Your Wedding at First Assembly of God Church
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Your Wedding
At
First Assembly of God Church
164 N Ripley BLVD
Alpena, MI 49707
989.354.2955
Contents
- Helpful Hints for the Bride
- Usher’s Responsibilities
- Wedding Planning Worksheet
- Procedure In A Formal Wedding
- Marriage Ceremony
Helpful Hints for the Bride
- Bring with you (for decorating and the wedding day) a supply of:
A. Pins - various sizes of safety pins
B. Scissors
C Needle and thread
D. Kleenex tissues
E Trash bags, zip-lock baggies or boxes
F Fan for the bride’s room (as needed)
- Children of the guests should be taken into consideration. You may want to provide a nursery.
- Cleanup after the reception
A. Make sure several people are designated and committed to dismantle the decorations in the Fellowship Hall after the guests have gone.
B. Please realize that all soiled tablecloths you use will need to be laundered. Leave top cloths in place in the Fellowship Hall. The cleaner’s bill (just for the spotted cloths) will be sent to you.
C Be sure to have a box to take the cake top home and any left over cake. Check to see if the caterer will provide the box for you.
D. If you use many fresh flowers, think ahead about what you want to do with them after the wedding (suggestions for consideration):
1. Leave some for the Worship Center.
2 Share with a Sunday School department.
3. Take to a nursing home.
4. Share with a friend
- Be sure that you, the Wedding Coordinator, and the caterer are fully aware of caterer’s responsibilities.
- Personally owned items are to be removed from the kitchen, registry table, and the bride’s room.
- Be sure there is someone responsible to take home any accumulated gifts from the Fellowship Hall.
Ushers responsibilities
The responsibilities of ushers are substantial and accomplished much easier if ushering is their only task but is not necessary. You may wish to use your groomsmen to usher. NOTE; You may want to choose candle lighters separate from the ushers, although this is not necessary also.
- Know who are “SPECIAL GUESTS” requiring specific seating (‘with in the ribbon”):
A. Grandparents, brothers, sisters, and honored guests that should sit together or in specific rows and seats.
B. Family that cannot be placed together due to disharmony (i.e., divorced parties with a less-than-positive rapport). Parents should be seated in the second pew.
C. Grandparents should be placed in third pew.
D. Sisters and brothers and their spouses should be in the third and fourth pews when possible.
- Only IMMEDIATE FAMILY (parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, and children) need to sit on the bride’s designated side (left) or groom’s side (right).
- Seat other family and friends to both sides for even distribution and photographic balance.
- ESCORting GUESTS to seats:
A. Offer ladies your RIGHT arm (their male escorts should follow behind) and wait until both are seated before turning and walking back.
B. Fill the center rows from the aisle seats first, toward the row’s center; then fill rows from side aisles to fill toward the center so there are no empty seats in a row,
C. Seat people with small children and babies (unless they are immediate family members) in back two rows near the aisles.
D. When seating a handicapped person seat on an aisle.
E. Balance both halves of the sanctuary so as not to create an uneven look for pictures.
- LIGHTING ALTAR CANDLES
A. Early candles - if desired, provide for the lighting of certain candles before the guests arrive.
B. Candle lighter/snuffers are used to light the candelabras.
C. Provide candle lighter for unity candle (if being used in the ceremony).
D. After the prelude music has begun, the Wedding Coordinator will cue you to light the candles.
E. After lighting the candles, return down the aisle and await instructions’ for when to seat the mothers.
- SEATING GRANDPARENTS
A. Grandmother of the Groom- Offer your LEFT arm to the grandmother of the groom. Walk her, with her husband following behind, to the RIGHT side of the center aisle. Wait until she and her husband are seated before returning to the back of the worship center.
B. Grandmother of the Bride - Offer your RIGHT arm to the grandmother of the bride. Walk her, with her husband following behind, to the LEFT side of the center aisle. Wait until she and her husband are seated before returning to the back of the worship center.
C. BE SURE TO REMAIN until the grandmothers and their husbands are seated before returning up the aisle.
- SEATING MOTHERS of the Bride and Groom
A. Mother of the Groom - is seated first. Offer your LEFT arm to the mother of the groom. Walk her, with her husband following behind, to the RIGHT side of the center aisle. Wait until she and her husband are seated before returning to the back of the worship center.
B. Mother of the Bride - is seated last. Offer your RIGHT arm to the mother of the bride. Walk her to the LEFT side of the center section to the designated row. The seat next to her will be filled by her husband after he gives away the bride.
C. BE SURE TO REMAIN until the mothers and their husbands are seated before returning up the aisle.
D. No one is to be seated formally after the mother of the bride is seated. All late guests should be seated at the back.
- ESCORTING MOTHERS (Exit)
A. When the recessional music starts, go to the back of the worship enter and wait until the last member of the wedding party exits for further directions from the Wedding Coordinator.
