The Betrothal, also referred to as the Pledge, is a declaration of intent and free will. This pledge is not to be confused with the vows. The vows are pledges the wedding couple make to one another, whereas the Betrothal is when they make their pledges to the gathering.
The bride and groom face each other and hold hands at this point in the ceremony and it is common for the wedding officiant to preface the Betrothal with an instruction to the wedding couple, such as; “Please face one another and join hands”. There are several prefaces used in the list below, you can mix and match the prefaces with the selection of pledges.
5 Examples of the Betrothal:
The bride and groom face each other and hold hands at this point in the ceremony and it is common for the wedding officiant to preface the Betrothal with an instruction to the wedding couple, such as; “Please face one another and join hands”. There are several prefaces used in the list below, you can mix and match the prefaces with the selection of pledges.
5 Examples of the Betrothal:
1. Officiant: As an expression of your total willingness to commit yourself to one another, I invite you to face each other and join hands.
Bride and Groom face each other holding hands.
Officiant: To Groom:
_______, do you come before this gathering to proclaim your love and devotion for __________? Do you promise to affirm her, respect her, and care for her during times of joy and hardship? Do you commit yourself to share your feelings of happiness and sadness? Do you pledge to remain faithful to her?
Groom Responds: I do.
Officiant: To Bride: _______,
do you come before this gathering to proclaim your love and devotion for __________? Do you promise to affirm him, respect him, and care for her during times of joy and hardship? Do you commit yourself to share your feelings of happiness and sadness? Do you pledge to remain faithful to him?
Bride responds: I do.
Bride and Groom face each other holding hands.
Officiant: To Groom:
_______, do you come before this gathering to proclaim your love and devotion for __________? Do you promise to affirm her, respect her, and care for her during times of joy and hardship? Do you commit yourself to share your feelings of happiness and sadness? Do you pledge to remain faithful to her?
Groom Responds: I do.
Officiant: To Bride: _______,
do you come before this gathering to proclaim your love and devotion for __________? Do you promise to affirm him, respect him, and care for her during times of joy and hardship? Do you commit yourself to share your feelings of happiness and sadness? Do you pledge to remain faithful to him?
Bride responds: I do.
2. Officiant: Please turn to each other and hold hands.
Bride and Groom face each other holding hands.
Officiant: To Groom: ___________, is it your wish to let your pledge be known to all these witnesses gathered here today that you will take this woman_______ to be your wife in the divine sanctity of marriage. And will you honor, respect her and be true to her above all others?
Groom Responds: I will
Officiant: To Bride: __________, is it your wish to let your pledge be known to all these witnesses gathered here today that you will take this man_______ to be your husband in the divine sanctity of marriage. And will you honor, respect him and be true to him above all others?
Bride Responds: I will
Bride and Groom face each other holding hands.
Officiant: To Groom: ___________, is it your wish to let your pledge be known to all these witnesses gathered here today that you will take this woman_______ to be your wife in the divine sanctity of marriage. And will you honor, respect her and be true to her above all others?
Groom Responds: I will
Officiant: To Bride: __________, is it your wish to let your pledge be known to all these witnesses gathered here today that you will take this man_______ to be your husband in the divine sanctity of marriage. And will you honor, respect him and be true to him above all others?
Bride Responds: I will
3. Officiant: And now, please turn to one another and join hands.
Bride and Groom face each other holding hands.
(Please note this Betrothal is gender specific; bride and groom make different pledges based on traditional gender roles)
Officiant: To Groom: Do you take ________ to be your wedded wife, to love her to protect her, to provide for her, to be unto her a loving husband, and forsaking all others promise unto her your faithfulness.
Groom Responds: I do.
Officiant: To Bride: Do you take ________ to be your wedded husband, to inspire him, to encourage him, to be unto him a loving wife, and forsaking all others promise unto him your faithfulness.
Bride Responds: I do.
Bride and Groom face each other holding hands.
(Please note this Betrothal is gender specific; bride and groom make different pledges based on traditional gender roles)
Officiant: To Groom: Do you take ________ to be your wedded wife, to love her to protect her, to provide for her, to be unto her a loving husband, and forsaking all others promise unto her your faithfulness.
Groom Responds: I do.
Officiant: To Bride: Do you take ________ to be your wedded husband, to inspire him, to encourage him, to be unto him a loving wife, and forsaking all others promise unto him your faithfulness.
Bride Responds: I do.
4. Officiant: Having freely and prayerfully chosen each other as partners for life, and in an expression of your total commitment to one another, I invite you to please join hands as you prepare to take your vows.
Bride and Groom face each other holding hands.
Officiant: To Groom: _______, will you have ______to be your wife, to live together in the covenant of faith, hope, and love according to the intention of God for your lives together in Jesus Christ? Will you stand by her faithfully and love, honor and cherish her as long as you both shall live?
Groom Responds: I will.
Officiant: To Bride: _______, will you have ______to be your husband, to live together in the covenant of faith, hope, and love according to the intention of God for your lives together in Jesus Christ? Will you stand by him faithfully and love, honor and cherish him as long as you both shall live?
Bride responds: I will.
Bride and Groom face each other holding hands.
Officiant: To Groom: _______, will you have ______to be your wife, to live together in the covenant of faith, hope, and love according to the intention of God for your lives together in Jesus Christ? Will you stand by her faithfully and love, honor and cherish her as long as you both shall live?
Groom Responds: I will.
Officiant: To Bride: _______, will you have ______to be your husband, to live together in the covenant of faith, hope, and love according to the intention of God for your lives together in Jesus Christ? Will you stand by him faithfully and love, honor and cherish him as long as you both shall live?
Bride responds: I will.
5. Officiant: And now I ask you to please face one another and take each other’s hands.
Bride and Groom face each other holding hands.
Officiant: To Groom: Do you take ________ to be your lawfully wedded wife? If so answer “I do”.
Groom Responds: I do.
Officiant: To Bride: Do you take ________ to be your lawfully wedded husband? If so answer “I do”.
Bride Responds: I do.
Bride and Groom face each other holding hands.
Officiant: To Groom: Do you take ________ to be your lawfully wedded wife? If so answer “I do”.
Groom Responds: I do.
Officiant: To Bride: Do you take ________ to be your lawfully wedded husband? If so answer “I do”.
Bride Responds: I do.
Related Article - Wedding Betrothal Examples Part 2
Go to the Wedding Ceremony Elements page to see more about the individual elements of the wedding ceremony.
For a variety of complete prewritten ceremonies, you can go to the Ceremonies section of the site.
To use these betrothal options to put together your own unique ceremony, please visit my Build A Wedding Ceremony website.
Go to the Wedding Ceremony Elements page to see more about the individual elements of the wedding ceremony.
For a variety of complete prewritten ceremonies, you can go to the Ceremonies section of the site.
To use these betrothal options to put together your own unique ceremony, please visit my Build A Wedding Ceremony website.
