(At this point the couple may improvise by playing a favorite song, reading a scripture, etc. suggested scriptures might be genesis 2:21-25, mark 10:6-8 and 1 cor 13:4-7)
Reader 1: A reading from the book of Genesis, chapter 2, versus 21 through 25:
So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said,“this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called’woman,’for she was taken out of man.“for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
Reader 2: A reading from the gospel of Mark, chapter 10, versus 6 through 8:
But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one.
Reader 3: A reading from the Apostle Paul, the first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 13, verses 4 through 7:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It alwaysprotects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Minister: Let us pray for this man and woman as they make their marriage vows.
Father, as (Groom’s Name) and (Bride’s Name) have chosen each other, help them and bless them that their love may be pure, and their vows may be true. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
(Minister: addressing the groom who repeats the marriage vows):
I (Groom’s Name) take thee (Bride’s Name) to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, and cherish,’til death do us part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I plight thee my troth.
