Order of Service - Church of England Wedding

By Monica Lorraine, 14/03/11 The wedding ceremony

Step-by step order of service for a wedding in the Church of England. Get comfortable with the programme so that the last thing you need to think about is, when to do what!

Worried about messing up at the wedding or getting confused about when to do this or that?  Read on to get familiar with the order of service in a Church of England wedding ceremony.

 

 

Entrance:

  • Ushers seat guests: Bride's family and guests at left and groom's at right of the altar
  • Groom and best man or men arrive half an hour before the ceremony begins and they stand waiting on the right side of the altar
  • Before the bride walks down the isle, her mother is walked to the front pew. In the meantine, the bride, her father (or whoever is walking the bride down the isle), and her brides maids wait outside the church
  • Then the minister walks to the altar and the music starts and the bride and her father (she is at his right side holding his arm) walk down the isle
  • The groom joins the bride at the front of the altar on the bride's right side
  • The bride gives her bouquet to her maid of honour
  • There are hymns, readings, and the vicar's address

Then the marriage commences:

  • The bride's father takes the bride's right hand and gives it to the minister who gives her hand to the groom
  • They say their vows
  • The best man hands the rings to the minister 
  • The best man and father of the bride take their seats in the front
  • Rings are exchanged, then there are prayers, a hymn and the final blessing

Registering and exiting:

  • Bride and groom sign the register with their parents and two witnesses
  • The maid of honour gives the bouquet back to the bride
  • Husband and wife are the first to walk out of the church together
  • Best men and brides maids follow out of the church: Best man with the maid of honour, bride's mother with the groom's father, and then the groom's mother with the bride's father.

 

CONGRATULATIONS you are married and you didn't even break a sweat!

 


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