Thank you for the question on wedding ceremony, “Can you boldly tell me if a wedding ceremony is scriptural?”
In answering the question, one has to consider whether wedding is Scriptural and the format of wedding ceremony is Biblical.
Here are some thoughts for one’s consideration:
A. The bases of wedding of fidelity and function to each other is found in Genesis 1:21–25 and Ephesians 5:22–32, I Corinthians 7:1–40.
B. The components of the wedding ceremony are as follows:
- The request to marry someone’s daughter (Gen. 24:32–38, Matt. 1:18)).
- A dowry was given to the bride (Gen. 29:18).
3. Wedding guests were invited to the celebration (Gen. 29:22a, John 2:2).
4. The wedding was held with a celebration of meal with wine being served at the celebration (Gen. 29:22b, John 2:3,8).
5. The wedding had a coordinator who was the master of the banquet (John 2:9).
6. It is likely that the synagogue ruler or groom’s parents would perform the blessing on the wedding. There would be the consent by the bride and groom to be husband and wife (Gen. 29:23).
7. The attendees and the father of the bride may give gifts to the groom (Gen. 29:24).
The Scripture does not command that a certain practice should be perform in a wedding ceremony, but it does command that the man and woman be faithful to each other as husband and wife.
The wedding ceremony was a social event for the community that a new family is being formed in their community. The practices of each community or country is different but the pledge of fidelity to each other is the same except in polygamous cultures.
SUMMARY: The pledge of fidelity is Scriptural, but the procedure of the wedding is cultural.
-Kingston