The Order for Worship
Weddings at Trinity provide family and friends an opportunity to worship. The following outline may be used in order to develop a bulletin for your wedding worship service. A typical wedding worship service lasts about 30 minutes.
- Procession (organ, instrumental or congregational hymn)
- The Greeting
- Prayer of the Day
- Hymn or Solo (optional)
- Scripture (usually two selections)
- Homily
- Hymn or Solo (optional)
- The Exchange of Vows and Rings
- Pronouncement of Marriage
- Blessing of the Marriage
- The Lighting of the Unity Candle with solo or hymn during lighting (optional)
- Blessing by parents and wedding party (optional)
- Closing Prayers and Lord's Prayer (sung or spoken)
- Benediction
- Introduction of the Couple (optional)
- Recessional (organ, instrumental or congregational hymn)
Trinity welcomes the presence of other clergy in assisting with your wedding. However, as a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, we require that a pastor of the ELCA preside at your wedding. This will probably be one of Trinity's pastors.
Music for your wedding
All music for your wedding must reflect the presence and grace of God who is the source of all love and blessing. The Director of Worship and Music is happy to assist you with planning and musical choices. She is the primary organist who will provide organ or piano music for your wedding. Contact here for a sampling of musical selections which would be appropriate for entrance and recessional music, for congregational singing and for vocal solos.
Scripture Readings
Worship always includes the reading of God’s Word. Usually two or three passages from the Bible are read during the wedding service of worship. You may choose to have more or less. You may choose to have a person or persons significant to you read the scriptural passages, or the pastor may read them. Here are some suggested readings:
From the Old Testament:
Genesis 1:26–31
Genesis 2:18–24
Isaiah 55:10–13
Isaiah 61:10–62:3
Proverbs 3:3–6
Isaiah 63:7–9
Song of Solomon 2:10–13
Jeremiah 31:31–34
Song of Solomon 8:6–7
Jeremiah 32:38–41
Isaiah 43:1–7
Psalms: 33, 100, 117, 127, 128, 136, 150
From the New Testament Letters:
Romans 8:31b–35, 37–39
Ephesians 5:21–33
Romans 12:1–2, 9–18
Philippians 2:1–12
1 Corinthians 12:31–13:13
Philippians 4:4–7
Ephesians 2:4–10
Colossians 3:12–17
Ephesians 3:14–19
1 John 3:18–24
Ephesians 4:1–6
1 John 4:7–12
Ephesians 4:25–5:2
Revelation 19:1–9
From the Gospels:
Matthew 19:4–6
Mark 10:42–45
Matthew 22:35–40
John 2:1–11
Mark 10:6–9
John 15:9–12
Vows
You may use or adapt any of the following vows, or you may choose to write your own:
1. I take you, (name), to be my wife/husband, from this day forward, to join with you and share all that is to come, and I promise to be faithful to you until death parts us.
2. I take you, (name), to be my wife/husband, and these things I promise you: I will be faithful to you and honest with you; I will respect, trust, help and care for you; I will share my life with you; I will forgive you as we have been forgiven; and I will try with you better to understand ourselves, the world and God; through the best and worst of what is to come until death parts us.
3. I take you, (name), to be my wife/husband, I promise before God and these witnesses to be your faithful husband/wife, to share with you in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, to forgive and strengthen you, and to join with you so that together we may serve God and others as long as we both shall live.
4. (Name), I take you to be my wife/husband, from this time onward, to join with you and to share all that is to come, to give and to receive, to speak and to listen, to inspire and to respond, and in all circumstances of our life together to be loyal to you with my whole life and with all my being until death parts us.
If you choose to write your own promises, they should be consistent with the biblical understanding of marriage, and should make clear that the promises are a life-long commitment. Please consult with your pastor if you choose to alter the wording or use a form not included here.
Holy Communion
As baptized Christians, you may request that your wedding worship service be set in the context of the celebration of Holy Communion. Marriage often involves a festive meal; Holy Communion always does. Marriage is a sign of intimacy and union; so is Holy Communion. The celebration of Holy Communion abounds in the festive marriage imagery in which Christ the bridegroom celebrates with his bride, the Church, the heavenly wedding banquet which knows no end.
As Holy Communion is a sign of unity, it is always open to the assembled people and not limited to the bride and groom or the wedding party. If circumstances prevent including the congregation, the marriage service should be used alone, without the celebration of Communion.
If you plan to have Holy Communion as part of your wedding service of worship, contact the pastor for instructions regarding details.
Decoration, Flowers, Paraments, Candelabras
The paraments (altar cloths) are designed and used according to the church year calendar. They each have meaning and color, highlighting the particular season of the church year for which they were designed. The pastor can tell you what color paraments will be in use when your wedding day arrives.
At various times through the year other items are in place in the front of the worship center as part of the congregation's seasonal emphases (for instance, Christmas trees, wooden crosses during Lent, etc.). We ask that these items remain in place even during your wedding. If you have any questions about colors or seasonal appointments to be in place at the time of your wedding, please contact a pastor.
Floral decorations are commonly used for weddings. If you wish to have flower arrangements, there are numerous wooden stands available for your use. Ask your Wedding Coordinator about options.
You are invited to leave your wedding flowers for Sunday worship. Check with our Ministry Assistant Cindy Beck (cindy@trinity-ec.org) if you desire to do so. The Sunday bulletin will then announce that the flowers which decorate the worship center have been given in honor of your wedding.
Trinity's Altar Guild owns 14 pew candles which may be rented for your wedding. Two candelabras (seven candles each) are also available. We ask that you provide the candles (6" to 8") for the pew candles and candelabras. If you choose to rent these items at some time after your wedding reservation form has been completed, please call the church office or check with your Wedding Coordinator. Other decorations should be discussed with your wedding coordinator.
Many couples choose to light a unity candle during the service to signify the union of marriage. If you do so, please also supply two smaller candles to accompany the unity candle. Bring all the candles to the rehearsal.
Ushers
A minimum of two ushers should be chosen for your wedding. If you anticipate more than 150 guests, more ushers should be secured. Often, groomsmen or bridesmaids are used as additional ushers. The wedding coordinator will instruct you and your ushers as to their responsibilities.
Bulletins
It is helpful, but not necessary, to have printed bulletins to inform members of the congregation of the order of service and the names of participants in the worship service. You should discuss the bulletin with the pastor presiding at your wedding. We ask that you produce your own bulletin, and the pastor will be happy to provide you with examples. Please bring the bulletins the evening of the rehearsal.
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