Order of events: Giving Away of the Bride - Song - The Charge to Bride and Groom - The Pledge - Wedding Vows - Exchanging of the Rings (possible song) Lighting of the Unity Candle (optional) - The Pronouncement – Communion (optional) - The Closing Prayer - The Kiss - Presentation of the Couple
Charge to the Bride & Groom - The minister takes a moment to remind the bride and groom what it means to be married and reminds them of each of their roles in marriage. It is meant to lay down the ground rules for marriage and to ensure both the bride and groom are fully aware of not only the seriousness of the contract they are about to enter with each other but also to ensure they both are aware of their duties within that contract.
The Pledge (Your pledge to do what’s right – NOT unconditional) – In the case of the marriage covenant when there is a divorce, there is actually an additional covenant which comes into play resulting from the children who are born within the marriage covenant. Unconditional marriage covenants did not start with God, but with man by His church teaching (tradition) that a marriage covenant is indissolvable. So some men/women have been taught to say and mean . . . "I take this man/woman as my husband/wife, to treat her for better or for worse - to abuse and ill-treat her as I wish. To have her meet all my needs; to hurt her as often as I desire because she is now my wife and cannot escape; I own her. I can have sex with anyone I desire and do as I please in complete disregard to her feelings, till death due us part." This thinking automatically turns the marriage covenant into an unconditional covenant whereby the marriage becomes indissolvable no matter what violations have been committed against the other partner.
When violations come from within the marriage relationship, one of the worse things a marriage partner can do is to "hope" that their spouse will change. "Hoping" that they will change without ever directly facilitating change and addressing the marriage covenant violations from the start, normally creates more abuse and violations against a marriage partner.
Regarding our relationship with God, He always let's us know the results of our covenant violations - broken union. A marriage is no different. If a marriage partner does not stop the violations of the marriage covenant and make necessary corrections, a permanently broken union will be inevitable. A realistic, modern-day officiant/minister will say something like this . . .
____ and ____, please face each other and hold hands. You have made a very serious and important decision in choosing to marry each other today. You are entering into a sacred covenant as life partners in God. The quality of your marriage will reflect what you put into nurturing this relationship. Do you pledge to each other that you will invest in an ongoing, internal self-development process where you will put in the necessary effort to overcome personal weaknesses, which will allow you to become more whole as individuals, and to become more ONE with your spouse and GOD. Also, do you pledge to make the effort to keep the blessings flowing each and every day of your lives together. We wish for you the wisdom, compassion, and constancy to create a peaceful sanctuary in which you can both grow in love.
____, do you understand and accept this responsibility, and do you promise to do your very best each day to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage? Groom: Yes, I do.
____, do you understand and accept this responsibility, and do you promise to do your very best each day to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage? Bride: Yes, I do.
- Part 1 of Wedding Ceremony
- Part 2 of Wedding Ceremony (this is part 2)
- Part 3 of Wedding Ceremony
- Reception Tradition
This is the serious part of the ceremony - thanks for explaining the PLEDGE!
Karla
Rating:
9 out of
10
