A Typical Ceremony
A Typical Wedding Service
(Please note that this is a typical service. I have used fictional names Jonathan & Elizabeth)
Ushers seat the Guests while prelude music is played.
Front seats are reserved for family
Mothers are seated last. (If Unity candle is used, mother light tapers before being seated.)
Once mothers are seated, the Pastor, Jonathan & groomsmen walk to wedding location.
Music transitions to bridesmaid’s music
Bridesmaids enter, with Maid (Matron) of honor entering last. If there is a flower girl or ring bearer, these walk down isle after Maid of Honor. If there is an Aisle runner, this is unrolled by ushers immediately before the bride.
Music transitions to Bridal music
Bride walks down isle accompanied by father (or uncle, brother, or walks by herself)
Couple are before Pastor Howes, who invites the guests to be seated and opens with a prayer of blessing upon the service.
Dear Friends, we
are gathered here to witness as groom and bride are united together as
husband and wife. Marriage was instituted by God Himself way in the
Garden of Eden. It was the Lord God who said “It is not good the man
should be alone.” God brought Adam together and united him to his wife
Eve. The lord Jesus Christ honored & sanctified marriage by his presence
at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. It was at this wedding that he began
his public ministry by turning water into wine.
Let us therefore hear what the scriptures say concerning marriage to
Jonathan and Elisabeth, and also to each of us gathered here today.
First of all, to
Jonathan:
“Husbands, love your
wife, even as God also loved his people and gave
Himself up
for them; that He might sanctify them, having
cleansed it
by the washing of
water with the word. Even so ought husbands to love their wives as their
own bodies.”
Ephesians 5:25, 28
And also to Elizabeth:
"...Women [are to] love their husbands..."
Titus 2:4
These two have now come to be joined as husband and wife.
If anyone can show just cause why they may not lawfully marry,
speak up now, or else hereafter hold his peace.
Here Pastor Howes leads in prayer, asking for God's blessing upon this Marriage.
Pastor Howes then says to Groom:
Jonathan, will you have this woman to be your wife, to live in harmony
with her? And will you love Elisabeth, comfort her, honor, and cherish
her, and forsaking all others keep yourself only unto Elizabeth as long
as you both shall live?
He then answers:
I
will
Pastor Howes then says to Bride
:
Elizabeth, will you have this man to be your husband, to
live in harmony with him? And will you love Jonathan, comfort him,
honor, and cherish him, and, forsaking all others keep yourself only
unto Jonathan as long as you both shall live?
She then answers:
I
will
After prayer the Pastor says to Elisabeth's Father:
Who gives this woman to be married to this man? The Father responds
I do (or “her mother and I do”)
At this time a reading or special music is presented (if any), after
which Pastor Howes presents a brief message concerning love and
marriage, including giving a special verse to Elisabeth and Jonathan.
Jonathan and Elisabeth to face each other to affirm their wedding vows:
Repeating after the Pastor, the groom shall say:
I Jonathan, take you Elisabeth, as my wedded wife,
to have and to hold; and I do promise, before God and these witnesses,
to be your loving and faithful husband, in sickness and in health, in
plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, for as long as we both shall
live.
Again, Repeating after the Pastor, the bride shall say:
I Elisabeth, take you Jonathan, as my wedded
husband, to have and to hold; and I do promise, before God and these
witnesses, to be your loving and faithful wife, in sickness and in
health, in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, for as long as we
both shall live.
At this point the best man gives Elizabeth’s ring to Jonathan, who shall
place it on the hand of Elisabeth while he is saying (after the Pastor)
Elizabeth, this ring I give you, as a promise to
live these vows.
Pastor Howes will then ask Elizabeth:
Elizabeth, Do you accept
this ring as a token of
Jonathan's promise to keep these marriage vows?
Elizabeth will answer
I Do
At this point the bridesmaid
gives Jonathan's ring to Elisabeth, who shall place it on the hand of
Jonathan while she is saying (after the Pastor):
Jonathan, this ring I give you, as a promise to
live these vows.
Pastor Howes will then ask Jonathan:
Jonathan, Do you accept this ring as a token of Elisabeth's promise to
keep these marriage vows?
Jonathan will answer:
I do
Pastor Howes will then lead the people in prayer.
After which, Pastor Howes shall say:
By virtue of the authority committed unto me as a minister and also in
accord with the laws of this state, I now pronounce you, Jonathan and
Elisabeth to be husband and wife.
To this end, may the blessing of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
rest upon you and abide with you from henceforth and forevermore.
At this point, Jonathan and Elisabeth are officially married.
They shall kiss, and then turn and face the people. After which,
Pastor Howes shall say:
Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Smith.
Then the recessional starts. The couple walk out first, followed by the
bridal party in pairs, and the parents.