WEDDING TALK

Opening songs and march are at the discression of the bride, groom and their families.

After the bride (and dad) have arrived at the front.

OPENING

Dearly beloved

We have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. The bond and covenant of marriage was established by God in creation, and our Lord Jesus blessed marriage by his presence and miracle at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. It signifies us to the mystery of the union between Jesus and his Church. And the Bible commends it to be honored among all people.

The union of husband and wife in heart, body, and mind is intended by God for their mutual joy; for the help and comfort given one another in prosperity and adversity; and when it is God’s will, for children. Therefore, marriage is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, deliberately, and in accordance with the purposes for which it was instituted by God.

Into this holy union, ________________________ and ____________________________, now come to be joined.

PRAYER

To the father: Who gives this woman to be married to this man?

The Father answers: Her mother and I do.

The couple join hands and join the pastor on the platform. They turn and face each other.

To the bride:

_______________________, will you have this man to be your husband; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?

Bride: I will

To the groom:

______________________, will you have this woman to be your wife; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?

The groom: I will

(Optional)

To the crowd:

Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold these two persons in their marriage?

Crowd: we will

SHORT TEACHING

The Cure for Loneliness

v Genesis 2:4-25

v Amazing story

v God marries them.

v The only perfect covenant (pre-sin).

Joined in a New Love

v Mark 10:6-9 ~ 6 But `God made them male and female'* from the beginning of creation.7`This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife,8 and the two are united into one.'* Since they are no longer two but one,9 let no one split apart what God has joined together."

v Analogy of Christ and the Law: fulfills the parents love for the kids. The old doesn’t disappear, but gets better in the marriage of the two of them.

v Their new love is centered on Jesus and looks like this: 1 Corinthians 13:1-7

My Life is No Longer My Own

v Ephesians 5:21-33

v As you have given up your lives for Jesus, so now you put that into human action.

v You have both chosen a life of sacrifice for God. You are now choosing a marriage that is underneath the sacrifice of God. No decision, plan, activity or purchase will be made on your own. You make them in covenant with Jesus and with one another.

THE MARRIAGE

To the couple: Take each other’s hands.

To the groom:

Repeat after me. In the Name of Jesus, I _____________________ take you, ___________________ to be my wife. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.

To the bride:

Repeat after me. In the Name of Jesus, I ___________________ take you _____________________ to be my husband. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.

Optional: Additional personal vows to each other.

RINGS

Bless, O Lord, these rings to be a sign of the vows by which this man and this woman have bound themselves to each other. It is a symbol of their completeness through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

To the groom (Take her left hand and slide on the ring as we speak):

Repeat after me. ____________________, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow, and with all that I am and all that I have, I honor you, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

To the bride(Take her left hand and slide on the ring as we speak):

Repeat after me. ____________________, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow, and with all that I am and all that I have, I honor you, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Optional: Additional music, readings, unity candle or communion.

CLOSING

Now that ______________________ and _________________________ have given themselves to each other by solemn vows, with the joining of hands and the giving and receiving of rings, I pronounce that they are husband and wife, in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Those whom God has joined together let no one separate.

Prayer of Blessing

Couple turns and faces the crowd.

Now, for the first time, it is my pleasure to present to you:

Mr. and Mrs. ___________________________________________________

Crowd applauds and rises to their feet.

The bride and groom exit.

The wedding party follows.