Becca Wedding Template

Brad and Mickie’s Wedding | Jun 17, 2022

Prelude

Music:

Processional

Seating of the Families

Bridal Entrance

Bride walks in

Give away

Who gives this lady to be married to this man?

Father’s Response: “Her mother and I do.”

Bride hug dad, Groom, shake dad’s hand, turn and offer bride your arm. Once in place, the maid of honor and bridesmaids will do the dress train and take bouquet, we’ll pause while this happens.

Welcome Good afternoon. My name is Becca, and I’m one of the pastors at Duluth Vineyard. On behalf of Brad, Mickie and their families, welcome and thank you for coming, and for being a part of this very special day. We are here today to honor God, and to rejoice in the special love that Brad and Mickie have found in each another. Please join me in prayer as we ask God to bless our time together.

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father, we are grateful for your wisdom, compassion, and goodness in giving us the blessing of marriage. You have poured out your love on us, and you’ve given us other people to share that love with. So here we are today with Brad, Mickie, and their family and friends. I ask that you bless this day, and fill it with your love. Bless this couple who stands before you today, strengthen them, and let them draw closer to you, and closer to each other, every single day of their lives. We ask this in your Holy Name. Amen.

Focus Them Hi guys, how are you doing? You made it, you’re finally here. I want you to take a deep breath. Seriously guys, take a deep breath. Take a look around at everyone. Now look back at each other. Savor this moment and be present. This is one of the most important days of your lives, and it goes by quickly. Soak in each and every moment.

Charge to the Couple Brad and Mickie are here before God, and all of us, to join their hearts and lives. This is a public declaration of their love and devotion to one another. Brad and Mickie, marriage is a great thing, and, it’s a big commitment. Marriage is a covenant and is designed to be a blessing and benefit to us. No one should make this commitment on a whim, but with seriousness, and in great Joy. And I’m pretty sure that’s why you guys are here, but just to make sure, I’m going to ask you some questions. At the end, if they sound like it’s something you’re up for, respond with “I Do”. Sound good? Alright, Brad , you go first:

Charge to Couple & Declaration of Intent

Brad , Do you take Mickie to be your wife and will you be faithful to her, love her, honor her, live with her and cherish her all the days of your life?

If so, respond with: I do.

Response: I do.

Mickie, Do you take Brad to be your husband and will you be faithful to him, love him, honor him, live with him, and cherish him all the days of your life?

If so, say: I do.

Response: I do.

Message

As you both have been preparing for today, and adjusting plans, and adjusting again, I’m sure you’ve gotten lots of advice on what you need to do to have a long and happy marriage. Listen to everything everyone says. Next to your relationship with God, your marriage is the most important thing in your life. It will be amazing at times, and crazy difficult at others. And if you stay the course, your marriage will help build you into the people God created you to be. As a pastor and a married woman, I’ve boiled down some of the marriage advice I’ve heard and put it into four things that I’d like to share with you.

Number One: Stay Connected We would like to think that the two of you could ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after. But the truth is, there will be some hard times. Right now, I want to challenge both of you to stay emotionally engaged with each other. Don’t let go. Fight for your marriage, and fight for each other.

The commitment you are making to each other here today is for the rest of your life. There is no back door.

And that might sound scary, but it should also make you feel really safe. The two of you can be one hundred percent open and honest with each other, truly transparent. That’s what intimacy is. “In-to-me-see”. No walls, no barriers, no escape hatch, just each other.

In preparing for this ceremony, Brad and Mickie picked out these verses in Ephesians that sum this up well: “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace”.

These verses are like a step by step guide to stay connected. Brad and Mickie, while you can’t control each other, you can control yourself. Mickie, even if Brad is once again up late playing video games, you get to decide how patient you’re going to be with him and how gently you can remind him how late it actually is. Brad, you get to decide whether or not you’re going to fight with Mickie about who gets to use the downstairs bathroom. Mickie, you get to decide whether or not you’re going to be patient when Brad is still sleeping in late on the weekend and you’re ready to get the day started. Brad, you can offer a kind response anytime Mickie stress cleans the kitchen.

No matter how the other person shows up, you get to decide whether or not you will stay connected. You each have found someone who is committing to love you unconditionally. Don’t ever lose that. Stay emotionally engaged, stay connected to one another.

Number Two: Create a Safe Space for Each of You to Grow Later on in Ephesians 4:15-16 reads, “Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

You guys get to choose the environment and the attitudes of your marriage. You don’t get to choose all the things you will face, but you get to set the tone.

I challenge you both to create an environment where each of you can grow, a space that encourages emotional and spiritual nourishment and health. Today, you are making a decision and commitment to love and protect one another fully and completely, to always believe the best about each other and to guard each other.

At the end of Ephesians 4, in verses 31 and 32, Paul writes “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

To create a safe place to grow requires more forgiveness than humanly possible, more kindness and grace than humanly possible. Creating a safe place for each other to grow requires each of you taking hold of your own choices and actions, asking for forgiveness when it’s needed and forgiving each other whether they’ve asked for it or not, or rather you think they deserve it or not.

When you know you are safe, protected, and that someone really believes in you; that’s an easy environment in which to grow. Provide that for each other.

Number Three: Celebrate and bless one another’s strengths (You’re a Team) The two of you have some wonderful strengths that you are bringing into this marriage. They are meant to be a blessing to each other, to encourage one another, and to bring out the best in the two of you, as individuals, but also as a couple.

It’s been fun getting to know the two of you leading up to today. It’s been amazing hearing about the ways the two of you have handled all the stress that the years have brought. It’s been you two verses the problem. You are a team.

You both shared that you believe you really complement and add to each other, in a way that you are so much better together than either of you were on your own. You two are so committed to each other, and you two are committed to helping the other person thrive. Constantly choose to grow individually, and as a couple.

