This is a copy of all the words from an actual
service. Each service is different and the Minister will try to get it right
for you. This one is a very simple
ceremony with a lot of quiet bits in it as that suited the couple. It leaves out some of the official service
and adds other bits in. I also moved
some parts of the ceremony about. But it
will give you a flavour of a typical service.
Romeo & Best Man sit at front.
Notes: Practice declaration. Mobiles off! Cameras.
All stand for bridal procession.
Bride hands Bouquet to Bridesmaids and lifts her veil
The Welcome
Some words
from the Minister All stay standing for
We have come together in the
presence of God, to witness the marriage of Romeo and Juliet, to ask his
blessing on them, and to share in their joy. Our Lord Jesus Christ was himself
a guest at a wedding, and through his Spirit he is with us now.
The Bible teaches us that
marriage is a gift of God in creation and a means of his grace, a holy mystery
in which man and woman become one flesh. It is God’s purpose that, as husband
and wife give themselves to each other in love throughout their lives, they
shall be united in that love as Christ is united with his Church.
Marriage is given, that husband and wife may comfort and help each
other, living faithfully together in need and in plenty, in sorrow and in joy.
It is given, that with delight and tenderness they may know each
other in love, and thus strengthen the union of their hearts and lives.
It is given as the foundation of family life in which children are
born and nurtured in accordance with God’s will, to his praise and glory.
In marriage husband and wife belong to one another, and they begin
a new life together in the community. It is a way of life that all should
honour; and it must not be undertaken carelessly, lightly, or selfishly, but
reverently, responsibly, and after serious thought.
This is the way of life, created and hallowed by God, that Romeo
and Juliet are now to begin. They will each give their consent to the other;
they will join hands and exchange solemn vows, and in token of this they will
each give and receive a ring. Therefore, on this their wedding day we pray with
them, that, strengthened and guided by God, they may fulfil his purpose 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
Juliet and Romeo, 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
Romeo , will you take Juliet 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
Juliet , will you take Romeo 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.
And will you, the families and
friends of Romeo and Juliet support and uphold them in their marriage now and
in the years to come?
All: We will.
Reading
Sermon (or something like one)
The Giving Away and Vows
Dad
takes J’s right hand and gives to Minister. They give her hand to Romeo.
They face each other
Romeo and Juliet, I now
invite you to make your vows, in the presence of God and his people.
Romeo says:
I, Romeo, take you, Juliet / 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, Juliet , take you, Romeo, 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 Minister receives the
rings, and says this prayer
Heavenly Father, by your blessing let these
rings be to Romeo and Juliet 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
Juliet, 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 bride places a ring on
the fourth finger of the bridegroom’s left hand and, holding it there, says
Romeo, 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 husband and wife kneel.
They hold hands. The Minister says a quiet
blessing then this out loud:
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 Romeo and Juliet 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. Amen.
The husband and wife stand.
The Proclamation
In the presence of God, and
before this congregation, Romeo and Juliet 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.
It’s not in the book, but you may as they say kiss
the bride.
Our second hymn introduces our prayers. We
stand to sing
Prayers
Juliet & Romeo kneel at the altar. The first few prayers are personal and may be done quietly.
Faithful God, holy and
eternal, source of life and spring of love, we thank and praise you for
bringing Romeo and Juliet to this day.
And we pray that their
marriage be may 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.
May they nurture their family
with devotion, see 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.
Father, we thank you for Juliet
and Romeo’s families, for all who have loved them and cared for them as they
have grown up. We pray for those we
love but see no longer, especially Grandad Capulet. We share with them the joy of this day. May their example and their memory be a guide to Romeo and Juliet
in their life together. Amen
We close our prayers for Romeo
and Juliet by joining together in the words of the Lord’s Prayer:
All 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 Minister will say a couple
of things about the collection and confetti.
We don’t take a collection but we do leave a plate at the back. (Apart from fees for weddings and the
occasional funeral, all of St Peter’s income comes from donations) And confetti – throw as much as you like outside
in the lane but please don’t throw it inside the church (! yes, some people
think that’s fine) or on the church path as it makes it slippery. (By the way, natural or paper confetti is
preferred. The foil stuff is horrible
to clear up afterwards).
Romeo and Juliet stand, turn and face each other arms outstretched,
with me in the middle holding their hands with left and raising right:
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.
All Amen.