BASIC GUIDELINES FOR CIMM MINISTERS
Wedding Ceremony Guidelines
Read carefully the paperwork that the provincial statistics sends when you Vital receive you Licence number.
Some provinces require that you give each couple getting married a certificate stating that you have united them in marriage, using the date, place, all names, as well as the witness names.
Create a certificate:
Find a nice floral paper and use a nice font such as
Edwardian Script.
1. Prepare an interview form to be used at your first meeting asking for all information that you might need.
2. Depending on your provincial requirements - you will need both parents names, Mother’s maiden names and birthplaces that you will print on the Marriage licence. You can create a form to give them in advance.
Try to get the licence from the couple the day before or at the rehearsal, have it filled out, make your copy and it will be ready to be signed at the ceremony.
3. Very often couples need help with preparing their personal vows as well as readings on love and marriage. If they want any religious readings, they will let you know. You could prepare several different ideas for vows for them, having some traditional vows and other one-liners for them to choose from. You'll find many ideas on line.
4. You may have to mail the signed licence in to Vital Statistics within a certain time period. Check into that for your province.
5. MAKE COPIES OF EVERYTHING FOR YOUR RECORDS!
6. Create an extra touch to add to the ceremony, to have about half way through your ceremony. it breaks up the readings nicely and is beautiful on their photos.
Ideas you might want to offer:
Candle Lighting, Sand pouring, Hand blessing, Rose exchange, Dutch Wedding Box, Butterfly release, Dove release, God’ Knot or any other ceremony the couple might come up with. Prepare a nice reading to go with it.
Check out my web site to have a look at what I'm all about and photos at
www.okanaganweddingceremonies.com
I have created a Minister's Ceremonies Guide book for our CIMM members to help you prepare your ceremonies, vows, readings and forms. For information, contact me at d.mara@telus.net
Rev. Doreen Mare-Bate
