Wedding Ceremony Giving Away
of Bride
Pastor -- "Who gives this woman to be wedded to this man?"
Parents -- "We do"
Remarks
The Word of God has declared marriage to be honorable in all. It is an institution
of God, ordained in the time of man's innocence, before he had sinned against
his Maker, and been banished from the Garden of Eden. It was given in wisdom
and in kindness, to repress irregular affection, to support social order,
and to provide that, through well ordered families, truth and holiness might
be transmitted from one age to another. Above all, however, marriage was
given that; through the love, faithfulness, and building up of the husband
and wife by one another; God may be served more completely and effectively.
Earlier than all laws of merely human origin, it lies at the basis of all
human legislation and civil government, and the peace and well being of
the community and country.
We learn from the history of our Savior, that He honored a marriage festival
with his presence, and performed there the beginning of his miracles. And
by his Holy Spirit, speaking through his apostles, He has selected this
union of a man and a woman as a fitting example of the union that binds
together Himself and us, His ransomed church. A relationship that is consecrated
in this manner, should not be formed thoughtlessly and irreverently; but
advisedly, in the fear of God, and for the purposes for which He, its Divine
Author, has ordained and blessed matrimony.
Prayer
Message
1. A Commitment (Gen. 2.18-20)
Marriage is a lifetime commitment made before God and man. It was ordained
by God before the fall. From this point on you do not stay married because
you love. You choose to love because you have made the commitment to be
married.
2. An Illustration (Eph. 5.21-33)
Marriage is a living illustration of the kind of intimacy God desires to
have with us through faith in Christ.
3. Work (Rom. 3.10; Gen. 3.6)
Marriage involves two fallen and sinful people coming from two separate
backgrounds and living in a fallen and sinful world. Therefore good marriages
don't just happen. They take work.
Question
Pastor -- "Is this the commitment you have come here to make?"
Bride and Groom -- "It is."
Song (optional)
Wedding Vows
Pastor -- "Please join hands and repeat after me"
"I, <Groom>, take thee, <Bride>, to be my wedded wife,
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 cherish, till death us
do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge you my
faithfulness."
"I, <Bride>, take thee, <Groom>, to be my wedded husband,
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 cherish, till death us
do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge you my
faithfulness."
Ring Vows
Pastor -- "May I have the rings? The circle, the emblem of eternity;
and gold, the emblem of that which is least tarnished and most enduring.
It is to show how lasting and imperishable is the faith and love now mutually
pledged."
Please repeat after me -- "I give you this ring as a sign of my love
and faithfulness."
As the union now formed is to be ended only by death, it becomes you to
consider the duties you now solemnly assume. If these be remembered and
faithfully discharged they will add to the happiness of this life, lightening
by dividing its inevitable sorrows, and heightening by doubling all its
blessedness. But if these obligations be neglected and violated, you cannot
escape the keenest misery as well as the darkest guilt.
It is the duty of the husband to provide for the support of his wife, to
shelter her from danger, and to cherish for her a manly and unchanging affection,
it being the command of God's Word that husbands love their wives even as
Christ loved the church and gave his own life for her.
It is the duty of the wife to reverence and obey her husband, and to put
on the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is, in God's sight, an
ornament of great price, His Word commanding that wives be subject unto
their own husbands, even as the church is subject unto Christ.
It is the duty of both to delight each in the society of the other, to remember
that in interest and in reputation, as in affection, they are to be henceforth
one and undivided; to preserve an inviolable fidelity, and to see to it
that what God has joined together man never tears apart.
Prayer
Unity Candle <optional>
Song <optional>)
Pronouncement
"By the authority committed unto me by the state, and inasmuch as you,
<Groom> and <Bride>, have committed yourselves to one another
before God and in the presence of these witnesses, I pronounce you husband
and wife."
Kiss
"You may kiss the Bride."
Introduction
I Introduce to you Mr. & Mrs. <Groom> <Last Name>
Handfasting & Declaration
of Intent
Know now before you go further, that since your
lives have crossed in this life you have formed ties between each other.
As you seek to enter this state of matrimony you should strive to make real,
the ideals which give meaning to both this ceremony and the institution
of marriage.
With full awareness, know that within this circle
you are not only declaring your intent to be handfasted before your friends
and family, but you speak that intent also to your creative higher powers.
The promises made today and the ties that are
bound here greatly strengthen your union; they will cross the years and
lives of each soul's growth.
Do you still seek to enter this ceremony?
Yes, We Seek to Enter.
In times past it was believed that the human
soul shared characteristics with all things divine. It is this belief which
assigned virtues to the cardinal directions; East, South, West and North.
It is in this tradition that a blessing is offered in support of this ceremony.
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the
East. Communication of the heart, mind, and body Fresh beginnings with the
rising of each Sun. The knowledge of the growth found in the sharing of
silences.
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the
South. Warmth of hearth and home The heat of the heart's passion The light
created by both To lighten the darkest of times.
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the
West. The deep commitments of the lake The swift excitement of the river
The refreshing cleansing of the rain The all encompassing passion of the
sea.
Blessed be this union with the gifts of the
North Firm foundation on which to build Fertility of the fields to enrich
your lives A stable home to which you may always return.
Each of these blessings from the four cardinal
directions emphasizes those things which will help you build a happy and
successful union. Yet they are only tools. Tools which you must use together
in order to create what you seek in this union.
I bid you look into each others eyes.
[Groom's Name], Will you cause her pain?
I May (What was actually said was an emphatic yes)
Is that you intent?
No
[Bride's Name], Will you cause him pain?
I may
Is that you intent?
No
*To Both*
Will you share each other's pain and seek to ease it?
Yes
And so the binding is made. Join your hands
*First cord is draped across the bride and grooms hands*
[Bride's Name], Will you share his laughter?
Yes
[Groom's Name], Will you share her laughter?
Yes
*To Both*
Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each
other?
Yes
And so the binding is made.
*Second chord is draped across the couples hands*
[Bride's Name], Will you burden him?
I may
Is that you intent?
No
[Groom's Name], Will you burden her?
I may
Is that your intent?
No
*To Both*
Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this
union?
Yes
And so the binding is made.
*Drape third chord across the couples hands*
[Bride's Name], will you share his dreams?
Yes
[Groom's Name], will you share her dreams?
Yes
*To Both*
Will you dream together to create new realities and hopes?
Yes
And so the binding is made.
*Drape fourth chord across the couples hands*
[Groom's Name], will you cause her anger?
I may
Is that you intent?
No
[Bride's Name], will you cause him anger?
I may
Is that your intent?
No
*To Both*
Will you take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this
union?
We Will
And so the binding is made.
*Drape fifth chord across the couples hands*
[Bride's Name], Will you honor him?
I will
[Groom's Name], Will you honor her?
I will
*To Both*
Will you seek to never give cause to break that honor?
We shall never do so
And so the binding is made.
*Drape sixth chord across the couples hands*
*Tie chords together while saying:*
The knots of this binding are not formed by these chords but instead by
your vows. Either of you may drop the chords, for as always, you hold in
your own hands the making of breaking of this union.
*Once chords are tied together they are removed
and placed on altar*
The Gift of Hands
[Bride's name], please face [Groom's name],
and hold his hands,
palms up, so you may see the gift that they are to you.
These are the hands of your best friend, young
and strong and vibrant with love, that are holding yours on your wedding
day, as he promises to love you all the days of his life. These are the
hands that will work along side yours, as together you build your future,
as you laugh and cry, as you share your innermost secrets and dreams. These
are the hands you will place with expectant joy against your stomach, until
he too, feels his child stir within you. These are the hands that look so
large and strong, yet will be so gentle as he holds your baby for the first
time. These are the hands that will work long hours for you and your new
family. These are that hands that will passionately love you and cherish
you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness. These are the hands
that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow
and tears of joy. These are the hands that will comfort you in illness,
and hold you when fear or grief wrack your mind. These are the hands that
will tenderly lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face
to look into his eyes: eyes that are filled completely with his overwhelming
love and desire for you.
[Groom's name], please hold [Bride's name]'s
hands, palms up, where you may see the gift that they are to you. These
are the hands of your best friend, smooth, young and carefree, that are
holding yours on your wedding day, as she pledges her love and commitment
to you all the days of her life. These are the hands that will hold each
child in tender love, soothing them through illness and hurt, supporting
and encouraging them along the way, and knowing when it is time to let go.
These are the hands that will massage tension from you neck and back in
the evenings after you've both had a long hard day. These are the hands
that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times. These
are the hands that will comfort you when you are sick, or console you when
you are grieving. They are the hands that will passionately love you and
cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness. These are the
hands that will hold you in joy and excitement and hope, each time she tells
you that you are to have another child, that together you have created a
new life. These are the hands that will give you support as she encourages
you to chase down your dreams. Together as a team, everything you wish for
can be realized.
Minister:
God, bless these hands that you see before you this day. May they always
be held by one another. Give them the strength to hold on during the storms
of stress and the dark of disillusionment. Keep them tender and gentle as
they nurture each other in their wondrous love. Help these hands to continue
building a relationship founded in your grace, rich in caring, and devoted
in reaching for your perfection. May [Groom's name] and [Bride's name] see
their four hands as healer, protector, shelter and guide. We ask this in
your name, Amen.
United Methodist Church Declaration
of Consent
Officiant:
Christ calls you into union with him and with one another.
I ask you now in the presence of God and this congregation to declare your
intent.
Will you have this man to be your husband,
to live together in a holy marriage?
Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him
in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others,
be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?
Bride:
I will
Officiant:
Will you have this woman to be your wife,
to live together in a holy marriage?
Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her
in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others,
be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?
Groom:
I will
Christian Medieval Ceremony
This is a popularized Medieval ceremony... It
is a short version of the full, original text - for which some couples then
add modern passages or readings to it. It also is shorter. The core sources
are the Book of Common Prayer of HRM Elizabeth I of England, extracts from
the Sarum Rite and the York Rite, and various other lesser sources.
At the day and time appointed for solemnization
of Matrimony, the persons to be married shall come into the porch of the
Church with their friends and neighbors; and there standing together, the
Man on the right hand, and the woman on the left, with that person who shall
give the Woman betwixt them, the Priest shall say:
Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here
in the sight of God to join together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony;
which is an honourable estate, instituted of God in Paradise, and into which
holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined.
Therefore if any man can shew any just cause,
why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else
hereafter for ever hold his peace.
I require and charge you both, as ye will answer
at the dreadful day of judgment when the secrets of all hearts shall be
disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment, why ye may not be
lawfully joined together in Matrimony, that ye confess it. For ye be well
assured, that so many as be coupled together otherwise than God's Word doth
allow are not joined together by God; neither is their Matrimony lawful.
At which day of Marriage, if any man do allege and declare any impediment,
why they may not be coupled together in Matrimony, by God's Law, or the
Laws of the Realm; and will be bound, and sufficient sureties with him,
to the parties; or else put in a Caution (to the full value of such charges
as the persons to be married do thereby sustain) to prove his allegation;
then the solemnization must be deferred, until such time as the truth be
tried. If no impediment be alleged, then shall the
Priest say unto the Man: Wilt the have this
Woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the
holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt the love her, comfort her, honour, and keep
her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all other, keep thee only
unto her, so long as ye both shall live?
The Man shall answer: I will.
Then shall the Priest say to the Woman: Wilt the have this man to be thy
wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate
of Matrimony? Wilt the obey him, and serve him, love, honour, and keep him
in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto
him, so long as ye both shall live?
The Woman shall answer: I will.
Thus ends the formal betrothal. The couple shall advance to the Altar, led
by the Minister, who shall then turn to the assembled company, and say:
Who giveth this Woman to be married to this Man?
The person who gives the Woman shall answer, and shall place the Woman's
right hand in the hand of the Minister, and then shall retire. Then shall
they give their troth to each other in this manner: The Minister, receiving
the Woman at her father's or friend's hands, shall cause the Man with his
right hand to take the Woman by her right hand, and to say after him as
followeth,
GROOM' VOW: "I, ___________, take thee
__________ to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward,
for better for worse, for richer for poorer, for fairer or fouler, in sickness
and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us depart, according to
God's holy ordinance; and thereunto I plight thee my troth.