B. Offering the BRIDE’S MOTHER your LEFF arm, escort her back up the aisle. Proceed according to instructions given by the Wedding Coordinator at the rehearsal.
C After the bride’s mother reaches the back of the worship center, offer the GROOM’ S MOTHER your RIGHT arm and escort her backup the aisle.
- ESCORTING GRANDMOTHERS (Exit)
A. After the groom’s mother reaches the back of the worship center, both ushers return down the aisles and escort the BRIDE’S GRAND MOTHER first to the back of the worship center.
B. Then the GROOM’S GRANDMOTHER is likewise escorted to the back of the worship center.
C. At the back of the worship center, the grandparents are to await further instructions from the Wedding Coordinator.
- Dismissing Guests - The pastor will give instructions to the guests as to picture-taking and the reception.
- SMILE throughout your ushering experience. This is a HAPPY EVENT! And thank you for your much needed participation.
Wedding Planning Worksheet
NAMES OF USHERS:
1. ______________________________ 2. ______________________________
3. ______________________________ 4. ______________________________
5. ______________________________ 6. ______________________________
7. ______________________________ 8. ______________________________
Candle Lighters:
1. ______________________________ 2. ______________________________
GRANDPARENTS TO BE SEATED:
Grandparents: Ushers:
1. ______________________________ 1. ______________________________
2. ______________________________ 2. ______________________________
3. ______________________________ 3. ______________________________
4. ______________________________ 4. ______________________________
PARENTS TO BE SEATED:
Parents: Ushers:
1. ______________________________ 1. ______________________________
2. ______________________________ 2. ______________________________
3. ______________________________ 3. ______________________________
4. ______________________________ 4. ______________________________
HYMNS OR SONGS:
Song: Soloist:
1. ______________________________ 1. ______________________________
2. ______________________________ 2. ______________________________
3. ______________________________ 3. ______________________________
WEDDING PARTY:
Groomsmen: Bridesmaids:
1. ______________________________ 1. ______________________________
2. ______________________________ 2. ______________________________
3. ______________________________ 3. ______________________________
4. ______________________________ 4. ______________________________
5. ______________________________ 5. ______________________________
6. ______________________________ 6. ______________________________
7. ______________________________ 7. ______________________________
8. ______________________________ 8. ______________________________
RING BEARER: FLOWER GIRL:
________________________________ ________________________________
Procedure in a Formal Wedding
THE SERVICE PROPER
1. Preliminary
A. All participants arrive one and a half hours before ceremony time.
B. Musicians take places twenty five minutes before ceremony time, instrumental music begins twenty minutes before ceremony time.
C Head usher checks on bride’s party five minutes before ceremony time.
2. Processional
A. Assistant head usher escorts groom’s mother on left arm, seats her on right side, second center row. Groom’s father may walk behind
groom’s mother.
B. Head usher escorts bride’s mother on his right arm, seats her on left Ride, second center row, leaving space for bride’s father.
C. Candle lighters come down center aisle(s), start from outside, finish at center, keeping together; be seated front row.
D. Wedding March
1) Minister enters from side door at right of pulpit, followed by groom, best man. Groomsmen may follow behind best man or may be the start of the procession from the foyer of the church.
2) As groom takes position, groomsmen start two by two, from foyer and take places designated, all on one side or on both sides
3) Bridesmaids enter singly take places on one side or on both sides in front of groomsmen
4) The maid or matron of honor enters next. Should there be both, the maid of honor usually walks closer to the bride, but this is interchangeable.
5) The ring bearer comes next, followed by the flower girl(s), or they may walk together.
6) Bride enters on left arm of her father as mother-of-bride stands, a signal for guests to stand also for the bride.
1. Bride
2. Groom
3. Maid of Honor
4. Best Man
5. Bridesmaids
6. Ushers/groomsmen
7. Flower girl
8. Ring bearer
9. Clergy
3. The Ceremony
A. Purpose of gathering stated
B. Who gives the bride in marriage?
C Meaning of marriage
D. Basis of marriage - love; read I Cor. 13:4-8a; Eph. 5:21-33
E. The charge or responsibilities involved
F. Marriage vows by groom
G. Marriage vows by bride
H. Minister speaks of ring, takes ring/rings, gives bride’s ring to groom, who places it on bride’s finger, repeats ring vows, “I thee wed, etc.,” groom’s ring given to bride, who follows same procedure.
I. Pray
J. Minister will say, “I now pronounce you husband and wife, etc.”
4. Recessional
A. Bride and groom
B. Flower girl, ring bearer
C Best man, matron or maid of honor
D. Usher and maid of honor
E Ushers and bridesmaids by pairs
F. Head usher comes, escorts bride’s mother
G Assistant head usher escorts groom’s mother
H. Minister leaves at place where he entered
I. Congregation leaves
Note: Processional proceeds down left aisle facing pulpit, recessional out right aisle.
