Welcoming

OK so you've made it the end, you've joined hands and you are ready for all of this planning to finally fall in to place. 

 

First, I will welcome everyone, introduce myself and state my qualification- "Welcome family and friends, my name is Toni Paget and I am an Authorised Marriage Celebrant"

 

Then I have to advise the guests on who they are witnessing the marriage of on this day. - " It is a pleasure to join you in witnessing today's marriage between John Robert Smith and Jane Marie Jones." 

 

We would then include a generic thanks to the guests from the couple- "John and Jane are so excited to share such a special occasion with you all".

 

We would then make any special acknowledgements that you would like here. This is totally optional and if you want to save these for the reception speech, feel free to do so. 

 

Some examples of "special acknowledgments" couple possibly be for contributions to the day, thanking for travelling and mentioning those that have passed away. "John and Jane would like to take this moment to mention those who helped make today possible, Grandma Ruth without your contributions today just wouldn't look the same. Jane and John also want their relatives who are watching on to know that they are in their hearts and thoughts today." 

 

A quick check for the acknowledgments below-

Do you want to thank people for travelling?

Has anyone contributed to your day, financially or just effort wise, that you would like to mention?

Do you want to acknowledge anyone who has passed away and how, just with wording, a moment of silence, candle lighting etc?

 

Another acknowledgement you might like to consider is an "Acknowledgement of Country". Which would go a little something like this- 

“I would like to begin by acknowledging and paying my respects to the [insert cultural/language group name] people, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we are gathered today. I would like to pay my respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging, and acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders here today, also paying my respects to your Elders, past, present and emerging.”