Then shall they loose their hands; and the Woman, with her right hand taking
the Man by his right hand, shall likewise say after the Minister,
BRIDE'S VOW: I ___________ take thee___________
to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better
for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to be bonny
and buxom at bed and at board, to love and to cherish, till death us depart,
according to God's holy ordinance; and thereunto I plight thee my troth.
Then shall they again loose their hands; and
the Man shall give unto the Woman a Ring, laying the same upon the Book
with the accustomed duty to the Priest and Clerk. And the Priest shall bless
the Ring(s) in the following manner:
Bless these Rings, O merciful Lord, that those
who wear them, that give and receive them, may be ever faithful to one another,
remain in your peace, and live and grow old together in your love, under
their own vine and fig tree, and seeing their children's children. Amen.
And the Priest, taking the Ring, shall deliver
it to the Man, to put it on the fourth finger of the Woman's left hand.
And the Man holding the ring there, and taught by the Priest, shall say,
GROOM: With this Ring I thee wed, (here placing
it upon her thumb) and with my body I thee honor, (here placing it upon
her index finger) and with all my worldly goods I thee endow; (here placing
it upon her ring finger) In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
If it be a double-ring ceremony, let the Woman
do the same as the Man, giving him the ring, and repeating the same words
as he. They both shall kneel down; and the Minister shall say,
Let us pray. O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver
of all mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the Author of everlasting
life; Send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this man and this woman,
whom we bless in thy Name; + that, as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully
together, so these persons may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant
betwixt them made, whereof this Ring given and received is a token and pledge,
and may ever hereafter remain in perfect love and peace together, and live
according to thy laws; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
And here shall be said the LORD'S PRAYER.
Then shall the Priest join their right hands
together, and say,
Those whom God hath joined together let no man
put asunder. Then shall the Minister speak unto the people. Forasmuch as
N and N have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the
same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their
troth each to the other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving
of a Ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce therefore that they be Man
and Wife together, in the Name of the Father, + and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit. Amen
The Minister shall add this blessing.
God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit,
bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favour look
upon you; and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that
ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have
life everlasting. Amen.
And here the Minister shall turn the couple
to the Company, and they may kiss each the other, and then proceed from
the Altar. And if it be the wish of the couple to take Communion, they may
do it privately, following these ceremonies.
Dr. Seuss wedding vows
Author: Unknown
In five days, I'm going to be getting married
for the first time. My fiancee and I agreed a long time ago that we wanted
to write our own wedding vows, and as a spur-of-the-moment idea, I suggested
the following. To my disappointment, she didn't quite go for it....
Pastor: Will you answer me right now
These questions, as your wedding vow?
Groom: Yes, I will answer right now
Your questions as my wedding vow.
Pastor: Will you take her as your wife?
Will you love her all your life?
Groom: Yes, I take her as my wife,
Yes, I'll love her all my life.
Pastor: Will you have, and also hold
Just as you have at this time told?
Groom: Yes, I will have, and I will hold,
Just as I have at this time told,
Yes, I will love her all my life
As I now take her as my wife.
Pastor: Will you love through good and bad?
Whether you're happy or sad?
Groom: Yes, I'll love through good and bad,
Whether we're happy or sad,
Yes, I will have and I will hold
Just as I have already told,
Yes, I will love her all my life,
Yes, I will take her as my wife!
Pastor: Will you love her if you're rich?
Or if you're poor, and in a ditch?
Groom: Yes, I'll love her if we're rich,
And I will love her in a ditch,
I'll love her through good times and bad,
Whether we are happy or sad,
Yes, I will have, and I will hold
(I could have sworn this has been told!)
I promise to love all my life
This woman, as my lawful wife!
Pastor: Will you love her when you're fit,
And also when you're feeling sick?
Groom: Yes, I'll love her when we're fit,
And when we're hurt, and when we're sick,
And I will love her when we're rich
And I will love her in a ditch
And I will love through good and bad,
And I will love when glad or sad,
And I will have, and I will hold
Ten years from now a thousandfold,
Yes, I will love for my whole life
This lovely woman as my wife!
Pastor: Will you love with all your heart?
Will you love till death you part?
Groom: Yes, I'll love with all my heart
From now until death do us part,
And I will love her when we're rich,
And when we're broke and in a ditch,
And when we're fit, and when we're sick,
(Oh, CAN'T we get this finished quick?)
And I will love through good and bad,
And I will love when glad or sad,
And I will have, and I will hold,
And if I might now be so bold,
I'll love her my entire life,
Yes, I WILL take her as my wife!
Pastor: Then if you'll take her as your wife,
And if you'll love her all your life,
And if you'll have, and if you'll hold,
From now until the stars grow cold,
And if you'll love through good and bad,
And whether you're happy or sad,
And love in sickness, and in health,
And when you're poor, and when in wealth,
And if you'll love with all your heart,
From now until death do you part,
Yes, if you'll love her through and through,
Please answer with these words:
Pastor and Groom: I DO!
Pastor: You're married now! So kiss the bride,
But please, do keep it dignified.
Standard Civil Ceremony
(Name), I take you to be my lawfully
wedding (husband/wife).
Before these witnesses I vow to love you and care for you
as long as we both shall live.
I take you, with all your faults and your strengths,
as I offer myself to you with my faults and my strengths.
I will help you when you need help,
and will turn to you when I need help.
I choose you as the person with whom I will spend my life.
Zion Wedding Ceremony
OPENING STATEMENT
MINISTER "Dearly Beloved: We are gathered here, in the presence of
God and of this company, that ______ and ______ may be united in holy matrimony.
We are here to celebrate and share in the glorious act that God is about
to perform - the act by which He converts their love for one another into
the holy and sacred estate of marriage.
This relationship is an honorable and sacred
one, established by our Creator for the welfare and happiness of mankind,
and approved by the Apostle Paul as honorable among all men. It is designed
to unite two sympathies and hopes into one; and it rests upon the mutual
confidence and devotion of husband and wife.
May it be in extreme thoughtfulness and reverence,
and in dependence upon divine guidance, that you enter now into this holy
relationship."
GIVING OF THE BRIDE
MINISTER "Being assured that your love and your choice of each other
as lifelong companions are in God's will and that you have your families'
blessings. I now ask. Who gives this woman to be married to this man?"
BRIDE'S FATHER "Her mother and I do."
(Bride's father places her hand in Groom's hand
and is seated)
DECLARATION OF INTENTION
MINISTER "The apostle Paul compared the relationship between husband
and wife to that between Christ and the church. Marriage is a decision of
two individuals to share the same type of pure, Christian love described
by Paul."
1 Cor 13:4-8, Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it
is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects,
always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails....
"This kind of love enriches each part of
life and marriage enriches love. Two lives, shared with this kind of love,
can hold more fulfillment and happiness than either life alone."
"_____ (GROOM). are you ready to enter
into this marriage with _____ (BRIDE), believing the love you share and
your faith in each other will endure all things?"
GROOM "I am."
MINISTER "_____ (BRIDE), are you ready to enter into this marriage
with _____ (GROOM), believing the love you share and your faith in each
other will endure all things?"
BRIDE "I am."
MARRIAGE VOWS
MINISTER "_____ do you take _____ to be your wedded wife, to live together
after God's ordinance in holy matrimony? Do you promise to love her, to
honor and cherish her, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health,
and to be to her in all things a good and faithful husband as long as you
both shall live?"
GROOM "I do."
MINISTER "_____, do you take _____ to be your wedded husband, to live
together after God's ordinance in holy matrimony? Do you promise to love
him, to honor and cherish him, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in
health, and to be to him in all things a good and faithful wife as long
as you both shall live?"
BRIDE "I do."
MINISTER WITH GROOM REPEATING "I, _____, take thee, _____, to be my
wedded wife, 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, till death do us part. According to God's holy ordinance, and thereto
I pledge thee my faith."
MINISTER WITH BRIDE REPEATING "I, _____, take thee, _____, to be my
wedded husband. 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, till death do us part. According to God's holy ordinance, and
thereto I pledge thee my faith."
PRAYER
MINISTER "Father in heaven, You ordained marriage for your children,
and You gave us love. We present to You _____ and _____, who come this day
to be married. May the covenant of love they make be blessed with true devotion
and spiritual commitment. We ask that You, God, will give them the ability
to keep the covenant they have made. When selfishness shows itself, grant
generosity; when mistrust is a temptation, give moral strength; when there
is misunderstanding, give patience and gentleness; if suffering becomes
a part of their lives, give them a strong faith and an abiding love. Amen."
EXCHANGE OF RINGS
MINISTER "It is a Christian custom to exchange rings as a symbol of
love. As the rings have no end so your love should have no end. As the rings
are made of gold symbolizing purity, so should your marriage have purity.
As often as either of you see them, you will be reminded of this moment
and the endless love you promised."
"____, what token to you give that you
will perform your vows?" (Minister receives ring and says to bride.)
"_____, do you receive this ring in token
of the same?"
BRIDE "I do." (Groom places ring on Bride's finger.)
MINISTER WITH GROOM REPEATING "_____, this ring I give to you in token
and pledge of my constant faith and abiding love."
MINISTER "_____, what token to you give that you will perform your
vows?" (Minister receives ring and says to groom.)
"_____, do you receive this ring in token
of the same?"
GROOM "I do." (Bride places ring on Groom's finger.)
MINISTER WITH BRIDE REPEATING "_____, this ring I give to you in token
and pledge of my constant faith and abiding love."
Light Unity Candle & Sign License
MINISTER "The candle represents the joining together of two individuals
to live together as one in spirit. Anthony and Amanda, the candle yet to
be lit, represents the new family which is being created today. Anthony
and Amanda are leaving their families to make a new life together."
(Bride & Groom light candle)
(Bride, Groom, & Witnesses sign license)
PRAYER
MINISTER "Let us pray: O thou eternal God, who art our Father and our
Friend, as you have heard these words of promise just spoken, may the Holy
Spirit deepen in the mind of this man and this woman the sense of the sacred
and binding power of their vows. And as in Thy Name these words were spoken
to make these lives one, may your rich blessing be added. Give them Your
grace and guidance that they may loyally fulfill the vows they have taken.
May Your joy abide with them always, that thus they may be a blessing to
each other, and to those about them, finding in the blessedness of the home
life on earth a sample of the happiness of Thine eternal home. Through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen."
(Bride and Groom join right hands.)
DECLARATION OF THE MARRIAGE
MINISTER "What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.
Forasmuch as Anthony and Amanda have consented together in holy matrimony,
and have witnessed the same before God and this company and have pledged
their love and loyalty to each other, and have declared the same by the
joining and the giving of rings, I, therefore, by the authority of the state,
pronounce that they are husband and wife, in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ."
"The Groom may now kiss the Bride."
PRESENTATION
MINISTER "I now present to you Mr and Mrs _____ _____ _____."
Episcopal Church exchange
of vows
Groom:
In the name of God, I, (name), take you, (name), to be my wife,
to have and to hold from this day forward,
for better or worse, for richer or poorer,
in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish,
until we are parted by death.
This is my solemn vow.
Bride:
In the name of God, I, (name), take you, (name), to be my husband,
to have and to hold from this day forward,
for better or worse, for richer or poorer,
in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish,
until we are parted by death.
This is my solemn vow.
The Form of Solemnization
of Matrimony
from the Book of Common Prayer
At the day and time appointed for Solemnization
of Matrimony, the Persons to be married shall come into the body of the
Church, or shall be ready in some proper house, with their friends and neighbors;
and there standing together, the Man on the right hand, and the Woman on
the left, the Minister shall say,
DEARLY beloved, we are gathered together here
in the sight of God, and in the face of this company, to join together this
Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony; which is an honourable estate, instituted
of God, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and
his Church: which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence
and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galilee, and is commended of
Saint Paul to be honourable among all men: and therefore is not by any to
be entered into unadvisedly or lightly; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly,
soberly, and in the fear of God. Into this holy estate these two persons
present come now to be joined. If any man can show just cause, why they
may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter
for ever hold his peace.
