Christians believe that the commitment of love and marriage should be made in a rather religious framework. Christian marriage involves the mutual acceptance of the couple in the church among friends and family. The wedding celebration is elaborate and follows a general set of protocols.
A brief marriage order practiced during a Christian wedding is explained here.
the prelude
The music can be performed live or in recorded form. It is a practice that is used on the set of wedding celebrations. In some events, candles are lit throughout the venue during the prelude.
Procession – Arrival at the place
The procession indicates the arrival of the bride and groom and important guests to the venue. The minister presiding over the wedding enters first. The groom arrives with his groomsmen at the altar through a side door followed by the bridesmaids and ushers. The bride is then escorted down the aisle by her father to the altar where the groom is already waiting. The flower girls and ring bearer follow the bride.
Greetings and Introduction
When the members of the event have settled in their respective seats, the minister welcomes the guests and indicates the purpose of the meeting. He briefly introduces the bride and groom and goes on to talk about the sanctity of marriage and the importance of vows. He offers a short prayer to God and gives the sermon.
the garment
The Engagement is typically a way of ensuring that the couple, their parents, their children, if any from previous marriages, support this union. The minister seeks the consent of all the guests in the room and they respond in chorus by saying “Yes, we do”.
exchanging the vows
This event in Christian marriage is of the utmost importance where the bride and groom face each other and promise to love and support each other in front of God and the other witnesses present in the room. While there is a standard set of vows, most couples choose to read their own.
exchange of rings
The couple’s promise to stay together through all stages of life is symbolized by the exchange of rings. The ring is believed to be an outward expression of your eternal commitment to your partner.
marriage announcement
The minister now declares the bride and groom to be a legally married couple and the wedding venue is filled with happiness. The bride and groom share their first kiss as husband and wife, thus marking the official beginning of their life together.
The candle of unity
The couple now seek God’s blessings by lighting the central candle together. They sing their prayers and seek the holy blessing for a life of happiness and togetherness.
the holy communion
Some couples prefer to have Holy Communion as their first act together after marriage. It refers to the act of giving thanks to God and worshiping him as one body.
Postlude Prayers
The minister offers final prayers to God on behalf of the couple and their families.
recession
The couple, their family and other guests leave the wedding hall in an orderly manner. The ushers at the wedding help the guests out one row after another.
Christians believe that marriage is the highest realm of honor and love. Some changes in the order of marriage may differ from one wedding to another, however, the sanctity and charm of a traditional Christian wedding remains intact.