Goodwin Wedding

Will Butterfield

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Before the ceremony:

12:00 Details and decor photos

3:00 p.m. (if pictures are to be taken, will need to be earlier)

1:00 Getting ready photos

Father sees the bride

2:00 Bride and Bridesmaids portraits

Mother sees the groom?

3:00 Bride up and any missed photos

Photos of individual parties?

Father sees the bride

Sierra and Thomas exchange personal vows via letter

Mother sees the groom

Return to where??

Sierra and Thomas exchange personal vows via letter through parents also may give gifts to parents

*Pre-service music

Open wines and place up upfront (Red—Thomas— on right, White—Sierra— on left)

*Pre-service music?

Ushers (Erick Norem III and Jerry Goodwin) seating guests

Ushers (Erick Norem III and Jerry Goodwin) seating guests, **Tell them to get lavender

(Offer women your arm. Male guests follow. Friends of the Bride—left; Friends of the Groom—right)

4:10 p.m.

4:00 p.m.

*Music Change —During rehearsal, time this—

Send Erick and Jerry one last time with lavender for anyone who needs it

4:05 p.m.

Processional

*Music Change—Joel

(Ushers: Anyone entering after this time must be escorted down the side.)

Grandparents of Groom (seat to the far right)

Processional (Ushers: Anyone entering after this time must wait)

Paternal: Jerry and Pat Goodwin

Will and Thomas enter

Erick and Jerry be ready to help the bridal party

Maternal: Charlie and Fran Terrell

Grandparents of Groom (seat to the far right)

Grandparents of Bride (seat to the far left)

Jerry and Pat Goodwin paternal

Paternal: AJ and Marie David

Charlie and Fran Terrell maternal

Maternal: Rose Lanclos (escorted by an usher?)

Grandparents of Bride (seat to the far left)

Parents of Groom (seat to the right)

AJ and Marie David paternal

Tom and Susan Goodwin

Parents of Groom (seat to the right)

Mother of Bride (seat to the left, leave a seat for Lionel)

Tom and Susan Goodwin

Tammy Lanclos (escorted by husband Lionel Lanclos, then Lionel returns to get Sierra)

Mother of Bride (seat to the left, leave a seat for Lionel)

Tammy Lanclos (escorted by husband Lionel Lanclos, then Lionel returns to get Sierra)

*Music Change

**Wait for Lionel to return

Will, Thomas, and Jeff (holding Sierra’s ring) enter from right or down aisle?

*Pause Music

Lindsey Billeaudeau escorted by Tyler Mayo

Lindsey Billeaudeau escorted by Andrew Elder

Ashley Lewis escorted by Andrew Elder

Ashley Lewis escorted by Phillip Lewis

Morgan Brown escorted by Chance Lavergne

Cassidy Mainiero (Matron OH) **holding Thomas’s ring on her pinky** escorted by Phillip Lewis

Cassidy Mainiero (Matron OH) **holding Thomas’s ring on her pinky** escorted by Tyler Mayo

Asia Lanclos (MOH)

Asia Lanclos (MOH) escorted by Jeff Goodwin **holding Sierra’s ring in his pocket

*Music Change—Here Comes the Sun

*Music Change

Sierra escorted by Lionel on her right

Will: “Please rise”

Prayer

Giving Away

Who gives this bride to be married? Lionel, “Her mother and I do.” Kisses Sierra, shake’s Thomas’s hand and then places Sierra’s right hand on Thomas’s left hand or arm. Stands next to Tammy.

Who gives this bride? Lionel, “Her mother and I do.” Kisses Sierra, shake’s Thomas’s hand and then places Sierra’s right hand on Thomas’s left hand or arm. Stands next to Tammy.

Sierra and Thomas step forward, Asia hand your bouquet to Cassidy and fix the dress

Will: “You may be seated.” Mother of the Bride sits and is the sign for everyone else to be seated

**Mother of the Bride sits and is the sign for everyone else to be seated**

Welcome and Message

Welcome

On behalf of the bride and groom, it is my privilege to say a personal word of greeting and welcome.

You are special in their hearts and in their lives, and they are honored that you have made the effort to be here and to share in this Holy time of covenant-making.

I would like to begin this afternoon with a familiar passage of scripture that gives us context for marriage, but also some application for both Thomas and Sierra, and for their families.

Genesis 1:26–31 NLT

26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” 27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” 29 Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. 30 And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened. 31 Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.