And also speaking unto the Persons who are to
be married, he shall say,
I REQUIRE and charge you both, as ye will answer
at the dreadful day of judgment when the secrets of all hearts shall be
disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment, why ye may not be
lawfully joined together in Matrimony, ye do now confess it. For be ye well
assured, that if any persons are joined together other than as God's Word
doth allow, their marriage is not lawful.
The Minister, if he shall have reason to doubt
of the lawfulness of the proposed Marriage, may demand sufficient surety
for his indemnification: but if no impediment shall be alleged, or suspected,
the Minster shall say to the Man,
JOHN Wilt thou have this Woman to thy wedded
wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony?
Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her in sickness and in
health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye
both shall live?
The Man shall answer,
I will.
Then shall the Minster say unto the Woman,
JANE Wilt thou have this Man to thy wedded husband,
to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony?
Wilt thou love him, comfort him, honour, and keep him in sickness and in
health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye
both shall live?
The Woman shall answer,
I will.
Then shall the Minister say,
Who giveth this Woman to be married to this
Man?
Then shall they give their troth to each other
in this manner. The Minister, receiving the Woman at her father's or friend's
hands, shall cause the Man with his right hand to take the Woman by her
right hand, and to say after him as followeth.
I John take thee Jane to my wedded Wife, 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, till death
us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee
my troth.
Then shall they loose their hands; and the Woman
with her right hand taking the Man by his right hand, shall likewise say
after the Minister,
I Jane take thee John to my wedded Husband,
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, till death
us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I give thee my
troth.
Then shall they again loose their hands; and
the Man shall give unto the Woman a Ring in this wise: the Minister taking
the ring shall deliver it unto the Man, to put it upon the fourth finger
of the Woman's left hand. And the Man holding the Ring there, and taught
by the Minister, shall say,
WITH this Ring I thee wed: In the Name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
And, before delivering the Ring to the Man,
the Minister may say as followeth,
BLESS, O Lord, this Ring, that he who gives
it and she who wears it may abide in thy peace, and continue in they favour,
unto their life's end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Then, the Man, leaving the Ring upon the fourth
finger of the Woman's left hand, the Minister shall say,
Let us pray.
Then shall the Minister and People, still standing,
say the Lord's Prayer.
OUR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy
Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, On Earth as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive
those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver
us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for
ever and ever. Amen.
Then shall the Minister add,
O ETERNAL God, Creator and Preserver of all
mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the Author of everlasting life; Send
thy blessing upon these thy servants, this Man and this Woman, whom we bless
in thy Name; that they, living faithfully together, may surely perform and
keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, (whereof this Ring given and
received is a token and pledge,) and may ever remain in perfect love and
peace together, and live according to thy laws; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
Then the Minister may add,
O GOD, who hast so consecrated the state of
Matrimony that in it is rep resented the spiritual marriage and unity betwixt
Christ and his Church; Look mercifully upon these thy servants, that they
may love, honour, and cherish each other, and so live together in faithfulness
and patience, in wisdom and true godliness, that their home may be a haven
of blessing and of peace; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth
and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without
end. Amen.
Then shall the Minister join their right hands
together, and say,
Those whom God hath joined together let no man
put asunder.
Then shall the Minister speak unto the company.
FORASMUCH as John and Jane have consented together
in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company,
and thereto have given and pledged their troth, each to the other, and have
declared the same by giving and receiving a Ring, and by joining hands;
I pronounce that they are Man and Wife, In the Name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
The Man and the Wife kneeling, the Minister
shall add this Blessing.
GOD the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost,
bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favour look
upon you, and fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace; that ye
may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have
life everlasting. Amen.
The laws respecting Matrimony, whether by publishing
the Banns in Churches, or by License, being different in the several States,
every Minister is left to the direction of those laws, in everything that
regards the civil contract between the parties.
Wedding Ceremony Example #1
Introductory remarks
Question
Pastor -- Who gives __________ to be married to __________?
Bride's Father -- Her Mother and I do.
Guests seated
Challenge to Bride and Groom
__________ and __________, our God of love has established marriage as the
symbol of Christ's perfect relationship to His Body, the Church. We have
come to bring you as one before Him. __________ God has ordained the man
as the spiritual head, as the responsible provider, and as the initiator
of love in this human relationship. By His enablement, your strength must
be _______'s protection, your character her boast and pride, and you must
so live that she will find in you the haven for which the heart of a woman
truly longs.
__________, it is God's purpose that you be a loving wife, that you respond
to ________'s love in tenderness with a deep sense of understanding, through
a great faith in Christ who brought you together. It is His desire that
you have that inner beauty of soul that never fades; that eternal youth
that is found in holding fast the things that never age.
__________ and __________ ,Christian marriage is not living merely for each
other; it is two uniting and joining hands to serve God. Seek His kingdom
first, and His righteousness, and He will add all other things to you. Do
not expect perfection from each other, perfection belongs solely to God.
You need not minimize each other's weaknesses, but always be swift to praise
and magnify each other's points of comeliness and strength and see each
other through kind and patient eyes.
God will lead you into such situations as will bless you and develop your
characters as you walk together. He will give you enough tears to keep you
tender, enough hurts to keep you compassionate, enough of failure to keep
your hands clenched tightly in His, and enough success to make you sure
you walk with Him. May you never take each other's love for granted, but
always experience that wonder that exclaims "Out of all this world
you have chosen me." When life is done, may you be found then as now,
hand in hand, still thanking God for each other. May you ever serve Him
happily, faithfully, together until you return to glory or until at last
one shall lay the other into His arms. And all this through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
Vows
Pastor -- __________ have you in the quiet hours of your companionship considered
what is your Christian duty as a husband?
Groom -- I have.
Pastor -- __________ have you in the quiet hours of your companionship considered
what is your Christian duty as a wife?
Bride -- I have.
Pastor -- _________ and _________, you stand before us as the children of
God, redeemed through Jesus Christ. Is it your purpose to establish a home
that is truly Christ-centered, where the Word of God is read and obeyed;
a home that is welded together by prayer in which the Holy Spirit is your
constant guide?
Bride & Groom -- It is.
Pastor to groom -- And now, in token that your hearts are joined together
in love, will you please join your right hands.
__________, this woman whom you hold by the hand is to be your wife. She
has given you one of the most sacred things under heaven: a woman's life
and a woman's love. You may bring her great joy or cause her deep sorrow.
It is not what you bring her in a material way that will make true happiness--riches
without love are nothing. The gift without the giver is bare. The practice
of those virtues as husband that you have shown as her lover will keep her
heart won to your heart. Do you vow here, as you have promised __________
that you will be true and loyal, patient in sickness, comforting in sorrow,
and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her so long as you both
shall live?
Groom -- I do.
Pastor to bride -- __________, this man whom you hold by the right hand
is to be your husband. On your life, your love and devotion he will lean
for strength and inspiration. He is going to look to you for encouragement,
for cheerfulness and confidence. No matter what the world may say or think,
people may forget him, lose confidence in him, and turn their backs upon
him, but you must not. May your life and your love be the inspiration that
will constantly lead him to greater dependence upon our Lord Jesus Christ.
Do you vow here, as you have promised __________ that you will be loyal
in adversity, ministering to him in affliction, comforting him in sorrow,
and forsaking all others, keeping yourself only unto him so long as you
both shall live?
Bride -- I do.
Pastor -- You may now share your vows with each other.
Prayer of dedication
Embrace
Presentation of couple
Recessional
Wedding Ceremony Example #2
We have come together at the invitation of ___________
to celebrate the uniting in Christian love--their lives and hearts. This
is possible because of the love God has created in them, through Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life and that they might
have it more abundantly." This abundant life, for many people, is an
impossible dream, yet God wants us all to have this abundant life and proved
His love for us by giving His Son that we might have this life.
Another way that God provides for this "full" life is creating
those who will love us. ___________ such a one in ___________ Their hearts
and spirit were drawn together before today by the Lord of all creation.
Two lives are not united by ceremony, but only in the power, love and grace
of God.
___________ and ___________are here to publicly declare that because of
Jesus Christ's love; they too can truly love one another. As God demonstrated
His love in Jesus, our Lord ___________ and ___________ will demonstrate
this God given love by giving themselves to one another and one for the
other.
They have not reached this place alone, each has been given life by their
parents. These who gave to them life, love, provision, are and will be,
a vital part in their continued lives. Their love has borne fruit in __________
and ___________ Love and respect for these will continue as they grow in
their love made possible by their parents.
Questions
Pastor -- Who then has prepared this woman for marriage to this man? ( or
"Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?")
Father of Bride -- "Her family and I have prepared her for marriage."
( or Father or Bride's escort replies, "Her family and I do."
)
Pastor -- I sometimes counsel with the couple and ask them to write what
they wish to say in their vows one to another, expressing their love and
commitment to each other. They learn this and I allow them to express it
without too much if any prompting. One service I had, the girl did not remember
what she wanted to say so she blurted out "Jim, I have forgotten what
I wanted to say to you - I'm afraid - but I do love you deeply - with my
whole heart!" - the wedding service was successful!
Ring Vows
Pastor to Bride -- A ring is more than a symbol of your marriage. It is
a seal of the vow you have given to one another! The circle of the ring
is, as far as human eye can see, a perfect circle--with no beginning or
end--so God too has perfect love for you and wants you to love one another
in His grace--never, never ending. This ring is made of precious metal.
You also are precious in God's sight and now in the love of (groom) ___________.
When you are absent one from another, the presence of the ring reminds you
to be faithful to and to fulfill your vow to (groom) ___________.
Rings have historically been the sign of authority--used to seal documents
and proclamations, you now accept this authority in your life. (See memo
sheet for sealing statement.)
Pastor to Groom -- This ring is a seal of ____________'s vow to you. She
presents this to you as a token of her submission to you in Jesus Christ.
This is a symbol of leadership and privilege. God has placed you as the
head of the family. You must lead in worship, works and fellowship. As the
weaker vessel she depends upon you for strength.
Charge the couple to respond to the Scripture of 1 Peter 3 and Ephesians
5.
Pastor to Groom -- __________, are you now prepared to love (Bride)___________
as Christ loved the church, are you willing to love, cherish, provide, protect
her, in sickness and sorrow--joyfully, etc. according to the Word of God
will you cherish and love her as your wife until death separates you? (Answer
"I will).
Pastor to Bride -- ___________, are you prepared to be subject to (Groom)
___________ as described in the Word of God? As your husband will you respect
him, love him, etc. (Answer, "I will").
Prayer
Perhaps ask the best man to pray for the Groom and Maid of Honor to pray
for the Bride.
Pastor closes in prayer
Pronouncement
Wedding Ceremony
Example #3
Pastor -- _________, will you now speak your marriage vow to your wife,
__________?
Groom -- My ___________, I have prayed for you as my wife and as God has
truly answered my prayers, I praise and thank Him for His faithfulness for
I have delighted in knowing you and loving you. I look forward to being
your Christian husband for as long as we both shall live. I will love you
as Christ loved the church and died for her. I will love you during the
good times and the difficult times for we know the Lord is our Savior and
our guide. You shall always be my bride and I give myself to you this day.
I love you, ___________.
Pastor -- And ___________, will you now speak your marriage vow to your
husband, ___________?
Bride -- Dear ___________, I thank God for a man such as you, strong in
the faith of the Lord, loving the Word, I know that it has been the will
of God to bring us together to this day and I praise God for His goodness
to me in bringing you to my side. I will love you and will submit to you
as to the Lord. I give myself to you this day, I love you, ___________.
Ring Vows
Pastor to Groom -- __________, do you have a ring for ___________
Groom -- Yes, I do.
