So, a couple of my NPCs (senior acolytes) will be getting married soon, and I was just curious as to what everybody thought weddings in the Imperium are like. And I don't want to hear the same old, it's varied, because I'm aware of that. I mean, as mainstream, worldly acolytes of the Inquisition. What do you think a wedding would be like for them, or if it's more to your liking, what would be cool to see as an Inquisitorial wedding?

Ritual burning of a heretic in effigy?

Renewal of the spouses' oaths to the Emperor together? (ie, instead of pledging to love one another, have them pledge to serve the Emperor together).

"We are gathered here today on this joyful day to join this man and woman in holy matrimony. May the God Emperor watch over you, and may you have many children to populate the Imperium and claim mankinds right to rule the universe, in the name and service of the Emperor. May your children be free of mutation and obedient, so that they can find their place in the Imperium. Now for the pledge."

Really it all depends on the planet and society the wedding takes place, and there are probably some strange customs out there. But mainly they would be devoted to the Emperor and has a main goal of producing children.

"If any gathered here today know of any taint of mutation or lawful impediment by reason of heretical thought why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever be damned in the eyes of the Emperor's most holy Inquisition."

I actually really liked Dork's wording, sounded very appropriate. I think I might just have the Inquisitor perform the marrage ceremony. I think it gives the same vibe as being married by a ship captain. Also works pretty well for when the wedding is naturally interrupted by an attack. (Come on, it just has to. The only happy 40k wedding, is a battlfield wedding.)

Would depend on the planet and culture the NPCs are from. Or they could just fill out some administratum paperwork, it's just a legal binding contract after all.

Dork's actually sounds pretty nice...if my Acolytes ever want to exchange vows, I'm sure I'll be looking this post up in the future...

But as for my two cents, the 'ceremony' can naturally be far more brutal. If you remember, the 'wedding ceremony' on Sepherus Secundus for the serfs there consists of bride and groom each cutting off a finger and sending it to their baron/owner as an offering, symbolizing their shared obligation to him...a gruesome play on the wedding ring. It might pay to look at some way to make other traditions more outrageous...I shudder to think of the 40k equivalent of the wedding veil @__@

If they are from feral worlds (or war worlds) you could go with a variation of the Klingon wedding ceremony from Star Trek Deep Space 9. Lots of ritual to cleanse themselves spiritually before the ceremony, followed by the people the groom chooses trying to beat the living c**p out of them at the end of the ceremony. Only use real blades, it is the Imperium after all.

Have you seen Joss Whedon's 'Firefly'?

No? Go watch it.

In one episode the smugglers (the heroes of the series) deliver a lot of meds/farming tools/etc ara ... to a small village. During the celebration (lots of drinks and dancing) one of the native women gives the captain a wreath of white flowers, and after that offers him a cup of wine. then he had to dance with her. Thinking nothing of it he accepted the wreath, the wine and the dance.

He accepted her as his wife, since those were the local rules. Of course he didn't know anything about that and was shocked when said lady showed up in his ship the next day, ready for family duty.

i really came within an inch of pissing my pants of laughing real hard.

Do something like that to one of your PCs. ^^