Wedding Ideas

In Part One of this article, we discussed the sometimes challenging task of choosing Bible verses for your
wedding ceremony and listed possible choices from the Old Testament and Apocrypha.

In Part Two we continue with a list of possibilities from the Gospels and New Testament. We will also discuss some tried and true methods for narrowing
down the choices.

The Gospels

Matthew 5:1-10 The famous Beatitudes, which proclaim God’s favor to those who try to live by God’s law. (See Luke 6:17-49 for a shorter account of
The Sermon on the Mount which also includes a few other verses found elsewhere in Matthew.)
Matthew 7:24-27 A metaphor on establishing your home on a foundation in God.
Matthew 22:35-40 The greatest commandment of love and the many ways it applies to life.
Mark 2:18-22 Christ as the bridegroom and His followers as the bride.
Mark 10: 42-45 It is better to serve than to be served
John 2:1-11 The wedding at Cana where Christ performs his first miracle of turning water to wine.
John 3:16 The famous “For God so loved the world.”
John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life…”
John 15:9-17 An admonition to love one another and Christ’s sacrificial love for us.

Verses from the New Testament

Romans 12:9-18 The Christian’s duty to love and all that is encompassed by that duty: hope, patience, prayer, compassion, and more. Be sure to compare this passage to the 13th chapter of First Corinthians.
I Corinthians 13 Perhaps the most famous of all wedding Bible verses, this chapter defines the
ultimate gift of the Spirit: Love.

I Corinthians 14:1 “Make love your aim” in all you do. (Verses 2-5 go on to discuss the superior gift of prophecy rather than speaking in tongues.)
I Corinthians 16:14 Be certain that everything you do is motivated by love.
2 Corinthians 5:14-17 Through Christ’s sacrificial love, we have become new creations.
Ephesians 2:4-10 God’s gracious love for us saves us through faith.
Ephesians 4:25-5:2 Be loving and forgiving, speaking only good and imitating Christ.” …let not the sun
go down upon your wrath…” (KJV) Check on more modern translations for a better reading.
Ephesians 5:21-33 This passage depicting the Christian home is difficult for some because it
deals with “submission theology.” However, the general thought is mutual submission. Understand it from an early church point of view.
Philippians 2:1-5 Guard against selfishness. Be humble and serve others.
Philippians 4:4-9 Rejoice and don’t be anxious. Live honorably and justly, and God’s peace will be a part of your lives.
Colossians 3:12-17 The Christian life lived in love and harmony. Do all in Christ’s name.
Colossians 3:18-20 More submission theology with the admonition to husbands to love their wives.
I John 3:1 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us…” (KJV)
I John 3:16 Christ’s example of sacrificial love.
I John 3:18-24 Believe in Christ, and keep His commandments by loving one another.
I John 4:7 Love each other because love comes from God.
I John 4:16-19 God loves us. If we live in love, it serves as a sign that God lives in us. We are capable of love only because God loved us first.
Revelation 19:1; 5-9 A glorious celebration in heaven for the marriage of the Lamb of God. The church is depicted as the Bride.

In reading these selections, you may find yourself reading beyond the verses. This is an excellent idea because the context may surprise you in some cases. For example, Ruth 1:16 is a popular verse and is often used in weddings. (There are endless vocal music settings of this text as well, so don‘t rule this possibility out for your soloist.) While we think of this passage as being spoken by a man to a woman, or visa versa, as an affirmation of love and devotion, it is actually spoken by Ruth to her mother-in-law, Naomi! The story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz is certainly an entertaining tale. If you have time to read the whole saga, I encourage you to do so! It’s quite a story! So, again, try to take the time to read a few verses before and after the main verses listed below. It could influence your decision.

How does one begin to narrow the choices? One thing to bear in mind is that many of these popular wedding Bible verses have been set to music. If you narrow your choices down to 5, but you only need to use 3, find out from your music director if any of your choices are set to music. You could then use those as vocal selections and the problem is solved. You can have them all!

And as for which ones to choose, you have some work ahead of you. Read the verses as a couple. Ask each other, “Does it speak to our situation?”, “Does this sum up an important belief that we hold?”, “Does this make us feel good or special when we read it?” And sometimes it’s simply a matter of what grabs you!

A word about translations and paraphrases: While many prefer the King James Version for the sheer poetry of the language, the verses above read quite differently in other translations. Consider consulting Today’s English Version, The New International Version, the Revised Standard, the New Revised Standard, The Good News Bible, the New Living Translation, the Jerusalem Bible, and many others for more modern language. The most appropriate version of the Bible for a Jewish wedding is the Masoretic Text.

Your wedding is one of the most important events in your life. Take the time to set the perfect tone for your married years by starting your ceremony preparations with the Bible.

© 2000, 2001, Deborah Spence and GlassyLady.com.
This article is offered to you free of charge, and you have permission to print it out to aid you in your ceremony preparations. Reproducing and selling this article for profit, however, is a copyright infringement and is not allowed.

Deborah Spence holds a Master’s Degree in Sacred Music and has been involved with weddings for more than 20 years. As a church music director, she’s been actively associated with the ceremonial side of weddings in a variety of settings.