Genesis 2:4–9 NLT

4 This is the account of the creation of the heavens and the earth. When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, 5 neither wild plants nor grains were growing on the earth. For the Lord God had not yet sent rain to water the earth, and there were no people to cultivate the soil. 6 Instead, springs came up from the ground and watered all the land. 7 Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person. 8 Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. 9 The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 1:26-

Genesis 2:15–24 NLT

15 The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. 16 But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” 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.” 19 So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. 20 He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. 23 “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.’ ” 24 This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.

gen 2:15-

Marriage is of God.

It is ordained of heaven.

It is the first and holiest institution among men.

God himself gave away the first bride.

God performed the first wedding ceremony.

In the garden of Eden, our heavenly father made holy and sanctified the first home.

In the wisdom of the Almighty, the first establishment is not the church, it is the home, and it is in the home that the Lord God first speaks.

In our passage today we see:

We were created in God’s image

God created us for relationships.

God intended for us to work and it would not be burdensome, but a joy.

God created woman because he knew that men could not survive on their own. lol

Because we were made by God, for one another, we long to be together and that is good.

Thomas, Bethany and I have known you for a long time.

Families and friends, will you support Thomas and Serria, by not only allowing them to become one, but also encourage them in that pursuit? If so, say “We will.”

We share fond memories of your goofiness, but also of your incredible heart for others.

Sierra, when you and I first met, it was not under circumstances nearly as joyous as it is today.

Thomas was in the hospital and things were looking very bleak.

Tom shared with me last night that through that entire experience, you never lost faith that Thomas would recover.

It was obvious, that there was an incredible love in your heart for him.

Tom shared with me last night that through that entire experience, you never lost faith that Thomas would recover.

As we spent time together preparing for today, it has been evident how much you two love each other.

Because of your experiences together, you two have a much greater appreciation for the time that we are given with our loved ones.

When we were talking last week Sierra, you told me that Ecclesiastes was one of your favorite books.

I have been studying it for the last few weeks and there is a passage that is perfect for this moment.

I wanted to share a short passage with you today.

Ecclesiastes 9:7–9 NLT

7 So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! 8 Wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne! 9 Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil.

God has blessed both of you with incredible love.

Ecclesiastes 9:7–10 NLT

Ecc 9:7-10

That was His intent when he created humans, that we would enjoy life, not alone, but with a person whom we love and who loves us in return.

In this passage there is a particular word that doesn’t translate to English well.

I want to share with you what God is saying through this passage.

The word that has been translated as “meaningless” is Hay-vel.

The quickest way to understand this word is to point to Adam and Eve’s children, Cain and Able.

Hay-vel is a pointing toward Abel and specifically the brevity of his life.

In this passage, the author isn’t saying that life doesn’t have meaning.

He is saying that life is short and so we should spend our time enjoying the blessings that God has given us.

In this passage, the author is encouraging us to focus our lives on enjoying what God intended for us from the beginning.

From the first day of humans’ creation until today, our highest hope and sweetest promise from God is to experience true love.

Marriage and home are built upon the foundation of sacrificial love and heavenly affection.

Paul spoke of this love and devotion in his letter to the church in Corinth.

1 Corinthians 13:4–8 ESV

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

1 Cor

This kind of love that Paul is describing is not an ordinary love.

It is a love that is greater than we are.

It is a love that goes beyond

During our time together before the wedding, we talked about the difference between a contractual marriage and a covenant marriage.

A contract can be broken when one party chooses not to uphold their end.

This is not the kind of relationship that Paul is describing.

Paul is telling the church that we are to love one another as God loves us.

God has chosen to establish our relationship with him in a covenant.

A covenant is upheld regardless of the actions of the other party.

We see that God loves us this way in that while we were yet sinners, God sent His son to die for us so that our relationship might be restored.

This is the kind of love that Paul is describing.

A love that puts others ahead of themselves.

Because we are made in the image of God and His spirit dwells in us, we are able to know and experience true love.

You have both pledged your love to each other before God and these witnesses. Therefore by the authority granted to me by Jesus through His church and in accordance with the laws of the state of Louisiana, I joyfully pronounce you husband and wife. As somone said, “When you share a joy, it is doubled, and when you share a sorrow, it is halved.” We pledge to you our prayers and continued concern. We love you. Thomas, you may now kiss your bride. I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Goodwin.

1 John 4:16 ESV

16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

1 John 4:11–12 NLT

11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

This is a realization which is celebrated in worship.

Where there is the presence of love, there should be worship, for God is the author of love, and He is the Holy One we worship.

