OFFICIANT: WEDDINGS, UNIONS, RENEWALS -
ALL COUPLES WELCOME
Hi, I'm Tricia. also known as The Rev. Dr. Patricia D. Brown. I am an ordained clergywoman, chaplain and officiant who officiates weddings for couples of the LGBT community as well as straight couple, religious or non-religious or of different faiths and beliefs. I believe in Love above all.
I've officiated at dozens of wedding ceremonies since 1984. I am and have been credentialed with The United Methodist Church for over 30 years. My approach is to help couples of the LGBT+ Community, as well as women and men, to celebrate their love and commitment in a manner that brings the most meaning and joy to the ceremony by reflecting their values, beliefs, and aspects of their relationship. Your wedding should be an authentic expression of who you are as individuals and as a couple, and I will assist you every step of the way.
I am open, caring, and laid back... yet detail oriented. Many couples find this approach appealing, making it easy to work together. I make recommendations, but these recommendations are only guidelines and are certainly not etched in stone. It is common for couples of different cultural and religious traditions to incorporate and blend varying traditions into their ceremony. Though there are differences, together we can find the common threads to create a beautiful wedding ceremony built around the universal belief in love. Your ceremony will be conducted with the utmost consideration and respect. All who attend will see the love that binds your union.
If you are looking for a wedding officiant, make an appointment so I can learn more about you and how I can help you make your wedding ceremony a memorable expression of your love. Set an appointment to discuss your upcoming event. Contact Patricia at pdbrown@spiritworks.org or text or phone 412-999-1912.
Now you can scroll down to see some sample services.
Wedding Service Sample
Prelude
Seating of the Honored Family Members and Mothers
Wedding Processional
Officiant Greeting
Family and friends, we are gathered together to witness and to bless the joining together of FULL PROPER NAME and FULL PROPER NAME in marriage. The covenant of marriage is one of sacrificial love and grace. NAME and NAME come to give themselves to each other in this holy covenant.
Declaration of Intention
I ask you now in the presence of your friends and families to declare your intention to enter into the union with one another.
Presentation
NAME, will you have NAME to be your partner in life, to live together in 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?
I will.
NAME, will you have NAME to be your partner in life, to live together in 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?
I will.
Who lovingly stands with this couple bride to support them?
Family: We do.
Exchange of Vows
I, _________, take you, ________, to be my _______, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.
I, _________, take you, _________, to be my ________ to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.
Blessing and Exchanging of Rings
These rings are the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. We now bless the giving of these rings, that they who wear them may live in your peace, and love all the days of their life.
__________, I give you this ring as a sign of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.
__________, I give you this ring as a sign of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.
Sand Ceremony
Today as _____ and ___ have sealed their commitment to each other with the exchange of rings they also make a commitment to their children.
For this marriage not only unites a couple, it also unites two families so that a new family is created, simply increasing the number of loving caring relationships these children have in their lives. (Say all children's names.) will you come join us?
(The family semi-circles the table so their backs are not to the guests.) These different bright colors of sand remind us that each of you is a unique person in your own right who adds vibrant color to the tapestry of this new family. I now invite you to add your sand.
(The following is said as the sand is poured.) As the sands flow together into a lovely swirling pattern we see the individual colors, representing each person here, even as they create something new and beautiful.
(After the sand is poured.) Our prayer is that from this day forth, you will be more than (number) individuals. You will be a united family, as colorful as the sands that fill this vessel, and bound together by your unconditional love and devotion.
(You may wish to leave a small amount of sand in each vessel to symbolize that although you are now joined as one, you are still free to express your own individuality for in a most perfect marriage and family it’s not necessary to abandon one’s self, but open your life to the other to blend and support each other.)
(Children are seated our they may remain and recess down the aisle following the couple in order to also be congratulated in the receiving line.)
Declaration and Blessing of Marriage
Now that _________ and _________ have given themselves to each other by solemn vows, with the joining of hands, and the giving of rings, I announce to you that they are married. May you surely keep your marriage covenant strong and so grow in love together, that your home will be a haven of blessing and peace.
Presentation of Couple and Recessional
Wedding Renewal Service (Sample)
Wedding Renewal Service
PROCESSIONAL
My Baby, sung by Edie Brickell and Steve Martin
GREETING
Friends and family, we are gathered together to witness and bless the renewal of marriage of Barbara Ellen Brown and John Edward Downs Senior.
