Baha'i Faith Weddings

Weddings

Note: Couples need to meet with the Spiritual Assembly that will officiate their Bahá’í marriage
as soon as possible after the engagement begins. See Assemblies. For information
on the parental consent process, see Relationships.

Garden 6

Bahá’í Wedding Vow

“When the consent of the parents is obtained, the only other requirement for the ceremony is the recitation by both parties in the presence of two witnesses of the specifically revealed verse: ‘We will all, verily, abide by the Will of God.’ The following quotations from letters written …[on behalf of Shoghi Effendi] indicate the desirability of the Bahá’í marriage ceremony being simple:

1. ‘There is no ritual, according to the Aqdas [Kitáb-i-Aqdas], and …[Shoghi Effendi] is very anxious that none should be introduced at present and no general form accepted. He believes the ceremony should be as simple as possible....
2. The only compulsory part of a Bahá’í wedding is the pledge of marriage, the phrase to be spoken separately by the Bride and Bridegroom in turn, in the presence of Assembly witnesses.’”
(On behalf of the Universal House of Justice: Lights of Guidance, pp. 387-388)

Clarification: The local Spiritual Assembly approves two trustworthy witnesses, often chosen by the couple, but the witnesses do not need to be Assembly members in most cases. Civil laws have varying requirements, so please check with your Spiritual Assembly for guidance.

Note: Interfaith marriages are permitted for Bahá’ís, and there is no conversion of faith that occurs with the saying of the Bahá’í marriage vow. Story about an interfaith marriage between a Baptist and a Bahá’í.

Marriages of Key People:

The Bride of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Shoghi Effendi's marriage: Article on marriage that includes the announcement of his wedding

Wedding Program Ideas (feel free to contribute yours)

Alexander-Farnsworth

Qualls-Kline

Barnhart-Bush

Poem: Blessed Joining by Susanne M. Alexander

Note related to wedding program content from the Research Department of the Bahá’í World Centre about The Marriage Tablet, beginning "The bond that unites hearts most perfectly is loyalty...": "This is not a tablet at all, but is an unauthenticated record by Ahmad Sohrab of a talk by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. The friends may use it, but it should be made clear that this is not Bahá’í scripture." (American Bahá’í News, September 27, 1992)

Quotation Compilation in English from Marriage Can Be Forever--Preparation Counts!;
also available as Compilation in Spanish

Resource: Book on Amazon - How to Plan a Beautiful Wedding for Under $10,000 in Three Months or Less by V. Naledi Raspberry (author is a Bahá’í and examples are interfaith)

Music About Love and Marriage Performed by Bahá’ís

Craig Farnsworth & Judy Parsley:
The Song of Life by John Taylor (MP3)
The Song of Life by John Taylor lyrics (pdf)

Elika Mahoney

Allen Tyrone Johnson - Marriage Prayer

Gustaff Besungu, Pam Hill & Ali Youssefi

Red Grammer: With Two Wings

Sky Music

TaliaSafa

Katherine Key - Prayer for Husbands

Shadi Toloui-Wallace: Bright Orbs

This webpage was updated on January 29, 2012

Note: All photos on this website are from Marriage Transformation workshops
or are the personal photos of Susanne Alexander.

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