Solemnization of Matrimony

photo taken by my Uncle Gary.
Douglas and I chose to use the marriage ceremony from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer for our wedding, which you can read in its entirety here (and no, it has nothing to do with the Jane Austen link -- that's just the first page Google pulls up). :-) We chose to use that particular ceremony because we appreciated that it is so full of Scriptural truth. The "Duties" section (which was read by Douglas' father) pretty much just culls sections of the Holy Bible that pertain to the different responsibilities of husbands and wives -- i.e. it is straight from Scripture. In our culture, a lot of what is discussed in the 1662 ceremony has been forgotten or discarded, so it was refreshing to Douglas and I and our families to participate in a ceremony that honors the infallible Word of God.

We included a congregational hymn during our service -- For the Beauty of the Earth (in this case, verses 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8), which is a hymn of praise to the Lord. Douglas' talented cousin was also able to sing a solo for us during the Signing of the Registry, which was The Lord's My Shepherd, sung to the tune of "Brother James Air." Douglas himself composed the bridal processional for organ, which I heard for the first time as I walked toward him down the aisle. I would love to get a copy of it to share, if I can!

Both Douglas and I were surprised by how quickly the ceremony passed. I was very nervous at the beginning, mostly because I am not comfortable being the center of attention, but God gave me the strength to get through it without fainting or any other unpleasant symptoms. It helped to have my dad's arm to lean on, and later Douglas' hand to hold. :-)

After the pronouncement, we walked back up the aisle as husband and wife to a joyous peal of bells... it was wonderful to see so many shining, smiling faces looking back at us. Just a short half-hour of my life, but I'll never forget it!