Pastor -- This ring is a circle symbolizing the never ending love that you
have pledged to ___________. Would you place the ring at this time on her
third finger, left hand, and repeat after me? As a pledge and in token of
the vows we have made, with this ring I thee wed. In the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Pastor to Bride -- ____________, do you have a ring for _______________?
Bride -- Yes, I do.
Pastor -- This ring is a circle symbolizing the never-ending love that you
have pledged to (Man), would you place the ring at the time on the third
finger of his left hand and repeat after me? As a pledge and in token of
the vows we have made, with this ring I thee wed. In the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Solo/Special Music
Dedication of Marriage to the Lord
Pastor -- You have exchanged your wedding vows and we come to the second
part of this marriage ceremony and that is the dedication of your marriage
and your newly formed family to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Man -- Your mother and I have taught you from the beginning of your life
about the Lord Jesus Christ and His love for you, His death and His resurrection.
We have instructed you in His Word and we know that you have given your
life to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Woman -- I know your parents as God fearing, Christ loving people. I know
they have taught you of Christ's Word and I know your testimony of your
own salvation and love for the Lord Jesus Christ. A marriage is more than
a union between two people, a man and a woman, who love each other, but
it is also a union of two families, the bride's family and the groom's family,
and your marriage establishes a relationship between the two families.
Parent -- We welcome you, __________, into our family and ___________'s
family welcomes you, _________, into their family. And because we are all
part of the family of God through the Lord Jesus Christ, I am asking you
now to dedicate your marriage and your future to the Lord. Will you please
repeat after me this vow:
Groom -- I do dedicate my marriage to ___________ to the Lord Jesus Christ
and I will raise my children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord according
to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ . . . in the name of the Father,
and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Prayer
Song
Benediction - Pastor
Pronouncement
Pastor -- As _________ and ___________ have consented together in holy wedlock
and witnessed it before God and this congregation and have vowed their love
to each other and dedicated their marriage to the Lord Jesus Christ, I now
pronounce that they are man and wife, in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Pastor -- Would you like to kiss your bride?
Introduction
I am very happy to introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. ___________ .
Lighting Candles
Uniting the families by Bride and Groom lighting candle from their candles.
Wedding Ceremony
Example #4
Introductory Remarks
We learn from the inspired record that the Lord Jesus honored the marriage
ceremony with His presence working there the beginning of His miracles.
These miracles indicate that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, the
Sovereign and the Creator of the universe, and the wedding ceremony was
the first used to demonstrate this glorious fact.
His purpose on earth was to "seek and to save that which was lost,"
As the scriptures declare, "God commended His love for us in that while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." The one who sanctifies the
marriage union is the Savior of the universe. And the scripture says, "neither
is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved." And therefore His invitation
to all who witness the wedding ceremony is to "come unto me all ye
that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.", "And
Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out."
The Bible, which is the Word of God declares marriage to be honorable. It
was ordained of God in the time of man's innocency, before he had sinned
against the Lord. Since marriage has always been a divine institution, it
is to be entered into soberly and discreetly, as in His sight.
God Himself united the first members of human family, which fact alone should
abolish all light and frivolous views of marriage. The bridegroom and bride
are partners in life, each forsaking mother and father to cleave unto the
other. They share a common name, a united household, a common experience,
and a love which blesses and transcends all the cares and trials of life.
The mathematics of love--Add and multiply joys while subtracting and dividing
the sorrows.
___________ and ___________ You now have common interests and occupations.
You've become co-workers for common ends. You hold property and possessions
in common, and you have essentially one history and one destiny. Inscribed
in the Word of God is the counsel you will need for this mutual and blessed
relationship. The vows are to be broken only by death.
In token of having chosen each other as partners for life, you may now join
your right hands.
Wedding Vows
Pastor to Groom -- Do you, ___________, take ___________ whom you hold by
the right hand to be your lawful and wedded wife?
Groom -- I do.
Pastor to Groom -- Do you promise to love, to cherish, to honor to protect,
forsaking all others, in sickness as well as in health. In adversity as
well as in prosperity. For better or for worse, and to cleave only to her
so long as you both shall live?
Groom -- I do.
Pastor to Bride -- Do you, ___________, take ___________ to be your lawful
and wedded husband?
Bride -- I do.
Pastor to Bride -- Do you promise to love, to cherish, to honor, to obey,
forsaking all others, in sickness as well as in health, in adversity as
well as in prosperity, for better or for worse, and to cleave only to him
so long as you both shall live?
Bride -- I do.
Giving away of Bride
Pastor -- Who giveth ___________ to be married to ___________ ?
Bride's Father -- Her mother and I.
Ring Vows
Pastor to Groom -- ___________, What token do you give to show that you
will faithfully perform these vows?
Groom -- A ring.
Pastor -- The circle which forms this ring is the emblem of eternity, and
the beautiful metal out of which it is wrought is the type of that which
is least tarnished and most enduring. It is to show how lasting and imperishable,
the faith now mutually pledged. You will place this ring on ___________
's finger and repeat after me . . . "WITH THIS RING . . . I PLEDGE
MYSELF TO THEE . . . WITH ALL THE AFFECTIONS OF MY HEART . . . SO LONG AS
WE BOTH SHALL LIVE."
Pastor to Bride -- And, ___________, what token do you give to show that
you will faithfully perform these vows?
Bride -- A ring.
Pastor -- Please place your ring on your Groom's finger and repeat after
me. "WITH THIS RING I PLEDGE MYSELF TO THEE . . . WITH ALL THE AFFECTIONS
OF MY HEART..SO LONG AS WE BOTH SHALL LIVE."
Prayer
Let us unite in Prayer. We thank Thee, heavenly Father, for this home that
is now called into existence, and we ask Thy blessings upon ___________
and ___________ all the days of their lives. That as unite into one family,
they might glorify thee. That they might serve Thee acceptably, and that
their lives together, might present the glorious truth of God's Word--the
union of Christ and the Church. Bless them to this end, for we ask it in
the name of the Kind of Kings and Lord of Lords, even Jesus Christ our Savior,
Amen.
Pronouncement
The scripture declares love is forbearing and kind; love knows no jealously,
love does not brag, is not conceited. She is not unmannerly, nor selfish,
nor irritable, nor mindful of wrongs. She does not rejoice in injustice,
but joyfully sides with the truth. She can overlook faults. She is full
of trust; full of hope; full of endurance. Love never fails.
Having heard the pledges of your affection, and the vows of your fidelity,
I do therefore by virtue of the authority invested in me by the laws of
the State of ___________, before God, whose grace to you is unmeasured,
and before these witnesses, pronounce you husband and wife, and what God
hath joined together, let no man put assunder.
Benediction
Embrace
Presentation of Bride and Groom
Ladies and Gentlemen; May I present to you Mr. and Mrs. _______________.
Recessional
Wedding Ceremony
Example 5
Opening prayer
Opening remarks
Friends, we have been invited here today to share with ___________ and ___________
a most important moment in their lives. In the time they have been together
their love and understanding of each other has grown and matured. Now they
have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife.
Parents and people are seated
We have been invited to hear ___________ and ___________ as they promise
to face the future together, accepting whatever may lie ahead. For the world
that God has created for them, with its beauty and grace that is all around,
with the strength that it offers and the peace that it brings, makes them
truly grateful.
___________ and ___________, nothing is easier than saying words and nothing
harder than living them day after day. What you promise today must be renewed
and redecided tomorrow. At the end of this ceremony legally you will be
man and wife, but you still must decide each day that stretches out before
you, that you want to be married.
Real love is something beyond the warmth and glow, the excitement and romance
of being deeply in love. It is caring as much about the welfare and happiness
of your marriage partner as about your own. But real love is not total absorption
in each other; it is looking outward in the same direction --together. Love
makes burdens lighter, because you divide them. It make joys more intense
because you share them. It makes you stronger so you can reach out and become
involved with life in ways you dared not risk alone.
Both sets of parents stand
Pastor -- Who brings ___________ to stand beside ___________ ?
Bride's parents -- We do.
Pastor to both sets of parents -- Parents, are you willing, now and always
to support and strengthen this marriage by upholding both ___________ and
___________ with your love and concern?
Both sets of parents respond -- We are.
Pastor -- Then you, you may be seated.
Wedding Vows
Pastor to Groom -- ___________, will you take ___________ to be your wife?
Will you love and respect her? Will you be honest with her always? Will
you stand by her through whatever may come? Will you make whatever adjustments
are necessary so that you can genuinely share your life with her?
Groom -- I will.
Pastor to Bride -- ___________ will you take ___________ to be your husband?
Will you be honest with him always? Will you stand by him through whatever
may come? Will you make whatever adjustments are necessary so that you can
genuinely share your life with him?
Bride -- I will.
Ring Vows
Pastor to Groom -- ___________, what token do you give of the vows you have
made?
Groom -- A ring. (Groom repeats his ring vows and places ring on bride's
finger.)
Pastor to Bride -- ___________, what token do you give of the vows you have
made?
Bride -- A ring. (Bride repeats her ring vows and places ring on groom's
finger.)
Pastor:___________ and ___________ ,we have heard you promise to share your
lives in marriage. We recognize and respect the covenant you have made.
It is not a minister standing before you that makes your marriage real,
but the honest and sincerity of what you have said and done here before
your friends and relatives in the sight of God.
Pronouncement
Forasmuch as ___________ and ___________ have consented together in holy
wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, by the
authority committed unto me as a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
I declare that ___________ and ___________ are now husband and wife, according
to the ordinance of God and the law of the State of Washington: in the name
of the Father, and the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Whom therefore
God hath joined together, let no man put assunder.
Embrace
Now the ceremony is over and the experience of living day by day as married
people is about to begin. Go forth to meet it, gladly, love life so it will
love you. May blessings of God be with you.
Introduction
I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. ___________
Recessional
Wedding Ceremony
Example 6
(Involving children of Bride and Groom)
Preliminaries
Bride's children come down the aisle and face rear of chapel, standing on
left side.
Groom's children come down the aisle and stand on right side, facing rear
of chapel.
Groom and Pastor enter, down the aisle, and stand in the center, facing
the rear.
Bride enters with escort
Escort sits down after they reach the front.
Wedding party assembles, facing front.
Pastor moves up on platform.
Introductory Remarks and Welcome
Introduce Families
As we share in this wedding ceremony, it is well that we remember that in
the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, He concluded,
"It is not good for man to be alone." So, He created woman to
share in man's life--to assist in man's striving--to satisfy man's need.
He also created the woman to be loved, honored and appreciated by man.
This is marriage, and it is for the purpose of joining ___________ and ___________
in marriage that we have come together today. The marriage of two Christians
is viewed by God as an occasion of great joy since it marks the beginning
of a relationship that is second only to our personal relationship with
the Lord Himself. BUT IT IS ONLY THROUGH CHRIST that marriage becomes what
God intends it to be. Let us acknowledge His place in this ceremony and
see His blessing on this union.
Prayer
Giving Away of Bride
Pastor -- Who presents ___________ to be joined in marriage to ___________
?
Escort -- "I do."
Wedding Vows
The essence of any marriage relationship is love. Much of what we call love
is really self-centered response, which will never form an adequate foundation
for marriage. Love, by its very nature, is active and giving, not self-oriented
and self-serving.
Jesus Christ is the true example of love, and He has commanded us to love
each other as He loves us. And how does He love us? First, He gives all
for our sake, without hesitation or concern for Himself. In other words,
love puts the needs of the one loved ahead of the needs and desires of the
lover.
Next, from Christ's example, we see that love shares all. There are no secret
compartments, no hidden rooms, no locked closets in a successful love relationship.
There is only openness and, as a result, trust, when husband and wife truly
love each other.
Finally, the Lord Jesus teaches us that love provides all. It provides security,
it seeks to develop ability, and it shares the common purpose of obtaining
what is best for the one loved. Such love is not merely impossible, it is
supernatural. ONLY JESUS CHRIST can love this way, and we can only love
this way if we submit to Him and depend on His Spirit to love through us.