May their marriage be a beautiful overflow of indescribable love from above which mankind can never imitate in any form or fashion. May others see the love of Christ Jesus within them as they love each other. I pray you will help them to understand that every experience is always an opportunity to discover something new about You, as well as something new about each other. For surely as two people grow closer to You they must always grow closer to each other. I pray, Father, that they will look to You as the source for every single need, for there is no reason for them ever to be in need unless You find it necessary to gain their attention. Even then may they listen in order that the need shall be supplied. I pray their marriage will be characterized in such a manner that it will become a challenge and a hope for others who are waiting for marriage. I pray that you will protect their home, that you will protect their house, and they will always look to you as their divine protector and provider. So we ask on their behalf the very best of Heaven’s blessings now and in all the days to come. Father, keep ever before them the simple truth that you have put them together to glorify and honor you. Amen.

You have both pledged your love to each other before God and these witnesses. Therefore by the authority granted to me as a minister of the Gospel and in accordance with the laws of the state of Louisiana, I joyfully pronounce you, husband and wife. As someone said, “When you share a joy, it is doubled, and when you share a sorrow, it is halved.” We pledge to you our prayers and continued concern. We love you. Thomas, you may now kiss your bride. I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Goodwin.

God created marriage so that we could understand the kind of relationship He wants to have with us.

God’s desire is that when people see you two, abiding in His love and loving one another, it would cause them to desire to experience the awe-inspiring love of God that you have.

1 John 4:11-12

I would like to require you to walk often down memory’s lane.

Just remember.

Remember the occasion of your meeting, the days of your friendship and your courtship.

Remember all the details that went into making this occasion a reality.

Remember all these friends and loved ones who have come to share, some from many miles, because they love you and care about you.

The memory of all these things will be a source of encouragement, blessing, and happiness to you in the years that are ahead.

Most of all, remember that the vows you have given have been given unto God as well as to each other.

Story of meeting at the courthouse. - By God’s provision so that they could have a covenant marriage.

Thomas and Sierra, nothing is easier than saying words, and nothing is harder than living them day after day.

I want you to know and understand, that it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that you can love one another in this way.

As we abide in God’s love, His love is brought to full expression in us.

It is only by daily choosing to abide in God’s love that you can give away true, Godly, love.

At the end of this ceremony, you will be legally married, but you will still have to decide, each day, to abide in God’s love and love one another as He loves.

By choosing to do just that, you will experience the beauty of what God has intended for His creation.

You will become one flesh and every day will be better than the day before.

I am so excited that you both are going to get to enjoy God’s love as you love one another.

A challenge to the Parents

Lionel, Tammy, Tom, and Susan, from the day, that your children are born, it is your job to be their protectors, providers, and comforters.

Today, you are surrendering that responsibility over to their new spouse.

We heard earlier in...

Genesis 2:24 ESV

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

In verse twenty-four of Genesis chapter two it says “

As a part of this transition in Thomas and Sierra’s lives, they now need your support by allowing and encouraging them to leave you and to hold fast to one another.

That means that when Sierra is upset with Thomas for being a knucklehead and comes to you to complain, you need to gently remind her that she signed up for it.

It means that when they make a decision for their family that you don’t agree with, and they will, you need to support them by letting them make their own decisions.

It means that when they are in a disagreement, you turn them back to one another and let them learn to lean on God and walk through that disagreement together.

This will be difficult for you, but it is God’s intended purpose and the very best way for you to love and support them.

So parents, will you commit today to support Thomas and Sierra as they follow God’s purpose in marriage as they leave you and hold fast to one another? If so, please say, “We will.”

As a symbol of the joining of themselves and their families, Thomas and Sierra have chosen to have a wine ceremony.

Will explains leaving and cleaving, also explains the wine unity ceremony

Thomas and Sierra have each chosen a bottle of wine to represent milestones in their relationship, and they will combine those two bottles into one.

Those moments have culminated to this very special day.

Once joined, it will be a new wine and the two can never again be separated, just as two, who have become one flesh, cannot be separated.

Parents, would you join me now in gathering around Thomas and Sierra to pray over them before their unity ceremony?

*Music for during prayer and unity ceremony

Sierra hand bouquet to Asia

Family Prayer (on left, next to AJ David who is unable to stand)

Unity Ceremony on right

Thomas and Sierra return to the front, Lindsey fix dress (because MOH and MnOH have hands full)

*Music stops

Vows

Face one another, hold both hands

I am going to ask you three questions. Just respond after the third with “I do.”

Do you Thomas, in the presence of God and these witnesses, promise to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, in prosperity and in adversity, this woman whose hand you now hold?

Do you promise to be to her in all things a true and faithful husband, to hold on to her, and to her only?

