Wedding Rites

THE RITE OF MARRIAGE

When we reach life’s greatest crossroads, the choice of the decision we make must be done with
much faith and love. My dear friends, ___________________ have approached these crossroads
already with a lot of faith and a deeply nurtured friendship and love.
Let us then offer our thanks to God for having led them together in this love. Let us pray that He
may bless and consecrate their commitment to each other and that ___________________
may freely and lovingly take upon them the task the Lord has entrusted to them, to live for each
other and their future children, their family, their relatives and friends on their road through life
to God. Let this day be memorable for all of us for the Lord have given us the blessing in
witnessing this.
Let us now welcome ___________________ with their parents, principal sponsor and the
whole entourage to this Eucharistic Celebration. Brothers and Sisters Let us all stand and sing
our entrance song.
(Gentlemen march with ladies at their left)
 
INTRODUCTORY RITES

PRIEST: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
 
PRIEST: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the
Holy Spirit be with you all.
  
COMMENTATOR: AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT.
 
 PRIEST: God is love and has, in some mysterious way, drawn you together in love. But he
leaves you free to make that love grow or to let it wither and die. The Lord will
help you to forge a future for your love, if you do your share, when you stand to
the commitment to love and honor one another in good times and bad, in
poverty and plenty, in sickness and in health, for better and for worse in that
covenant which you are about to seal. Insert it into that other covenant which we
celebrate in each celebration of the Mass.
 
PENITENTIAL RITE

PRIEST: My brothers and sisters, to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, let
1|Pa ge
 us call to mind our sins.
 
 
 COMMENTATOR/ PRIEST:
I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
 
PRIEST: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and brings us to
everlasting life.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
  
CHOIR: (To be sung)
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
 
PRIEST: Glory to God in the Highest
 
CHOIR: GLORY (To be sung)
 
Opening Prayer

PRIEST: Let us pray, O God, who in creating the human race, willed that man and wife
should be one, join, we pray, in a bond of inseparable love these your servants who
are to be united in the covenant of marriage, so that, as you make their love
fruitful, they may become, by your grace, witness to charity itself. Through our
Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.

2|Pa ge
  PLEASE BE SEATED FOR THE
LITURGY OF THE WORD.
 
Liturgy of the Word

First Reading (Genesis 2:18-24)

 
READER: A reading from the book of Genesis
 
The Lord God said: “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.”
So the Lord God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and
he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each of
them would be its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all the
wild animals; but none proved to be suitable partner for the man. So the Lord God cast a deep
sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place
with flesh.
The Lord God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he
brought her to the man, the man said: “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my
flesh; This one shall be called ‘woman; for out of ‘her man’ this is one has been taken.” That is
why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one
body.
 
READER: The word of the Lord.
 
COMMENTATOR: THANKS BE TO GOD.
 
Responsorial Psalm (Ps. 32:12.18.20-22)

READER: The Earth Is Full of the Goodness of the Lord

They are happy, whose God is the Lord,

The people he has chosen as his own
The Lord looks on those who revere him,
On those who hope in his love.
 
 
Our soul is waiting for the Lord;
The Lord is our help and our shield
In Him do our hearts find joy
We trust in His Holy name.
 
May your love be upon us, O Lord,
As we place all our hope in you.
3|Pa ge
 

 
Second Reading (Ephesians 5:21-32)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians.

 
Beloved, be subordinate to one another our of reverence for Christ. Wives should be
subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of his wife just as
Christ is the head of the Church, he himself the Savior of the body. As the Church is subordinate
to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your
wives, even as Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for her Husbands should love
their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For this reason a man
shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church.
 
READER: The word of the Lord.
 
 
COMMENTATOR: THANKS BE TO GOD.
 
COMMENTATOR: Please, all stand to honor the Holy Gospel.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

CHOIR: ALLELUIA (To be sung)

Gospel (Mark 10:6-9)

PRIEST: The Lord be with you.
 
COMMENTATOR: AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT.
 
PRIEST: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark
 
COMMENTATOR: GLORY TO YOU O, LORD.
 
PRIEST: Jesus said: “From the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For
this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and
the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore
what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”
 
4|Pa ge
 The Gospel of the Lord.
 
 COMMENTATOR: PRAISE TO YOU, LORD JESUS CHRIST.
 
HOMILY

 
COMMENTATOR: PLEASE, ALL BE SEATED AND LISTEN TO THE
HOMILY.

Everyone sits down while priest delivers his Homily.

