The Power Vested in Me Meets ChatGPT

While not every couple is cut out for marriage, marriage must be available to any pair brave enough to enter it. So, when a beloved couple recently invited me to officiate their upcoming marriage, I jumped at the opportunity. Weddings are fantastic, and I am honored to play such an important role! Most people bring the best version of themselves to the event. But, once or twice, perhaps the "best version" is not on display which only makes for great stories later. Plus, wedding cake is even better than birthday cake. It's a win all around!

As the gravity of the role of officiant set in, I became keenly aware that I could very well be the one everyone gossiped about afterward unless I got this right. Regardless of what I do, I know there will be talk. After all, this wedding will be hosted among a somewhat traditional deep South crowd of ~200 people. In the end, however, the only opinions that matter are those of the couple and the State. I am willing to bear the usual gossip if I deliver a beautiful, meaningful ceremony.

Naturally, the first thing I did to begin the preparation was Google "the perfect wedding ceremony." I spent a solid 2 hours reading various takes on the proper flow, sample scripts for crucial moments, and how to deliver a strong finish, then I had an idea: If all this information exists, I wonder if a tool like ChatGPT would help me bring it all together faster?

If you're unfamiliar with ChatGPT, the Wall Street Journal offers an excellent primer here .

The first question I asked was: What is the perfect script for officiating a wedding? ChatGPT replied:

As an AI language model, I do not have personal beliefs or preferences, nor do I have the ability to determine what the "perfect" script is for officiating a wedding. However, I can provide you with some guidelines and suggestions based on traditional wedding ceremonies.

Here is a basic script that you can modify to fit your preferences:

1.?????Introduction: Begin by welcoming the guests and thanking them for joining the couple on their special day.

2.?????Address to the couple: Address the couple directly and acknowledge the love that they share. This is also a good time to recognize any family members or friends who have played an important role in their relationship.

3.?????Exchange of vows: Ask the couple to exchange their vows. You can either have them repeat after you or have them speak their own personal vows to each other.

4.?????Exchange of rings: After the vows, ask the couple to exchange rings as a symbol of their commitment to each other.

5.?????Pronouncement: Declare the couple married by saying something like "I now pronounce you husband and wife."

6.?????Kiss: Invite the couple to kiss, marking the beginning of their life together as a married couple.

7.?????Closing remarks: Offer some final words of wisdom or advice to the couple as they embark on their new life together. You can also ask the guests to join you in wishing the couple a long and happy life together.

Remember, the script is only a starting point, and you can modify it to fit the couple's personalities and preferences. The most important thing is to create a ceremony that reflects the love and commitment of the couple and their journey together.

The response may seem fair on the surface but is missing the most critical element in a marriage ceremony – The Declaration of Intent. This is the part where both individuals affirm that each is voluntarily entering into the marriage and agreeing to be united in marriage. Each declares with "I Do" or similar. In some States in the US, without the Declaration of Intent, marriage is not considered legal. This is a significant gap and helped me rule out ChatGPT as a starting point for content related to any legal matter.

Not wanting to give up on generative AI just yet, I sought advice on a matter with no legal angle – the vows. While vows have moral significance, I wanted to explore how "human" the AI is. So, the question posed was: Please help a couple write their vows. The first response was:

Certainly! Writing personal wedding vows can be a beautiful way for the couple to express their love and commitment to each other. Here are some tips to get started:

1. Start by reflecting on your relationship and what your partner means to you. Think about the qualities that you love and appreciate about them, the experiences you've shared, and the ways in which they have impacted your life.

2. Consider what marriage means to you and what you want to promise to your partner. Think about the values that are important to you as a couple, and how you want to build a life together.

3. Decide on the tone and style of your vows. Do you want to be serious and heartfelt, or do you want to inject some humor and lightness into your vows? Are you comfortable with public speaking, or would you prefer to keep your vows short and sweet?

The above provides a good framework assuming the reader is skilled in articulating deep personal emotions. However, I wanted more, so I clicked "Regenerate" and received a second similar numbered list of steps. This all-too-similar second attempt made me think of the U2 song, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, in which Bono sings: "We thought that we had the answers, it was the questions we had wrong…."

So, I rephrased the question to: Please suggest wedding vows. The response was improved!

Of course! Here are some examples of wedding vows:

1.?????Traditional vows: "I, (name), take you, (name), to be my lawfully wedded spouse, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part."

2.?????Personalized vows: "(Name), from the moment I met you, I knew that you were the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. You have brought so much joy and happiness into my life, and I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your dreams and aspirations, and to always be there for you in good times and in bad. I will be your partner, your best friend, and your soulmate. I give you my heart and my love, today and always."

3.?????Modern vows: "I choose you as my partner in life, to laugh with you, to go on adventures with you, to support you in your dreams, to be your safe haven, your home, and your family. I promise to stand by your side, to respect and cherish you, and to be your faithful and loving spouse, for all the days of my life."

Remember, your wedding vows are a deeply personal expression of your love and commitment to your partner, so feel free to use these examples as inspiration, but ultimately, the words you choose should reflect your unique relationship.

I noticed familiar guidance at the bottom of the generated text recommending further personalization. It was clearer after a few examples that ChatGPT-generated content is less personalized than other types of AI-based recommendations used to engage you and me as a consumer of content or products.

To satisfy my curiosity, I tested several other ideas like Please suggest a funny toast for a newly married couple. (Note: The result was corny Dad-joke quality, which I find wholly acceptable.) Finally, I couldn't help myself and had to see how valuable ChatGPT would be as a sales productivity tool and job search support tool. Please sign up for ChatGPT yourself, use the same prompts I did in this expanded test, and decide for yourself how useful the tool is for these purposes. Feel free to share your results and reactions in the Comments.

Ask ChatGPT to:

·???????Write a cover letter for (job title).

·???????Write an email to get a C-level executive to say yes to a meeting with me.

·???????Write a thank you note to my new customer for their business.

The possibilities for time-savings when authoring non-legal and draft content are within reach. Just be prepared to personalize ChatGPT's suggestions and be willing to clarify your questions if you'd like better answers.

And, if you have "the perfect wedding script" or other suggestions to help me rock the upcoming ceremony in my new role as The Reverend Laura Rexford, I am all ears!