The Quaker Wedding Ceremony

A Quaker marriage is very different from most other wedding services, being extremely simple and altogether free of ceremony. The bride's dress will be fairly simple, and there will not necessarily be a bridesmaid or a best man.

The service, as any Quaker meeting, is held on the basis of silent communication of the spirit: there is no pageantry, music, set service, or sermon. There is, however, opportunity for those who may feel moved by the spirit to give a spoken message of prayer.

At some point during the meeting the bride and groom will rise and, hand-in-hand, make their declaration of marriage.

The groom will say:

"Friends, I take this my friend, (bride's name), to be my wife, promising, through divine assistance, to be unto her a loving and faithful husband, so long as we both on earth shall live."

The bride makes a similar declaration. The wedding certificate is then signed by the bridal couple and by two of the witnesses. The certificate is read aloud by the registering officer and after the meeting it is customary for all others in attendance to add their names to it.

Although the wedding ring plays no official part in the marriage, it is common for the couple either to exchange rings afterwards or for the groom to give one to his bride.

It is usual at the close of the meeting for worship for the couple to withdraw with four witnesses and the registering officer to complete the civil marriage register.

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