WEDDING CEREMONY Order of Service

WEDDING CEREMONY

 

ORDER OF SERVICE

Chosen entry music

Welcome and entry of the Bride.

Family and friends stand as Bride enters.

When Bride and Groom are standing before the Minister, the congregation sits down.

The Minister welcomes the congregation and continues:

Minister:    

I would like to welcome you here today.   My name is ……………………. and I am authorised by law to perform marriages.

We have come together today in the presence of God for the joining together of Groom and Bride and to share their joy.

LEGAL DECLARATIONS

Before you are joined in marriage in my presence and in the presence of witnesses, I am to remind you of the solemn and binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter.

Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.

Minister to the father (or person giving Bride away):

Who gives Bride in marriage?

Response by the father:  I DO

MINISTER’S INTRODUCTION

1.         Our Lord Jesus Christ said of marriage that “From the beginning of creation God made them male and female.           For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one: (Matthew 19:5-6):

So they are no longer two, but one. What therefore God

has joined together, let no one separate.”

2.         “The Bible teaches that marriage is a lifelong union

symbolising God’s unending love and faithfulness and the

union between Christ and His church.

3.         The Bible also teaches that the husband must love his wife as Christ loves the church, and that the wife must give due honour to her husband.

4.         Marriage should be honoured by all, and is not to be

entered into lightly or selfishly, but with reverent and

serious consideration for the purpose and plan God has

for a successful marriage.

5.         Marriage, and all it entails, is a gift from God for the

blessing of humankind and for the expression of love and affection, which He has given us, and that children may be born and grow in security and love.

6.         It is a lifelong commitment, in which a man and

woman are called to give themselves to each other, and

from their union will grow a  deepening knowledge and

love for each other. They are to cleave to each other, to

share companionship, faithfulness and life, both in

pBrideperity and adversity. The mutual commitment of a

man and a woman to each other, in a bond of love, causes

marriage to be a strong and secure covenant, to which

God and this congregation are witnesses today.”

READINGS/POEMS (by chosen family member or friend)

Suggested:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (see attached)

5 minute message

MINISTER’S CHARGE TO THE CONGREGATION:

I would like to encourage you all to support Groom and Bride in your prayers. They believe God has led them to be married and so we must do everything in our power to see that this union remains solid, strong, happy and prosperous.

PRAYER – would you join me in prayer?

“Heavenly Father, we pray for Groom and Bride as they make this covenant together today. We ask, that you cause them to come into union together so that they may be one in your sight. Help them to complete each other, and fulfil each other in every area. Bless them with your peace and security, in the knowledge of your care and love for them. Protect them and guard them from evil and bless them with a long and satisfying life together. In Jesus name. Amen.”

Minister:    

Groom, will you give yourself to Bride to be her husband, will you live together according to God’ s Word and give her the honour due her as your wife and, forsaking all others, love, comfort, encourage, cherish and protect her, as long as you both shall live?

Groom:        “I will”

Minister:    

Bride will you take Groom to be your husband, will you live together according to God’s Word? Will you give him the honour due him as your husband and, forsaking all others, love, comfort, encourage and protect him, as long as you both shall live?

Bride:           “I will”

BRIDE & GROOM WILL NOW MAKE THEIR VOWS TO EACH OTHER.  

INDIVIDUALLY CHOSEN MARRIAGE VOWS

(can be memorized, read or prompted)

I Groom/ in the presence of God/ and this congregation/take you Bride/ to be my wife/; to have and to hold/from this day forward./  My commitment is to you/to love and to cherish you/in every situation and challenge of life/as long as we both shall live./This is my faithful vow and promise,/I solemnly declare.”

I Bride/in the presence of God/and this congregation/take you Groom/to be my husband/to have and to hold/from this day forward/My commitment is to you/,to love and to cherish you/in every situation and challenge of life,/as long as we both shall live/.This is my faithful vow and promise,/I solemnly declare.”

EXCHANGE OF RINGS

The minister receives the wedding rings.

Prayer:

I ask, Lord, in the name of Jesus, that these rings may be a token and constant sign of the pledge of love and faithfulness which these two people are making to each other today.  Amen.

EITHER THE FOLLOWING OR INDIVIDUALLY CHOSEN RING VOWS

Groom places the ring on Bride’s ring finger, and holding it there repeats after the Minister:

Bride: with this ring/I marry you/;it is a token of my love for you/It is a sign of my faithfulness/and my pledge to you/with all that I am and all that I have/I honour you.

Bride says:

Groom I receive this ring/,in token of our marriage./May God enable us/ to continue in love together.”

Bride places ring on His finger saying:

Groom: with this ring/, I marry you;/ it is a token of my love for you. It is a sign of my faithfulness/ and my pledge to you,/ with all that I am/ and all that I have/, I honour you.

Groom says:

            Bride I receive this ring,/in token of our marriage. May God enable us/to continue in love together.

PRONOUNCEMENT

Minister to the congregation:

Before God and in the presence of us all, by solemn consent and promise, by the giving and receiving of rings and by the joining of hands Groom and Bride have now accepted each other in marriage.

LEGAL DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE

As a representative of Jesus Christ, the local church and the Commonwealth of Australia, it gives me great joy, in the presence of God, to pronounce you husband and wife in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. You are now husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Communion (OPTIONAL)

The first act that Groom and Bride have chosen to do together after their marriage is to take holy communion together.

Reading from 1 Corinthians 11 v 23-26

‘For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:  The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said ‘This is my body, which is broken for you, do this in remembrance of me.  In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, do this whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.  For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.’

BLESSING OF THE UNION

Numbers 6:24-26

“May the Lord bless you, and keep you.  May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.  May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace”. 

SIGNING OF THE REGISTER – chosen music

PRESENTATION OF COUPLE WITH THEIR CHOSEN NAME, i.e. Mr and Mrs ………..

Exit to chosen music.

Couple are congratulated by parents then others.

Photograph – all to gather together for communal photograph