Your Ceremony
When using a Justice of the Peace to officiate your wedding, you are open to create a wedding ceremony almost any way that you can imagine. While that is very liberating, it can also be confusing as to how to start. Here are several samples of ceremonies I have done and upon request, I can send more. Many couples will end up cutting and pasting pieces of ceremonies that they like together and then adding their own special touches.

Most ceremonies have five major components:
Here are a few sample ceremonies I've performed.  You can use these as suggestions when creating your own ceremony.

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Sample Ceremony #1 :: Top of Loon Mountain

This wedding took place on top of Loon Mountain Ski area. Everyone but the bride and her bridal party travelled up the gondola and assembled at Loon's ampitheater. The bride then travelled up on the gondola and remained at the top until she was told by walky-talky it was safe to proceed to the location. This was a spectacular location for a wedding, providing the weather was good.

Click Here to download this sample ceremony as a pdf.

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Sample Ceremony #2 :: Top of Cathedral Ledge

This wedding took place at sunrise on top of Cathedral Ledges in North Conway. When the bride and groom first called me, they left a message stating they wanted to get married at sunrise on top and if that didn't scare me, to call them back. It didn't scare me and was a wonderful way to start the morning. Though it was suprisingly cold for a summer morning and not a great location to get elderly relatives or friends to.

Click Here to download this sample ceremony as a pdf.

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Sample Ceremony #3 :: Franconia Notch

This sample ceremony is a pretty standard and simple example.  This particular wedding was held at a lovely inn in Franconia NH.

Click Here to download this sample ceremony as a pdf.

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Sample Ceremony #4 :: Bald Peak Colony Club, Melvin Village NH

This one was done for Jennifer, a long time friend to my family. It was an honor to do a wedding for someone I've known since childhood and do so in a really beautiful location.

Click Here to download this sample ceremony as a pdf.

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Sample Ceremony #5 :: Cathedral Ledge (#2)

This is the standard ceremony that I use where there is either no time to prepare or have the bride and groom write their own vows, or they have no idea what they want. This ceremony actually took place three hours after I was called to perform the wedding!

Click Here to download this sample ceremony as a pdf.

Sample Vows:

many couples choose to write their own vows. If you would like help doing that, I can assist. Here are some sample vows:

We have come together to make a marriage of our true friendship and love.
We shall share with each other in gladness, strengthen each other in labor,
minister to each other in sorrow, and be one with each other
in the memories of life.
We shall make a home of the place where we dwell
and there we shall gather wisdom from the seasons of life.

I, {bride}, take you {groom}, to be my husband.
I accept you as you are, and ask that you be no one but yourself.
I promise to love you from this day forward
and for all the days of our lives.

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here is another sample vow

{bride}, you are my best friend.
I choose you to be my wedded wife
from this day forward,
to have and to hold
as equal partner in my life
to whom I give my deepest love and devotion.
I humbly open my heart to you
as a sanctuary of warmth and peace,
where you may come and find
a refuge of love and strength.
I will love you enough to risk being hurt,
trust you when I don't understand,
weep with you in heartache,
and celebrate life with you in joy.
I will accept you as my equal
for as long as I shall live.



The Blessing of the Apaches
this is one of my favorite blessings for marriage

Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter for the other.  Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other.  Now there will be no loneliness, for each of you will be companion to the other.  Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you.  May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead and through all the years. May happiness be your companion and your days together be good and long upon the earth.