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A CELEBRATION OF THE UNION OF

Groom’s Name & Bride’s Name

Announcement
Prelude
Processional
Bridal March

Declaration of Purpose
Minister: “Family, loved ones, friends and guests, good afternoon! We are all
gathered here in this beautiful place to share with GROOM’S NAME and Bride’s
Name in a most important time in their lives. In the time they have been together
as boyfriend and girlfriend, their love for and understanding of each other have
grown and matured. Now they have decided to live their lives together as
husband and wife.”

“God ordained marriage for the mutual company, help and comfort of man and
woman both in prosperity and in adversity. Into this holy estate, GROOM’S
NAME and Bride’s Name have now come to be joined…”

Giving Away of Bride

* Minister: “If there is anyone present who has just cause why this two may not
be joined together in holy matrimony, let him/her speak now or forever hold their
piece.”

Minister: “May I ask the parents of the bride to please stand up. Do you give this
woman, Bride’s Name, to be married to this man, Groom’s Name, with all
sincerity and faith in God?

Bride’s Father/Mother: “Yes, we do.”

Declaration to Marry
Minister: GROOM’S NAME & Bride’s Name, as you contemplate even at this
very moment on the vows that you will be making to each other in the presence
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of many witnesses, realize that your life’s destinies, joys, responsibilities, pains
and sorrows shall be woven as one. The word “I love you” which first spoken
shyly, is now the full commitment of yourselves to each other and to a Christian
responsibility in the church and in the society.

Minister: GROOM’S NAME, do you wholeheartedly come now to take Bride’s

Name to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live together according to the law of
God in the Holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, honor and keep her, in
sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, keep yourself only to her, so long
as you both shall live?

GROOM’S NAME: “Yes, I do.”/ “Yes, I will”

Minister: Bride’s Name, do you wholeheartedly come now to take GROOM’S
NAME to be your lawfully wedded husband, to live together according to the law
of God in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, honor and keep him,
in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, keep yourself only to him, so long
as you both shall live?

Bride’s Name: “Yes, I do.”/”Yes, I will”

Opening Prayer:

Reading of Scripture:
I Cor. 13:1-7 (Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Peter 3:1-7)

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I
would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy,
and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if
I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be
nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I
could boast about it;[a] but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
4
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It
does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being
wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins
out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures
through every circumstance.

Minister’s Exhortation
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Marriage Vows
The Groom and the Bride turn to face each other. The Maid-of-Honor helps the
bride with her gown and holds the bride’s bouquet for her. The Groom holds the
Bride’s right hand, looks her in the eyes, and makes his personal vow first.

GROOM’S NAME: “I, Groom’s Name, take you Bride’s Name, to be my lawfully
wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worst, for
richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish and honor you till
death do us part. This is my solemn vow to you set before God and these
people.”

Bride’s Name: “I, Bride’s Name, take you Groom’s Name, to be my lawfully
wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for
worst, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, cherish and
honor you till death do us part. This is my solemn vow to you set before God and
these people.”

Exchange of Rings
The Groom and the Bride, still facing each other, will exchange rings. The Best
Man takes the ring for the Bride from the Ring Bearer and gives it to the Minister.

Minister: “Bless, Oh Lord, these rings that the one who gives it and the one who
wears it may live in your enduring love, peace and continue in your favor, all the
days of their lives through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.”

The Minister gives the ring to the Groom who slips it on the fourth finger of the
Bride’s left hand.

GROOM’S NAME: “Bride’s Name, I give you this ring as a symbol and pledge of
the vow I make to honor, respect, serve and love you for the rest of my life in the
name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (…in the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ and through the strength of the Holy Spirit.)

The Best Man gives the ring for the Groom to the Minister who gives it to the
Bride. She slips the ring on the fourth finger of her Groom’s left hand.

Bride’s Name: “GROOM’S NAME, I give you this ring as a symbol and pledge of
the vow I make to honor, respect, serve and love you for the rest of my life in the
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name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (…in the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ and through the strength of the Holy Spirit.)

The Giving of the Bible

The Best Man takes the Bible from the Bible Bearer and hands it to the Minister.

2 Timothy 3:16
“All Scripture is God-breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting
and training in righteousness, so that the man (woman) of God may be
thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Minister: “The Bible is a precious gift from God. The Word of God is the firm and
sure foundation for the home. As the husband gives the Bible to his wife, he
pledges that the Word of God will be the guide, authority, and foundation of their
marriage and home.”

Minister: “GROOM’S NAME & Bride’s Name, I now present to both of you this
holy book, the Bible, the written Word of God, it is spirit, it is life; it is a light to
your path. Let this be your guide in life and surely you will be blessed and you will
also be a blessing to each other and to others around you.”
“I strongly encourage both of you to continue to read, study, memorize and
meditate on God’s word. And most importantly, apply them in your lives so that
others will know that God is evidently present in your lives; that He indeed is the
foundation and cornerstone of your marriage and home.”