 
RITE OF MARRIAGE

COMMENTATOR: PLEASE REMAIN SEATED WE SHALL NOW

BEGIN THE MARRIAGE RITES.
 
COMMENTATOR: Please stand for the Rite of Marriage
The parents and the Principal Sponsors
 
ALLOCUTION
PRIEST: Dearly beloved __________________ you are here today to seal your love with an
eternal bond before the Church. I assure you of the prayers of our community that
God may pour his abundant blessings on your love and help you to carry out the
duties of the married state. And you, dear brothers and sisters, may I ask you to
help them with your prayers and accept them as a new couple in our Christian
Community.
 
SCRUTINY
PRIEST: ____________ , May I now ask you to answer truthfully the following questions.
 
PRIEST: __________, Did you come here of your own free will to bind yourself forever in
the love and service of your husband?
 
BRIDE: Yes, Father.
 
 PRIEST: __________, Did you come here of your own free will to bind yourself forever in
the love and service of your wife?
 
GROOM: Yes, Father.
 
PRIEST: __________ are you both ready to raise as good Christians the children whom
5|Pa ge
 God will give you?
 
BOTH: Yes, Father.

Exchange of Consent
PRIEST: _____________ , since you wish to contract Holy Matrimony, please join your
right hands and express your intention before God and His Church.
 
PRIEST: __________ do you take _________ here present, for your Lawful husband
according to the rite of our holy Mother the Church?
 
BRIDE: Yes, I do.
 
PRIEST: Do you give yourself to him as his wife?
 
BRIDE: Yes, I do.
 
PRIEST: Do you accept him as your lawful husband?
 
BRIDE: Yes, I do.
 
PRIEST: ________ do you take________ here present, for you lawful wife according to
the rite of our holy Mother, the Church?
 
GROOM: Yes, I do.
 
PRIEST: Do you give yourself to her as her husband?
 
GROOM: Yes, I do.
 
PRIEST: Do you accept her as your lawful wife?
 
GROOM: Yes, I do.
 
PRIEST: Now _____________ , please say together.
 
BRIDE & GROOM: Grant us, O Lord / to be one heart and one
soul / from this day forward / for better, for worse / for richer, for
poorer / in sickness and in health until death do us part.
 
CONFIRMATION OF THE MARRIAGE BOND

6|Pa ge
 
PRIEST: And I, by the authority of the Church, calling on all those
present here as witnesses, confirm and bless the bond of
marriage which you have contracted. In the name of the
Father, and of the Son of the Holy Spirit.
 
 COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
 
COMMENTATOR: THE PARENTS AND PRINCIPAL SPONSORS MAY
NOW BE SEATED.
Ring, Arrhae and Bible Bearers will come forward assisted by the Best Man and Maid of Honor and
will stand at the right side of the priest.
 
 BLESSING OF THE ARRHAE AND RINGS

PRIEST: ______________ we shall now bless your arrhae and rings. Our help is in the
name of the Lord.

COMMENTATOR: WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH.

 
PRIEST: Let us pray. Bless O Lord, your servants _______________ with sufficiency of
material possessions these arrhae symbolize so that they may use them to attain
eternal life. Through Christ our Lord.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
 
PRIEST: Bless O Lord, these rings so that your servants ____________who wear them, may
ever live in mutual love and in unbroken loyalty. Through Christ Our Lord.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
 
GIVING OF THE WEDDING RINGS AND THE ARRHAE

PRIEST: ______________ , Now give these rings to one another, and say after me:

GROOM: _________ , wear this ring as a sign of my love and loyalty. In the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
 
BRIDE: __________ wear this ring as a sign of my love and loyalty. In the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
7|Pa ge
 
GROOM: ___________, I give you these arrhae as pledge of my dedication to your welfare.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
 
BRIDE: And I accept them.
 

PRIEST: My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I now present to you

our newly wedded couple in our Christian community.
Let us welcome them with a big hand.
 
Newlyweds turn around to face the people in attendance as they are given a brief applause.
Everyone then stands for the Prayers of the Faithful.
 
COMMENTATOR: PLEASE ALL STAND FOR THE PRAYERS OF THE
FAITHFUL.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL

PRIEST: Dearly beloved, let us now pray for the Church and for our newly wedded couple
whose marriage reflects her union with Christ. For every petition we will say,
LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER.

READER: Let us pray for the Church which is the bride of Christ that she may always be
faithful in her mission of spreading the Good News of our salvation and Christ’s
love for us. We pray.
 
 COMMENTATOR: LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
 
READER: Let us pray for our government leaders that they may become God’s instrument in
protecting the family and defend life at all cost. We pray.
 
