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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1990-02-14, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1990. Tor your WEDD^v^ Appropriate music key to a memorable wedding Continued from page 23 have taken the time to arrange and create their own wedding ceremon­ ies. Planning this special event together should give both of you a good send-off on the life-long adventure of becoming one as husband and wife. BASIC INGREDIENTS Before you can plan a ceremony of your own, you need to know what ingredients are usually included in a Christian wedding ceremony. Here’s a quick review of the features you will find in most church weddings. You might not use all of these possibilities as you begin your planning. Some of these features will be eliminated natur­ ally as you begin to firm up your detailed ceremony plans. MUSIC Appropriate music is one of the key ingredients of a memorable wedding. Background music dur­ ing the parts of the ceremony when people are spekaing is strictly a no-no, since this only detracts from the beauty and solemnity of the occasion. But music of the follow­ ing four distinct types at special times during the wedding lends its own unique beauty to the cere­ mony. Prelude - Quiet instrumental music by the organist or pianist is appropriate during this time while guests are being seated before the service begins. A medley of well- known hymns is always appropriate in a church wedding. In some weddings vocal music may be included as part of the prelude just before the wedding party begins to enter the church. Processional - The tempo of the music always picks up when the wedding party enters the church. Hymn singing by the congregation during the processional seems to be gaining in popularity in many weddings. Recessional - Lovely instrumen­ tal music while the wedding party leaves the church at the end of the service is a standard feature of most contemporary church wedd­ ings. Joyous and exuberant hymns of praise are appropriate during the recessional. Vocal music - Vocal solos or duets at one or two places during the ceremony lend a special dignity to many church weddings. One of the most popular selections is “The Lord’s Prayer,’’ often sung by a soloist as the couple kneel in prayer following their vows or the ex­ change of rings. Some popular songs may also be appropriate if their lyrics have an underlying Christian message. WORDS OF WELCOME Some couples are throwing for­ mality to the winds these days by including a personal word of wel­ come to the wedding guests at the beginning of the ceremony. The rationale behind this contemporary feature is that the bride and groom invited these people; so they should also welcome these guests personally and thank them for attending this special event in their lives. This welcome sometimes takes the form of a more formal word of thanks from the bride and groom in their printed wedding bulletin. OPENING WORDS - MINISTER The introductory statement of the minister usually consists of a short summary of the meaning of marriage as revealed in the Bible. Some words are generally included about the significance of the cere­ mony that is about to take place. In cases where the bride and groom are well known to members of the church where the wedding is being held, the minister may include some personal words about the couple and their religious history. PRAYERS OF THE MINISTER Taking each other as husband and wife is one of the most important events in a couple’s life. A happening of this magnitude demands an attitude of prayer. Every Christian wedding ceremony should include at least one or two prayers for God’s guidance and direction in the life of the newly­ weds. Prayers of thanksgiving for this happy occasion are also in order. Traditionally, the officiating minister has led the prayers in a wedding ceremony. But members of the wedding party are sharing in this responsibility in many contem­ porary weddings. Before you as the bride and groom decide to lead a prayer at your own wedding, make sure you have nerves of steel. Sometimes the very people who scoff at the idea of being nervous at their wedding turn into basket cases before the brief service is over! What about other members of the wedding party? Father of the groom? Mother of the bride? Best man? Maid of honor? Perhaps a prayer led by one of them could add that unforgettable touch to this special day. SCRIPTURE PASSAGES One or two passages of Scripture on the meaning of marriage should be included in every wedding. These are usually read by the minister, but they could also be read by any member of the wedding party. POETRY Love poems or special readings on marriage can also be woven into a Christian marriage ceremony, if their lyrics are appropriate and tasteful. The poems of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning seem to be especially suitable for this purpose. Some couples include a brief poem in their vows to each other. The officiating minister could also re­ cite a poem of the couple’s choos­ ing. Or, an appropriate reading or poem could be repeated by the best man or maid of honour. THE GIVING IN MARRIAGE The part of the ceremony where the father gives the bride away is a hold-over from ancient days when the bride was considered her father’s property. Today this ges­ ture of “giving away” symbolizes the formal consent and acknow­ ledgement of the marriage by the families involved. In a modern church wedding the minister is likely to ask, “Who presents this woman to be married to this man?” rather than “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” Many couples today are asking both sets of parents to be involved in this part of the ceremony. All four parents may stand with the bride and groom at the altar to make brief statements of love and encouragement, symbolizing their best wishes for this union. CONGREGATIONAL REPONSES Participation in the wedding by the guests is a high priority with many couples. They want their guests to enter into the celebration of this happy hour rather than just sit and watch as passice spectators. One good way to get your guests involved is to include a congrega­ tional response in your ceremony. These usually take the form of a litany of praise, with the minister making certain statements about the goodness of God and the congregation responding in unison with their own words of praise. If you include a feature like this in your wedding, you’ll need to provide a printed worship bulletin with all these responsive elements printed in full. EXCHANGE OF VOWS The heart of the Christian wed­ ding ceremony is the exchange of vows between bride and groom. More and more couples today are writing their own vows and saying them to each other rather than repeating prescribed “formula vows” under the direction of the officiating minister. If you write your own vows, be sure they include a pledge of your faithfulness and devotion to each other for the rest of your lives. This biblical ideal for marriage should be underscored in every Christian wedding ceremony. And keep your vows brief - no more than four or five sentences in length. This is not the place for long, rambling essays on the nature of Christian piarri- age. Vows should also have an intimate and personal character. Remember, you are mises congregation or to the rest of the wedding party. EXCHANGE OF RINGS The purpose of the exchange of rings is to seal or symbolize the pledges of devotion which you and Bridal Parties Rehearsal Parties Dinners & Receptions to each other making pro- - not to the your mate have made to each other. So this part of the ceremony always comes logically right after the exchange of vows. Continued on page 25 Use our facilitiesor let us cater for your special occasion at the location of your choice. CATERING SERVICES INCLUDE: •Cheese Trays •Vegetable Trays •Meat Trays •Hors d’oeuvres •Sandwiches •Fancy Desserts •Fruit Trays tl>e Blytb Ipp PHONE 523-9381 Tasker's and Bud Gowan Formal Wear .Where Quality comes first. /"MVzhristian) lasher’s forJVlen &Women Bud Gowan Formal Wear available exclusively in Goderich at. GROOM'S TUXEDO RENTAL That's right, the,groom gets $50.00 off his tuxedo rental for your 1990 or 1991 wedding. Simply book before March 31, 1990 [with a party of 5 or more]. 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