At the
day and time appointed for solemnization of Matrimony, the persons
to be married shall come into the porch of the Church with their
friends and
neighbors; and there standing together, the Man on the right hand, and
the
woman on the left, with that person who shall give the Woman betwixt
them, the
Priest shall say,
Dearly
beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God to join
together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony; which is an
honourable
estate, instituted of God in
I require
and charge you both, as ye will answer at the dreadful day of
judgment when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if
either of
you know any impediment, why ye may not be lawfully joined together in
Matrimony, that ye confess it. For ye be well assured, that so many as
be
coupled together otherwise than God's Word doth allow are not joined
together
by God; neither is their Matrimony lawful.
Groom, Wilt
thou have this Woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together
after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love
her,
comfort her, honour, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and
forsaking all
others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?
Groom: I will.
Bride, Wilt
thou have this man to be thy wedded husband, to live together
after God's ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey
him, and
serve him, love, honour, and keep him in sickness and in health; and,
forsaking
all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?
Bride: I will.
Thus ends
the formal betrothal.
They
shall then advance unto the Altar, led by the Minister, who shall
then turn to the assembled company, and the person who gives the Woman
shall
place the Woman's right hand in the hand of the Minister, and then
shall
retire. Then shall they give their troth to each other in this manner:
The
Minister, receiving the Woman at her father's or friend's hands,
shall cause the Man with his right hand to take the Woman by her right
hand,
and to say after him as follows,
I, Groom,
take thee Bride to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from
this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, for
fairer or
fouler, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death
us
depart, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereunto I plight thee
my
troth.
The Woman
shall likewise say after the Minister,
I Bride take
thee Groom to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from
this day forward, for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in
sickness and in
health, to be bonny and buxom at bed and at board, to love and to
cherish, till
death us depart, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereunto I
plight thee
my troth.
Then
shall they again loose their hands; and the Man shall give unto the
Woman a Ring, laying the same upon the Book with the accustomed duty to
the
Priest and Clerk. And the Priest shall bless the Ring(s) in the
following
manner
:
Bless these
Rings, O merciful Lord, that those who wear them, that give
and receive them, may be ever faithful to one another, remain in your
peace,
and live and grow old together in your love, under their own vine and
fig tree,
and seeing their children's children. Amen.
And the
Priest, taking the Ring, shall deliver it to the Man, and taught
by the Priest, he shall say,
With this
Ring I thee wed, (here placing it upon her thumb) and with my
body I thee honor, (here placing it upon her index finger) and with all
my
worldly goods I thee endow; (here placing it upon her ring finger) In
the Name
of the Father, + and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
If it be
a double-ring ceremony, let the Woman do the same as the Man,
giving him the ring, and repeating the same words as he.
They both
shall kneel down; and the Minister shall say,
Let us
pray.. O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Giver
of all spiritual grace, the Author of everlasting life; Send thy
blessing upon
these thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy Name;
+ that,
as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, so these persons may
surely
perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, whereof this
Ring
given and received is a token and pledge, and may ever hereafter remain
in
perfect love and peace together, and live according to thy laws;
through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
And here
shall be said the "Our Father." Then shall the Priest
join their right hands together, and say,
Those whom
God hath joined together let no man put asunder.
Then
shall the Minister speak unto the people.
Forasmuch as
Groom and Bride have consented together in holy wedlock, and
have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have
given and
pledged their troth each to the other, and have declared the same by
giving and
receiving of a Ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce therefore
that they
be Man and Wife together, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the
Holy Spirit. Amen
And the
Minister shall add this blessing.
God the
Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, bless, preserve, and keep
you; the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon you; and so fill you
with
all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in
this life,
that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen.
And here
the Minister shall turn the couple to the Company, and they may
kiss each the other, and then proceed from the Altar.
Dear
friends and family, since Groom and Bride have thus pledged themselves
in the
presence of this company and they have spoken the words and performed
the rites
which unite their lives, I do now, by the powers vested in me by the
laws of
the State of Kansas/Missouri, pronounce that you are husband and wife.
Groom,
you may now kiss Bride.
I
present to you Mr. & Mrs. Groom
(or Bride & Groom).