At the entry of the Bride: The Bridal March - Wagner

Introduction

[HYMN]

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you
and also with you.

God is love, and those who live in love live in God
and God lives in them. (1 John 4.16)

All say:
God of wonder and of joy:
grace comes from you,
and you alone are the source of life and love.
Without you, we cannot please you;
without your love, our deeds are worth nothing.
Send your Holy Spirit,
and pour into our hearts
that most excellent gift of love,
that we may worship you now
with thankful hearts
and serve you always with willing minds;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Sit
In the presence of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
we have come together to witness the marriage of N & NN, to pray for God’s blessing on them, to share their joy and to celebrate their love.

Marriage is a gift of God in creation through which husband and wife may know the grace of God. It is given that as man and woman grow together in love and trust, they shall be united with one another in heart, body and mind, as Christ is united with his bride, the Church.

The gift of marriage brings husband and wife together in the delight and tenderness of sexual union and joyful commitment to the end of their lives.

It is given as the foundation of family life in which children are [born and] nurtured and in which each member of the family, in good times and in bad, may find strength, companionship and comfort, and grow to maturity in love.

Marriage is a way of life made holy by God, and blessed by the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ with those celebrating a wedding at Cana in Galilee. Marriage is a sign of unity and loyalty which all should uphold and honour. It enriches society and strengthens community. No one should enter into it lightly or selfishly but reverently and responsibly in the sight of almighty God.

N & NN are now to enter this way of life. They will each give their consent to the other and make solemn vows, and in token of this they will each give and receive a ring. We pray with them that the Holy Spirit will guide and strengthen them, that they may fulfil God’s purposes for the whole of their earthly life together.

The Declarations

The Minister says to the congregation:
First, I am required to ask anyone present who knows a reason why these persons may not lawfully marry, to declare it now.

The Minister says to the couple:
The vows you are about to take are to be made in the presence of God, who is judge of all and knows all the secrets of our hearts;
therefore if either of you knows a reason why you may not lawfully marry, you must declare it now.

The Minister says to the bridegroom:
N, will you take NN to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and protect her, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?

He answers:
I will.

The Minister says to the bride:
NN, will you take N to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort him, honour and protect him, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?

She answers:
I will.

The Minister says to the congregation:
Will you, the families and friends of N & NN ,
support and uphold them in their marriage
now and in the years to come?
We will.

The Collect

The Minister invites the people to pray, silence is kept and the Minister says the Collect:

God our Father,
from the beginning,
you have blessed creation with abundant life.
Pour out your blessings upon N & NN ,
that they may be joined in mutual love and companionship,
in holiness and commitment to each other.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
AMEN.

Reading

[HYMN]

The Marriage

The couple stand before the Minister. The Minister asks:
Who brings this woman to be married to this man?

Or the Minister may ask parents of the bride and bridegroom:
N & NN have declared their intention towards each other. As their parents will you now entrust your son and daughter to one another as they come to be married?

Parents of both partners respond:
We will.

The Vows

The Minister introduces the vows:
N & NN , I now invite you to join hands and make your vows, in the presence of God and his people.

The bride and bridegroom face each other. The bridegroom takes the bride’s right hand in his, and says:
I, N, take you, NN, to be my wife,
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 us do part; according to God’s holy law.
In the presence of God I make this vow.

They loose hands. The bride takes the bridegroom’s right hand in hers, and says:
I, NN, take you, N, to be my husband,
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 us do part; according to God’s holy law.
In the presence of God I make this vow.

They loose hands.

The Giving of Rings

The Minister receives the rings, and says:
Heavenly Father, by your blessing, let these rings be to N & NN a symbol of unending love and faithfulness,
to remind them of the vow and covenant which they have made this day through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

The bridegroom places the ring on the fourth finger of the bride’s left hand and, holding it there, says:
NN, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage.
With my body I honour you, all that I am I give to you,
and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

They loose hands and the bride may place a ring on the fourth finger of the bridegroom’s left hand and, holding it there, say:
N, I give you this ring
[Or, if only one ring is used: N, I receive this ring...]
as a sign of our marriage.
With my body I honour you, all that I am I give to you,
and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Proclamation

The Minister addresses the people

In the presence of God, and before this congregation,
N & NN have given their consent and made their marriage vows to each other. They have declared their marriage by the joining of hands and by the giving and receiving of rings. I therefore proclaim that they are husband and wife.

The Minister joins their right hands together and says:
Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder.

The Blessing of the Marriage

The husband and wife may kneel:
Blessed are you, O Lord our God,
for you have created joy and gladness,
pleasure and delight, love, peace and fellowship.
Pour out the abundance of your blessing
upon N & NN in their new life together.
Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts, and a crown upon their heads.
Bless them in their work and in their companionship;
awake and asleep, in joy and in sorrow,
in life and in death.
Finally, in your mercy, bring them to that banquet
where your saints feast for ever in your heavenly home.
We ask this through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. AMEN.

The Minister says to the couple:
God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit,
bless, preserve and keep you, N & NN ;
the Lord mercifully grant you the riches of his grace,
that you may please him both in body and soul,
and, living together in faith and love,
may receive the blessings of eternal life. AMEN.

Prayers
This response may be used:
Lord of life and love:
hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer:
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us:
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 those who 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.

The Dismissal

The Minister says:
God the Holy Trinity make you strong in faith and love, defend you on every side, and guide you in truth and peace; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. AMEN.

[HYMN]

Registration of the Marriage

As the Bride and Groom leave the Church: The Wedding March - Mendelssohn

As you leave the Church you are invited to make a donation, which will be divided between the upkeep of the Church and the Charity which N & NN have chosen, ??.
By placing your donation in one of the envelopes provided if you are a taxpayer, and completing the front, an additional 30% will be added to your gift by the Government.

Copyright acknowledgement (where not already indicated above): The Collect (Marriage): © International Committee on English in the Liturgy Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops' Council 2000.