Non-Denominational Traditional Wedding Vows The words that many of us are familiar with that start off a traditional wedding ceremony, being, “"Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this Man and this Woman in holy matrimony” can be found in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. This is a great, romantic place to propose. If the first date spot is not available, other firsts can take its place. The place where you first met your partner is also a great proposal spot. If you want to add a little bit of romance, take your significant other to the place of your first kiss. You may also impress her that you remember the exact place of such an event, and reenacting the kiss can prove to be extremely romantic. Some women became concubines of married men because their families were not able to afford to provide a dowry for them. This was considered an embarrassment. Many slaves lived in this manner. The relationship was not meant to be permanent; it was only supposed to last until the slaves had gained their freedom. There is no “common law divorce”; simply leaving the relationship does not diminish your responsibility to your common law husband or wife. If you intend to live with someone as a married couple but do not wish to enter into a common law marriage, you should each sign an agreement stating that you are each free, independent entities and do not wish to marry or become committed in the eyes of the law. A non-traditional ceremony may include a dog as the ring bearer, a cat as the flower girl and their masters (bride and groom) taking their places before them at the altar. Marriage ceremonies, after the processional is complete, often start with a welcoming preamble by the officiator. An opening prayer of some sort, essentially a blessing or invocation to the day and the ceremony, usually follows the preamble. The people involved can be either about to be married or may already be married to each other. If you sign a document of this type before the wedding, it will take effect the day of the wedding. In the case of people who are already married, it will take effect immediately. The contract contains a set of promises the couple makes to each other.