Joe and Tiff’s Wedding Ceremony

Giving away of the Bride

Who gives this woman to be married to this man?

___________

Intro to Guests

We are here today after a long journey for Joe and Tiff

This was not the first date that has been set for the joining of Joe and Tiff

But a series of events caused the last one not to take place.

Often we can miss what blessings God is attempting to put into our lives when we don’t allow the adversity he allows to do the work he desires.

2 Corinthians 7:9 (NKJV)

9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner,

The broken part of their story then has added to the beauty of their story today.

Their marriage has already proven it’s capacity to recover from adversity before it even begins.

This couple has made the decision to do things the right way!

__________

Today things are different

They both stand here healthy, in love with Jesus, and commited to lead their family in His will.

The prerequisite to being able to have a strong marriage…

is to be commited to the love that brings us together…we will talk about love more in a moment.

Scripture tells us the prerequisite to loving others well

Matthew 22:37–39 NKJV

37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

Before we can love those around us…Jesus told us we properly must love our God.

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The adversity of the past has brought them both to the place where they have fallen in love with Jesus.

The love for the Lord their God has prepared them to be able to share a love with one another.

One thing I shared with them is that the key to a faithful marriage is not trust in one another or even commitment to one another.

It is commitment to God.

As each spouse draws closer to God they will in turn draw closer to one another.

________

And so today, we are gathered to celebrate their love. to join them together before God as one.

This is what we celebrate as we celebrate love.

1 Corinthians 13:4–8 NKJV

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

__________ With that, we will commence the vows.

VOWS:

Joe

"Do you, Joe, take Tiff, to be you 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 do you part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto pledge her your love?"

Joe: "I DO”

Tiff

"Do you, Tiff, take Joe, to be you 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 do you part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge her your love?

Tiff: “I DO”

RING EXCHANGE

Joe and Tiff have chosen to signify their commitment to one another by the exchanging of rings.

Joe and Tiff These rings are symbols of your commitment of love. They are made of precious metal, expressing the purity which should always be in your marriage. They are formed in circles, expressing the unending dimension of your love and the eternal love of God.

Joe , would you place this ring on Tiff’s hand and repeat after me.

Tiff, I give this ring, as a visible token of my love, and I give it to you as my own life.

Tiff, would you place this ring on Joe’s finger and repeat after me:

Joe, I give this ring, as a visible token of my love, and I give it to you, as my own life.

ENDING:

Having made these vows of commitment and love to God and one another, it is my privilege by the authority of scripture, the state of Georgia, and by the commission of Jesus Christ as a minister of the gospel, to pronounce you husband and wife.

Joe you may now kiss your bride.

It is now my great honor to present to you for the first time…MR AND MRS Joe Tilley.