
Uplifting Memories
Larelle Gilbert
Civil Celebrant
Darwin and surrounding areas, Northern Territory

Commitment Ceremonies
A commitment ceremony is the celebration of love between two people and committing to a loved one is one of the most meaningful moments in a person’s life.
Commitment ceremonies can have the same principles and process as a marriage ceremony as the only major differences is that a commitment ceremony is not legally recognised as a marriage and does not require the legal paperwork or inclusion of specific phrases in the ceremony.
There are numerous reasons why people would like a commitment ceremony and they might include:
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Same sex couples (In Australia, couples of the same gender are not permitted to marry according to the law of the country).
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Couples who do not wish to comply with legal requirements of marriage
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Couples who simply object to the concept of marriage or the terminology husband and wife
A commitment ceremony may be formal and traditional or loose and unstructured as it depends on the couples own preferences.
The basic elements of a commitment ceremony
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Welcome - to those attending and acknowledging why we are all here.
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Introduction - Explaining how the couple view commitment and touching on their history, love story, families as required
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Acknowledging the family and 'giving away'
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Parental Blessing - an opportunity for parents to pledge their love and acceptance of the commitment. Often used instead of the traditional ‘giving away’
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Reading / Poem
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The Asking - "Will you..."
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Special Ritual
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The Vows – declare their intent to be committed to each other
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Exchanging of the rings. You may choose another symbol or have only one ring or you may have no exchange at all – it’s your choice.
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Reading / Poem
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Declaration of Commitment
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Presentation of the couple