(via ArticleHub)

An important aspect of planning your wedding is selecting Scriptures to be read in the ceremony. Many clergy encourage couples to look through the Bible and choose some appropriate verses. This provides an excellent way for the bride and groom to personalize their service by choosing passages that have a special meaning for them or speak to their particular situation. For many couples this is both exciting and daunting. After all, the Bible is a pretty big book! Where to begin? How to choose? Which to choose?

Most members of the clergy will not object to more than one reading during your ceremony. In fact, many will encourage you to pick as many as 3 passages. As difficult as it might be for you to believe, it can be hard to narrow it down. There are so many from which to choose!

The following list is Part One of a two-part article and begins with readings from the Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew Bible. The list comes as a result of years of working with wedding couples in Episcopal, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, and Christian Science churches and from my education at both the undergraduate and
graduate levels.

Direct quotes from the Bible are taken from the King James Version, which is in the public domain. The interpretations or paraphrases of these verses are strictly my own. However, they do reflect mainstream thought and are non-denominational in perspective.

Part One - Old Testament and Apocrypha

Readings from the Old Testament, also called The Hebrew Bible, are also most appropriate for Jewish weddings.

Genesis 1:27-28a, 31a God’s good and gracious work in creating man and woman for each other
Ruth 1:16 The devotion of Ruth to a new family
Song of Solomon 2:10-14, 16a The lover arrives in Spring to call for his bride
Song of Solomon 8:6-7 A bride beseeches her lover to be faithful
Isaiah 26:3-4 Trust in God
Isaiah 43:1-7 Our redemption by God, and God’s presence and love in our lives
Isaiah 55:10-13 God’s word feeds and nurtures us
Isaiah 61:10-62:3 Our certain salvation and a new status
Psalm 19 A Psalm praising God as creator
Psalm 34:8 A Psalm of Thanksgiving. Vs. 8 is particularly nice for weddings which include Holy Communion.
Psalm 98:1a, 4-6 A Psalm of praise
Psalm 100 A Psalm of praise
Psalm 119 The longest in the Bible, the entire Psalm is a reflection on God’s laws, with verses 1-16 reflecting on walking always in God’s way.
Psalm 127 A home built by God
Psalm 128 The blessings of lives led by God
Tobit 8:5-9 Tobias and Sarah praise God and acknowledge Him as the creator who ordained marriage. Tobias prays for mercy and that God allow him and
Sarah to grow old together. (This is the only verse from the Apocrypha.)

Part II of “Bible Verses for Your Wedding” will include suggestions from the Gospels and New Testament with ideas on how to choose appropriate passages to make your wedding special.

© 2000, 2001, Deborah Spence and GlassyLady.com.
This article is offered to you free of charge, and you have permission to print it out to aid you in your ceremony preparations. Reproducing and selling this article for profit, however, is a copyright infringement and is not allowed.

Deborah Spence holds a Master’s Degree in Sacred Music and has been involved with weddings for more than 20 years. As a church music director, she’s been actively associated with the ceremonial side of weddings in a variety of settings.

(via ArticleHub)

A custom-crafted poem for your love on Valentine’s Day would make the occasion unforgettable and would last long after the flowers have wilted and the candy box is empty. Best of all, you don’t have to write it yourself. Help is available here.
Hey guys, listen up! You may not realize it, but if you are “in a relationship” a major deadline is looming large on the horizon. It may not mean a great deal to you, but it’s a very safe bet that the woman in your life thinks that Valentine’s Day is a big deal. If you want to make major points with your girlfriend, you need to start planning for that day NOW!

Sure, you can do the usual stuff, cards, chocolates, flowers. You know the deal. All of that is standard equipment. You will surely get credit for that stuff but it isn’t exactly original. She may even be expecting all of that already. Wouldn’t it be better if you could score a grand slam in what could be regarded the world series of love?

You have the opportunity to do just that (and reap all of the ‘benefits” that accrue from such an investment) if you do something that combines romance, creativity and originality. That something is a poem. At first you’ll probably think, how corny. Isn’t there some other way to do this? NO!

If you could have a poem to present to her that perfectly suited your situation, and described your relationship in a poetic way, it could have a deep and lasting effect on her and your relationship with her. A custom-crafted poem for your love on Valentine’s Day would make the occasion unforgettable and would last long after the flowers have wilted and the candy box is empty. Best of all, you don’t have to write it yourself. Help is available at www.poemstogo.tv. Amy Gumley, poet extraordinaire and proprietress of the site has plenty of experience in writing poems that capture the essence of your unique situation. She has countless satisfied customers for whom her poems have achieved a variety of great results.

Contact her, tell her about yourself and your love interest and she will take care of all the details of crafting a poem that will earn you a place in her Valentine’s Day Hall of Fame.

About the Author

Amy Gumley is a relationship expert and a poet. Writing over 200 poems for a major online greeting card site, her favorite topics were those that concerned relationships and love. Now, she has her own business, www.Poemstogo.tv where she creates poetic toasts and speeches for all kinds of special occasions, including weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and special events.

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