Planning Your Magical Wedding Wedding Ceremonies

Outline of Typical Wedding Ceremony Schedule

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