What are the Parts of a Christian Wedding Ceremony?
September 4, 2010 by admin
Filed under Wedding Ideas
Wondering what the basic parts of a Christian wedding ceremony are? While ministers and churches can offer variations on the general theme, what you see outlined below are the generally acceptable parts of a wedding ceremony for Christians. If you are planning an upcoming wedding, being familiar with these elements can help you discuss your preferences with your wedding minister for your ceremony. There’s no need to be at a total loss about wedding ceremonies with the guide below.
The first part of a Christian wedding is the processional. When it’s time to begin and all the wedding guests are in their seats, the wedding music begins and in an orderly fashion there is a seating of grandparents the couple’s parents. As an honored position is the mother of the bride is escorted to her seat last of all. The groom, groomsmen and the minister enter at this time followed by the entrance of the bridesmaids and maid of honor. A ring bearer comes in, and then the flower girl – or sometimes they walk in together side by side. Last, and most important the bride enters with her father on her right side.
The next part of the wedding entails the presenting of the bride for marriage. The minister may say a prayer and a few other words about the gathering, and then turn to the father and ask “Who offers this woman to be married today?” The father answers “I do on behalf of our family” or something along those lines. He places his daughter’s hand in the hand of the groom and then turns to go to his seat next to his wife. As he does so, all the guests sit down as well for the remainder of the ceremony.
The biggest portion of the wedding ceremony includes the marriage sermon and vows exchanges. The minister may offer a mini-marriage sermon and then proceed into the marriage vows. If couple has written their own vows, they would be prompted by the minister at this time to say their vows. One wedding vows idea is for the couple to have their vows written on a piece of paper which the minster hands to them from which they read. If the traditional vows are used, the couple will repeat the vows after the minister phrase by phrase. The ring ceremony follows, with groom first placing the bride’s ring on her hand and repeating ring vows to her after the minister.
Another common part to a Christian wedding ceremony is the inclusion of some type of unity ceremony. This represents the fact that two lives are joined into one. The Sand Ceremony is one such ceremony that more couples are choosing in recent years. It has some advantages (or less disadvantages) that they typical Unity Candle Ceremony that is so well known.
The final parts the wedding may include other readings by the minister and finally the pronouncing of the couple to be husband and wife, the groom kisses the bride – and then the minister presents the couple to the congregation of guests. The guests stand and clap for the couple.
Those are the basic parts of a wedding ceremony. Couples are choosing to have a more active role in the design of their weddings and you can find some differences as you go to weddings.
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