A heathen walks into a wedding chapel...

Well, fellow heathens, the time has come for your little dodger to settle the hell down and get married. Being a heathen, though, I am tying the knot heathen style: in Vegas, baby!

It will be on the Strip, in a completely non-churchy wedding "chapel" (a.k.a. a room where no church service is ever held...as entertaining as that might be).

I just returned from Vegas where I met with chapel managers and ensured that it will be a completely civil ceremony, with none of that superstitious God and Jebus stuff we are all such big fans of...

But, I need the help of my fellow Happy Heathens. We have copy for some basic civil ceremonies, and they're just fine, but I thought I'd ask around and see if any of you have held or have attended atheist/agnostic weddings and had any cool ideas for us to include.

Thanks guys!

edited because I can't type, apparently.

I have no suggestions to offer, but I do offer my heartiest congratulations to you and to @scarlett_elise. Enjoy your special day however you decide to do it.

Oh no! This can't happen!! She's not even the same species. I guess you were serious when you said you wanted a little p... Oh. never mind.

Here's part of one ceremony that I found particularly moving...

Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam...
And wuv, tru wuv, will fowow you foweva...
So tweasure your wuv.

May the gods bless you.

>4 WholeHouseLibrary: That's my favorite part, even more than "Have fun storming the castle.”

Well, maybe not better than the swordfight scene...

I attended a humanist ceremony in New Zealand. Don't remember anything of the words because I was too busy staring at the scenery - both the lake and mountains (did I mention that it was held at a table on the shore of Lake Tekapo?) and the 'bride's guys' who were in full scots regalia with kilts and everything.

Firstly congratulations to you both. I don't know if you're looking for music/songs to include but let me be the first to suggest the glorious Tim Minchin's 'Not Perfect'. It's 36 years too late for me to have it at my wedding but I fully intend to get in included in the funeral. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg3PberzvXo

>8 Booksloth:: That is a really moving song. For a happy, clap-and-sing-along song there's also Frank Turner's Glory Hallelujah.

In the chat world where I hang out, I'm what's called an "Ordained Avatar", which means I can perform "weddings" for people in that world. The text below is part of the ceremony I use that could be used/modified as you may see fit.

------------------
Marriage has been likened to many things, and viewed in many ways.
The poet Robert Frost once spoke of coming to a fork in the road
and choosing to take the less traveled road.
In a way, marriage is the reverse of this situation.
As we each go thru life, we travel our own road.
Now, the roads (Insert name) and (insert name) have been traveling on
are joining and becoming one.

This new road which leads off into the distance will take (name) and
(name) to new places and experiences. Exactly what this new road in life
holds in store for them remains to be seen, but they have chosen to travel
it hand in hand and experience it together.

A wise group of people have discovered a wonderful axiom of life.
"Shared pain is lessened, shared joy increased."
As you go thru life, remember to share both the pains and joys of life.
In sharing the pains, your own burden is lightened as your partner
helps in carrying the load, and in sharing the joys, you both get
to experience and enjoy those things which make life worth living.

Thanks for the well wishes, everyone!

4, that would actually be a pretty awesome ceremony. Lol

7, I am a bit tempted to do the kilt thing.

3 & 10, thanks! I like elements of both!

I did a "Pagan" style medieval wedding and while I am at work and don't have the vows handy...the part I do recall was specifically mentioning that "as a woman is not property to be given away we ask the bride if she comes of her own free will" etc. I still wonder to this day if that irked my dad...oh well - its not like I'm his property. lol

#4- totally made me laugh.

For my parent's ceremony, my mom just recited part of her favorite poem, and then my dad finished it.

And I found this website: http://offbeatbride.com/2008/07/wedding-readings
Some of them are kind of sweet. I thought the first one, at the top was kind of nice - short - but nice.

#13 Some lovely ones there MagicBabe - almost makes me wish I was getting married again!

Thanks so much MagicBabe. Very uplifting.