Ring Exchange

Prelude by the Officiant

Here are some samples of Preludes to the Ring Exchange. Some couples like to mix and match the sentiments.

Prelude #1

These rings are symbols of the love that joins you spirit to spirit. They represent the oneness, eternity, and renewal inherent in the marriage union.

May these rings serve you and those who see them upon your fingers as reminders of the vows you have made here today and of our need to be faithful in all our relationships.

Prelude #2

These rings are circles, and circles are symbolic of the sun, the earth, and the universe.

As arms that embrace, these wedding rings you give and receive this day reflect the circle of shared love into which you enter as partners in life.

May you always be blessed, and may you abide in peace and love.

Prelude #3

Wedding rings are symbolic reminders of the unbroken circle of a healthy and abiding love.

Within the safety and comfort of a true marriage, love freely given has no beginning and no end.

Love freely given has no separate giver and receiver.

Each of you gives your love to the other and each of you receives love from the other. And the circle of love goes around and around.

May these rings serve to remind you of the freedom and the power of your love.

Prelude #4

Bless, O Lord, the giving and receiving of these rings.

May Bride and Groom abide in thy  peace and grow in their knowledge of your presence through their loving union.

May the seamless circle of these rings become the symbol of their endless love and serve to remind them of the covenant they have entered into today to be faithful, loving, and kind to each other.

Beloved God, may they abide in your grace and be forever true to this union.

Amen.

Prelude #5

Let us pray.

Bless, O Lord, the giving of these rings, that they who wear them may abide in thy peace and continue in thy favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Prelude #6

Rings are adornments, carefully chosen for their beauty and simplicity. They quietly sit upon our fingers, reminding us of the power of love and the pledge of the wearer to his or her partner to be faithful and true, and to nurture their love so it will last a lifetime.

Bride and Groom, may these rings be for you always your most treasured adornment, and may the love they symbolize be your most treasured possession.

Prelude #7

Just as we bear witness to a written covenant with  our signature, so, too, do we exchange wedding rings to seal the vows of marriage.

Wedding rings are enduring  symbols that remind us of the pledges we have made to each other and of our responsibility to honor each other by honoring our promises.

Prelude #8

Bride and Groom, these wedding rings symbolize the holiness, perfection, and peace that are present in your marriage. They are symbols of the love, friendship, and faithfulness that you share.

As circles, they have no beginning or end.

They are round like the sun, moon, earth, and universe. Just as these rings have no points of weakness, may your union be  strong, and may you be blessed with joy as you journey through life together surrounded by the circle of your love.

Prelude #9

Wedding rings are a symbol that has been carried forward from antiquity. They are simple and strong.

They are round like the sun and the moon, like the eye, and like the embrace of love.

As circles, wedding rings remind us that as we give our love, so it comes back around to us, and that we give and receive love around and around in the circle of  love.

May your wedding rings always serve as a reminder to you that your love, like the sun and moon, illumines; like the eye, lets you see clearly; and like an embrace, is a grace upon this world.

Prelude #10

The wedding ring is a  circle symbolizing the sun, and the earth, and the universe. It is a symbol of wholeness, perfection, and peace.

As you enter into the circle of your shared love, may you be blessed through your devotion to this union. May your journey as Marriage Partners be filled with peace, love, and joy.

Ring Exchange by the Couple

The actual exchange of rings by the Couple is typically accompa- nied by a statement of the symbolic meaning of the rings or a sim- ple statement pledging one’s love to their partner.

Ring Exchange #1

While exquisitely simple, this first exchange symbolically empha- sizes the conscious choice to give and receive one another’s love.  It draws attention to the fact that, for love to exist between two people, four things must be happening. Each partner must give their love to the other and receive the other’s love. In this Ring Exchange, the Couple looks into each other’s eyes while the Groom places the ring up to the knuckle of the Bride’s ring finger and makes a statement such as “I love you.” Next, she moves it over the knuckle, responding with something such as “I wed you.” Then, they reverse roles and the Bride becomes the giver and the Groom the receiver. Alternative responses include:

Giver:        “May this ring encircle your finger as my love does your heart.”

Receiver:    “I love you.”

Giver:        “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love.”

Receiver:   “I receive your love as my greatest treasure.”

Giver:        “I give you my love.”

Receiver:   “I will treasure your love always.”

Ring Exchange #2

       , I give you this ring in token and pledge of my abiding love for you.        , with this ring, I thee wed, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Ring Exchange #3

With this ring, I give you my promise to honor you, to be faithful to you, and to share my love and my life with you in all ways, always.

Ring Exchange #4

       , I give you this ring as a symbol of my love for you, and of my promise to honor you, comfort you, and be faithful to you and to our marriage through God’s grace for as long as we both shall live.

Ring Exchange #5

       , I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Ring Exchange #6

As a sign of my love and my knowledge that in marrying you, I am becoming much more than I  am, I give you this ring with the promise that I will love you and keep my heart open to you all the days of my life.

Ring Exchange #7

       , with this ring I am giving you my promise to always love you, cherish you, honor you, and comfort  you. I will always be grateful to God for your presence in my life.

Ring Exchange #8

       , from the moment we met, I knew I wanted to spend my life with you. With  this ring, I pledge myself to you, to our marriage, and to our everlasting love.

Ring Exchange #9

This ring is my gift to you. May it always remind you that from this day forward,

you will be surrounded by my love.

Ring Exchange #10

I give you this ring as a sign that I choose you to be my lover, my partner, and my best friend today, tomorrow, and always.

Ring Exchange # 11

With this ring, I thee  wed.

Ring Exchange #12

       , I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow. May it encircle your finger always, as my love will your heart.

Ring Exchange #13

       , this ring is a symbol of the strength and beauty of our  love. May it belong to your hand as my heart belongs to you, separate yet close, simple yet miraculous.

Ring Exchange #14

I give you this ring as a symbol of my promise to always love you, cherish you, honor you, and respect you.

And finally, here is a more traditional version where the Officiant asks the Groom and then the Bride to pledge their love to each other.

 Ring Exchange #15

Officiant:

       , do you take         to be your lawfully wedded wife/husband, to love and to cherish from this day forward?

Groom/Bride:  I do.

(The Officiant hands them the rings to place on their partner’s finger.)