Do you take her to be your lawful, wedded wife, as long as you both shall live?

I am going to ask you three questions. Just respond after the third with “I do.”

Do you Sierra, in the presence of God and these witnesses, promise to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, in prosperity and in adversity, this man whose hand you now hold?

Do you promise to be to him in all things a true and faithful wife, to hold on to him, and to him only?

Do you take him to be your lawful, wedded husband, as long as you both shall live?

Rings

“May I have the rings” Jeff and Cassidy

*Hold the ring on the finger, don’t place until finished speaking, and repeat after me.

I, Thomas, take thee, Sierra, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for richer or poorer, for better or worse, to cleave unto thee, and to thee only, as long as we both shall live.

With this ring, I thee wed, with loyal love I thee endow, all my worldly goods with thee I share, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I, Sierra, take thee, Thomas, to be my wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward, for richer or poorer, for better or worse, to cleave unto thee, and to thee only, as long as we both shall live.

With this ring, I thee wed, with loyal love I thee endow, all my worldly goods with thee I share, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Reminder

You have now pledged your lives to each other. I would remind you that only as you faithfully accept the responsibilities that are involved in this new relationship will you find true and lasting happiness.

I would like to require you to walk often down memory lane.

Just remember.

Remember the occasion of your meeting, the days of your friendship and your courtship.

Remember all the details that went into making this occasion a reality.

Pronouncement: “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss.”

Remember all these friends and loved ones who have come to share, some from many miles, because they love you and care about you.

The memory of all these things will be a source of encouragement, blessing, and happiness to you in the years that are ahead.

Most of all, remember that the vows you have given have been given unto God as well as to each other.

Pronouncement

**Announcement: **Step to the side of Thomas so everyone can see**

“Thomas and Sierra have a fun way that they’d like to include you all in their ceremony.

In just a moment, I will present them to you as husband and wife, and they will walk down the aisle together for the first time as a married couple.

They would like for you to celebrate with them by tossing your lavender in the air above them as they walk down the aisle.

So go ahead and open your lavender, and let’s stand together as I pray.”

**Pause as people open lavender

Prayer of Blessing:

Prayer of Blessing

Presentation

Sierra and Thomas face the congregation

**Asia hands bouquet back to Sierra and fix the dress

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you as husband and wife, Thomas and Sierra Goodwin”

Recessional

Sierra and Thomas

Asia and Jeff

Cassidy and Phillip

Morgan and Chance

Ashley and Andrew

Lindsey and Tyler

Parents of Bride—Tammy and Lionel

Parents of Groom—Susan and Tom

Grandparents of Bride

Rose Lanclos escorted by?

AJ and Marie David

Grandparents of Groom

Charlie and Fran Terrell

Jerry and Pat Goodwin

Music Stops

Will: The bride and groom ask that you, please help yourselves to the food and refreshments while they remain here to take a few photos. We know you want to congratulate them, but they ask that you give them just a bit of time to take photos, and they will join you at the reception shortly.

Music Continues for 3 minutes

Reception

Sign the marriage certificate with witnesses

Questions:

Where are the wine bottles?

How do the bottles of wine get to the front?

Napkins for spills?

Who escorts Rose?

Are any grandparents divorced?

Where will the musician be seated?

Is musician mic’d?

Is Will mic’d?

Has DJ been given order of reception?

Catering is serving cake, right?

DJ:

Has any order been discussed?

Introduction

First Dance

Father/Daughter

Mother/Son

Cut the cake, groom’s cake

Bride and Groom toast

MOH and BM Toasts

Money dances or ceremonies

Any newlywed games?

Bouquet toss and garter toss?

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Goodwin Wedding

Before the ceremony:

*Pre-service music

4:00 p.m.

*Music Change —During rehearsal, time this—

Processional

(Ushers: Anyone entering after this time must be escorted down the side.)

Will and Thomas enter

*Music Change

*Music Change

Will: “Please rise”

Prayer

Giving Away

Giving Away

**Will: “You may be seated.” Mother of the Bride sits and is the sign for everyone else to be seated**

Welcome

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A challenge to the Parents

*Music for during prayer and unity ceremony

Family Prayer (on left, next to AJ David who is unable to stand)

Unity Ceremony on right

Vows

Rings

Reminder

Pronouncement

Prayer of Blessing

Presentation

Recessional

**Music Stops**

Music Continues for 3 minutes

Reception

Questions:

Will: “You may be seated.” Mother of the Bride sits and is the sign for everyone else to be seated

Music Stops