park for us. We have received lots of positive feedback about the ceremony and that is thanks to you.

~ The Pauls

"She made the whole experience very easy"
We knew when we met Shaughan that she was the one who we wanted to perform our ceremony. Her easy-going personality and punch line jokes really helped us to relax and laugh even through the nerves of standing up at the altar. She made the whole experience very easy and was extremely flexible and adaptable

~ T & J

Shaughan is the woman for the job
Shaughan is the woman for the job. From rehearsal to ceremony she brought her humor and wit to the space bringing my group of nervous and slightly stressed people back down to a relaxed state knowing that everything is going to be great. My favorite part is that she kept my husband and I laughing and smiling the whole time. This is awesome because all I asked for was a fun and easygoing service in between the serious stuff and the crying. All in all, it was all we could of asked for!

~ K & M

Exactly what we wanted
Shaughan made our ceremony exactly what we wanted it to be. It was short, sweet, and she added a bit of humor. She was flexible when we needed to move dates at the last minute due to covid.

~ S & MJ

I'd recommend
Shaughan was the only person we reached out to and we are happy we did. She was extremely flexible to accommodate our elopement plans. She was friendly and warm. Great person I'd recommend to officiate any wedding!

~ A & S

knocked it out of the park for us
Thank you so much for doing such a great job at our ceremony. We were honoured to have you be a part of our wedding ceremony. Thank you for adding some humour and for making it so special. You knocked it out of the park for us! We have received lots of positive feedback about the ceremony, and that is thanks to you.

~ S & S

Thank you!
It wouldn't have been the same without you! Thank you again!

~ Tayler & Jessy

We appreciate you!
Thank you so much for officiating our wedding! Our ceremony was so great thanks to you. You were so great to deal with in the days leading up to our wedding. We appreciate you!

~ Echo & Fraser

A pleasure working with you
Thank you for being a part of our wedding day! You made it light, fun and entertaining for us and our guests. Thank you for also helping run the show at our rehearsal, as well. It was a pleasure working with you.

~ The Sotski's