The Intentions and Your Role in Marriage

What are The Intentions, and why is it important to include this segment in the wedding ceremony?

This is one of the most well known portions of the wedding ceremony and includes statements to which each responds with, I Will. The I Do portion of the ceremony is associated with the Vows and follows The Intentions.

Dream Catcher Feather

At the source of any meaningful action is intent. It answers the question, what is it that you hope to achieve through this action, and what is your active role in bringing that to fruition?  The Intentions bring about clarity. In order for there to be meaning and purpose in the wedding ceremony, clarity of the intentions of the bride and groom are important.

Climax

At this point the ceremony is building to the climax, and The Intentions sets the stage for the Vows, which are part of the grand crescendo of the marriage ceremony.

The Intentions are just that, a statement of what is intended. This is different from the Vows which are more than intentions. Vows are statements of commitment that are spiritually, legally, and personally binding. Intentions are a prelude to the Vows. 

As The Intentions are personal, it is important that the engaged couple consider what sort of intentions they have concerning married life. This should not be left to the officiant. This section again provides several examples of what The Intention portion of the ceremony might look like.

Dream Cather

You are encouraged to have conversation together and with the officiant to be sure The Intentions articulated in the wedding ceremony are truly YOUR intentions, and not a set of words that have little to do with how you view your role in marriage.

This is the foundationof your relationship.

Express your love!

Express your dreams!

a

Officiant addressing (groom’s name):

Will you, (groom's name), take (bride’s name), to be your lawfully wedded wife?  Will you love her, comfort her, honor and protect her, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?

Groom:  I will.

Intention Wording Slide

Officiant addressing (bride’s name): 

Will you, (Bride), take (groom's name),  to be your lawfully wedded husband?  Will you love him, comfort him, honor and protect him, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?

Bride: I will.



b

Officiant addressing (groom’s name):  (groom's name), you have given every indication by your actions and by your presence here today that you will have (bride's name) as your wife.  

Will you continue to prove by your actions that you want to live together as husband and wife?  

Will you respect (bride's name), be gentle with her,  love her, honor, and keep her?  

Will you give yourself to her unselfishly, and be with her through sickness and health, through good times and bad, and be her constant companion, friend, and confidant? 

Groom:  I will.



Officiant addressing (bride’s name):  (bride's name), you have given every indication by your actions and by your presence here today, that you will have (groom's name) as your husband.  

Will you continue to prove by your actions that you want to live together as wife and husband?  

Will you respect (groom's name), be gentle with him, love him, honor, and keep him?  

Will you give yourself to him unselfishly, and be with him through sickness and health, through good times and bad, and be his constant companion, friend, and confidant? 

Bride: I will.

Asian 2
c
Groom

Officiant addressing (groom’s name): 

(groom's name)  will you have this woman to be your wife, to live together in a holy marriage?  Will you love her,  comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?

Groom:  I will.

Bride

Officiant addressing (bride’s name): 

(bride's name), will you have this man to be your husband, to live together in a holy marriage?  Will you love him,  comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?

Bride: I will.