COMMENTATOR: LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER.
 
READER: Let us pray for all the needs of our brothers and sisters, the sick, the handicapped,
the prisoners and all those abandoned by their love ones, that through their
presence in our community we may be enlightened and show our charity with
love. We pray.

COMMENTATOR: LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER

 
READER: Let us pray for ______________ united today in God’s love, founding a new
8|Pa ge
 family in our Christian community. May they become faithful God’s stewards and
collaborators of God in rearing their future children. We pray.
 
COMMENTATOR: LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
 
READER: Let us pray for the young people who will embrace the vocation to married life that
they may learn from life and experiences of others the beauty of love that comes
generosity. We pray.
 
COMMENTATOR: LORD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
 
PRIEST: God our Father, look down with favor upon your servants. Grant them to remain
faithful to you and to one another. At the end of a long and well-spent life, reward
them with eternal happiness, together with their children and with all those who
love them. Through Christ our Lord.
 
 COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
 
OFFERTORY
Everyone sits down and the persons who will offer the candles, flowers, fruits, bread and wine
will now proceed to bring in these gifts to the altar.
  
CHOIR: Offertory (To be sung)
 
COMMENTATOR:PLEASE BE SEATED FOR THE OFFERTORY.
 
While the choir sings, Candle Sponsors will now come forward to light the two candles. The
bride and groom then kneels down for the veiling and cording ritual. Veil Sponsors will then
come forward to drape a white veil over the shoulders of the groom and over the head of the
bride. The Cord Sponsors will then put the cord over the shoulders of the Bride and Groom.
Bride and Groom will remain kneeling until after Communion.

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

COMMENTATOR: PLEASE ALL RISE.

 
PRIEST: Pray, brethren (brother & sisters), that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to
God, the Almighty Father.
 
COMMENTATOR: MAY THE LORD ACCEPT THE SACRIFICE AT YOUR
HANDS FOR THE PRAISE AND GLORY OF HIS
9|Pa ge
 NAME, FOR OUR GOOD AND THE GOOD OF ALL HIS
HOLY CHURCH.

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS

 
PRIEST: Lord, accept our offering for this newly married couple _____________ By your
love and providence you have brought them together; now bless them all the days of their
married life. Through Christ our Lord.
 COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
 
PREFACE

PRIEST: The Lord be with you.

COMMENTATOR: AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT.

 
PRIEST: Lift up your hearts.
 
COMMENTATOR: WE LIFT THEM UP TO THE LORD.
 
PRIEST: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
 
COMMENTATOR: IT IS RIGHT AND JUST.
 
PRIEST: Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to
give you thanks. By this sacrament your grace unites man and woman in an
unbreakable bond of love and peace. You have designed the chaste love of
husband and wife for the increase both of the human family and your own family
born in baptism. You are loving Father of the world Of nature; you are the loving
Father of the new creation of grace.
 
In Christian marriage you bring together the two orders of creation: nature’s gift of
children enriches the world and your grace enriches also your church. Through
Christ the choirs of angels and all the saints praise and worship your glory. May
our voices blend with theirs as we join in their unending hymn:

SANCTUS

CHOIR: HOLY (To be sung).

  
EUCHARISTIC PRAYER II
10 | P a g e
 
COMMENTATOR: PLEASE ALL KNEEL.
 
PRIEST: You are indeed Holy, O Lord, the fount of all holiness. Make holy, therefore, these
gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they
may become for us the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
 
At the time he was betrayed & entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread
and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
 
Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my body, which will be given up for you.
 
In similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, he
gave it to his disciples saying:
 
Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new
covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in
memory of me.
 
 PRIEST: The mystery of faith.
 
CHOIR: Lord by your cross and resurrection You have set us free You are the savior of the
world.
 
PRIEST: Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of his Death and Resurrection, we offer
you, Lord, the Bread of life and the Chalice of salvation, giving thanks that you
have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you. Humbly we pray
that, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, we may be gathered into one by
the Holy Spirit.
 
Remember, Lord, your Church, spread throughout the world, and bring
her to the fullness of charity, together with N. our Pope and N. our
Bishop and all the clergy. Remember also our brothers & sisters who
have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection, and all who have
died in your mercy; welcome them into the light of your face.
Have mercy on us all, we pray, that with the Blessed Virgin
Mary, Mother of God, with the blessed Apostles, and all the Saints
who have pleased you throughout the ages, we may merit to be co-heirs
eternal life, and may praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, Almighty Father, in the unity of
the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, forever and ever.
 