Therefore, as marriage partners, you must continually allow Christ to exercise
His Lordship in your lives because He, and His indwelling Spirit, will enable
you to be a proper husband and good wife. Earlier I said that the essence
of any marriage relationship is love, but when we understand what love really
is, we must recognize that the essence of any marriage relationship is our
spiritual relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, because without Him there
is no real love.
The Apostle Paul gives us an additional description of love in God's Word:
"This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience; it looks for
a way of being constructive. It is not possessive; it is neither anxious
to impress, nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. Love
has good manners, and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy.
It does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people.
On the contrary, it is glad with all men when truth prevails. Love knows
no limit to its endurance; no end to its hope. It can outlast anything.
It is, in fact, the only thing that still stands when all else has fallen."
(I Corinthians 13)
Pastor to Bride -- We must also realize that marriage is designed to be
a picture of Christ and His relationship with those who believe in Him.
In this picture, you ___________, as you give yourself in submission and
dependence to ____________, portray the role of the Christian who also gives
himself in submission and dependence to Christ.
Pastor to Groom -- On the other hand ___________, as you love and keep ___________
, you portray the love of the Lord Jesus as He expressed it toward the Christian.
In view of this picture, there are specific instructions to both husbands
and wives.
Pastor to Bride -- To the wife God says, "Wives, be subject to your
own husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife as
Christ is the Head of the church.." ___________, this is the command
of God in His Word and is designed to make your marriage relationship a
thing of beauty and joy. So, in acceptance of this principle of God's Word,
do you now commit yourself to ____________, to be his wife, to join your
lives together in living, permanent union as Christ is to His church?
Bride -- "I do."
Pastor to Bride -- Then repeat after me: "I commit myself to you ___________,
before God, to be your faithful and loving wife for all the years of our
earthly life, to cherish our relationship in Christ and God's order for
the family."
Pastor to Groom -- __________, the command of God to husbands is, "Husbands,
love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave His own life for it."
Loving as Christ loved is the key to the enjoyment of all that God designed
marriage to be. Without His love the fullness you seek will turn into emptiness,
the satisfaction into dissatisfaction. Therefore, do you willing express
your desire and intent to fulfill God's command to husbands, counting on
the enabling ministry of the Spirit of God, and do you now commit yourself
to ___________ to be her husband?
Groom -- "I do."
Pastor to Groom -- Then repeat after me: "I do commit myself to you,
__________, before God, to be your faithful and loving husband for all the
years of our earthly life, to seek to love you even as Christ loves the
church which is His bride."
Prayer
Ring Vows
As you exchange rings let them be to each of you a constant reminder of
these commitments you have made.
Pastor to Bride -- Please repeat these words after me: "I give you
this ring, ___________ , as a symbol of my love, and with it pledge my loyalty
and devotion as long as we both shall live."
Pastor to Groom -- Please repeat these words after me: "I give you
this ring, ___________ , as a symbol of my love, and with it pledge my loyalty
and devotion as long as we both shall live."
Exchange Kiss
Wedding Ceremony
Example 7
Opening Remarks
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God, and in the presence
of this company, to unite ___________ and ___________ in holy matrimony.
Marriage was ordained by God in Eden and confirmed in Cana of Galilee by
the presence of the Lord Himself, and is declared by the inspired Apostle
Paul to be honorable among all men. It is therefore, not to be entered into
unadvisedly or lightly; but reverently, soberly and in the fear of God.
It is fitting, therefore, that we should on this occasion, begin by asking
God's blessing on this marriage service. Let us pray.
Presentation of Bride
Pastor -- Who gives this woman to be married to this man?
Bride's Father -- Her mother and I do.
To the Congregation
Marriage is a joyous occasion. It is connected in our thoughts with the
magic charm of home, and with all that is pleasant and attractive as being
one of the most important events of our lives. It its sacredness and unity
it is like the mystical relation between Christ and His Church and is therefore
the most significant and binding covenant known in human relations.
From the Story of Creation in the book of Genesis: For God created man in
His own image . . . then the Lord formed man of dust from the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being
. . then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be
alone; I will make a helper fit for him" . . . So the Lord God caused
a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs,
and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib which the Lord God had taken
from the man He made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man
said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh: she
shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Therefore
a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they
become one flesh.
Again, let us hear the Word of God from the New Testament, the writings
of Paul: "Live life then with a due sense of responsibility, not as
men who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do.
Make the best use of your time, despite all the difficulties of these days.
Don't be vague but firmly grasp what you know to be the will of our Lord.
Thank God at all times for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And 'fit in with' each other, because of your common reverence for Christ."
"You wives must remember to adapt yourselves to your husbands, as you
submit yourselves to the Lord, for the husband is the 'head' of the wife
in the same way that Christ is the Head of the Church and Savior of His
body . . . but remember, this means that the husband must give his wife
the same sort of love that Christ gave to the Church when He sacrificed
Himself for her . . .
In practice what I have said amounts to this: Let every one of you who is
a husband, love his wife as he loves himself, and let the wife honor and
love her husband."
To the Bride and Groom
It is your duty, ___________, to be to ___________ a considerate, tender,
faithful, loving husband: to support, guide and cherish her in prosperity
and trouble; to thoughtfully and carefully enlarge the place she holds in
your life; to constantly show to her the tokens of your affection, to shelter
her from danger, and to cherish for her a manly and unalterable affection,
it being the command of God's Word, that husbands love their wives, even
as Christ loved the Church and gave His own life for her.
It is your duty, ___________, to be to ___________ a considerate, tender,
faithful, loving wife; to counsel, comfort and cherish him in prosperity
and trouble; to give to him the unfailing evidences of your affection; to
study, as time passes to make the place he holds in your heart, broader
and deeper; to reverence and obey him, and to put on the ornament of a meek
and quiet spirit, which is, in God's sight, an ornament of great price.
His Word commanding that wives be subject unto their own husbands even as
the church is subject unto Christ, and forsaking all others to cling to
him with a love which fails not as long as you both shall live.
Let me charge you both to remember, that your future happiness is to be
found in mutual consideration, patience, kindness, confidence, and affection.
It is the duty of each to find the greatest joy in the company of the other;
to remember that in interest as in affection you are to be henceforth one
and undivided.
Wedding Vows
If you are ready to assume the obligations and duties before God, as I have
defined them, you will unite your hands and pledge your love and your lives
to each other.
Pastor -- Do you, ___________, standing in the presence of God and these
witnesses, solemnly pledge your faith to ___________ . Do you promise to
live with her according to God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony;
do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her, in sickness
and in health, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her, and
through God's grace to promise to be to her a faithful and devoted husband
as long as you both shall live?
Groom -- I do.
Ring Vows
Pastor to Groom -- ________ , have you a token of your love for ___________
?
(The best man hands the ring to the Minister.)
Pastor to Bride -- ________ , do you receive this ring in pledge of the
same on your part?
Bride -- I do. (Groom puts ring on bride's finger.)
Pastor to Bride -- ________ , have you a token of your love for ___________
?
(The maid of honor hands the ring to the minister.)
Pastor to Groom -- ________, do you receive this ring in pledge of the same
on your part?
Groom -- I do. (Bride puts ring on groom's finger.)
The wedding ring is the outward and the visible sign of an inward and spiritual
bond which unites two hearts in endless love. The circle, the emblem of
eternity; the gold, the type of what is least tarnished and most enduring--it
is to show how lasting and imperishable is the faith now pledged. Let the
ring, a fit token of that which is unending, continue to be to you both
a symbol of the value, the purity, and the constancy of true wedded love,
and the seal of the vows in which you have both pledged your most solemn
and sacred honor.
Pronouncement
By the authority committed unto me as a Minister of the Gospel of the Church
of Christ, I declare that ___________ and ___________ are now husband and
wife, according to the ordinance of God and the law of the State of ___________
, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Charge to newlyweds
Dear Ones, I strongly charge you both as husband and wife, to preserve sacredly
the privacies of your own home, your marriage state, and your heart. Remember
our Lord's urgent counsel: "What God hath joined together let not man
put assunder". Therefore, let no one ever presume to come between you,
or to share the joys or the sorrows that belong to you two alone.
Wedding Ceremony
Example 8
Introductory Remarks to Audience
(Philippians 2:1, 2, 5) If there is any encouragement in Christ, if there
is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if
any affection and compassion, make ___________ and ___________ more complete
by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit,
intent on one purpose. Have this attitude among yourselves which was also
in Christ Jesus.
Prayer
Father gives Bride away in traditional manner
Bridal party move up to altar
Wedding Vows
_________ and __________, our God of love has established marriage as the
symbol of Christ's perfect relationship to His body, the church. We have
come here to bring you as one before Him.
Pastor to Groom -- God has ordained the man as the spiritual head, as the
responsible provider, and as the initiator of love in this human relationship.
By His enablement, your strength must be (Bride's) protection, your character
her boast and pride, and you must so live that she will find in you the
haven for which the heart of a woman truly longs.
Pastor to Bride -- It is God's purpose that you be a loving wife, that you
respond to (Groom's) love in tenderness with a deep sense of understanding,
through a great faith in Christ who brought you together. It is His desire
that you have that inner beauty that never fades; that eternal youth that
is found in holding fast the things that never age.
Pastor to Bride and Groom -- Christian marriage is not living merely for
each other; it is two uniting and joining hands to serve God. Seek first
the kingdom of God and His righteousness and He will add all other things
to you.
___________ and ___________, you stand before us as individuals redeemed
through Jesus Christ. (Personalize) Is it your purpose to establish a home
that is truly Christ centered, where the Word of God is read and obeyed;
a home that is welded together by prayer, in which the Holy Spirit is your
constant guide?
Bride and Groom answer -- It is.
Pastor -- And now that your hearts are joined together in love, will you
please join your right hands.
Individual Vows
Pastor to Groom -- ___________ this woman whom you hold by the hand is to
be your wife. She has given you one of the most sacred things under heaven:
a woman's life and a woman's love. You may bring her great joy or cause
her great sorrow. It is not what you bring her in a material way that will
make happiness - riches without love are nothing. The gift without the giver
is bare. The practice of those virtues as a husband that you have shown
as a lover will keep her heart won to your heart. Do you vow here, as you
have promised ___________ that you will be true and loyal, patient in sickness,
comforting in sorrow, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto
her for so long as you both shall live?
Groom: I will.
Pastor to Bride -- ___________, this man whom you hold by the right hand
is to be your husband. On your life, your love, and devotion he will lean
for strength and inspiration. He is going to look to you for encouragement,
for cheerfulness and confidence. May your life and your love be the inspiration
that will constantly lead him to greater dependence upon our Lord Jesus
Christ. Do you vow here, as you have promised ___________ Groom, that you
will be loyal in adversity, ministering to him in affliction, comforting
him in sorrow, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only to him for so
long as you both shall live?
Bride -- I will.
Ring Vows
Pastor -- You may share your vows with each other.
Groom to Bride -- Give Ring
Bride to Groom -- Give Ring.
Scripture and Brief Comments
Prayer
Light large candle
Vocal Solo
Pronouncement
Benediction
Embrace
Introduction
Organ music begins
Recessional
Wedding Ceremony
Example 9
Challenge
From God's Holy Book we read these words: From the beginning of the creation
God made them male and female. And the Lord God said, "It isn't good
for man to be alone; I will make a companion for him, a helper suitable
to his needs. This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is
joined to his wife in such a way that the two become one spirit. You wives
must submit to your husbands' leadership in the same way you submit to the
Lord. For a husband is in charge of his wife in the same way Christ is in
charge of His body the church. (He gave his life to take care of it and
be its Savior!) So you wives must willingly obey your husbands in everything,
just as the church obeys Christ.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave
Himself for it. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He
that loveth his wife loveth himself. So again I say, a man must love his
wife as a part of himself; and the wife must see to it that she deeply respects
her husband reverencing, praising and honoring him.
You, ___________, (bride) and you, ___________ (groom), have come to me
signifying your desire to be formally united in marriage.
Wedding Vows
(Please join your right hands.)