GROOM’S NAME & Bride’s Name: “With this Bible, we renew our pledge to God
and to his church to live in a manner pleasing to God. May the home which we
plan to establish help others to know God and that He is very much a part of our
lives.”

Veil and Cord Ceremony

The Groom and the Bride kneel before the marriage altar. Veil Sponsors go up
the altar and pin the veil on the Groom’s shoulders, spreading the rest of it over
the Bride’s head.

Minister: “The veil symbolizes the wife’s willing submission to her husband. He is
the head of this new family. It also symbolizes the husband’s protection over his
wife. He is now her defender.”
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Cord Sponsors go up the altar and slip the cord to the Groom and the Bride.

Ecclesiastes 4:12
"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three
strands is not quickly broken."

Minister: “This passage from Ecclesiastes illustrates the importance of Christian

companionship. Two Christians that are bound together in Christ are stronger
than the individuals themselves. We believe that Christian marriage is about
more than the union of one man and one woman. The Bible teaches us that God
performs a miracle in our marriage, uniting us together in a covenant relationship
with Him as one. The Cord of Three Strands is a symbol of that sacred union
created on your wedding day.

Minister: “The cord symbolizes infinity – the unending love binding husband and
wife, total love now pledged to each other – like a strong cord that shall never be
broken.”

“The cord symbolizes that marriage is a lifelong and unbreakable bond. By tying
these two people together, we are affirming the biblical teaching that God intends
marriage to last a lifetime.”

Coin Ceremony
The Best Man takes the coins from the Coin Bearer and hands them to the
Minister.

Minister: “Originally, there was an understanding of husband as ‘bread winner’

and wife as ‘home maker’ so the coins were given and received not in a spirit of
reciprocity. Nowadays the coins are a reminder of good stewardship of God’s
financial blessings for all couples; that they will mutually support each other, their
children, the church and the community around them. May God bless these coins
that symbolize mutual support and responsibility.”

GROOM’S NAME & Bride’s Name: “We gratefully receive these coins as a
symbol and a reminder of God’s generous provision in our lives. We promise to
be faithful stewards of all that we have, using our time, talents and treasures to
build a Christian home for ourselves and for our future children in accordance to
God’s purpose and plan.”
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The Minister hands the coins to the Groom who hands the same to the Bride.
The Bride then gently places the coins to the altar.

*GROOM’S NAME: “Bride’s Name, I give you these coins as a pledge of my

dedication to our welfare.”

*Bride’s Name: “GROOM’S NAME, I take these coins with gratitude and a prayer
that God will help us to be good stewards of the things he entrusted to us.”

Lighting of the Unity Candle Ceremony

The couple may now stand to light the Unity Candle…

GROOM’S NAME & Bride’s Name have one candle each symbolizing their
separate lives. Now these two candles shall light one (big) candle, a symbol of
their new life together, for ‘the two shall become one’. They will extinguish the
small candles after lighting the unity candle.”

Signing of Contract
The Best Man and Maid-of-Honor bring the Marriage contract to the Groom and
Bride (also Principal Sponsors) for them to sign.

Minister will be the last to affix his signature.

Charge to Parents and Principal Sponsors

The Minister asks the parents and the Principal Sponsors to rise.

Minister: “For this cause,” the Word of God tells us, “A man shall leave his father
and his mother and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”
Genesis 2:24

Minister: “May I request the principal sponsors to please stand.”

“To the Sponsors, you are co-parents to GROOM’S NAME & Bride’s Name.
Give them the support that is expected of parents. Support their independence
and mutual loyalty, and respect their privacy.”

“Do you promise to accomplish these duties to the best of your abilities?
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Principal Sponsors: “Yes, we do.”

“I congratulate you for your faithfulness and support for GROOM’S NAME &
Bride’s Name up to this very hour. May that faithfulness remain as long as you
live. You may now take your seats.”

God bless you Parents and Principal Sponsors.

Prayer of Dedication
Minister: “Bless their marriage, O God, as they begin their journey down the road
of life together. We don’t know what lies ahead for the road turns and bends. But
help them to make the best of whatever comes their way.

Benediction
Minister: “May the Lord bless you and keep you, GROOM’S NAME & Bride’s
Name. May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
May the Lord lift up his countenance on you and give you peace. Amen.”

PRONOUNCEMENT/PRESENTATION OF THE COUPLE

The new husband and wife turn around to face the congregation.

Minister: “Ladies and Gentlemen, brothers and sisters in Christ, it is with much
pleasure that I now present to you, Mr. & Mrs. Groom’s Name.”

Minister: “GROOM’S NAME, you may now kiss the bride.”