How to Write a Fully Secular Civil Ceremony Script

Scripts & Wording

Many couples today want a wedding ceremony with no religious content at all — a civil, secular ceremony focused entirely on their relationship and commitment rather than any spiritual or religious framework. Here’s how to write one that feels complete and meaningful without religious language.

What makes a ceremony feel “complete” without religion

Religious ceremonies often draw structure and emotional weight from shared spiritual tradition and language. A secular ceremony needs to find that same weight elsewhere — usually through specific, personal storytelling about the couple, universal (non-religious) reflections on love and partnership, and carefully chosen non-religious readings or quotes.

Structure for a secular ceremony

1. Welcome. A warm, simple opening — see our guide on writing a personalized welcome for structure that works well here without any adjustment needed for secular content.

2. Reflection on love and commitment (non-religious framing). Rather than religious concepts of marriage, focus on universal, humanistic ideas — partnership, chosen commitment, mutual growth, and building a life together through choice rather than through religious or divine framework.

3. Remarks about the couple. See our guide on writing meaningful remarks — this section works identically whether the ceremony is religious or secular, since it’s about the couple’s specific story.

4. Vows. Whether traditional-style or personally written, vows in a secular ceremony simply omit any religious language (“before God,” etc.) in favor of direct promises between the couple.

5. Ring exchange, with secular framing focused on the ring as a symbol of the couple’s own commitment rather than any religious meaning.

6. Pronouncement and closing. “By the power vested in me” works perfectly well in a secular context — it references your legal authority to perform the marriage, not any religious authority.

Example secular framing language

“Marriage isn’t defined by any single tradition — it’s defined by the two people choosing, every day, to build a life together. [Partner A] and [Partner B] aren’t here today because of obligation or ritual, but because they’ve chosen each other, deliberately and completely, and want to make that choice known in front of everyone who matters to them.”

Sourcing non-religious readings and quotes

If the couple wants a reading, look toward poetry, literature, or philosophy focused on love and partnership rather than religious texts — see our guide on choosing and coordinating ceremony readings for more on this process generally.

A note on “civil ceremony” terminology

“Civil ceremony” sometimes specifically refers to a ceremony performed by a government official (like a judge) rather than a religious figure — but in common usage, and for the purposes of an online-ordained officiant, it typically just means a secular, non-religious ceremony, which is exactly what’s covered here.

The goal: meaningful without religious framework

A well-written secular ceremony doesn’t feel like something is “missing” — it simply draws its emotional and symbolic weight from the couple’s own story and universal ideas about commitment, rather than from religious tradition.

If one partner is religious and one isn’t

A fully secular script can still work for a couple where only one partner holds religious beliefs, as long as both are comfortable with the approach — but confirm this directly rather than assuming. If one partner would prefer at least a light acknowledgment of faith, see our guide on interfaith and multi-faith weddings for a blended approach instead.

For fully secular ceremony script templates ready to customize, see our Ceremony Script Bundle.