Dr Maceo Brayboy

READING AND UNITY CANDLE CEREMONY SCRIPT

PROCESSIONAL

OPENING PRAYER: Included Proverbs 18:22

INVOCATION

Welcome everyone to the wedding ceremony of MALCOM JAMAL HAYNES and KOTERA JOVANE FULLER. We gather here today to celebrate the most intimate of bonds between two people, marriage. You all have been invited here not just as guests to a wedding, but as close and important witnesses of the love MALCOLM and KOTERA share.

GIVING OF THE BRIDE

“Who gives this woman to wed this man?”

*(Bride and Groom approach the alter)

READING

When reflecting on the meaning of marriage, I came across an excerpt by Daphne Rose Kingma which I'd like to share with you.

“In marriage, we say not only I love you today, but also, I promise to love you tomorrow, the next day and always. In promising always, we promise each other time. We promise to exercise our love, to stretch it large enough to embrace the unforeseen realities of our future. We promise to learn to love beyond the level of our instincts and inclinations, to love in foul weather as well as good, to love in hard times as well as when we are exhilarated by the pleasures of romance. We change because of these promises, we shape ourselves according to them; we live in their midst and live differently because of them. We feel protected because of them. Our souls are protected; our hearts have come home.'

VOW EXCHANGE

MALCOLM and KOTERA, you have chosen to write your own vows, and it is with these words you express your binding promises to love, honor, and cherish one another. If you are ready to make these promises to one another publicly, I now invite you to face each other and declare your intentions.

(couple read vows they have written)

MALCOLM, when you're ready you may begin.

KOTERA, when you're ready you may begin.

RING EXCHANGE

Before the ring exchange I would like to say a prayer. Let us pray. Father God, in the name of Jesus, bless these rings and they who give them, and they who receive them. May they abide in thy peace and continue in thy favor until their lives end. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and savior, Amen. As a visual representation of these promises, MALCOLM and KOTERA will now exchange rings, a symbol of their love and their commitment to one another.

MALCOLM, please place the ring on KOTERA’S left hand and repeat after me: With this ring I join my life to yours.

KOTERA, please place the ring on MALCOLM'S left hand and repeat after me: With this ring I join my life to yours.

UNITY CANDLE

At this time, the couple will light the Unity Candle. MALCOLM and KOTERA, please take one of the smaller candles. Each of the candles represents you as individuals. After lighting your candles, MALCOM and KOTERA please take your candles and light the center candle together. The center candle represents the joining of two individuals into one married couple. It is suggested, each year on your anniversary you relight your candles and relive your vows.

NUPTIAL BLESSING: Blessing of the Marriage/Closing Prayer: Included Mark 10:9

PRONOUNCEMENT

MALCOLM and KOTERA have exchanged vows and rings in our presence, and it is now by the Power vested in me by the American Marriage Ministries and the Great State of Georgia, I now pronounce you husband and wife, and introduce for the first time Mr. and Mrs. MALCOM JAMAL HAYNES. MALCOM, you may now kiss your bride!

RECESSIONAL