Penitential Rite
The priest requests the congregation to be silent for a few minutes and confess to God and to one another, personal shortcomings, sins and failures.

Liturgy of the word
The couple and their close relatives come up to the podium and read previously selected passages from the Bible.

Prayer of the Faithful
The priest conducts a prayer service for the couple. He calls upon the Lord to bless the couple so that their love may grow and mature into a deep strong bond and become a blessing for them and for others. He also prays for the friends, families, and the souls of departed relatives of the couple.

Offertory Procession
The couple brings offerings like The Bible, a miniature house modeled out of thermocol, candles and flowers. Each offering has significance. For example, the flowers represent the beauty and fragrance of God's creation, and the priest asks God to bless the couple so that they spread this beauty and fragrance wherever they go. After the offerings, the priest gives the couple consecrated bread and wine which represent the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The wine is given only on special occasions like marriages. The choir sings an offertory hymn.

The Communion Rite
The congregation receives holy communion. The communion over, the congregation jointly recites the Our Father, a Biblical prayer.

Nuptial Blessing
The priest prays for the couple. The bride and groom offer a thanksgiving prayer to God and ask for His blessings. The priest concludes the ceremony with a final blessing followed by prayer. The congregation joins in to bless the couple. The priest and the couple sign the Church register that serves as a valid legal document of marriage. A copy of this document is sent to the Registrar of Marriages.

The Recessional
The marriage procession, led by the bride and the groom, walks down the aisle and steps out of the church. The organist plays the tune of the recessional hymn as they walk.

Post-wedding rituals

The Reception
The reception has a live band that sets the feet tapping and the dance floor is never empty. The newly-weds enter the venue and are welcomed by all with a shower of confetti. They cut the wedding cake and feed each a bite of the first slice. The cake is distributed among the guests. The Toastmaster proposes a toast in honour of the newly-weds. The bride and groom get the evening going with their 'first dance'. This is usually a waltz. Mid-way through their dance, the bride's parents join in. The Best Man and Bridesmaid, and the groom's parents follow them. Soon the guests join the dancing and spend the rest of the evening in keeping time with the music. After dinner is over, the couple leaves the reception. At this juncture the bride must throw her posy of flowers behind her. The girl who catches it will be the first to marry, according to popular belief. To know more about receptions, click here.

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