And lastly, point Number 4: Keep Jesus at the center of your relationship

Again, in Ephesians 4:15-16 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

The body Paul, the writer of Ephesians, is referring to here is the church. Over and over in the New Testament, there is this metaphor of Jesus as the bridegroom and his church as the bride. This is how much Jesus values marriage, it’s used as a metaphor of his relationship with the church. That’s his level of commitment to us as his people.

The only way you will continue to fit together this well throughout your lives is to stay connected and surrendered to Jesus. I encourage you both to invite Him into the good times, and into the hard times of your marriage. Cherish and cultivate your relationship with Jesus just as you cherish and cultivate your relationship with each other.

Call to Wedding Party

But this commitment, this marriage, goes beyond yourselves. God has created us for community that goes beyond back yard bar-be-que’s and bean bag toss. We need to share real life with one another.

So, to the wedding party. You’re not up here because of tradition, or to make Mickie and Brad look good. You’re up here because you have invested in their lives; you have made an impact on who they are. Now I simply ask that you don’t stop investing in them. I’m calling on you to fight for their marriage with them.

I’m asking you to celebrate the good times, and encourage them in the hard times, to be praying for them, laughing with them, and crying with them. They will come to you when life is good, and when it’s tough. Please, invest in them as a couple, just as you invested in them as individuals. And to Brad and Mickie’s friends and family, you aren’t here by accident. I ask you, also, to help these two make their marriage the best and the strongest that it can be.

Transition Brad , I want you look at Mickie . (Turn and face each other if not already) What a beautiful bride, she’s your bride. She is God’s Unique Gift to you. There’s no other woman in the world with her unique blend of beauty, grace, and gifts. As she has grown up, God has been preparing her to be your wife.

So Brad, never take this beautiful woman for granted. She is your partner and your best friend. She is God’s gift to you. Mickie, look at Brad. He looks pretty good all dressed up doesn’t he?

Mickie, Brad is the man God has prepared to be your husband. He will encourage you to pursue you dreams, be with you through life’s storms and in life’s moments of greatness. Don’t take him for granted. He is God’s special gift to you.

Exchanging of the vows

When you enter into a marriage, you are making a covenant, a promise. This isn’t a one time thing, this is a promise you renew each and every day. Now, I’m going to ask you to make that promise, what we call vows, for the first time. These Vows will be like the Northern Star of your marriage, they will be the thing that keeps you heading in the right direction.

Brad, we’ll start with you (put microphone to Brad), repeat after me: I Brad , take you Mickie, to be my 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 us part. Today, I pledge to you my faithfulness.

I Mickie, take you Brad , to be my 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 us part. Today, I pledge to you my faithfulness.

Exchanging of the Rings: Can I have the rings please? The wedding ring is an ancient tradition that dates back at least 3000 years. The circular band represents a love that is eternal. It is a symbol that Mickie and Brad will wear as an outward expression of the Vows they have made today. Brad, take this ring, place it on Mickie’s finger and say this to her: “With this ring, I vow to love and honor you from this moment forward.”

Mickie, place this ring on Brad’s finger, and, as you do, say this to him

“With this ring, I vow to love and honor you from this moment forward.”

Braid

Today, Brad and Mickie have chosen to braid three strands together into a single cord. Each strand has a significant meaning. One strand represents God who has given the gift of love. Another, represents Brad and his life. And another represents Mickie and her life. In braiding these three strands together, Brad and Mickie are demonstrating that their marriage is more than a joining of two lives together. It is a unity with God as well. They have chosen to allow God to be at the center of their marriage, woven into every aspect of it.

As Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 reads, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

(special song, braid and then wait together until the song is over. Can walk back into place once song is over. Bridesmaids, readjust her dress)

Pronouncement

Alright, are you guys ready? May the light of friendship guide your paths together.

May laughter always grace the hallways of your home.

May the joy of living for one another bring a smile to your face,

And when eternity beckons, at the end of a life heaped high with love,

May the Lord embrace you with the arms that have nurtured you the length of your joy-filled days. Brad, Mickie, with the blessing and support of your family and friends, by the vows you have made to one another, by the strength of your covenant, and in the presence of All Mighty God, it is my honor to now pronounce you Husband and Wife. You may Kiss the Bride.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my honor to present to you, for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Bjork.

Stand here for an awkward amount of time. I’m gonna count you down. Count down from 5, say it during the wedding.

Recessional: Music

Once again, on behalf of Brad and Mickie, thank you so much for coming and celebrating this special Day. Brad and Mickie will be mingling with guests at the reception. In the meantime, they’re taking off on a party bus with their bridal party right now.

please join us for a reception at Blackwoods in Proctor at 5:00 pm. Thank you for being here today.

Rehearsal notes:

Rehearsal:

Pray, have everyone introduce themselves

Run through transitions: tomorrow is the day to enjoy

Start with the lineup. Once everyone is lined up, ask bride and groom and maybe parents how it looks. Groomsmen: Stand the same for pictures. Decide how you will stand. Bridesmaids, stand the same, hold your flowers.

Brad is walking his mom down the aisle. After he does that, slowly walk up to his spot. Becca join him.

Walking in is painfully slow, wait until they are ¾ of the way down, then go. When you think you should go, wait three seconds and then go. It’ll feel awkward, go REALLY slow.

Make a big deal of flower girl.

Practice walking down the aisle, practice hand-off.

Practice rings. Put it on until it stops, then let them put it on the rest of the way.

Do you like each other? Look at each other, you don’t have to look at me.

Practice transitions. When to sign the marriage license. I can jump on the party bus before you head out?

Practice them walking out, once they are all the way down the aisle, then bridal party can head out. Get out quick.

Thank You: What do you want to invite your guests to as you leave?