11 | P a g e
 CHOIR: AMEN.
 
COMMENTATOR: PLEASE ALL STAND
  
COMMUNION RITE

PRIEST: At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching we dare to say:
 
 CHOIR: Our Father (To be sung)
 

THE NUPTIAL BLESSING

PRIEST: Holy Father, creator of the universe, maker of man and woman in your own
likeness, source of blessing for married life, we humbly pray to you for this woman
who today is united with her husband in this sacrament of marriage.
 
May your fullest blessing come upon _____________ so that they may together
rejoice in your gift of married love (and enrich your Church with their children).
 
Lord, may they both praise you when they are happy and turn to you in their
sorrows. May they be glad that you help them in their work and know that you are
with them in their need. May they pray to you in the community of the Church, and
be your witnesses in the world. May they reach old age in the company of their
friends, and come at last to the kingdom of heaven. We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
 
SIGN OF PEACE

PRIEST: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give
you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant
her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who live and reign for ever and
ever.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
 
PRIEST: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
 
COMMENTATOR: AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT.
 
12 | P a g e
PRIEST: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
Everyone turns around and say to one another
 
ALL: PEACE BE WITH YOU
 
CHOIR: Lamb of God (To be sung)
 
COMMENTATOR: PLEASE KNEEL
 
BREAKING OF THE BREAD
 
PRIEST: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
 
COMMENTATOR: LORD I AM NOT WORTHY THAT YOU SHOULD
ENTER UNDER MY ROOF, BUT ONLY SAY THE
WORD AND MY SOULS SHALL BE HEALED.
 
PRIEST: May the Body of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
 
COMMUNION

 
COMMENTATOR: PLEASE, ALL BE SEATED.
THOSE WHO WISH TO RECEIVE HOLY
COMMUNION MAY COME FORWARD
 
While the Choir sings, Veil and Cord Sponsors may now come forward to remove the Cord and
the Veil from the bride and groom.

COMMENTATOR: PLEASE ALL STAND.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

PRIEST: Let us pray. Lord, in your love you have given us this Eucharist to unite us with
one another and with you, as you have made ______________ one in the
sacrament of marriage (and in the sharing of the one bread and the one cup), so
now make them one in love for each other. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
 
13 | P a g e
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.

CONCLUDING RITES

PRIEST: ____________ now that you have received the Holy sacrament of matrimony, I
admonish you to remain faithful to one another.
_________love your husband and be a good wife; persevere in faith and love and
holiness. __________ love your wife as Christ loves His Church and live with her
in the holy fear of the Lord.

SOLEMN BLESSING

 
PRIEST: The Lord be with you.
 
COMMENTATOR: AND WITH YOUR SPIRIT.
 
PRIEST: May the Lord bless you by the word of his mouth.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
 
PRIEST: May he unite your hearts in an enduring bond of pure love.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
 
PRIEST: May you be blessed in your children, and may the love that you lavish on them be
returned a hundredfold.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
 
PRIEST: May the peace of Christ dwell always in your hearts and in your home; may you
have true friends to stand by you, both in joy and in sorrow.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.

PRIEST: May you be ready with help and consolation for all those who come to you in
need; and may be the blessing promised to the compassionate descend in
abundance on your house.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
 
14 | P a g e
PRIEST: May you be blessed in your work and enjoy its fruits. May care never cause you
distress, nor desire for earthly possessions lead you astray; but may your hearts
concern be always for the treasures laid up for you in the life of heaven.
concern be always for the treasures laid up for you in the life of heaven.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
 
PRIEST: May the Lord grant you fullness of years, so that you may reap the harvest of a
good life and after you have served Him with loyalty in His kingdom on earth, may
He take you up into His eternal dominions in Heaven.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.

PRIEST: And may the Almighty God bless you all, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy
Spirit.
 
COMMENTATOR: AMEN.
 
PRIEST: Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your Life.
 
COMMENTATOR: THANKS BE TO GOD
 
COMMENTATOR: MAY WE REQUEST EVERYONE TO PLEASE BE SEATED
FOR THE SIGNING OF DOCUMENTS AND PICTORIAL.
AFTER SIGNING THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT WITH
THE PRINCIPAL SPONSORS PLEASE RETURN THE
CERTIFICATE TO PARISH OFFICE. THANK YOU
 
(After Signing the Marriage Certificate, the Maid of Honor will return the documents to the
Parish Office right after the Wedding.)
 

15 | P a g e
 
 

16 | P a g e