Elijah and Kyra's Wedding Cermony

9:20 AM: Prelude Music

Line up for ceremony; background music starts.

9:30 AM: Processional

Entrance song begins

Pastor, Groom, & best man enter from the side of the stage

Blank Song begins → Groomsmen and Bridesmaids file down the aisle solo and have a seat on the first rows on both sides of the aisle (boys on right, girls on left side)

Cats come down the aisle with Maddy as the cat wrangler with fake rings on their collars.

Maid of honor walks down aisle and goes up and stands on left side at the bottom of the stage steps

Bride’s Song Begins - Bride with Dad enter and bride is escorted to the bottom of the stage steps

9:35 AM: Ceremony

Welcome, Phone/Camera Instructions

Say: “Good morning and welcome to the wedding of Elijah Weiss and Kyra Nichols. Before we start with a word of prayer, I’d like to ask that you please silence and put away all cellphones and cameras for the remainder of the service. This is by special request from both the bride and the groom./ Now, let’s commit this time to the Lord in prayer. Pray with me.”

Prayer

Say: “Father, we ask that you send your precious Holy Spirit to be among us in a special way during this ceremony. We acknowledge first and foremost that what is occuring here this day is an act of worship for you. We desire for you to be magnified through the union of two of your children. We ask that you use this time to make your gospel known to all who are present. We pray for conviction, restoration, and new hearts. We pray for repentance and faith. / Our hearts are filled with great happiness on this wedding day of Kyra and Elijah. They come before you, pledging their lives and their hearts to one another. Grant that they may be ever true and ever loving, living together in such a way as to faithfully display your gospel to all people for the rest of their lives. Be with us this service and guide us as we continue. On the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.”

Father handoff

[Look to Father] Say: “Who is giving this woman to be married to this man?”

[Father responds]: “Her mother and I.”

[Father hands bride to groom]

[Beckon Bride and Groom to walk up onto stage and face me]

Biblical Marriage Explanation

Say: “We have come together in the presence of God to witness the joining together of this man, Elijah, and this woman, Kyra, in the bond of marriage. Genesis 2:18-24 says, “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” The sacred relationship of marriage was established by God in creation, and it is commanded in the Scripture to be held in honor by all people. Let us therefore reverently remember that God has established and sanctified marriage, for the welfare and happiness of mankind. Our Savior has declared that a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife. / Marriage signifies to us the mystery of the union between Christ and his church. The apostle Paul says in Ephesians 5:31-32, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” Yes, marriage is meant for the benefit of mankind, but ultimately, marriage is meant to glorify God by displaying his plan of redemption for a lost mankind. Paul also draws a clear line separating the distinctive functions of husband and wife, when he instructs the woman in Eph. 5:22-24 to be submissive to her husband as to the Lord, and commands the man in Eph. 5:25-28 to love his wife as Christ has loved the church, giving himself up for her. Marriage is established by God. In this marriage covenant, a man and woman willingly bind themselves together in love and become one, even as Christ is one with the church, his Body.”

9:50 AM: Vows w/ Exchange of Rings

Say: “Now, Elijah and Kyra will pledge themselves in this marriage covenant by exchanging vows and rings.”

[The man and the woman are to face each other, holding hands.]

Groom vows

[Turn to Groom] Say: “Elijah, will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together in holy marriage? Will you love her as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her? Will you protect her, comfort her, honor and keep her and forsake all others, holding fast only to her as long as you both shall live?”

Groom answers: “I will.”

[Receive ring for Groom from Best man]

Groom puts ring on Bride.

Say: “Elijah, you have chosen to seal your vow by the giving and receiving of a ring. The ring forms a perfect circle, without a beginning or an end, and is thereby a symbol of eternity and signifies the duration of the commitment you are making.”

[Give ring to Groom] Say: “Repeat after me: I give you this ring,/ as a symbol of my vow,/ and with all that I am, /and with all that I have,/ I will honor you.”

Groom repeats and puts ring on Bride

Bride vows

[Turn to Kyra] Say: “Kyra, will you have this man to be your wedded husband, to live together in holy marriage? Will you submit to him, as to the Lord? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him and forsake all others, holding fast only to him as long as you both shall live?”

Bride answers: “I will.”

[Receive ring for Bride from Best man]

Bride puts ring on groom

Say: “Kyra, you have also chosen to seal your vow by the giving and receiving of a ring to symbolize the eternal duration of the commitment you are making.”

[Give ring to Bride] Say: “Repeat after me: I give you this ring,/ as a symbol of my vow,/ and with all that I am, /and with all that I have,/ I will honor you.”

Bride repeats and puts ring on Groom

10:00 AM: Prayer and Gospel

Introduce Seth

Say: “Again, the marriage covenant is a representation of Christ’s love for the church. I’d now like to invite Seth Rhodebeck, one of Elijah and Kyra’s pastors to come and share the message of Christ’s love for his church.”

[Step aside and let Seth take center]

Seth shares gospel and prays for both of them.

10:10 AM: Pronouncement and Kiss

Say: “Elijah and Kyra, now having heard your pledge of love and devotion to one another in holy marriage, I do, by the authority invested in me as a minister of the Gospel of Christ, pronounce you husband and wife in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate. You may kiss the bride.”

[Bride and Groom Kiss]

[Applause]

10:12 AM: Presentation

[Turn Bride and Groom to face the crowd]

Say: “Friends and family, it is my honor and joy to present to you for the first time as husband and wife, Elijah and Kyra Weiss.”

10:14 AM: Recessional

The bride and groom exit.

The bridal party exits.

The family exits.

10:15 AM: Dismissal

[Dismiss the crowd] Say: “The reception will begin at 11:00 in 45 minutes. Until then we ask all who are able to help the wedding party setup for the reception. God bless.”

11:00 AM: Reception

12:00 PM: Cake Cutting

12:15 PM: Dancing Begins

3:00 PM-5:00 PM: Bride and Groom Leave