Unlike what you see in Hollywood movies, a wedding script involves more than just two people saying "I do." If you're an ordained minister marrying a couple, you will need either a wedding officiant script short or long-form version. You, the couple, and their guests rely on its words to create significance on their special day. Fortunately, you don't need to be a Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist to craft a ceremony script. With useful advice and resources, you can develop the ideal script for each nuptial celebration.

Wedding Ceremony Structure

If you've ever attended a marriage ceremony, you've likely seen and heard wedding officiant scripts in action. These scripts can come from a wide variety of sources: religious liturgies, traditional wording, couples' custom-written versions, and prewritten scripts from both free and commercial sources. Specifics can vary depending on the couple's faith and traditions, but most ceremonies contain a few common elements: 

• Introduction/Welcome remarks
• Invocation/Wedding officiant speech
• Declaration of intent
• Exchange of vows and rings
• Pronouncement
• Benediction/Closing remarks

Not every ceremony will have all of these elements. Informal weddings, for instance, may use some variation of the "fast and fun" script example on our website. This version only contains the basics: introduction, declaration of intent, vow/ring exchange, and closing remarks. In most cases, wedding scripts have some wiggle room for customization. You can review some more officiant wedding script examples for inspiration.  

Collaborating With the Couple

Many couples collaborate when writing their wedding ceremony scripts. Logically, they also work with their officiants. As the major actors in such an event, the couple and the officiant contribute important gestures, words, and meanings. 

As you work with the couple to create a script, you'll want to keep a few things in mind. Meeting with the couple is a vital first step. You can do this in person or virtually, but the primary goal is to learn about their vision for the big day: their desired mood and tone, special customs to incorporate, and more. Their faith traditions may dictate the need to follow a particular outline. They may point you to this outline, or you can find a wedding officiant template online to help craft their script.

Time is of the essence when writing a ceremony script. While you don't have to complete the whole thing in one night, the three of you should start early enough to allow time for reviews, revisions, and polishing the final version. You can check out our "How To Write a Wedding Ceremony Script" guide for more useful advice. 

Other Wedding Script Resources

If you're stuck for ideas, you may want to check out the Monastery's wedding ceremony script generator. This helpful tool includes customization options for Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Pagan, and secular weddings. You can also choose from four modes: traditional, contemporary, simple, and renewal. You can add essential information, such as the couple's names, plus choose which sections to include. You can also select an option if the couple is writing their own vows and tick options for unity candle, glass stomping, broom jumping, and other special rites. 

Meanwhile, you'll find additional resources in the Minister Training Center. Wedding topics include primers on completing a marriage license, state marriage laws, and tips for ensuring the weddings you perform are legal. 

Prepping for the Big Day

Wedding officiants rely on many skills to help create meaningful events for their clients. Maybe you consider writing as one of your chief talents. Or perhaps you'd rather stand in line at the license bureau for hours than try putting pen to paper. Either way, you can create an impactful script for a wedding officiant through collaboration, smart planning, and useful resources.