Christian Wedding Ceremony

Wedding Ceremony

12:30 — Entire wedding party dressed and in sanctuary for pictures

2:00 — Wedding party ready for ceremony (time to relax and take care of little details)

2:00-2:30 — Prelude, you can have solos or music played while guests begin to arrive and ushers take them to their seats

2:30 — Seating of Honored Guests

Processions (Play a separate piece for each procession.) Play Prelude in C

1. Seat groom’s grandmothers

2. Seat bride’s grandmothers

3. Seat groom’s parents

4. Seat bride’s mother (at this time the bride’s mother and the groom’s mother light the two candles from the unity candle set)

Wedding Party Processional Play Arabesque

1. Pastor and Groom enter from side

2. Groomsmen and Bridesmaids

3. Maid/Matron of Honor and Best Man

4. Flower Girl and Ring Bearer

Bridal March

1. Bride with Father enters (Bride’s mother stands as signal for all to stand)

Prayer (Invocation)

Our Father in heaven, Creator, Savior, and Designer of marriage, we turn to you this afternoon, asking that you be glorified by what takes place. That this ceremony would honor you, and reflect the seriousness of the vows to be spoken. Might this service be a reminder to us who have spoken similar vows to our spouses in the past. Might it be instructive to those yet considering such a commitment in their future. Might this ceremony be a fitting beginning for Bride and Groom as they commit themselves before this company to pursue a Christ-centered life together. We ask it in Jesus’ name, Amen. Thank you. You may be seated.

Reading of Scripture Psalm 127 (Couple facing each other on opposite ends of arch, leaving space for the minister to make his remarks.)

Minister’s Initial Remarks We have come together at the invitation of Bride and Groom to celebrate the uniting in Christian love—their lives and hearts. This is possible because of the love God has created in them, through Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly." This abundant life, for many people, is an impossible dream, yet God wants us all to have this abundant life and proved His love for us by giving His Son that we might have this life.

Another way that God provides for this "full" life is creating those who will love us. Bride and Groom, their hearts and spirit were drawn together before today by the Lord of all creation. Two lives are not united by ceremony, but only in the power, love and grace of God.

Bride and Groom are here to publicly declare that because of Jesus Christ’s love, they too can truly love one another. As God demonstrated His love in Jesus, our Lord Bride and Groom will demonstrate this God given love by giving themselves to one another and one for the other.

They have not reached this place alone, each has been given life by their parents. These who gave to them life, love, provision, are and will be, a vital part in their continued lives. Their love has borne fruit in Bride and Groom. Love and respect for these will continue as they grow in their love made possible by their parents.

Rose Ceremony

The love that you feel for one another is the flowering of a seed your mothers planted in your hearts many years ago. When you were first born, you were a bundle of diapers and tears, and your mothers lost sleep caring for you. Their love for you has brought them great happiness and great challenges, and their love did not diminish as they met these challenges. That is the great lesson you can bring into your marriage. As you embrace one another in your love, so too do you embrace the families which have been brought together on this happy occasion. As a token of your gratitude for your families, I would like to ask you to offer these symbols of eternal love, these roses, to your mothers. (Have the maid of honor hand you the rose bouquets and you hand them to the couple. Both bride and groom can hand the roses to their mother, offering her a hug and kiss if they wish.)

At this time, the parent’s may present a family Bible to the couple… The Grooms Mother may wish to sing A Song for My Son after the Bible is given. Another great song is The Man That You’ve Become or the father can sing A Dad’s Blessing.

Challenge to Bride and Groom (You may wish to have the couple sit during this time. Have background music—instrumental—playing softly during the ceremony, this will give it a more elegant and personal atmosphere.)

Our God of love has established marriage as the symbol of Christ’s perfect relationship to His Body, the Church. We have come to bring you as one before Him. (Play an instrumental—Count Your Blessings)