Marriage Ceremony
This is a typical ceremony; feel free to make changes to individualize it for your needs.
“For the relationship of marriage shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife and they two shall be one flesh.”
Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?
Father of the bride replies: “Her mother and I do.”
Family of the groom, family of the bride and friends, we have met on this happy occasion for the purpose of uniting(male and ( in Christian marriage. You know, of course, that we cannot do this by ourselves. When the Bible says, “God bath joined together...” it implies that marriage is something in which God participates.
A Christian wedding is an act of worship. It affirms that the two consenting parties are members of the household of faith and desire the church as a place of celebration.
Male and female (say that they love each other and that they wish to get married. To the Christian community these two are saying that they wish to live together until death shall part them- Marriage is the most intimate and personal of all human relationships, next to our relationship to Christ himself. It is assumed that two people who get married will furnish each other a kind of love, security, permanency, and stability that one does not find anywhere the in the world. Love is the foundation of marriage. The apostle Paul describes love in this manner.
“Love is patient and kind; Love is not jealous or boastful;
It is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way;
It is not irritable or resentful;
It does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends I Corinthians 13:4-8a
Male and Female (are saying that they will love, cherish, and honor each other until death shall part them. They are saying that marriage means intimacy, openness, tenderness, respect, appreciation, self-giving, and at times self- sacrifice for each other’s welfare and happiness. This is romantic and Christian love.
The home is the basic institution of society and had its beginning in the Garden of Eden, was sanctioned by Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul, and is on this occasion sanctioned by the Christian church. Marriage is in keeping with the deepest understanding of human personality and human need.
It is into this Holy relationship that Male and Female come now to be joined.
Will you join me in sprayer of dedication...
Will you join right hands and listen to God’s word concerning the marriage relationship.
“And the Lord God said. ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helpmate for him.”
“And out of the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh’...”
“Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Even so husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever hates his own flesh but nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one. This is a great mystery, and I take it to mean Christ and the church; however, let each one of you love his wife us himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” Ephesians 5:21-33, RSV
Now with hands joined will you face each other and will you repeat the marriage vows?
“I Male and ( take you Female to be my wife.., to have and to hold from this day forward...in sickness and in health...for richer and poorer...to love and to cherish...till death do us part...and because I love you, I make you this promise.”
“I Female take you Male as my husband. ..to have and to hold from this day forward...in sickness and in health...for richer and poorer...to love and to cherish...till death do us part...And because I love you, I make you this promise.”
The ring is a beautiful symbol. It is an endless circle. It symbolizes your love for each other which has no end. We pray that you will accomplish a perfect and never love.
(‘Take the ring from the best man, instruct the groom to place the ring on the third finger of the bride’s hand and hold it in place as he repeats the vows.)
“With this ring...I pledge my love for you...and receive you...as my loving wife...’With this ring...I promise to be true to you..till death shall part us, in the name of Jesus Christ...our living Lord.”
(If there is another ring, take it from the maid of honor, give it to the bride, and ask her to put it on the third finger of the groom’s left hand and hold it in place as she repeats the vows.)
“With this ring...I pledge my love for you...and receive you...as my loving husband...With this ring...I promise to be true to you...till death shall part us...in the name of Jesus Christ...our living Lord.
Male and Female , God has witnessed this covenant between you and has heard these promises you have made. It is your responsibility to live up to them and to keep this trust.
You are now committed companions for life.
“May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one other, in accord with Christ Jesus. that together you may with, one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.’ Rom15:5-7RSV
Now let us pray that God will bless our efforts and genuinely unite the two of
you, sealing this relationship in heaven.
(Bride and groom may kneel here if so desired through the prayer and until after pronouncing them man and wife. The “Lord’s Prayer” may be sung here)
PRAYER: Our Father, here are two of your children who have felt love and attraction to each other. In humility they acknowledge their limitations, their immaturities, and their selfishness. Make them big enough to be more concerne4 for each other’s happiness than for their own. Help them to see that there are bigger things in life than either of them, or than both of them, even your Kingdom on earth. We who have gathered here to solemnize this occasion pray for them the very best of your rich concern and blessing. Bless those who bless them. Enable them to grow. And may from this union come honor and glory to you and happiness and self-fulfillment to them. Amen.
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you:
The Lord lift up this countenance upon you, and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 RSV
Having committed yourself to each other in openness, love and permanency, an having sealed these vows by giving and receiving rings, by the authority invested in me as a Minister of the Living God, in His presence and in the presence of these witnesses,
I PRONOUNCE YOU HUSBAND AND WIFE.
What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder
Mr. _________________________,you may kiss your wife now.