commitment ceremony

American  

[kuh-mit-muhnt ser-uh-moh-nee] / kəˈmɪt mənt ˌsɛr əˌmoʊ ni /

noun

1. a ceremony and celebration that affirms the love and commitment between two people who cannot or do not want to marry each other, typically a same-sex couple.

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Etymology

Origin of commitment ceremony

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

Life coach Paul told Charlie she wasn't "giving this experiment any bit of fairness", while his fellow expert Mel called her out for "lying" at the commitment ceremony.

From BBC • Oct. 4, 2024

Together for half a century, they held a commitment ceremony in 1996 and were married in 2013, after same-sex marriage was legalized in the District.

From Washington Post • Aug. 27, 2021

As he sat in an empty classroom, Mr. Prasnikar said that he and Ms. Gerber were not legally married, but they had assembled some friends and relatives for a small commitment ceremony.

From New York Times • Aug. 25, 2021

So we decided instead to have a commitment ceremony.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2021

I’d planned to kick off the season by visiting my parents in Jersey and giving a speech at my friends’ commitment ceremony in Brooklyn.

From Slate • Oct. 10, 2019