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ROBERT A. RAMSDELL
Court Commissioner
4217 Milwaukee Street
P.O. Box 8395
Madison, WI 53708
(608) 251-4400
(608) 245-2786 Fax
WEDDING CEREMONY (Sample Wording)
We are gathered here because two people have decided to join their lives in matrimony. They come here, these two, with precious gifts - their
love, understanding, hopes, dreams, trust in each other, faith in life's meaning and purpose and a resolution to share life's experiences in enduring love and loyalty.
The decision has been made in their hearts and minds. We are here to witness the public expression of the commitment they have made privately to
each other.
The legal requirements of a marriage are very simple. So simple that if one heeded only the form and measured its meaning by its brevity, the
essential implications of seriousness, depth, devotion and sincerity could be overlooked.
Our law requires only a declaration that the parties take each other as husband and wife, in the presence of witnesses and of some person authorized by
the State. Once this has been fulfilled, the community, this State, this nation will honor, respect and protect your new relationship.
Marriage is a relationship not to be entered into lightly or thoughtlessly, but reverently, soberly, with deep purpose and in the spirit of an enduring
love.
If you truly desire this marital relationship to be permanent, then cherish the vision of this love you now have. Let it not be tarnished by the
slow corrosion of time and common events. Believe in this idea, which you both share. Let it be binding.
May you enter into marriage possessing your own individuality and gladly seeking merger and companionship. Much is required of you both.
Knowing these things, is it the wish of each of you to proceed with this marriage?
__________, will you take __________ as your wife, to live with her in the honorable relationship of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her,
honor and keep her in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, and will you live for her, before all others, as long as you both shall live? (I will.)
__________, will you take __________ as you husband, to live with him in the honorable relationship of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him,
honor and keep him in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, and will you live for him, before all others, as long as you both shall live? (I will.)
__________, will you then repeat after me?
I, __________, take you, __________ to be my wife - to live with you from this day forward - for better, for worse - for richer or for poorer - in
strength and in weakness - to love and to cherish - so long as we both shall live.
__________, will you then repeat after me?
I, ________, take you, ________, to be my husband - to live with you from this day forward - for better, for worse - for richer or for poorer - in
strength and in weakness - to love and to cherish - so long as we both shall live.
You have told me that you wish to exchange rings as a token of the commitments you have both made to each other.
__________, in the spirit of these commitments, will you now place your ring upon __________'s finger and say: "With this ring, I pledge you
my love".
__________, in the spirit of these commitments, will you now place your ring upon __________'s finger and say: "With this ring, I pledge you
my love".
Please join hands as a symbol of your union.
_________ and __________, having declared in the presence of your witnesses that you take each other as husband and wife and having symbolized your
marriage by the joining of hands and the giving and acceptance of rings;
Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority vested by law in me, as a Court Commissioner,
and by the Statutes of the State of Wisconsin, I do now, in the presence of your witnesses, declare and pronounce that you are husband and wife.
And let me express to both of you my congratulations and best wishes.
(Kiss!!)
If your wedding license is issued by the Dane County Clerk’s Office, I will pick up your license and bring it to the wedding. If your wedding license is issued outside of Dane County, please remember to bring your license to the wedding.
NOTE: 4217 Milwaukee Street is located approximately 2 blocks East (headed towards Cottage Grove) of the intersection of Highway 51 and Milwaukee Street
in the City of Madison. As you head east, you’ll see a Country Kitchen, McDonalds and a PDQ-Citgo, all on the left (north). 4217 Milwaukee Street is in a large Brown Duplex with black and white trim on
the right (south) side of Milwaukee Street. It is directly across Milwaukee Street from the Truesdell Animal Care Hospital.
Please refer to the Location Map for additional directions.
PARKING IS LIMITED ON THE PREMISES!
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