Bride's Name: _________________________________   Groom's Name: _______________________________

Wedding Date & Time:   _________________________     Location: ____________________________________

Marriage License:    City/Town Issued: ______________    Clerk Signature: ____ License Date: _______________         
                                         
Ceremony Format:
                      Welcome:  Welcoming everyone to the Intending Couple's Wedding.
                      Introduction: A brief statement about the Intending Couple.
                      Opening Words: A statement on the value of love and the meaning of marriage.
                      Reading: Supporting statement on Love and Marriage (Optional). 
                      The Questions of Intent: Couple promises the community that they will create a stable and lasting marriage.                        The Rings: The ring exchange as symbols of promises made with the vows.
                      The Vows: The couple makes promises to each other.
                      Solemn Union: JP's authority vested by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
                      Closing Words: Statement of hope from a family member or a friend for the future (Optional).

The Intending Couple's Responsibilities:
1. The two people intending to be married need to obtain a valid marriage license before the ceremony issued and signed by the clerk or assistant clerk in any Massachusetts city or town. Marriage will be performed before/on the date of the license as it appears in the margin of the license or it will become an invalid license. The marriage license must be given to the Justice of the Peace (JP) before the ceremony or no marriage can be performed. The JP will deliver the completed license to the city or town clerk to where it was issued withing ten days of the ceremony.
2. The Intending Couple must inform the Justice of the Peace if a delay will occur on the day of the wedding. If such time goes beyond the agreed time, an additional fee may be added.
3. The Intending Couple have the option to alter the wedding format or to follow the ceremony format as above. Invited guest(s) may perform a Reading and/or any Closing Words, if decided. The ceremonial format must be decided several days before the wedding day. The Intending Couple understands a FEE will be paid to the Justice of the Peace (JP) for his professional service. A 25% deposit is requested before the wedding date with the balance due before the wedding ceremony. A valid marriage license will be given to the JP before the wedding ceremony. Any ceremonial wedding pictures that have been taken by the JP's associate, (www.scribesdelight.com), may be used in a personal portfolio or to be shown on the JP's website.

Justice of the Peace's Responsibilities:
Wedding Ceremony, Consultation(s), Preparation, Delivery of Marriage Certificate to city/town clerk, Rehearsal, and any other incidentals that will need to be addressed.