Here Are All The Details You Need To Know About Writing A Unitarian Universalist Wedding Program

If you're a soon-to-be-wed Unitarian Universalist, you're surely looking forward to your wedding day, but may still be a bit anxious about planning the ceremony and making sure you have all of the details for your wedding program in order. Weddings in Unitarian Universalism are unique in that they tend to be a bit more flexible and relaxed compared to other religious ceremonies, and are more focused on spirituality rather than adhering to one specific religion. UU weddings are perfect for those who are passionate about bringing together multiple cultures and traditions in their wedding ceremony. These weddings are commitment ceremonies focused on bringing together two families, and value including influences from both you and your partner's backgrounds.

According to the Unitarian Universalist Association, officiants from the Unitarian Universalist Church are skilled in performing interfaith, atheist and same-sex marriages. The Unitarian Universalist Church incorporates many different religions, races and ideologies, so no matter your background, you can fit a Unitarian Universalist wedding to your relationship, and not worry too much about whether or not your service includes all of the "correct" items. If you are particularly interested in holding a wedding ceremony that combines multiple faiths and backgrounds, a UU service might be for you. And don't worry, non-members are absolutely welcome to be married in a UU ceremony.

The Unitarian Universalist faith is represented by the symbol of a flame within a chalice, which means the light of reason, the warmth of community and the flame of hope, according to the UUA.

What To Include in a Unitarian Universalist Program?

• Couple's Names
• Date
• Name of Church and Location
• Processional
• Opening Words and Welcome
• Unity Bouquet
• Reading
• Community Vow
• Affirmation of Intentions
• Reading
• Charge to the Couple
• Exchange of Vows and Rings
• Pronouncement and Signing of Register
• Blessing
• Proclamation

Planning Your Ceremony Vows

Picking out your vows can seem like the hardest part of your wedding, since it may feel like your entire relationship is about to be summed up in a few sentences. At a UU wedding, feel free to customize your vows and write something from the heart, but if that seems a little too scary for you, there are a ton of ceremony vows that you can pick and choose from for your special day.

If you are planning on sticking to the basics, a classic vow that never misses is, "I, ______, take you, ______ to be my wife/husband; 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 cherish always."

But, if you want something with a little more pizazz or swoon factor, consider saying, "__ and __ , do you pledge to help each other develop and strengthen your hearts and minds, cultivating compassion, enthusiasm, patience, concentration and wisdom as you encounter the inevitable changes, expected and unexpected, welcome and unwelcome in your journey through life together?"

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FOR YOU

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For those who are incorporating more than one religion, this is a great place to do so. You and your spouse can each say vows from your individual religion or culture, or mix and match them together so you can say something that accurately represents your shared lives.

Unitarian Universalist Program Wording Examples

Since the Unitarian Universalist faith is more about spirituality, your program wording can be a bit more flexible and truly represent your relationship. Each ceremony can be catered so specifically to each individual couple and partners can feel free to include additional information in their program, such as wedding party names, a benediction or the lighting of a unity candle. While the program can include anything extra that you want it to, UU wedding ceremonies must include an affirmation of intentions, exchange of vows, pronouncement and signing of the register.

Now that you've decided what to include in your program, consider opening your program with a short welcome and ending with a final message of gratitude for your guests. For your welcome, this is the perfect place to address whatever religions or cultures you hope to feature in your wedding. If you are intertwining two or three cultures, you may want to include a short message about which cultures you hope to honor and what they mean to you. Or, if you'd rather not worry about your creative writing skills, think about quoting a meaningful verse or line from each of the religions you are featuring (or from a favorite author or speaker if you're an atheist). This is the perfect place to truly personalize your ceremony and ensure that your family and friends can be a part of your wedding.

When it comes to your final note of gratitude, feel free to have fun with it. This is a great place to say thanks to special family members, honor those who weren't able to make it to your ceremony, or direct everyone onward to your awesome reception. A few examples of what to write are:

• Thank you all for celebrating with us today. Your kindness and support mean the world to us. Please join us for a reception dinner and dancing at [reception name and location].
• We did it! Thank you all for your love and support, we wouldn't have made it here today without you. Put on your dancing shoes and head over to [reception name and location] to continue the party.

Where to Buy Unitarian Universalist Programs

It may seem a little daunting to create your UU program since there aren't strict rules and so much personalization is involved, but don't fret. You may be at your limit from picking out wedding invitations, centerpieces and venues, but luckily, we're here to help. The Knot Invitations offers wedding programs that are completely customizable based on your needs and the ceremony you are planning. No matter which religions or cultures you are hoping to represent in your UU wedding, there's a perfect wedding program out there to reflect the beauty of your relationship and union.