This sacred promise of marriage is one of sacrificial love and ongoing fidelity. John and Barb now come once again to pledge themselves to one another in this holy covenant.
Barbara and John, you first joined hands and hearts on a Saturday, four o’clock, Newberry United Methodist Church on Diamond Street. She wore a knee length blue dress carrying silk flowers and John wore dark pants and a simple shirt. They were Rev. Fetterman’s final wedding before retirement. Scott and Florence stood with them with John Jr., Becky and Chris in the wings. And with younger sister, Jacque with James crashing the nuptials. They had little idea of where life would take them, but they naively promised to love, honor, and cherish and, with kids in tow, took up housekeeping in a half-double on Depot Street.
Through it all, the good times and the bad, you are both still standing, having fulfilled the vows to love, honor and cherish you made on your wedding day; May 17, 1986.
DECLARATION OF INTENTION
I ask you now, in the presence of these present, to declare your intention; to renew your union one to the other as you did thirty years ago.
When you are ready I invite you to face one another’s and join hands.
Barbara, do you reaffirm your love and promise to continue to have John to be your husband, to live together in the bond of marriage? Will you continue to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, continue to be faithful to him to the end of your days?
Barbara: I do.
John, do you reaffirm your love and promise to continue to have Barbara to be your wife, to live together in the bond of marriage? Will you continue to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, continue to be faithful to her to the end of your days?
John: I do.
RESPONSE OF IMMEDIATE FAMILY AND OTHERS
The marriage of Barbara and John united not just the two of them, but brought together two already existing families to create a new one.
I now invite their children, those who are able to be here: Rebecca, Chris, and John to stand: (PAUSE)
Later, came Laura. From these children’s unions came grandchildren, if you would stand as you hear your name: Chanel, Haleigh, Nate, Jasmyn, Sophie, JJ, Dylan, and Hannah, Cora, Brooklyn, and Hunter.
Your parents and grandparents ask for your blessing.
So I ask you, do you rejoice in their union and wish all blessings upon them now and in the years to come? If so answer, “We do.”
Response: We do.
SPECIAL MUSIC AND PRESENTATIONS
(Address Gathering)
And, I ask the remainder of you who have come to this celebration today, Will all of you do everything in your power to uphold and care for these two persons in their marriage? If so you may answer, “We will.”
Response: We will.
HOMILY OR SPECIAL READING : from The Velveteen Rabbit
EXCHANGE OF VOWS (Repeated BY EACH.)
I take you, Barbara (John), to be my wife (husband). and I promise before all who are here to be your loving and faithful husband (wife), to share all that is to come; to give and to receive, to speak and to listen, to inspire and to respond, and in all our life together to be loyal to you with my whole being, as long as we both shall live.
BLESSING AND EXCHANGE OF NEW RINGS
Barbara and John, on your wedding day you exchanged rings to symbolize the never-ending circle of eternal love. Now as you exchange new rings you reaffirm, with inner peace and certainty, that you made the right decision. (Collects rings.)
PRAYER
Divine One, bless these rings and the two who wear them. We pray that Barbara and John remain safe in its circle of protection and love.
Barbara: John, I give you this ring as a sign of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.
John: Barbara, I give you this ring as a sign of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you.
May your rings remind you of your renewed vows to one another, and your commitment to continue to live in unity and happiness.
ADDRESS TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Barbara and John asked me to share how blessed they feel to have had over thirty years together. Their fondest wish is that you, their very special friends and family, be invited to celebrate your love.
They now invite committed couples to turn and face each other, take one another’s hands, look into your loved-one’s eyes, and receive a special blessing.
(PAUSE) Here is their prayer for you. “May you be blessed with the guidance, strength, and direction so that your relationship grows and blossoms in the years ahead. May your home be blessed with happiness, may your worries be few, may your joys be many, and may you make your hopes and dreams come true.”
PRONOUNCEMENT
John and Barbara, today you have renewed the promises you made to each other before this gathering by joining hands, taking vows, and exchanging rings.
It is with pleasure that I announce to you that they are still husband and wife. You may seal your renewed promise with a kiss. (Receive flowers. Turn and face gathering.)
PRESENTATION I present to you Mr. and Mrs. John and Barbara Downs. (Applause.)
RECESSIONAL
I Have You, Sung by Edie Brickell and Steve Martin