Introduction by minister
Bill and Susan , you are surrounded by your family and friends, all of whom are here to share in your joy on this special occasion. It will be one of the most memorable and happy days of your lives.
On this your wedding day, you stand apart from all other beings. You stand within the beautiful circle of your love. For this reason we are here in the presence of God, to join you both in holy marriage. God has declared that marriage is an honorable and desirable state. It was designed by God to bring the ultimate in happiness and personal satisfaction. The basic guidelines are that you should put God first, the welfare of your mate second, and yourself last.
Minister speaks to both sets of parents
Would Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and Mr. and Mrs. Wilson please stand? It is traditional for the father of the bride to give her away. However, in a real sense, both sets of parents share in the giving and receiving. Therefore, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson , do you not only give your son Bill to be Susan’s husband, but also joyfully receive Susan as your daughter? (Response by parents—“We do.”) Mr. and Mrs. Wilson you not only joyfully give your daughter Susan to Bill as his wife, but receive Bill to be your son? (Response by parents—“We do.”)
Bride and groom move to altar
Minister proceeds
Marriage was instituted by God Himself when He said, “It is not good that man should be alone.”
From the side of man God created woman to be his friend and companion…
—Not out of his head to rule over him.
—Not out of his feet to be trampled upon by him
—But out of his side to be equal with him
—And under his arm for protection
—And near his heart to be loved.
God said, “For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh.”
—One flesh in companionship
—One flesh in the control of the God-given sexual drives
—One flesh in the propagation of children
—And one flesh in the testimony of the joy of a Christian marriage.
The Bible’s description of true love
The Bible tells us that true love is “slow to lose patience…love is kind…love looks for a way of being constructive. Love is not possessive…love 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. Love is not touchy. Love does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, love 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; love can outlast anything. Love is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen” (1 Corinthians 13).
Admonition of Scripture to husbands and wives
In the book of Ephesians, chapter five, marriage is likened to the mystical union of Christ and the church….
“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 very 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.
The minister may want to make personal comments to the bride at this
“And you husbands, show the same kind of love to your wives as Christ showed to the church when He died for her.
“That is how husbands should treat their wives, loving them as parts of themselves. For since a man and his wife are now one, a man is really doing himself a favor and loving himself when he loves his wife! No one hates his own body but lovingly cares for it, just as Christ cares for his body the church, of which we are parts.”
The minister may want to make personal comments to the groom at this point
“So again I say, a man must love his wife as part of himself; and the wife must see to it that she deeply respects her husband…obeying… praising and honoring him.”
Vows spoken to the minister
After hearing the admonition of Scripture, do you Bill take Susan to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to support her and love her for life? Do you solemnly pledge before God and these witnesses that you will be faithful to her for the remainder of your life? If so, answer “I will.” (Response by the groom)
Susan do you take Bill to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love, honor, and obey him? Do you solemnly pledge before God and these witnesses that you will be his faithful wife until you are separated by death? If so, answer “I will.” (Response by the bride)
Minister will have the bride pass her flowers to her maid of honor… bride and groom will turn and face each other and
Minister proceeds with personal vows
Bill please repeat after me: I love you Susan, and today in the presence of our families and friends, I pledge myself to you. I reaffirm my faith in Christ and dedicate our marriage to be Christ-centered. I promise before God to love you, to honor you and cherish you. As God enables me, I will provide for all your needs and desires. Susan, I love you…be my wife.
Susan please repeat after me: Bill , I love you. I’ve longed for this day…to be able to say publicly to our families and friends, that you are truly a man of God, a man that is tender and sensitive in his love for others. I promise to make you a home where there is peace for your soul and joy for your heart. My goal is to be a godly woman and to help fulfill our goals and dreams. I need you, and I am proud to become your wife.
Exchange of rings
What symbols do you offer that you will faithfully fulfill these promises? (Minister will collect the rings.)
May the circle of this ring typify your unending happiness and love, and may the triangle formed in its passing, to me, and to one another, signify that triune relationship with God who reigns above where all true marriages are made. (Minister will hand back the rings to be placed on the bride’s finger and then on the groom’s.)
Bride and groom will again turn toward each other and hold hands
Minister proceeds
Will you both please repeat after me: I give you this ring as a seal of my commitment and responsibility to you in the presence of these witnesses, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Since Bill and Susan have consented together in these promises and have symbolized this by the giving and receiving of these rings, I now pronounce them husband and wife. Whom God has joined together, let no man dare to separate.
Minister will pray…couple may be standing or kneeling. They may wish to light a unity candle…after which they will again stand before the minister and face each other, holding hands
Ceremony of the Unity Candle
The two outside candles of the center candelabra are lit to represent your lives to this moment. They are two distinct lights, each capable of going their separate ways. To bring bliss and happiness to your home, there must be the merging of these two lights into one light. This is what the Lord meant when He said, “On this account a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall be one flesh.”
From now on your thoughts shall be for each other rather than for your individual selves. Your plans shall be mutual, your joys and sorrows shall be shared alike.
As you each take a candle and together light the center one you will not extinguish your own candle as is usually done. Instead, place the outside candles back in their original places still lit symbolizing your individual personalities that remain, yet lives that merge together as one.
As the center candle is lit, may the radiance of this one light be a testimony of your unity in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Bride and groom kiss
Minister proceeds
It is my pleasure now to introduce to you for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Johnson .