Pastor -- ___________, in taking the woman whom you hold by the right hand
to be your lawful and wedded wife, I require you to promise to love and
cherish her, to honor and sustain her, in sickness and in health, in poverty
as in wealth, in bad that may darken your days, in the good that may lighten
your ways, and to be true to her in all things until death alone shall part
you. Do you so promise?
Groom -- I do.
Pastor -- ___________, taking the man who holds you by the right hand to
be your lawful and wedded husband, I require you to promise to love and
cherish him, to honor and sustain him, in sickness and in health, in poverty
as in wealth, in the bad that may darken your days, in the good that may
lighten your ways, and to be true to him in all things until death alone
shall part you. Do you so promise?
Bride -- I do.
Pastor -- Again from God's Word. A new commandment I give unto you, that
you also love one another. Love is very patient and kind, never jealous
or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love
does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not
hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. It is
never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out. If you
love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will
always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your
ground in defending him. Love never fails, for love is of God. And now abides
faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love.
Ring Vows
Pastor to Groom -- What pledge do you give of the sincerity of your vows?
Groom -- A ring.
Pastor to Bride -- ___________, do you accept this ring as a pledge of the
sincerity of his vows?
Bride -- I do.
Pastor to Groom -- THIS RING I THEE GIVE...IN TOKEN AND PLEDGE..OF MY CONSTANT
FAITH AND ABIDING LOVE.
Pastor to Bride -- ___________ what pledge do you give of the sincerity
of your vows?
Bride -- A ring.
Pastor to Groom -- ___________ do you accept this ring as a pledge of the
sincerity of her vows?
Groom -- I do.
Pastor to Bride -- THIS RING I THEE GIVE..IN TOKEN AND PLEDGE..OF MY CONSTANT
FAITH..AND ABIDING LOVE.
Pastor -- And may these rings given, be the outward and visible sign of
an inward and spiritual bond which unites your two hearts in love that has
no end.
Light Memory Candle.
Kneel, prayer, solo
Pronouncement
Pastor -- Having pledged your faith in, and love to each other, and having
sealed your solemn marital vows by giving and receiving the rings, acting
in the authority vested in me by the laws of this state, and looking to
heaven for divine sanction, I pronounce you husband and wife in the presence
of God and these assembled witnesses. What God has joined together, let
not man put asunder.
And now may the God of peace prosper and bless your new relationship, and
may the grace of Jesus Christ abound unto you now and forevermore.
You may kiss the Bride.
Introduction
And now it is my happy privilege to congratulate and introduce to you Mr.
& Mrs. ___________
Solo
Recessional
Wedding Ceremony
Example 10
Introductory Remarks
We have come together at the invitation of (bride) ___________ and (groom)
___________ to celebrate the uniting in Christian love, their hearts and
lives. This is possible because of the love God has created in them, through
Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life and that they might
have it more abundantly." This abundant life, for many people, is an
impossible dream, yet God wants us all to have this abundant life and proved
His love for us by giving His Son, that we might have this life.
Another way that God provides for this "full" life is creating
those who will love us. (Groom) ___________ has found such a one in (bride)
___________ hearts and spirits were drawn together before today by the Lord
of all creation. Two lives are not united by ceremony, but only in the power,
love, and grace of God.
(Groom) ___________ and (Bride) ___________ are here to publicly declare
that because of Jesus Christ's love, they too can truly love one another.
As God demonstrated His love in Jesus, our Lord, (Groom) ___________ and
(Bride) ___________ will demonstrate this God given love by giving themselves
to one another and one for the other.
They have not reached this place alone, each has been given life by their
parents. These, who gave to them life love, provision, are and will be,
a vital part in their continued lives. Their love has borne fruit in (Groom)
___________ and (Bride) . Love and respect for these will continue as they
grow in their own love made possible by their parents.
Giving Away of Bride
Who then has prepared this woman for marriage to this man?
Father replies -- "Her Mother and I."
(Bride, Groom, Best Man, Matron of Honor, Pastor, all move up the stairs,
front of pulpit area.)
Wedding Vows
Pastor to Bride and Groom -- ___________ and ___________ , no other human
ties are more tender, no other vows are more sacred than these you are about
to assume. You are entering into that holy estate which is the deepest mystery
of experience, and which is the very sacrament of divine love.
Pastor to Groom: ___________, will you have ___________, to be your wedded
wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony;
will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health,
and forsaking all others, keep yourself only for her so long as you both
shall live?
Groom -- "I will."
Pastor to Bride -- ___________ , will you have __________ to be your wedded
husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony;
will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health,
and forsaking all others, keep yourself only for him so long as you both
shall live?
Bride -- "I will."
(Pastor can say a few words before vows.)
Pastor - (have Groom take Bride by her right hand)
Pastor asks groom to repeat his vows to his bride.
Pastor asks bride to repeat her vows to her husband.
Ring Vows
Pastor to Groom -- ___________, what symbol do you bring as a pledge of
that sincerity of your vows?
Groom -- "A ring."
Pastor to Bride -- Please remember, a ring is more than a symbol of your
marriage. It is a seal of the vow you have made to one another. The circle
of the ring is, as far as human eye can see, a perfect circle--with no beginning
or end--so God too, has perfect love for you and wants you to love one another
in His grace--never, never ending. This ring is made of precious metal.
You also are precious in God's sight and now in the life of (Groom) ___________
. When you are absent one from another, the presence of the ring reminds
you to be faithful and to fulfill your vows to (Groom) ___________.
Rings have historically been the sign of authority--used to seal documents
and proclamations, you now accept this authority in your life.
Pastor to Groom -- You may now place your ring on your Bride's finger.
Pastor to Bride -- _____________, what symbol do you bring as a pledge of
that sincerity of your vows?
Bride -- "A ring."
Pastor to Groom -- ___________, this ring is a seal of ___________ vow to
you. She presents this to you as a token of her submission to you in Jesus
Christ. This is a symbol of leadership and privilege. God has placed you
as head of the family. You must lead in worship, works and fellowship. As
the weaker vessel she depends upon you for strength.
Pastor to Bride -- You may now place your ring on your Bride's finger.
Pronouncement
For as much as (Groom) ___________ and (Bride) ___________ have consented
in holy wedlock, and have thereto confirmed the same by giving and receiving
each one a ring; by the authority committed unto me as a minister of the
Church of Jesus Christ, I now declare you husband and wife, according to
the ordinance of God, and the laws of the state of ___________; in the name
of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Prayer
Solo
Candle Lighting Ceremony
Groom helps Bride up and goes to top of alter
Pastor -- The two outside candles have been lighted by the parents to represent
(Groom's) ___________ and (Bride's) ___________ lives to this moment. They
are two distinct lights, each capable of going their separate ways. To bring
bliss and happiness to (Groom's) ___________ and (Bride's) ___________ home,
there must be a merging of these two lights into one light. This is what
the Lord meant when He said, "On this account, a man shall leave his
father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall be one flesh."
From now on their thoughts shall be for each other rather than for their
individual selves. Their plans shall be mutual, their joys and sorrows shall
be shared alike. As they take a candle and together light the center one,
they will extinguish their own candles, thus letting the center candle represent
the union of their lives into one flesh. As this one light cannot be divided,
neither shall their lies be divided but a united testimony in a Christian
home. May ;the radiance of this one light be a testimony of their unity
in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Pronouncement
Presentation
Embrace
Benediction
Introduction
Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you Mr. & Mrs. ___________
Recessional
Wedding Ceremony
Example 11
Opening Remarks
Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together here in the presence of God and
this company to join (Groom ___________ and (Bride) ___________ in the holy
bonds of matrimony. Marriage is an institution ordained of God when man's
estate was that of innocence and supreme happiness. God prepared a perfect
home for Adam and placed him in the midst of a beautiful garden rich in
earth's choicest fruits. He gave him blessed employment, free from anxiety
and toil, in caring for the garden. At first man was alone, having no human
associate and helper. Birds and beasts and all the living creatures of earth
could not bring him satisfaction. God is pictured as noting man's incompleteness
and lack of perfect happiness apart from woman. Now follows the beautiful
story of the forming of woman from the side of man. Let us not forget the
great lessons God would teach by this story. Let us look at the proper relation
between husband and wife, "that she was not made out of his head to
rule over him; nor out of his feet to be trampled on by him; but out of
his side to be equal with him; under his arm to be protected; and near his
heart to be beloved." When God made woman He made her to be man's helper
and companion. "I will make for him a help, as his counter-part,"
said God. What nobler mission could woman desire than this? God's thought
about marriage is the union of one man and one woman in perpetual wedlock.
We would naturally infer from our Savior's presence and the part He played
at the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee, that he considered the act of
matrimony well worth His own recognition; but when He selected the tie that
binds husband an wife as a fit emblem of His relationship to His own ransomed
church He broadened and deepened its significance until there is no tie
on earth so binding and none so sacred, as that which binds men and women
in the holy bonds of matrimony. Such a relationship then, should not be
entered into thoughtlessly, insincerely or indiscreetly, but advisedly,
thoughtfully, and in fear of God.
Presentation
Will the parents of the Bride and Groom please stand?
Pastor to Bride's Parents -- Who is bringing (Bride) ___________ to be joined
in holy matrimony to (Groom) ___________ ?
Brides Parents -- We are.
Pastor to Groom's Parents -- Who is bringing (Groom) ___________ to be joined
in holy matrimony to (Bride) ___________?
Groom's Parents -- We are.
Pastor to Parents -- Are you willing now and always to support and strengthen
this marriage by upholding both (Bride) ___________ (Groom) ___________
with your love, your concern, your counsel, and your prayers?
Both Sets of Parents -- We are.
Pastor -- Thank you, you may be seated.
Wedding Vows
If therefore, it be your desire to be united in this holy bond, will you
signify that fact by joining your right hands.
Pastor to Groom -- Do you ___________, take this woman whose hand you now
hold, to be your true and wedded wife; and do you solemnly promise before
God and these witnesses to LOVE, CHERISH, HONOR AND PROTECT HER: to forsake
all others for her sake; to cleave unto her, and her only, until death shall
part you?
Groom -- I do.
Pastor to Bride -- Do you ___________, take this man who now holds your
hand, to be your true and wedded husband; and do you solemnly promise before
God and these witnesses to LOVE, CHERISH, HONOR AND PROTECT HIM, to forsake
all others for his sake; to cleave unto him and him only, and him forever
until death shall part you?
Bride -- I do.
Pastor to Groom -- ___________, REPEAT AFTER ME: I, ___________ , take thee,
(Bride) __________ be my wedded wife . . . to have and to hold...from this
day forward . . . for better or worse . . . for richer, for poorer.. in
sickness and in health . . . 'till death do us part . . . and thereto I
plight my troth. (or pledge my faithfulness)
Pastor to Bride -- ___________ REPEAT AFTER ME: I, ___________, take thee,
(groom) __________ to be my wedded husband . . to have and to hold.. from
this day forward . . . for better, for worse . . . or richer, for poorer
. . . in sickness and in health . . . 'till death do us part . . . and thereto
I plight you my troth. (or pledge my faithfulness)
Solo
Prayer
Dear ones, may I invite you to kneel as you commit your lives to God in
prayer. (Bride and groom may pray)
Pastor Prays
Ring Vows
Pastor to Groom -- ___________ what pledge do you give to (Bride) ___________
Groom -- A ring.
Pastor to Groom -- And this Ring, do you give to (Bride) _______ as a sign
and seal of the endless affection with which you will cherish her, and the
unbroken fidelity with which you will perform to her the vows of a husband?
Do you?
Groom -- I do.
Pastor to Groom -- _____________, As you place this ring on (Bride's) ___________
please repeat after me. WITH THIS RING I THEE WED; AND WITH ALL MY WORLDLY
GOODS, I THEE ENDOW . . .
Pastor to Bride -- ___________, what pledge to you give (Groom) ___________?
Bride -- A ring.
Pastor to Bride -- And this ring, do you give to him as a sign and seal
of the endless affection with which you will cherish him, and the unbroken
fidelity with which you will perform to him the vows of a wife? Do you?
