How do we get a wedding license?

You can get your license at the courthouse of whichever county is most convenient for you. An Arizona wedding license can be used anywhere in the state and is good for a year.

Can we write our own vows?

Your vows are your promises to each other and they can be very personal. I will give you some samples and you may adapt parts of those or create totally original wording. During the ceremony, you may repeat your vows phrase-by-phrase after me, or I can print them out on cards and hand them to you at the appropriate time so you can read them directly to each other.

What is required in a wedding ceremony?

Most of what we include in a wedding ceremony is ritual that helps us mark this event as an important life transition. A bare-bones civil ceremony could consist of nothing more than the Statement of Intent (Do you take….etc.) asked of and answered by each of you, the pronouncement of you as man and wife and the signing and filing of the wedding license.

Susan and Alan and their children perform the sand ceremony

But even a simple ceremony can be romantic and memorable. Most couples choose to include at least an Introduction, a few words about them as a couple, the Statement of Intent, the Vows, and a Ring Exchange.

Your wedding can be much more elaborate that just the requirements with readings by friends and family and other small ceremonies such as candle lightings, sharing of wine, a hand fasting, family remembrances and so forth. I can help you design something that would be perfect for you.

We both have children. Can they be included?

If the children are comfortable being in the wedding, it is charming and important that they be included. I have many suggestions for ways that children can participate. At our meeting, we can discuss ideas that are appropriate for your situation and the age of the children.