CHRISTIAN WEDDING CEREMONY #10
JOINED FOR LIFE
PRESENTATION OF THE BRIDE
Who will give _(Bride)_ to be married to _(Groom)_ ?
Father responds: I do. / Her Mother and I do.
TO GUESTS
_(Bride)_ and _(Groom)_ stand before you today to exchange their marriage vows. None among you has shown any just cause why they may not be married, nor have they, themselves, declared any impediment. If there are any present who know of any reason why these may not be lawfully joined in marriage, let him now declare it or else forever hold his peace.
_(Bride)_ and _(Groom)_ are honored to have you as their guests and are pleased that you have come to share these happy and sacred moments with them.
May the blessing of the Lord be upon us all as we worship together.
REMARKS TO THE COUPLE
_(Bride)_ and _(Groom)_ , the moment to which you have looked forward has now come. As a company of family and friends, we have at your parents’ invitation, assembled in this place of worship to witness the public exchange of your vows of commitment to each other. We are conscious that there is an unseen Guest who is also present with us by reason of our faith in Jesus Christ.
LET US PRAY
Father in Heaven, thank You for the gift of life, for family and friends, and for the love that exists between _(Groom)_ and _(Bride)_ . As we assemble here together in the name of Jesus Christ, we are mindful of the guidance of Your Spirit who has brought us to this event, and mindful of the continuing need for Your Spirit’s help if the intentions declared this day are going to be fulfilled. We turn, therefore, to you and in faith ask that You would not only be a part of this wedding ceremony, but also enhance the lives of these your servants in this their union. Our God, we commit to You the very sacred moments that follow, and pray that Your blessing and love might be an integral part of the lives of _(Bride)_and _(Groom)_ in the years to come. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.
THE WORD OF GOD
In that you have stated your willingness to receive each other as partners in God’s plan for marriage, will you now hear the counsel of God’s word concerning marriage and love:
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 itself and its own importance. Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy. It does not compile statistics of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails. Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen. (I Corinthians 13:4-8 JBP)
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (John 15:9-12)
PASTORAL GUIDANCE
Your marriage joins you for life in a relationship so intimate that it profoundly affects your whole being. It offers you the promise of a love that is true and mature. Such a love requires that you commit your lives to one another freely and without reserve, for the sake of a deeper and wider life together. You will be seeking to become one in mind and heart and body. I invite you to trust in the living Christ; Let Him into your partnership, and He will be our guide and support through life.
In a few moments you will seek publicly to acknowledge the purposes of God for your marriage and you will declare your mutual commitment to each other and these goals. I, therefore, challenge you to think often and seriously of the spiritual intentions you possess this day. May they ever be clear to you, a vision, a hope, a driving force in your lives together. May they keep you from the lust of earthly power, the longing for personal success or the unreasonable desire for possessions which can so thoroughly destroy your union. May you intend always to be open, honest, loving, and communicative with one another in all facets of your life together. And may God’s love prevail in all of your relationships. Amen.
PRAYER
Let us pray for _(Groom)_ and _(Bride)_ as they exchange their marriage vows.
Heavenly Father, by the exchange of their vows in the few brief moments of this ceremony, _(Groom)_ and _(Bride)_ intend publicly to commit their lives and their love to one another for a lifetime. We pray that You will join us in witness to this union, and will bless them in the years to come in the fulfilling of the vows they are about to make.
_(Bride)_, please pass your bouquet to you Maid of Honour?
Please face each other and join hands.
VOWS
_(Groom)_ , please repeat after me your vows to _(Bride)_ ?
In the presence of God
and before these witnesses,
I, _(Groom)_ ,
take you, _(Bride)_,
to be my wife
and the companion of my days.
I will honor you and support you
in times of sorrow and hardship.
I will share with you
all that I hold dear.
I intend for my life
to be entwined with yours alone
as long as we both shall live.
_(Bride)_ , please repeat after me your vows to _(Groom)_ ?
In the presence of God
and before these witnesses,
I, _(Bride)_ ,
take you, _(Groom)_ ,
to be my husband
and the companion of my days.
I will honor you and support you
in times of sorrow and hardship.
I will share with you
all that I hold dear.
I intend for my life
to be entwined with yours alone
as long as we both shall live.
RINGS
May I have the rings please?
_(Groom)_ , please repeat after me you commitment to _(Bride)_ ?
As a sign and pledge
of my love, faith and loyalty,
I give you this ring.
May it constantly remind you
of the love that I have for you,
and of the solemn vows
we exchanged today.
Please share your response to your groom?
I receive your ring
and declare my intention
to wear it for the rest of my days.
_(Bride)_ , please repeat after me you commitment to _(Groom)_ ?
As a sign and pledge
of my love, faith and loyalty,
I give you this ring.
May it constantly remind you
of the love that I have for you,
and of the solemn vows
we exchanged today.
Please share your response to your bride?
I receive your ring
and declare my intention
to wear it for the rest of my days.
DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE
For as much as you, _(Groom)_ and you, _(Bride)_ have exchanged marriage vows in the presence of God and these witnesses, and have sealed those vows by the exchange of rings, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Province of Ontario as a minister of the Gospel, I declare you to be husband and wife, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
KISS
SHALL WE PRAY
Heavenly Father, who established marriage for your children and endowed us with the ability to love creatively, we bring _(Groom)_ and _(Bride)_ before You and earnestly pray for them. May their union be blessed with true devotion, spiritual commitment and personal integrity. Grant _(Bride)_ and _(Groom)_ the grace and ability to keep and maintain the vows they have exchanged today. When selfishness threatens their relationship, overwhelm them with a generous spirit. When lack of trust creeps in, impart to them new messages of faith in one another. Where misunderstandings arise, increase their willingness to communicate honestly and openly, and fortify them with patience and gentleness. If and when suffering comes their way, strengthen them in their inner being for all endurance with patience and joy. May their home be a happy shelter from the pressures of living, and an effective force of resistance against that which corrupts and destroys. May spiritual understanding and holy living be their inheritance. May our grace, mercy and peace be a part of their lives from this day forward. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
BENEDICTION
As you walk down life’s path together, may the Father of all mercy, who has called you by His grace to this holy relationship of marriage, bind you together in a love that is true, a faithfulness that is lasting, and may He grant to you His blessing. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
SIGNING OF THE REGISTER
SPECIAL MUSIC
PRESENTATION OF THE BRIDE AND GROOM
It is my privilege and pleasure to present to you Mr. and Mrs. ——- .
POEM
With God As Your Partner
It takes a Groom, it takes a Bride,
Two People standing side by side…
It takes a Ring and Vows that say
This is our Happy Wedding Day…
But marriage vows are sanctified
And loving hearts are unified
When standing with the bride and groom,
Unseen by others in the room,
The “Spirit of the Lord” is there
To bless this happy bridal pair…
For “God is Love,” and married life
Is richer for both man and wife
When God becomes a partner, too,
In everything they plan and do…
And every home is specially blest
When God is made a “Daily Guest,”
For married folks who pray together
Are happy folks who stay together…
For when God’s love becomes a part
Of body, mind, and soul and heart
Their love becomes a wondrous blending
That’s both Eternal and Unending,
And God looks down and says “well done”…
For now you Two are truly One.
–Helen Steiner Rice
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