Bride answers -- I do.
Pastor to Bride -- ___________, as you place this ring on (Groom's) _________
finger, please repeat after me, WITH THIS RING I THEE WED: AND WITH ALL
MY WORLDLY GOODS, I THEE ENDOW . . .
Prayer sealing the Rings
Pronouncement
In consideration of these solemn and sacred pledges, I am authorized by
the laws of the state of __________ in your marriage license and by the
laws of God in His Holy Word, to pronounce you husband and wife. As I do
this, let me remind you that henceforth you are one; one in interest, one
in reputation and above all else one in affection. What God HATH JOINED
TOGETHER, LET NO MAN PART ASUNDER.
Prayer (Kneeling)
Benediction
Embrace
Presentation
May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. ___________
Recessional
Wedding Ceremony
Example 12
Opening Remarks
Dearly Beloved, we are assembled here in the presence of God, to join ___________
and ___________ , in holy marriage; which is instituted of God, regulated
by His commandments, blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ, and to be hold in
honor among all men. Let us therefore reverently remember that God has established
and sanctified marriage, for the welfare and happiness of mankind. Our Savior
has declared that a man shall leave his father and his mother and cleave
unto his wife.
By His apostles, He has instructed those who enter into this relation to
cherish a mutual esteem and love; to bear with each other's infirmities
and weaknesses; and to comfort each other in sickness, trouble, and sorrow;
in honesty and industry to provide for each other, and for their household,
in temporal things; to pray for and encourage each other in things which
pertain to God; and to live together as the heirs of the grace of life.
Prayer
Giving away of bride
Pastor -- Who gives ___________ to be married to ___________ ?
Father of the Bride -- Her mother and I do.
Pastor -- No other human ties are more tender, no other vows are more sacred
than these you are about to assume. You are entering into the holy estate
which is the deepest mystery of experience, and which is the very sacrament
of divine love.
Pastor to Groom -- ___________, will you have ___________ to be your wedded
wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony;
will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health,
and forsaking all others keep yourself only for her so long as you both
shall live?
Groom -- I will.
Pastor to Bride -- ___________, will you have ___________ to be your wedded
husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony;
will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health,
and forsaking all others, keep yourself only for him so long as you both
shall live?
Bride -- I will.
Wedding Vows
Pastor -- ___________, will you repeat your vows?
Groom repeats vows.
Pastor -- ___________, will you repeat your vows?
Bride repeats vows.
Ring Vows
Pastor to groom -- ___________, what token do you give of the vows you have
made?
Groom -- This ring
Pastor -- Bless this ring, O Lord, that he who gives it and she who wears
it may abide in Thy peace, and continue in Thy favor, unto their life's
end; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Groom to Bride -- ___________ I give you this ring as a pledge of the sincerity
of my vows. (Groom places ring on bride's finger.)
Pastor to Bride -- ___________, what token do you give of the vows you have
made?
Bride -- This ring.
Pastor -- Bless this ring, O Lord, that she who gives it and he who wears
it may abide in your peace, and continue in your favor, until their life's
end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Bride to Groom -- ___________ I give you this ring as a pledge of the sincerity
of my vows. (Bride places ring on groom's finger.)
Pastor -- The Soul of marriage can be a trusting place where two people
can come together from the struggles of the world and feel safe, accepted,
and loved . . . or it can be a battleground where two egos are locked in
a lifelong struggle for supremacy, a battle which is for the most part invisible
to the rest of the world. If you are to have the first in your marriage
you must work toward it by cultivating your mutual interests and aspirations.
Pronouncement
Pastor -- Forasmuch as ___________ and ___________ have consented together
in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company,
by the authority committed unto me as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, I declare that ___________ and ___________ are now Husband and Wife,
according to the ordinance of God, and the law of the State of Washington:
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
(Pastor asks bride and groom join right hands) Whom therefore God hath joined
together, let no man put assunder.
Pastor -- The Lord bless you, and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine
upon you, and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon
you, and give you peace: both now and in the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayer/Song
Embrace
Introduction
And now it is my happy privilege to congratulate and introduce to you Mr.
and Mrs. _________. I further charge you as a Christian man and woman, to
invite Jesus Christ to take His rightful place as Lord of your lives, individually
and together. You are not to live selfishly as single persons do, protecting
their own rights, making their own plans, but rather the Apostle tells us
"Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ," and truly,
the more each of you loves Jesus Christ, the richer will be your love for
one another. He tells us what that love is like with the words from I Cor.
13:4-8a.
"Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not
arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable
or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love
bears all thing, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails."
Benediction
Recessional
Wedding Ceremony
Example 13
Introductory remarks
Friends, we come together in this holy place to share with ___________ and
___________ a most important moment in their lives. Marriage was instituted
by God in the Garden of Eden when He saw that it was not good for man to
be alone. Christ beautified marriage with His presence in Cana of Galilee
when He wrought His first miracle. It is commended by the Apostle Paul who
likened it to the holy union which exists between Christ and His Church,
in which our Lord Jesus is called the Bridegroom and His Church, the Bride.
Prayer
Opening Remarks
We have been invited to hear ___________ and ___________ promise to face
the future together as husband and wife. __________ and _________, you must
recognize that this covenant is more than a legal contract. This is a bond
of union made in heaven. It is to be entered into with reverence. You are
about to assume mutual relationships and responsibilities and to promise
undying devotions. Nothing is easier than saying words, nothing harder than
living them day by day.
Love between a Christian man and wife means caring as much about the welfare
and happiness of your marriage partner as about yourself. You will be looking
in the same direction together. Burdens will be lighter because you divide
them. Joys will be more intense because you share them. No other human tie
is more tender, no other vows more sacred than these you are about to assume.
Now as you stand in the presence of God, you must remember the responsibilities
of a Christian man and wife.
Wedding Vows
Pastor to Groom -- ___________, you are to love ___________ as Christ loved
the Church. You are to be the head of your wife. You are to respect and
comfort her. Will you take ______ for your wife?
Groom -- I will.
Pastor to Bride -- ___________, your duty as a Christian wife is to submit
to ___________. You are to be his helpmate. You are to obey, serve, and
honor him. Will you this day take ___________ as your husband?
Bride -- I will.
Prayer
Giving away of Bride
Pastor -- Who is bringing ___________ to be united to ___________?
Father of the Bride -- Her mother and I.
Pastor to Bride's Parents -- Mr. and Mrs. ___________ are you willing now
and always to support and strengthen this marriage by upholding ___________
and ___________ with your concern?
Bride's Parents: We are.
Pastor to Groom's Parents: Mr. and Mrs. ___________ are you willing now
and always to support and strengthen this marriage by upholding ___________
and ___________ with your concern?
Groom's Parents: We are.
Ring Vows
Pastor -- ___________ and ___________, do you have tokens of the sincerity
of these vows?
Bride and Groom -- We do.
Pastor to Groom -- What token do you give of the vows you have made?
Groom -- This ring.
Pastor -- Bless this ring, O Lord, that he who gives it and she who wears
it may abide in Thy peace, and continue in Thy favor, unto their life's
end; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Groom to Bride -- ___________ I give you this ring as a pledge of the sincerity
of my vows. (Groom places ring on bride's finger.)
Pastor to Bride -- ___________, what token do you give of the vows you have
made?
Bride -- This ring.
Pastor -- Bless this ring, O Lord, that she who gives it and he who wears
it may abide in your peace, and continue in your favor, until their life's
end, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Bride to Groom -- ___________ I give you this ring as a pledge of the sincerity
of my vows. (Bride places ring on groom's finger.)
Pastor -- You, ___________ and ___________ have pledged your devotion to
each other. It is not these words that have made your marriage real, but
the God of love, who has welded your hearts together as one. He has said,
"For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be
joined unto his wife and the two shall become one flesh."
Kneel for Prayer
Solo
Pronouncement
Ministering in the name of the Lord Jesus, I now pronounce you husband and
wife. May Christ be the Head of your home. May He be the unseen Guest at
every meal, the Listener to every conversation. May Christ's love rule your
hearts and lives.
Benediction
Embrace
Introduction
Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you: Mr. and Mrs. ___________
Recessional
Wedding Ceremony
Example 14
Introductory Remarks
Dearly Beloved, we are assembled here in the presence of God to join this
man and this woman in holy marriage. Marriage is one of the oldest and most
sacred institutions of God. It was established in the garden of Eden, graced
by the personal presence of Christ at Cana of Galilee, likened by the Apostle
Paul to the mystical union which exists between Christ and the Church, and
is declared in Holy Scripture to be honorable before all men.
Our Savior has declared that a man shall forsake his father and mother and
cleave unto his wife. By His eternal Word, He has instructed those who enter
into this relation to cherish a mutual esteem and love; to bear with each
other's infirmities and weaknesses; to comfort each other in sickness, trouble,
and sorrow; in honesty and industry to provide for each other in the things
which pertain to God; and, to live together as the heirs of the grace of
life.
Giving away of Bride
Pastor -- Who giveth this woman in marriage?
The one giving away the bride replies
Ceremony
Listen to the words of Holy Scripture as recorded in Ephesians chapter five,
verse twenty-two through thirty- three.
Ephesians 5:22-33 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of
the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24 But as the church
is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in
everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the
church and gave Himself up for her; 26 that He might sanctify her, having
cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present
to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any
such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. 28 So husbands ought
also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife
loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and
cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members
of His body. 31 For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother,
and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This
mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.
33 Nevertheless let each individual among you also love his own wife even
as himself; and let the wife see to it that she respect her husband. (NASB)
Forasmuch as these two persons have come hither to be made one in this holy
estate, if there be any here present who knows any just cause why they may
not lawfully be joined in marriage, I require him now to make it known or
ever after hold his peace.
I charge both of you, before God, the Searcher of all hearts, and before
the Lord Jesus Christ, who shed His precious blood to redeem you from all
sin, that if either of you know any impediment why you may not lawfully
be joined together in marriage, you do now confess it. For, be well assured
that, if any persons are joined together otherwise than as God's Word allows,
their union is not blessed by Him.
Prayer
Wedding Vows
Pastor to Groom -- ___________, do you take ___________ whom you hold by
the hand to be your lawfully wedded wife, and do you covenant to be true
to her, to love, cherish, and protect her, in sickness and in health, in
poverty or in wealth, until death do you part?
Groom -- I do.
Pastor to Bride -- ___________, do you take ___________ whom you hold by
the hand to be your lawfully wedded husband, covenanting to be true to him,
to love, cherish, and honor him, in sickness and in health, in poverty or
in wealth, until death do you part?
Bride -- I do.
Ring Vows
Pastor: What token do you give in pledge that you will faithfully perform
these vows?
(Ring silently passed to the officiating minister.)
Pastor -- May this ring henceforth be the chaste and changeless symbol of
your evermore pure and unending affection.
(Officiating minister passes the ring to the groom who places it on the
finger of the bride.)
Pronouncement
Pastor -- As a minister of the gospel, and by the authority invested in
me by the State of __________, I pronounce you to be to each other, husband
and wife. Whom therefore God hath joined together, let no man put assunder.
Prayer of Commitment and Benediction
Embrace
Introduction of Bride and Groom
May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. __________.
Recessional
Wedding Ceremony
Example 15
Introduction
Friends, we have been invited here to share with __________ and __________
in a most important time in their lives. In the time they have been together,
their love for and understanding of each other has grown and matured. Now
they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife.
Would you bow with me as we ask the Lord's blessing on our time together
today?
Prayer
Our Father in heaven, Creator, Savior, and Designer of marriage, we turn
to you this afternoon, asking that you be glorified by what takes place.
That this ceremony would honor you, and reflect the seriousness of the vows
to be spoken. Might this service be a reminder to us who have spoken similar
vows to our spouses in the past. Might it be instructive to those yet considering
such a commitment in their future. Might this ceremony be a fitting beginning
for __________ and ___________ as they commit themselves before this company
to pursue a Christ-centered life together. We ask it in Jesus' name, Amen.
