Rules In Christian Wedding Traditions - Steps - Meaning - Sacred Ceremony

Still in the theme of love, but maybe for now this discussion will be a little hard but happy. Because now we will discuss "Christian Wedding Traditions." After all the happiness and all the sadness that you pass through, this will be the final step in your relationship. Yep, that is a wedding. Many of the couples want their relationship to reach this step. Because a wedding is a sacred moment for a couple that wants to live together as one. With many religions in this world, the wedding ceremony will go through many forms as the religious rules about the wedding. But for now, we will discuss Christian wedding traditions.

As we see know the wedding ritual of some unique tradition, the Christian wedding tradition is enough that we know. With every step and action in the process of the wedding ceremony, everything has a meaning and value for the couples. It has to be lived by every couple. Next is every steps of christian wedding traditions.

1. Have To Go To Church To Worship Together At Least For 6 Months

This steps is always have to do it in every church. Because this will show their commitment, the couples, with God. And besides, some churches give some adjustment. Example: have at least baptize and have a letter of it, at least was doing communion, at least was doing some sacrament. These steps have meaning and purpose in every requirement. In general, the purpose and meaning is to keep strong their faith in God.

2. Approval And Bless From Each Parents

Approval and bless from each parents is the more important things. Almost every pastor in the church does not want to do counseling premarital if each parent not blesses the marriage and approval. Because parents are trustees from God. The parents will be responsible to God for their children. (Matthew 15: 4, "For God said: ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death."). And some people believe that if parents did not bless the marriage, they will against God, they will don't have peace, joy. Until their parents agree with their marriage.

3. Have To Do Premarital Counseling

As we know, every traditional have their rules. In Christian, counseling premarital is one thing that has to before the wedding. Counseling premarital is placed in the church with keynotes from a pastor. Materials that are given are around how to make a happy family, responsibility in the family, build a family based on strong faith with the husband as head of family and wife to support the husband in every condition, and respect each other. Besides, maybe the bride's family adjust some information and advice about building a family.

4. Doing A "Bidston"

Maybe not in every church to do this. But, there are a few churches that do it. Bidston is praying together with the bride and groom become a special guest and sometimes the bride become a singer as an opening. The purpose of this is to give thanks to the Lord that the bride and groom have met and will be married tomorrow. The main event in Bidston is singing worships song, worshiping a God, preach, and prays.

5. Groom Enters First

In the wedding day, the groom enters first in the church. This initiated from bible, that Christ called and come for his bride, the Church. Christ in this position as the Groom, came for His Church.

6. The Worship Song

Usually in every christian wedding traditions, they always sing worship song. At least a minimum of two songs. (Colossians 3:16, "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."). Because worship song is very important in Christian. This is can symbolize how they, the bride and groom, family, and guests, thank God who unites them and blesses the wedding.

7. White Wedding Dress

Sometimes some people curious about the wedding dress. Why it has to white? Why not blue or red or purple or others? After collecting some information, it very meaningful. First, White Color has the meaning of purity. Second, as a symbol of the righteousness of Christ described in Revelation 19:7-8, "7) Let us rejoice and celebrate and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.8) She was given clothing of fine linen,” linen bright and pure. For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.".

8. Preaches Of Marriage

After all of the traditions, this is the event in the middle wedding's day. Yep. The Preaches of Marriage. This is the last message and support from the pastor about marriage. It can be a relaxing time for the couple before the promise of marriage does. The Preaches of Marriage can talk about some jokes about marriage and some suggestions in marriage.

9. Wedding Affirmation Ceremony

After Preaches of Marriage, the pastor will ask the couple about their wedding and their commitment as servant of God. This is the last ask from the pastor about their commitment as symbolizing in front of God. Usually, pastors will ask about their love. Are the couple really want to make the wedding as one individual in the eyes of God? Are they do the wedding without any pressure? Are they truly love each other? Are they really acceptance each other in good times and hard times? Are they really want to share each other as one individual? And the others question something like that.

10. The Wedding Vows

This is very crucial moment at wedding. Because They have to loudly and earnestly say their loyal promises as a married couple. This situation has to free from suppression and fear. If one of the couples does not say with loudly and earnestly, it will repeat until it can accept. But remember, if it is repeated the guest and family will really disappointed. Because they will think the couple is not serious about the wedding. Remember they say it not only in front of human, but in God too as we believe.

11. Seating Of Parents

As in the wedding day, each of the parents have to come in church. But, if the parents is can not go for some reason, they will choose the closest people who can go to Church in exchange. Usually, the parents have to seat in front of the altar, the place nearest to the pastor, the bride, and the groom. This is symbolized about their responsibility to unite their children in front of God and symbolizes their agreement with the wedding.

12. Acceptance From The Family And Guests

This is the last step of regret. Why? Because the wedding will hold a minute if there is anyone who not accepts their relationship. After the couple, the bride and groom, say the Wedding vows, the pastor will ask the audience, the family, and the guests. Are they acceptance this relationship? Are they acceptance this covenant? If they do not accept it, the wedding will be held until the acceptance of the wedding will continue at another time.

13. Pronouncement Of Husband And Wife

The pronouncement officially declares the couple, the bride and the groom, have to live as wife and husband. They will share everything in every breath of their life. At this moment, they are official as one individual in the eyes of God, not two.

14 Bridal Veil

Usually the wedding dress have bridal veil. This will use as one of the crucial moments in the wedding event: Open the Bridal Veil. This event symbolizes the purity of the bride and her reverence for God. It can mean like this: Before the bridal veil, the bride lives as an individual. After opening the bridal veil, the bride will live as one with the groom. Just like Matthew 19:6 says: “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate”.

