Church Wedding -- Minister forgot to say something.....

• Honeybunz

  25 Sep 04, 17:32

  Today I attended a church wedding.
  
  The solemniser/church minister went through everything except one part:
  "I pronounce you man & wife. You may now kiss the bride".
  
  So in the end of God and the church, is this marriage valid or not?
  
  (The church minister is quite old and not very fluent in English. Probably that's why he forgot. Not deliberate one)
• Nelstar

  25 Sep 04, 17:34

  Wow, interesting scenario. Hope to hear from Christians on this one.
• Chin Eng

  25 Sep 04, 17:41

  I am thinking that the entire process involves lots of ritual and the fact that one line is missing does not invalidate the process....
  
  Of course, if the marriage gets messed up, one party can quote that as an excuse to get out..
• SingaporeMacross

  25 Sep 04, 17:55

  Heh? What's he supposed to say? I've never atttended a church wedding before so I don't know...
• Honeybunz

  25 Sep 04, 18:13

  Originally posted by SingaporeMacross:

  Heh? What's he supposed to say? I've never atttended a church wedding before so I don't know...

  After the couple said "I do", then they will exchange rings. Then the Priest is supposed to say "I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
  Then the groom will lift up the bride's veil and then kiss her.
  
  Then the wedding service will continue from there with eucharistic prayer, holy communion etc.
• NeonTetra

  25 Sep 04, 19:32

  haha....nvm la...its the mutual commitment and the witness before God. not wat the man says tt unites the 2 into one flesh
• Nelstar

  25 Sep 04, 19:33

  Originally posted by NeonTetra:

  haha....nvm la...its the mutual commitment and the witness before God. not wat the man says tt unites the 2 into one flesh

  Interesting, but any proper verses for reference?
• NeonTetra

  25 Sep 04, 19:35

  Originally posted by Nelstar:

  Interesting, but any proper verses for reference?

  wat verse and wat reference?
  
  For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
  
  -Genesis 2:24
• NeonTetra

  25 Sep 04, 19:36

  i guess the exchange of vows r more impt....it is the promise that God holds serious when a man and a woman pledge his/her life and body to their partner.
• the Bear

  25 Sep 04, 20:20

  i dunno.. if i were the groom, i'd go:
  
  i take you as my wife!!
  hey, Father.. you forgot something really important!
  
  
  
  but that's me
• Nelstar

  25 Sep 04, 20:25

  Perhaps it's me, but I find that the rituals is but a process for guests, family and friends to witness and acknowledge such that in future they can stand up for these people when their marriage is contested by others. There are no fixed rules or words to say or a schedule to do certain things at certain time. The words spoken and asked of the bride and the groom is to be certain that everyone will hear their pledge of love and duty to another.
• sillyme

  26 Sep 04, 00:19

  I think the line "I pronounce you man and wife" is very much imbedded in us because it is what we see in the movies. In my opinion, the exchange of vows and rings and that it is being witness by God and guests is the the more important.
• devoid05

  22 Oct 04, 21:39

  it doesn't really matter whether the marriage is valid rite?
  
  marriage is nt abt validity, its abt commitment -- "till death do us part (be it in sickness, etc etc" should be the crux of the matter... i hoped the preacher didn't miss out on that!!!
• stupidissmart

  23 Oct 04, 00:10

  The only important thing is to sign the wedding documents