Thank you. You may be seated.
Giving Away of Bride
Pastor -- Who is giving this woman to be joined to this man?
Father of Bride -- Her mother and I are
Pastor -- Will the Bride's and Groom's Parents please stand?
Pastor to Bride's Parents -- _________and _________, are you willing, now
and always, to support and strengthen this marriage, by upholding both _________
and ____________, with your love, your concern, your counsel, and your prayers?
Bride's Parents -- We are.
Pastor to Groom's Parents -- _________ and _________, are you willing, now
and always, to support and strengthen this marriage, by upholding both ________
and __________ with your love, your concern, your counsel, and your prayers?
Groom's Parents -- We are.
Lighting Candles
As organ plays both mothers walk up to light two single candles
Wedding Vows
Bride and Groom approach pastor on platform
Our God of love has established marriage as the symbol of Christ's perfect
relationship to His Body, the Church. We have come to bring you as one before
Him.
Pastor to Groom -- _________, God has ordained the man as the spiritual
head, as the responsible provider, and as the initiator of love in this
human relationship. By His enablement, your strength must be your wife's
protection, your character her boast and pride, and you must so live that
she will find in you the haven for which the heart of a woman truly longs.
Pastor to Bride -- ___________, it is God's purpose that you be a loving
wife, that you respond to your husband's love in tenderness with a deep
sense of understanding, through a great faith in Christ who brought you
together. It is His desire that you have that inner beauty of soul that
never fades; that eternal youth that is found in holding fast the things
that never age.
Pastor to Couple -- Christian marriage is not living merely for each other;
it is two persons, uniting and joining hands to serve God. Seek His kingdom
first, and His righteousness, and He will add all other things to you. Do
not expect perfection from each other--that belongs solely to God. You need
not minimize each other's weaknesses, but always be swift to praise and
magnify each other's points of comeliness and strength, and see each other
through kind and patient eyes.
God will lead you into such situations as will bless you, and those which
will develop your character as you walk together. That's another way of
saying there will be difficult times you share as well. As you look to Him,
He will give you enough tears to keep you tender, enough hurts to keep you
compassionate, enough of failure to keep your hands clenched tightly in
His, and enough of success to make you certain that you do walk with Him.
May He remain the central figure in your relationship together. May you
never take each other's love for granted, but always experience that wonder
that exclaims "Out of all in this world, you have chosen me!"
When life is done, may you be found, then as now, hand in hand, still thanking
God for each other. May you ever serve Him happily, faithfully, together,
until Christ returns in Glory, or until at last one shall lay the other
to rest in the arms of the Savior. And all this, through the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Pastor to Groom -- __________, have you in the quiet hours of your companionship
considered what is your Christian duty as a husband?
Groom -- I have.
Pastor to Bride -- ___________, have you in the quiet hours of your companionship
considered what is your Christian duty as a wife?
Bride -- I have.
You both stand before us as children of God, redeemed by Jesus Christ through
your trust in Him, and His substitutionary death for your sin. Is it your
purpose to establish a home that is truly Christ-centered, where the Word
of God is read and obeyed; a home that is welded together by prayer, in
which the Holy Spirit is your constant Guide?
Bride and Groom -- It is.
Will you please, as an expression that your hearts are joined together in
love, now please join your hands.
Pastor to Groom -- _________, this woman whom you hold by the hand is to
be your wife. She has given you one of the most sacred things under heaven:
a woman's life, and a woman's love. You may bring her great joy or cause
her deep sorrow. It is not what you bring her in a material way that will
make true happiness--riches without love are nothing. The gift without the
giver is bare. The practice of those virtues as husband that you have shown
as lover, will keep her heart won to your heart.
Do you vow here, as you have promised ___________, that you will be true
and loyal, patient in sickness, comforting in sorrow, and forsaking all
others, keep yourself only unto her, so long as you both shall live?
Groom -- I do.
Pastor to Bride -- ___________, this man whom you hold by the hand is to
be your husband. Upon your life, your love, and your devotion he will lean
for strength and inspiration. He is going to look to you for encouragement,
for cheerfulness, and for confidence. No matter what the world may say or
think, people may forget him, lose confidence in him, or turn their backs
upon him, but you must not. May your life and love be the inspiration that
will constantly lead him to greater dependence upon our Lord. Do you vow
here, as you have promised __________, that you will be loyal in adversity,
ministering to him in affliction, comforting him in sorrow, and forsaking
all others, keeping yourself only unto him so long as you both shall live?
Bride -- I do.
Ring Vows
Pastor to Groom -- What token do you give as a pledge of the sincerity of
your vows?
Groom -- A ring.
Pastor to Bride -- What token do you give as a pledge of the sincerity of
your vows?
Bride -- A ring.
A ring is a fitting symbol to represent the covenant you are making today.
Not only are these made out of the finest of metals, reminding you of the
purity of your relationship. but they are also a circle, a line unending,
reminding you that your love, devotion, and commitment to one another are
to be unending. T
Pastor to Groom -- Would you repeat after me: I, _________, take you, _________,
to be my wife, before God who brought us together, to love and cherish you,
even as Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for it, to lead you, and
share all of life's experiences with you, by following God through them.
That through His grace we might grow together into the likeness of Jesus,
our Savior and Lord.
Pastor to Bride -- __________, would you repeat after me: I, ___________,
take you, __________, to be my wedded husband, before God who brought us
together, to love you and to cherish you, to submit myself to you in all
things, and to follow you through all of life's experiences as you follow
God, that through His grace we might grow together into the likeness of
Jesus, our Savior and Lord.
Lighting Unity Candle
The two outside candles on the table have been lighted to represent your
lives up to this moment. They are two distinct lights, each capable of going
their separate ways. To bring the happiness God designed for your home,
there must be the merging of these two lights into one light. This is what
the Lord meant when He said, "On this account a man shall leave his
father and mother, and be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh."
From now on, your thoughts shall be for each other, rather than for your
individual selves. Your plans shall be mutual, your joys and sorrows shall
be shared. As you each take a candle, and together light the center one,
and extinguish your own candles, you will be letting the center candle represent
the union of your lives into one flesh. As this one light cannot be divided,
neither shall your lives be divided, but a united testimony in a Christian
home. May the radiance of this one light be a testimony of your unity in
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Bride and Groom each take candle and light unity candle.
Bride and Groom kneel.
Solo
Prayer
Stand following, facing and joining hands
Pronouncement
In as much as you have each pledged to the other your lifelong commitment,
love, and devotion, by the authority committed to me as a minister of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ, and according to the laws of the State of ______________,
I now declare you to be husband and wife, in the name of the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
And what God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.
Kiss
Introduction
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to be the first to introduce to
you, Mr. and Mrs. _____________.
Wedding Ceremony
Example 16
Introductory Remarks
Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God and in the presence
of these witnesses, to join ___________ and ___________ in holy matrimony,
which is an honorable estate, instituted of God in the time of man's innocency,
signifying to us the mystical union which is between Christ and His Church.
Which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with His presence at the
first miracle which He wrought in Cana of Galilee; and is commended of the
Apostle Paul to be honorable among all men, and is therefore not to be entered
into lightly or inadvisably, but reverently, discreetly, and in the fear
of God.
Into which holy estate ___________ and ___________ come now to be joined
and to unite two hearts and lives, blending all interest, sympathies, and
hopes. I charge and entreat you, therefore, in entering upon and sustaining
this hallowed union, to seek the favor and blessing of Him whose favor is
life, whose blessing maketh rich and addeth no sorrow. Let us now seek His
blessing.
Prayer
Our Heavenly Father, we beseech Thee to come by Thy grace to this marriage.
Give to these who marry a due sense of the obligations they are now to assume,
so that with true intent, and with utter unreserve of love, they may plight
their troth, and be henceforth helps, meet for each other while they journey
through life. This we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
Giving away of Bride
Pastor -- Who is giving ___________ in Holy Matrimony to ___________ ?
Father of the Bride -- I do.
Pastor -- I charge you both as you stand in the presence of God, to remember
that true love and loyalty alone will avail as the foundation of a happy
home. If the solemn vows you are about to make be kept inviolate, and if
you steadfastly endeavor to do the will of your heavenly Father, your lives
will be full of joy, and the home you are about to establish will abide
in peace.
No other human ties are more tender, no other vows are more sacred than
those you are about to assume. You are entering into the holy estate which
is the deepest mystery of experience, and which is the very sacrament of
divine love.
Wedding Vows
Pastor to Groom -- ___________, will you have ___________ to be your wedded
wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony;
will you love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in
health, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her, so long as
you both shall live?
Groom -- I will.
Pastor to Bride -- ___________, will you have ___________ to be your wedded
husband to live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony;
will you submit to him, serve him, love, honor, and keep him, in sickness
and in health, and, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him, so
long as you both shall live?
Bride -- I will.
Ring Vows
Pastor to Groom -- What pledge do you give of the sincerity of your vows?
Groom -- A ring.
Pastor to Bride -- Do you accept this ring as a pledge of the sincerity
of ________'s vows?
Bride -- I do.
Groom -- WITH THIS RING I THEE WED. AND WITH ALL MY WORLDLY GOODS I THEE
ENDOW. IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER., AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,
AMEN.
And may this circlet of pure gold which has no end, be henceforth the chaste
and changeless symbol of your evermore pure and changeless affection.
Pastor to Bride -- What pledge do you give of the sincerity of your vows?
Bride -- A ring.
Pastor to Groom -- _________, to you accept this ring as a pledge of the
sincerity of _______'s vows?
Groom -- I do.
Bride -- THIS RING I GIVE YOU...IN TOKEN AND PLEDGE..OF MY CONSTANT FAITHFULNESS
AND ABIDING LOVE.
Pastor -- And may this ring given, be the outward and visible sign of an
inward and spiritual bond which unites your two hearts in love that has
no end.
Forasmuch as ___________ and ___________ have consented in holy wedlock,
and have thereto confirmed the same by giving and receiving each one a ring;
by the authority committed unto me as a minister of the Church of Jesus
Christ, I now declare you husband and wife according to the ordinance of
God, and the laws of the State of ____________, in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
(The minister suggests that the couple shall kneel and continues)
Dearly beloved ones, this day marks a new era in your lives now united.
From henceforth you travel life's pathway not alone, but together. Let love
be forever enthroned in your hearts. As members of the church of Jesus Christ,
we earnestly commend you to our Heavenly Father, asking Him that according
to His abundant grace, He may bestow upon you both the Spirit of Grace,
enabling you to establish a Christian home where the voice of prayer and
praise shall be as sweet incense continually ascend unto Him who hath purchased
you with His own precious blood.
May you experience as you travel down life's pathway together, be like unto
the experience of the two disciples who journeyed together from Jerusalem
to Emmaus, of whom we read that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.
And may heaven's constant benediction crown your union with ever-increasing
joy and blessedness and true affection of a happy marriage.
Prayer of Dedication
Let us all bow our hearts in prayer of dedication.
O God, our heavenly Father, Thou alone art the Source and Author of life.
Thou art the Protector and Guide on life's pathway. Thou alone art the Builder
and Maker of homes. Now grant, we pray Thee, the blessings of Thy promises,
and the aid of Thy Holy Spirit to these dear ones, enabling them to honor
Thee, and to be ever true to the pledges made to each other. May Thy grace
in abundant measure be theirs, helping them to walk in Thy truth, to abide
in Thy fellowship, and to live in perfect peace and love with each other
until their earthly life shall end in Thy glorious presence. This we ask
in the blessed name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
And now, may the Lord bless thee and keep thee. May the Lord make His face
to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee, May the Lord lift up His
countenance upon thee and give thee peace. Amen.
(At this point while the couple still kneel, the soloist may sing an appropriate
prayer hymn of consecration).
Introduction of new Couple
Pastor -- And now it is my happy privilege to congratulate and introduce
to you Mr. & Mrs. ___________
(The organist will immediately strike up the recessional with the entire
wedding party marching briskly down the aisle to the rear of the church.