Wedding (With Ring Ceremony)

On behalf of Joseph and Melissa and their families I want to say welcome and thank you for coming today to this joyous occasion of witnessing Joseph and Melissa’s joining together in marriage. 

Let us pray

You may be seated

Who gives this woman to be married?

Now Mrs. ___________________ will read a special poem

And now Don Bolland, the father of the groom, will give us a reading from the Scriptures

We are witnessing Joseph and Melissa join in holy wedlock on this very special day.  And though Joseph and Melissa are getting married to each other today, in one sense they are already married.  You see, they both are part of the church, which is called in the Bible, the bride of Christ.  There was a time when Joseph and Melissa each came to the altar in their hearts and made a vow to the lover of their souls, the Lord Jesus.  And now Jesus is their bridegroom.  They have given themselves to Jesus because Jesus loved them enough to die on a cross for their sins and rise three days later, victorious over the grave.  And because both Joseph and Melissa have experienced the love and power of Christ, they can now live out that love and power to and with and for each other.

And Joseph and Melissa, before you commit yourselves to one another, let me give you some friendly advice.  It’s in the form of an acronym: LOVE.  Let these four things help foster a great marriage and help you over the rough spots as you go through life together.

The first letter is L: Love—this must be the foundation of your marriage.  Not the sentimental, mushy kind that doesn’t last, but the kind that God has for you.  The kind both of you experienced in Christ.  This is known as agape love.  The no strings attached kind of love.  Love of the tough, everlasting kind.  And I can’t think of any better description of this kind of love than what is found in the Bible, the 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians.  It’s been said that this is the best description of love found in all of literature.  Here’s how Paul the apostle described love: 

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.   It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.   Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.   It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Joseph and Melissa, let this kind of love be your continual standard.

The second part of the acronym stands for “Only One”.  This represents exclusivity in your marriage.  Jealously guard it from any intruder!  I’m reminded that God Himself is jealous of His relationship with  us and us with Him.  Your marriage is much too valuable to allow any other person to enter in.  Put safeguards in place to protect it.  Guard your hearts and minds from giving another person entrance into your lives.  But on your wedding day you might be thinking, “I could never allow another person in my heart.”  My hunch is that every normal couple—because I imagine there are exceptions—but every normal couple who has ever stood at the altar said the same thing.  The destruction of a relationship often happens by slow erosion rather than by a quick explosion.  Continually be on your guard.  Continue to make the one before you the only one in your heart.

V stands for Valentine—keep the romance in your marriage.  Sooner or later, the excitement of your wedding day will pass and you will settle into a life routine.  Unfortunately for many couples, that routine gets monotonous and boring.  And if you aren’t careful, careers, stresses of life and most likely later on, children, often serve to take the sparkle out of a marriage.  But find ways to keep the newness kindled.  Continue to pursue one another and keep coming back to that place in your hearts that attracted you to each other in the first place.    

Finally, E stands for eternal.  We just heard from the scriptures about how God treats us.  God’s mercy and forgiveness are without limits.  God lavishes His gifts on us.  Make it your aim to follow Christ’s example as you live out the promises that you will make to each other today.  God is always faithful; He will never leave you nor forsake you.  And when the going gets tough, like all of who have been married for awhile know, treat each other the way God treats you.  We love because He first loved us.  See who can be the first to do the loving. 

And with that said, let’s now proceed with your vows:

Joseph, do you take Melissa to be your wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy state of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and cherish her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep only unto her, as long as you both shall live? Joseph: I do.

Melissa, do you take Joseph to be your wedded husband, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy state of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and respect him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep only unto him, as long as you both shall live? Melissa: I do.

Now, Joseph, repeat these vows after me

I Joseph / take you Melissa / to be my wedded 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 ordinance of marriage / and to you alone I pledge to remain faithful. 

And Melissa, repeat these vows after me

I Melissa / take you Joseph / to be my wedded 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 ordinance of marriage / and to you alone I pledge to remain faithful. 

What token do you have to symbolize your marriage one to the other?  A ring.

Melissa, may I see Joe’s ring?

As I look at this ring, I see three things.  First it’s made of gold.  A precious metal.  It’s not a cigar band, but something of great value.  Let this ring remind you of the preciousness of your marriage.  Second, it is carefully crafted.  It is not made haphazardly or without care.  May this ring remind you of the way the Lord has carefully made you, one for the other.  Third, this ring is in the form of a circle.  The circle doesn’t have a beginning or an end.  Let it remind you of the everlasting love that God has given you for each other.

Now Joe, take Melissa’s left hand and as you’re putting her ring on her finger repeat after me. 

With this ring / I thee wed / and all my worldly goods I give you.

And Melissa, take Joseph’s left hand and as you’re putting his ring on his finger repeat after me. 

With this ring / I thee wed / and all my worldly goods I give you

Forasmuch as Joseph and Melissa have consented together in the holy ordinance of marriage, and have exchanged their vows before God and everyone here today, and have declared their commitment to one another by the giving and receiving of rings, I pronounce that they are husband and wife, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Let no one separate those whom God has joined together.

Joseph, you may now kiss your bride.

The unity candle symbolizes that both Joe and Melissa came here today as two individuals but will be leaving as one couple, beginning their journey down the road of life together.

Let us pray:

(Handcuffs)—Just in case you are tempted to change your minds!

It is now my privilege to be the first to present to you Mr. And Mrs. Joseph Bolland.