Handmade Quaker wedding certificate

The Handmade Quaker marriage certificate is an example of the signed record of a Quaker marriage that is witnessed by everyone at the ceremony.

What makes a Quaker wedding different?

Quakers marry without much fanfare. Often described as a silent ceremony, Quaker weddings differ from a traditional Protestant ceremony in six significant ways:

• There is no officiant.
• There is no giving away of the bride (or groom).
• A marriage certificate is signed.
• There is a period of silent worship.
• Those attending may speak to the couple.
• Any couple may marry this way, whatever their sexuality or gender.

Clearness Committee

When a couple wishes to have a Quaker marriage, they inform their local Meeting, which holds a Clearness Committee.

The process involves thoughtful questions and careful listening, addressing potential difficulties, and discussing the spiritual nature of marriage. If the Clearness Committee approves the proposed marriage, it recommends to the Meeting that the couple be married.

Oversight Committee

If the local Meeting finds no objection to the proposed marriage, it will appoint a small Oversight Committee to oversee the arrangements.

Committee members help with the practical details. This includes reserving the Meeting House (or other venue), signing the marriage licence, checking the wording of the marriage certificate, meeting legal requirements, and helping with the reception.

The ceremony

The couple marry 'under the care of a Quaker Meeting'. Quakers believe that no church official is essential for a marriage to take place. Often there is a Quaker present, known as the Registering Officer, who has a licence to officially recognise the marriage in law.

The wedding, held during a Meeting for Worship, begins as the couple enters together and sits with their committee facing Friends, family and Meeting members. Everyone worships silently until the couple feels it is time to say their vows.

They rise, hold hands, and each typically declares the words used by Quakers in Britain today:

“Friends, I take this my friend, (name), to be my spouse, promising, through divine assistance, to be unto him/her/(name) a loving and faithful spouse, so long as we both on earth shall live.”

The couple then sign a Quaker marriage certificate and sit down, while it is read aloud by the Registering Officer. Everyone returns to more silent worship, during which anyone present may stand to say a few words to the couple.

The Meeting usually ends with a nod or handshake from a committee member. All those present will also sign the certificate as witnesses.

The Handmade Quaker wedding certificate (pictured above) is made from a woodcut by Woodland Paper Cuts (opens in a new tab).