v    Dearly beloved, we are gathered together in the presence of God to join together Jason and Tabitha in holy matrimony; which is instituted of God, regulated by His commandments, blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ, and to be held in honor among all people.  Let us therefore reverently remember that God has established and sanctified marriage for the welfare and happiness of humanity.  Our Savior has declared that a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife.  By His apostles, He has instructed those who enter into this relationship to cherish and love each other, bear with each other, comfort each other, provide for each other and their household, to pray for and encourage each other; and to live together as the heirs of the grace of life.

Prayer

Giving Away of the Bride

v     Who gives this woman to be married to this man?

§         (father of the bride) “Her mother and I.”
-he places Bride’s right hand into the Grooom’s right hand and is seated

Promise of Commitment

v     Jason, do you take Tabitha to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage?  Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her?  And forsaking all others be faithful only to her so long as you both shall live?

§         (Jason)  “I Do”

v     Tabitha, do you take Jason to be your wedded husband, to live together in marriage?  Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him?  And forsaking all others be faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?

§         (Tabitha)  “I Do”

Reading – 1 Corinthians 13 - Jacquelyn

v     I Corinthians 13 – Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast; it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered; it keeps no records of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.  And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.”

Expressions of Love

§         Bride’s Reading

§         Groom’s Song

Vows (repeat after the minister)

Ø      (groom) I, Jason, take you, Tabitha,

      to be my lawfully wedded wife

      to have and to hold from this day forward

      for better or worse

      for richer or poorer

      in sickness and in health

      to love and to cherish

      till death do us part.

Ø      (bride) I, Tabitha, take you, Jason,

to be my lawfully wedded husband

to have and to hold from this day forward

for better or worse

for richer or poorer

in sickness and in health

to love and to cherish

till death do us part

Unity Candle
-cue music “A Parent’s Prayer”-

-Pam lights taper first and is seated.  Cathy lights taper next and is seated-

-Bride and Groom move to the unity candle—Keith should take his place for solo-

-fade music out-

v     Jason and Tabitha, the two lighted candles you see here, symbolize your separate lives and your separate families.  The individual candles represent your individual lives before today.  I ask that you each take one candle and that together you light the center candle.  Lighting the center candle represents that your two lives are now joined to one and your two families joined to one.

-cue music for Keith’s solo “Love of My Life”-

-Bride and Groom light unity candle and move back to altar-

Exchanging of the Rings

-minister will take the rings and recite this blessing-

v     Bless these rings, O Lord, that they who give and wear them may be ever faithful to one another, abide in Your peace and continue in your favor, until their lives end.

-minister gives ring to groom who places it on bride’s finger-

§         (groom) “With this ring, I thee wed.”

-minister gives ring to bride who places it on groom’s finger-

§         (bride) “With this ring, I thee wed.”

Closing Prayer

Pronouncement of Husband and Wife

-minister joins Bride and Groom’s right hands-

v     I declare that Jason and Tabitha are joined in marriage according to the ordinances of God and the law of the state.

v     I now pronounce you husband and wife.  You may kiss the bride.

-groom kisses bride and they turn and face the congregation-

v     It is my pleasure to present to you Jason and Tabitha Hanner.

-cue recessional music-