Coppage Wedding

Intro

Bride, Groom and family and friends. We are gathered together today, in the presence of God, and in the company of you friends, to join together this man, and this woman, in holy matrimony.

We all should know, and the bride and groom do know, that marriage is not to be entered into lightly or unadvisedly, but reverently. In a Christian marriage we are to firstly commit our lives to Christ, and in that commitment follow the scriptural model of marriage. We must emphasize the importance of what will take place in the uniting of these two persons. Marriage is the foundation of home, life, and social order and must remain forever.

Each of us is the result of the influence of family and friends, and when we gather for a Christian wedding ceremony, we simply acknowledge that God and other people have touched our lives in a significant way.

The Bible is full of reminders that God established the home, and that he gives his blessing to those people who follow the simple guidelines that he has set for us. We commit ourselves completely to our spouse. We commit ourselves to his or her well being. We remain faithful physically, emotionally, and spiritually to the person whom we have freely chosen to marry. This is God’s word for those who choose marriage.

A wedding ceremony is that occasion when a man and a woman publicly proclaim their love and declare their commitment to one another. By nature it is both a solemn and happy event. For some of you gathered here, this ceremony will prompt a flood of personal memories, for others of you it will set in motion dreams and aspirations. For all of us it will be a sharing in a most intimate and love-filled moment in the lives of these two people. On behalf of the family I thank you for your presence in this beautiful event.

Presentation of the Bride

Me:

Who gives this woman to be married to this man?

Jim: I do.

Vows

Me:

Corey do you promise to live with Lindsey according to God’s purposes? Do you promise to commit yourself to meeting her needs: physically, emotionally, and spiritually? Do you promise that, whatever the circumstances, you will love, honor, and sustain her as long as you both shall live?

Corey: I do

Lindsey do you promise to live with Corey according to God’s purposes? Do you promise to commit yourself to meeting his needs: physically, emotionally, and spiritually? Do you promise that, whatever the circumstances, you will love, honor, and sustain him as long as you both shall live?

Lindsey: I do

Me:

The ring is like a string around your finger. It reminds you of something. It is a symbol, a sign. Every time that you see your wedding ring, you will be reminded of the commitment that you made to one another here today

Corey (after me): I give you this ring as a sign of our love and commitment

Lindsey (after me): I give you this ring as a sign of our love and commitment

Promises to the Child

Me:

It is Corey’s desire to extend His commitments to Lindsey by making a promise to Harrison. Because we recognize that tonight there are not only two coming together, but three.

Me to Congregation:

Corey has prepared something that He would like to share.

Promise

Corey’s Promise to Harrison:

Me:

May a kind God now bless you all as family, and bless this marriage and this home, wherever you may be. And so it is.

The Way of Love

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 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.

Prayer of marriage

Corey and Lindsey, since you have committed yourselves to a lifelong love, before God and these witnesses, and since you have agreed to meet the needs of each other as long as you both live. I pronounce you husband and wife.

Mark 10:9 ESV

9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

You may kiss the bride.

I now introduce to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Corey Coppage