A Ceremony in the Christian Tradition
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
We welcome all of you here today as we have gathered together in the presence of God and these witnesses to join _____ and ______ in holy matrimony.
Marriage is a gift from God, given to us so that we might experience the joys of unconditional love with a lifelong partner. God designed marriage to be an intimate relationship between a man and a woman.
______ and ______, because your deep love for each other comes from God above, this is a sacred moment, and it is with great reverence that I now ask you to declare your intent.
DECLARATION OF INTENT
______, do you take _____ to be your wedded ______, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Do you promise to love her/him/them, comfort love her/him/them, honor and keep love her/him/them, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, remain faithful to love her/him/them as long as you both shall live?
I do.
And ______, do you take _____ to be your wedded ______, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony?
Do you promise to love him/her/them, comfort him/her/them, honor and keep him/her/them, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, remain faithful to him/her/them as long as you both shall live?
I do.
Who gives _____ to be married to ______?
(The Escort shall say): ______ do.
Today is the beginning of a new life together for you. It marks the commencement of new relationships to your families, your friends, and certainly to each other. You have invited these special guests to share in one of life’s greatest moments as they give recognition to the worth and beauty of your love and add their best wishes to the words that shall unite you today as ______ and ______.
Through the ages, man has tried to define “love.” Poems, songs, and books all have been written trying to describe this little four letter word. But the best description I have found comes from St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians, Chapter 13. It describes the kind of love that must characterize your lives if you are to live in joy and harmony and honor with each other, and also before God and your fellow man.
Listen to what it says:
Love is patient, love is kind.
Love does not envy,
Love does not boast,
Love is not proud.
Love does not dishonor others,
Love is not self-seeking,
Love is not easily angered,
Love keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
Love always protects,
Love always trusts,
Love always hopes,
Love always perseveres.
Love never fails.
______, I believe you are saying to all of us today that you are committing yourself to ______ only, moving toward her/him/them in a more open and intimate way, giving yourself to care for her/him/them, and promising to love her/him/them as she/he/they needs to be loved.
And ______, I believe you are saying to us that you are committing yourself to _________ only, moving toward him/her/them with increasing openness, tenderness, and respect, giving yourself to him/her/them, and promising to love her/him/them as she/he/they needs to be loved.
WEDDING VOWS
Please repeat after me:
I, ______, take thee, ______, / to be my wedded wife/husband/partner, / 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. / This is my solemn vow.
I, ______, take thee, _____, / to be my wedded husband/wife/partner,/ 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. / This is my solemn vow.
EXCHANGE OF THE RINGS
The wedding ring serves as a symbol of the promises you have just spoken. It is the outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible love that binds your two hearts together. The wedding ring also is a symbol of what God is. He is without beginning and without end—He is eternal.
As you can see, the ring is without beginning and without end. So I believe this exchange of rings not only reminds us of the unending love you have for each other, but also reflects the eternal love God has for each of you.
May I have the token of _____’s love for ______?
This ring I give in token and pledge / as a sign of my love and devotion. / With this ring, I thee wed.
May I have the token of _____’s love for ______?
This ring I give in token and pledge / as a sign of my love and devotion. / With this ring, I thee wed.
WEDDING PRAYER/BLESSING
Our Heavenly Father, we ask Your blessing upon these two lives and the home they are establishing today. May the love they have for each other grow deeper and stronger because of their love for You.
Please join me in 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 them that trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil:
[For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.]
Amen.
PRONOUNCEMENT
_____ and _____, since you have consented together in holy matrimony, and have pledged yourselves to each other by your solemn vows and by the giving of rings, and have declared your commitment of love before God and these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Those whom God hath joined together, let no man separate.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to introduce to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. __________.
Please seal your vows with a kiss!
We welcome all of you here today as we have gathered together in the presence of God and these witnesses to join _____ and ______ in holy matrimony.
Marriage is a gift from God, given to us so that we might experience the joys of unconditional love with a lifelong partner. God designed marriage to be an intimate relationship between a man and a woman.
______ and ______, because your deep love for each other comes from God above, this is a sacred moment, and it is with great reverence that I now ask you to declare your intent.
DECLARATION OF INTENT
______, do you take _____ to be your wedded ______, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony? Do you promise to love her/him/them, comfort love her/him/them, honor and keep love her/him/them, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, remain faithful to love her/him/them as long as you both shall live?
I do.
And ______, do you take _____ to be your wedded ______, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony?
Do you promise to love him/her/them, comfort him/her/them, honor and keep him/her/them, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, remain faithful to him/her/them as long as you both shall live?
I do.
Who gives _____ to be married to ______?
(The Escort shall say): ______ do.
Today is the beginning of a new life together for you. It marks the commencement of new relationships to your families, your friends, and certainly to each other. You have invited these special guests to share in one of life’s greatest moments as they give recognition to the worth and beauty of your love and add their best wishes to the words that shall unite you today as ______ and ______.
Through the ages, man has tried to define “love.” Poems, songs, and books all have been written trying to describe this little four letter word. But the best description I have found comes from St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians, Chapter 13. It describes the kind of love that must characterize your lives if you are to live in joy and harmony and honor with each other, and also before God and your fellow man.
Listen to what it says:
Love is patient, love is kind.
Love does not envy,
Love does not boast,
Love is not proud.
Love does not dishonor others,
Love is not self-seeking,
Love is not easily angered,
Love keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
Love always protects,
Love always trusts,
Love always hopes,
Love always perseveres.
Love never fails.
______, I believe you are saying to all of us today that you are committing yourself to ______ only, moving toward her/him/them in a more open and intimate way, giving yourself to care for her/him/them, and promising to love her/him/them as she/he/they needs to be loved.
And ______, I believe you are saying to us that you are committing yourself to _________ only, moving toward him/her/them with increasing openness, tenderness, and respect, giving yourself to him/her/them, and promising to love her/him/them as she/he/they needs to be loved.
WEDDING VOWS
Please repeat after me:
I, ______, take thee, ______, / to be my wedded wife/husband/partner, / 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. / This is my solemn vow.
I, ______, take thee, _____, / to be my wedded husband/wife/partner,/ 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. / This is my solemn vow.
EXCHANGE OF THE RINGS
The wedding ring serves as a symbol of the promises you have just spoken. It is the outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible love that binds your two hearts together. The wedding ring also is a symbol of what God is. He is without beginning and without end—He is eternal.
As you can see, the ring is without beginning and without end. So I believe this exchange of rings not only reminds us of the unending love you have for each other, but also reflects the eternal love God has for each of you.
May I have the token of _____’s love for ______?
This ring I give in token and pledge / as a sign of my love and devotion. / With this ring, I thee wed.
May I have the token of _____’s love for ______?
This ring I give in token and pledge / as a sign of my love and devotion. / With this ring, I thee wed.
WEDDING PRAYER/BLESSING
Our Heavenly Father, we ask Your blessing upon these two lives and the home they are establishing today. May the love they have for each other grow deeper and stronger because of their love for You.
Please join me in 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 them that trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil:
[For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
For ever and ever.]
Amen.
PRONOUNCEMENT
_____ and _____, since you have consented together in holy matrimony, and have pledged yourselves to each other by your solemn vows and by the giving of rings, and have declared your commitment of love before God and these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Those whom God hath joined together, let no man separate.
Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my privilege to introduce to you for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. __________.
Please seal your vows with a kiss!