Weddings THE ORDER OF SERVICE There is a long-established, tried and tested Order of Service that we use in the Hambleden Valley, which gives flexibility for your personal choices, and focuses on the Marriage Vows and Declarations, which are both legally binding, and spiritually profound. It has an elegant simplicity that allows you, and your family and friends, to relax and enjoy the ceremony; so we keep to this order rather than any of the variations you may see elsewhere. We present it to you at this stage to prevent any confusion in your early planning and preparation: # Bridal Procession Priest leads Bride and Escort from door to Chancel Appropriate music Welcome Priest greets everyone informally and gives helpful notices Introduction Formal words of welcome and opening prayer # First Hymn Couple, Attendants and congregation all standing Preface Reminders of the spiritual and personal importance of this event Declarations Your free and solemn intentions to marry Vows You promise lifelong commitment Giving of Rings One or two – blessed, given and received Proclamation Priest declares you to be husband and wife Blessing First prayer and blessing of the newly-weds [# If you would like three hymns, the second should go here.] Collect A prayer to gather our thoughts Readings Non-scripture if desired (to be seen before please), then Scripture Sermon A brief word of Christian wisdom and encouragement # Second [or Third] Hymn Priest leads Couple to Sanctuary Step Final Prayers For the Couple in their new life together Lord’s Prayer Usually the ‘Traditional’ version Final Blessing From before the Altar for Couple and Congregation Signing of Register In appropriate part of Church, while music plays # Recession Couple leads Bridal Party out of Chancel Appropriate music Most couples like to design and produce their own keepsake order of service, and the order above is a good guide for the interior layout. For simplicity’s sake, the side-headings in bold are sufficient to mark the progress of the service; # simply marks where your approved choice of hymn or music is made, which should be detailed; the full lyrics of your chosen hymns can be included* as might the Lord’s Prayer. Approved non- and Scripture readings should be referenced and their readers named.
Regarding copyright, the Hambleden Valley Churches pay
the main Christian Copyright Licensing organisation (CCLI) for the right to
have words only printed in Orders of Service used in public worship. This
applies to most of the most popular hymns and worship songs used in
weddings, funerals and Sunday worship. There are other well-known lyrics,
still in copyright, that are not covered by CCLI; their copyright holders
are listed in a supplement and you would
have to apply for a one-off licence for each of those. Any hymn or worship
song that we sing from the churches’ official hymnbooks are automatically
covered. |
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