Wedding Ceremony

The following is a detailed Wedding Ceremony that I performed for two friends of mine on December 1, 2000. I have removed the last names to protect their privacy, but thought you might find this ceremony of use in your pastoral duties.

- Elder family members (great grandparents and grandparents) escorted in and seated by ushers. Oldest members first, then younger members.

- Sound:  Start music “_____”

- Mothers escorted in by young children and seated.

- Groom & Pastor enter through side door

- Flower Girl walks aisle, spreading petals of flowers.

- Father of Bride escorts Bride down aisle

- Pastor: “Who gives this Bride Away?”

- Father of Bride: “I do”. (Steps aside, seated)

- Pastor:  “Dear family and friends, out of affection for ____ and ____ we have gathered together to witness and bless their mutual vows which will unite them in marriage. To this moment they bring the fullness of their hearts as a treasure to share with one another. They bring the dreams which bind them together. We rejoice with them as the outward symbol of an inward union of hearts, a union created by God with friendship, respect, and love.”

“It is hoped that ____ and ____ will share the joys, the abiding peace, and the rich rewards of marriage. May their love and understanding grow with the years, and may they seek happiness for each other.”
 
 

Not all couples will do this - may be excluded.

“____ and ____ have prepared a statement that I will read for them”:  ‘Since the beginning of their relationship they have reminded each other daily that ‘This is the day that the Lord has made; we will be glad and rejoice in it’. They feel that the happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything, but they make the most of everything that the Lord has provided for them. They feel that happiness lies best for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried - for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives. Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss, ends with a tear {pause} then there is Heaven. Through God's undying love and the blood of Jesus Christ this marriage will begin here tonight and last into eternity.’

“The Holy Scripture tells us in Genesis Chapter Two that Adam, as he named the animals that God brought him, noticed that though all the animals had a mate he himself had none. Adam saw that he was incomplete without his Eve, and because he realized this the Bible tells us”:

Genesis 2:21-24  ...the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.  And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”

“Marriage is therefore God's first institution for the welfare of humanity. God Himself established the rite of marriage.  Marriage was sanctioned and honored by the presence and power of Jesus Christ our Lord in Cana, of Galilee, and marked the beginning of His wondrous and miraculous works.  Marriage is, as the Apostle said, honorable in all.  It is ordained that a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, united in hope and aim and sentiment for all time.”

- Pastor:  “If you then, ____ and ____, have freely and deliberately chosen each other as partners in this holy estate, and know of no just cause why you should not be so united, then will you both join your right hands.”

- Pastor:  “____, in taking the woman you hold by the right hand to be your lawful and wedded wife, before God and the witnesses present you must promise to love her, to honor her, to cherish her in that relation, and leaving all others cleave only unto her, and be to her in all things a true and faithful husband so long as you both shall live. Do you so promise?”

- Groom: “I Do”

- Pastor: “____, in taking the man you hold by the right hand to be your lawful and wedded husband, before God and the witnesses present you must promise to love him, to honor him, to cherish him in that relation, and leaving all others, cleave only unto him, and to be to him in all things a true and faithful wife so long as you both shall live. Do you so promise?”

- Bride: “I Do”

- Pastor: “Then are ye each given to the other for richer or poorer, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, till death shall part you.”

- Groom and Bride: Move behind candle table.

- Matron of Honor: “The Candle Ceremony symbolizes the joining of two lives into one eternal and holy flame that shall never be extinguished.”

- Groom and Bride: Each take one lit candle, light one wick of large candle together, extinguish your individual candles look at Matron of Honor.
 
 

This is said, bearing in mind that candle elements have all symbols stated in its' wreath - otherwise, omit this portion.

- Matron of Honor: “The rings on the wreath symbolize unbroken love. The candles represent the fact that the two of you shall become one flesh in Jesus. The nails are there to remind you that, no matter how great or small our problems, Jesus covered them all on the Cross. The ribbons show you that though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. The crowns represent the Kingship of Jesus. If each of you allow Jesus to be King in your own lives, then the peace of God will descend like a dove upon your home. The butterflies remind you that you are a new creature in Christ. Each of you separately should live your life as if that is so. Then together your lives will be rich and full, and your whole household will be in Christ.”

- Sound: Play the song “____’”

- Pastor, Groom and Bride: As the song ends move to the front of the altar. Pastor nearest altar standing, facing audience, Groom and Bride kneeling facing altar.

- Pastor: “Will you both pray with me?”

- Groom: Prays

- Bride: Prays

- Pastor: Lay hands on couple and pray.
 
 

The Bride wanted to sing this song to the Groom as her gift to him, just prior to his giving of the ring to her. If Ring Ceremony involves both Groom and Bride giving rings, then omit this section.

- Sound: Play the song “____” while Bride sings it to Groom.

- Pastor: {To Best Man} “Please give the ring to the Groom.”

- Pastor: {To Groom, who repeats statement to his Bride} “As a ceaseless reminder of this hour and of the vows you have taken, place this ring on the hand of your bride and repeat after me”:

‘With this ring I thee wed, With loyal love I thee endow, And all my worldly goods with thee I share, In the name of the Father, And the Son, And the Holy Spirit, Blessed forever more. Amen’

- Pastor:  “For as much, then, as ____ and ____ have entered into covenant with one another according to the teaching of the Scripture and the laws of this State, I as a minister of the Gospel declare that they are husband and wife. “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder”.

____, you may kiss your Bride.

- Pastor: "I present to you Mr. and Mrs. ________."

- Pastor: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, abide with you forever more. Amen.”