Wedding Ceremony Duane/Charity

Duane Buckner and Charity Wilson

Wednesday October 1, 2025

The Oaks, Darien, GA

Address the Congregation

THE MINISTER SAYS:

Friends, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the presence of these witnesses, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony; which is an honorable estate, instituted of God, and signifying to us the mystical union which exists between Christ and His church; which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with His presence in Cana of Galilee. 

It is, therefore, not to be entered into unadvisedly, but reverently, discreetly, and in the fear of God. 

Into this holy estate, these two persons come now to be joined. 

If anyone can show just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let them now speak, or forever hold their peace.

PRAYER

Addressing the persons to be married, the minister shall say:

I require and charge you both, as you stand in the presence of God, before whom the secrets of all hearts are disclosed, that having duly considered the holy covenant you are about to make, you do now declare before this company your pledge of faith, each to the other. 

Be well assured that if these solemn vows are kept inviolate, as God’s Word demands, and if steadfastly you endeavor to do the will of your heavenly Father, God will bless your marriage, will grant you fulfillment in it, and will establish your home in peace.

Giving of the Bride

THEN SHALL THE MINISTER SAY:  Who gives this woman to be married to this man?

The Children will answer: We do. 

Genesis 2:18 “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.””

Genesis 2:24 “This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”

Ephesians 5:22 “For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.”

Ephesians 5:25–26 “For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.”

Address to the Bride and Groom

You are about to share your vows with each other and be united as husband and wife. All that you have been planning for and looking forward to will soon be fulfilled. You are about to begin your life as a new family. You will create new patterns in your life. I would like to encourage you to make Christ the head of your home and the center of your lives.

Read the Scriptures together and pray together. Seek God’s guidance in all aspects of your lives and look for ways to serve His kingdom and His church.

Declaration of Intent

To Duane:

Duane Buckner, will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony?  Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only to her as long as you both shall live?

Duane says:  I will

To Charity:

Charity Wilson: will you have this man to be your wedded husband, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only to him as long as you both shall live?

Charity says:  I will

Vows

Personal Vow exchange (first)

Duane and Charity will exchange personal vows that they have written

Formal Vow exhange (second)

Duane will you take Charity by the right hand and repeat after me:

I, Duane, take you Charity, to be my wedded wife,

to have and to hold,

from this day forward,

for better or for worse,

for richer or for poorer,

in sickness and in health,

to love and to cherish,

till death we do part,

according to God’s holy ordinance

and this I pledge to you my faith.

Loose hands, Charity, will you take Duane by the right hand and repeat after me:

I, Charity, take you Duane, to be my wedded husband,

to have and to hold,

from this day forward,

for better or for worse,

for richer or for poorer,

in sickness and in health,

to love and to cherish,

till death we do part,

according to God’s holy ordinance;

and to this, I pledge to you my faith.

RING CEREMONY:

The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, signifying to all the uniting of this man and this woman in holy matrimony through the church of Jesus Christ our Lord.  The ring, in its simplest form, is a circle.  A circle has no beginning and no end; therefore, it symbolizes forever.  When you look at these rings, they should be a constant reminder of your pledge to love and honor one another forever.   

PRAYER OVER THE RINGS

Get Charity’s ring and give it to Duane

Ask him to place it on the third finger of Charity’s left hand and repeat after me:

In token and pledge

of our constant faith and abiding love,

with this ring I you wed,

in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  

Get Duane’s ring and give it to Charity and

Ask her to place it on the third finger of Duane’s left hand and repeat after me:

In token and pledge

of our constant faith and abiding love,

with this ring I you wed,

in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  

Address to the Family

When a man and woman marry, not only is a new family created, but it impacts the established families of the bride and groom. On the one hand, we have to release. There’s a new independence, a new responsibility, a new sense of guidance, a new sense of helpfulness. But on the other hand, we have another person to accept , another family member to pray for, a new family member to care for as our own child!

Unity Sand

FAMILY, today you join your separate lives together.  The SEVEN separate bottles of sand symbolize your separate lives, separate families, and separate sets of friends.  They represent all that you are and all that you’ll ever be as an individual.  They also represent your lives before today.  As these SEVEN containers of sand are poured into one container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one. 

Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into individual containers, so will your marriage be. From now on your thoughts shall be for each other rather than you’re individual selves.  Your plans shall be mutual; your joys and sorrows shall be shared alike.  POUR THE SAND!

PASTORAL REMARKS

Genesis 2:22–24 “Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’ ” This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”

This is also expressed in Matthew 19:5, Ephesians 5:31-33.

Eve was not made from his feet - she is not to be trampled on

Eve was made from his side - she is equal, but under his arm and near his heart

You two are now joined together and nothing, family, or jobs, or friends or anything should come between you

Love each other, respect each other and remember that you have chosen each other to be your partner in life.

Remember that marriage is not just a never-ending date night. Real marriage is an unwavering commitment that lasts through losses, challenges and hardships of life. It is a spiritual bond that is precious to God.

If you keep these principles at the forefront of your marriage, you will experience God’s blessings.

PRAYER OF BLESSING

Duane will you take Charity’s hand and face everyone?

TO THE CONGREGATION

Forasmuch as Duane and Charity have consented together in holy matrimony, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and have pledged their faith each to the other and have declared the same by joining hands and giving and receiving rings; I pronounce that they are husband and wife together, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Those whom God has joined together, let no man put asunder.  Amen.

YOU MAY KISS THE BRIDE

CONGREGATION PLEASE STAND

I now present to you MR. AND MRS. Duane Buckner