The Marriage Service

Introduction

The bride and groom stand before the minister (with the congregation also standing). The minister welcomes the people using these or other appropriate words:

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

All:And also with you.

This sentence may be used:

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

This prayer may be said:

All: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.

The congregation sit and one or more readings may be read. If there are two or three readings, a Psalm or a hymn may be sung between them. A sermon may also be preached.

The Marriage

The bride and groom continue to stand before the minister, who will then say:

In the presence of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we have come together to witness the marriage of Peter and Harriet, 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.

Peter and Harriet 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 fulfill 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 will ask the congregation to stand and then says to groom:

Peter, will you take Harriet 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 then says to the bride:

Harriet, will you take Peter 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 Harriet and Peter, support and uphold them in their marriage now and in the years to come?

All: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 Peter and Harriet, 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.

All:Amen.

At least one reading from the Bible is used here, followed by the sermon. A hymn may be sung at this point.

The Vows

The couple stand before the minister. The minister introduces the vows in these or similar words:

Peter and Harriet, 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 (or repeats):

I, Peter, take you, Harriet, 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.

The bride and groom loose hands, and the bride takes the groom's right hand in hers and says (or repeats):

I, Harriet, take you, Peter, 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.

The Giving of Rings

The couple loose hands again. The minister receives the ring(s) from the best man and says this prayer:

Heavenly Father, by your blessing, let these rings be to Harriet and Peter a symbol of unending love and faithfulness, to remind them of the vow and covenant which they may have made this day; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The groom places the ring on the bride's fourth finger of her left hand (counting the thumb). While holding it, the groom says:

Harriet, 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.

The couple may choose to exchange just one ring, in which case the bride would say:

Peter, 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.

If two rings are exchanged, they loose hands and the bride places a ring on the fourth finger of the groom's left hand. While holding it, she says:

Peter, 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.

The proclamation

The minister follows this by addressing the congregation and says:

In the presence of God, and before this congregation, Harriet and Peter 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 couple are now husband and wife in the eyes of the Church.

The minister next joins the couple's right hands together and says:

Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder.

The husband and wife kneel for the blessing while the congregation remain standing:

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 and N 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.

All:Amen.

or

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, bless, preserve, and keep you; 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.

All:Amen.

Signing of the Register

The congregation are asked to sit, while the registration of the marriage takes place. Alternatively, the signing of the register can take place at the end of the service (after the prayers and blessing).

The bride and groom are required to sign the register to make the marriage legal. Two witnesses are required to be present at the ceremony, and also sign the register. Traditionally, the best man and chief bridesmaid witness the signing of the register, but you can bestow this honour on favoured family members if you wish.

During the signing of the register, music is usually played, or a friend can be asked to sing a favourite piece. Since the signing of the register is not part of the religious service, appropriate non-religious music and songs may be performed with the prior permission of the minister.

If there has been no reading from the Bible earlier, at least one reading is read at this point and a sermon may be preached.

The congregation is asked to stand while a psalm or a hymn is sung.

The Prayers

The congregation kneel and the husband and wife kneel before the holy table.

These or other suitable prayers are used. The prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

Thanksgiving
Spiritual growth
Faithfulness, joy, love, forgiveness and healing
Children, other family members and friends

Faithful God, holy and eternal, source of life and spring of love, we thank and praise you for bringing Peter and Harriet to this day, and we pray for them. Lord of life and love:

All:Hear our prayer.

May their marriage be life-giving and life-long, enriched by your presence and strengthened by your grace; may they bring comfort and confidence to each other in faithfulness and trust. Lord of life and love:

All:Hear our prayer.

May the hospitality of their home bring refreshment and joy to all around them; may their love overflow to neighbours in need and embrace those in distress. Lord of life and love:

All:Hear our prayer.

May they discern in your word order and purpose for their lives; and may the power of your Holy Spirit lead them in truth and defend them in adversity. Lord of life and love:

All:Hear our prayer.

May they nurture their family with devotion, see their children grow in body, mind and spirit and come at last to the end of their lives with hearts content and in joyful anticipation of heaven. Lord of life and love:

All:Hear our prayer.

The prayers conclude with either this or the traditional version of the Lord's Prayer.

As our Saviour taught us, so we pray.

All:Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.

At this point a hymn may be sung.

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.

Signing of the Register

The registration of the marriage takes place if it was not performed earlier.

The service ends with a celebratory hymn, after which the bride and groom process back down the aisle together as husband and wife. Their passage is accompanied by their chosen recessional music. The best man and chief bridesmaid follow behind the bride and groom, and then the ushers and bridesmaids paired together. The bride's mother walks with the groom's father, followed by the groom's mother with the bride's father. Remaining family and friends follow. Now is the time for photographs together as husband and wife and with any formal family groups before setting off for your reception to celebrate.

Holy Communion

When the marriage service is combined with the Holy Communion, the readings must include either (a) an Old Testament or a New Testament reading or (b) a Gospel. A hymn is usually sung after the sacraments have been taken.

* © The Archbishops' Council of the Church of England, 2000