15. The Reception/Celebration 

After all the events, this is the happy event. Yep. The party. The reception is a ceremonial moment which will look like a sweet seventeen parties. In these events, there will be some show-off by the couple or the guests. In this event, the guests sometimes have to give a speech to the couple or some motivated words.

16. Cutting And Feeding Of The Wedding's Cake

Usually in the reception, there is a wedding's cake. The wedding cake has to cut off by the couple while joining their hands with a knife. After the cake was cut off, the couple has to feed each other. This is the happiest and funny moment that happens. Because most of the wedding event, there will be an accident at this event. The groom's face is full of cream cake. The bride feeds it first.

17. Exchanging Of The Rings

Ring has a shape full circle, without a break line. It will symbolize the eternal quality of love. It can symbolize a become one, no one can separate. So if this events is done, as symbolize they have to love each other no matter what.
Ring has another meaning too. The ring can use as a seal of authority. It means if the couple wears it, they have to demonstrate their submission to God's authority over their marriage. Their marriage is brought by God so that they have to allow God in every breath and step in their marriage.

Ring also can represents resources. Because usually the wedding use a golden ring, and gold represents a resource. But in this modernity, the wedding ring is not always a golden ring. It can be replaced by a diamond ring. Whatever it, can represent the resources. It means when the couple exchanges wedding rings, they agree to give all their resources to build a family. And it will symbolizes the covenant relationship.

Similarly, when God chose a rainbow, which forms like a circle, as a sign of his covenant with Noah ( Genesis 9: 12-16, "12) And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13) I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.14) And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: 15) And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.16) And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.").

18. Throwing Wedding Flowers

This is the moment guests wait for. Because there is a myth that says, "If you get the flowers, you will get your spouse as soon as possible". I don't know that's true or not. But some people believe that will happen. So if you are at a Christian wedding, don't be shock by this event. Or if you still single, you cant try to get this one. Maybe you will get your spouse as soon as possible after getting the flowers.

The Steps Of Christian Wedding

As the others tradition, usually in christianity there is always have of some steps. So this is the steps of christian wedding:

1. The Groom Enters The Hall And The family And Guests Stands Up

Usually this accompanied by some music and the groom walks to the altar.

2. Prologue From Pastor

This is can be pray in the opening from pastor or some speech to thank God and ask for blessing the wedding ceremony.

3. Sing A Worship Song

In this steps, there are various steps about it. There will a opening worship song and some prays and continued by.

4. Pray Before Preaches Of Marriage

This is just like pray before the preaches usually, but pastor will pray especially to the couple. The pray will like asking God to open the couple's heart, so the couple can accept the preach.

5. Preaches Of Marriage

Just like the explanation above. The preaches of marriage will be spoken by the pastor. This is the last chance for a pastor to give the last message about marriage at the wedding ceremony. Because there will be a chance that the pastor forgot to say something in premarital counseling. Usually, this event is filled with some joke about marriage.

6. Wedding Affirmation Ceremony

This is the last chance from pastor to ask the couple as servant of God. To make sure they really want to marry without any pressure, but pure with love each others.

7. Wedding Vows

This is the crucial event. Each couple have to loudly and earnestly say about their vows.

8. Acceptance From The Family And Guests

Everyone have to accept about the couple vows. If not, the wedding will held a second to make everything clear.

9. Exchanging Of The Rings

This is the sacred moment. The couple usually put on the ring on right hand in ring finger each others.

10. Pronouncement Of Husband And Wife

After the acceptance, the pastor will pastor will announce the couple as husband and wife, as one individual.

11. Bridal Veil

The groom will open up the bridal veil. Others tradition, after open up the bridal veil, the groom will kiss the bride.

12. Pray To closing wedding ceremony

Just like the pray to close usually but with some blessing wedding.

13. Throwing Wedding Flowers

This step is optional. This step usually does in Europe and some Asian churches. Usually, after the closing wedding ceremony, the bride facing back the guests and throw wedding flowers. Why doves? Because doves symbolize love, peace, happiness, and prosperity.

14. Releasing The Dove

This step is optional. There is some church or people do this after wedding ceremony. Usually the pastor lead how to release it, then the couple hold on the dove together and release it.

15. The Reception

This steps is optional. This step is the party where guests and family group together to eat and take some photo.

Meanwhile, wedding is the most important moment in everybody's life that wish to held it once only in a life time with the lover we love the most.

Wedding Tips For Everyone

Yep. So that is all the Christian wedding tradition that I know about. Oh I almost forget, there is some little tips that I want you to know:

1. Don't Invite Your Exes

Why? Because almost your ex maybe still in love with you. They will ruin out your wedding with their disagreement in step acceptance family and guests.

2. Make Sure The Food In Reception Is Enough For People Whom You Invite

This have to check. Because if the food is not enough, your wedding will be ruin out and the guests disappointed with you and your couple. It will a bad mark in all your life.

3. The Wedding Dress Looks Good On You 

Many wedding ceremony feel awkward moment caused by the wedding dress. Make sure your wedding dress is suit for you and comfortable for you. Because sometimes happen when the bride dress is too long and make the bride fall.

Meanwhile, every religion in the world had its own rules and traditions of wedding. Yet, the most important of it it's the couple who promises it. After all, the wedding is all about how you hold your couple's hands forever in front of God, family, and all people. It's about how you are going to be your couple for the worst or better, for now, and forever. So, for whoever that is who is about to get marry or already get married, may the spirit of love will always blink around you. In case you ever heard, always spread love on every corner!

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