The Oathing Stone Unity Ceremony is one of the oldest marriage rituals in Celtic culture. This ancient tradition continues to hold special importance in modern ceremonies because it enables couples to seal their vows in stone. When writing the script for the ceremony, consider weaving in these meaningful readings or quotes:

Ceremonial Readings and Quotes for the Oathing Ceremony
 

• "The Wise Woman's Stone"
  
  A wise woman was traveling in the mountains when she discovered a precious stone in a stream. The next day, she met a hungry traveler. When she opened her bag to share her food, the traveler saw the precious stone and asked if he could have it for he knew it would bring him great fortune for the rest of his days. Without hesitation, the woman gave it to him. 
  
  The traveler left rejoicing in his good fortune but returned to the stream just a few days later searching for the woman. Returning the stone, he said, "I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back to you hoping that you can give me something much more precious -- that which is within you that enabled you to give me the stone."  
  
  - Adapted from "Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul"
  

• A Living Stone and a Holy People
   
  So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house. 
  
  For it stands in Scripture: Behold, I am laying in Zion a cornerstone, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
  
  - 1 Peter 2:2-10 (ESV)
  

• "Above you are the stars, below you are the stones. Like a stone should your love be firm, like a star should your love be constant." - "Vows and Toasts"
  
• "Each of us is carving a stone, erecting a column or cutting a piece of stained glass in the construction of something much bigger than ourselves. Our horizon is the creation of a noble society to which, like the medieval builder of those glorious cathedrals, you will have added your conception, your artful piece of stone." - Adrienne Clarkson
  
• "You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on them. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space." - Johnny Cash
• "Temples are more than stone and mortar. They are filled with faith and fasting. They are built of trials and testimonies. They are sanctified by sacrifice and service." - Thomas S. Mason
• "There are four things you can't recover: The stone after the throw; the word after it's said; the occasion after it's missed; and the time after it's gone." - Deanna Wadsworth

Stone Unity Ceremony: Short Sayings for Wedding Favors, Invitations and Programs

Oathing stones are often engraved with the couple's names and wedding date. You might also consider adding one of these quotes, which also work well for invitations and programs. You can carry the rock theme over to your wedding favors by giving guests personalized rocks engraved with their names, inspirational wording or a favorite scripture. Attach a magnet to the back so that these can double as escort or place setting cards!

• A love chiseled in stone.
  
• You are my rock.
• Love rocks!
• Carve your blessings in stone.
• When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You, O God, have heard my vows. - Psalm 61:2, 5 (NKJV)
• The Lord lives! Blessed by my rock. Let God be exalted, the rock of my salvation. - 2 Samuel 22:47 (NKJV)
• "I alone can't change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples." - Mother Theresa
• "The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love and loyalty." - Zig Ziglar
• "River stones remain, while water flows away." - Romanian Proverb
• "Love is not written on paper, for paper can be erased. Nor is it etched on stone, for stone can be broken. It is inscribed on a heart and there it shall remain forever." - Jalal Ad-Din Rumi, 13th century Persian poet
• "Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” - Michelangelo
  
• "One defines oneself by reinvention. To not be like your parents. To not be like your friends. To be yourself. To cut yourself out of stone." - Henry Rollins
  
• "Love doesn't just sit there, like a stone; it has to be made, like bread, remade all the time, made new." - Ursula K. Ke Guin
  
• "If it weren't for the rocks in its bed, the stream would have no song." - Carl Perkins
  
• "True love has a shield as tough as a stone." - Lord Jack Kabasu