Music is a vital
ingredient in your church wedding service. It sets the atmosphere and enables everyone to join in the singing of your chosen
hymns. Most Christian wedding services include two or three hymns. However, there is no set rule as
to how many hymns can be sung during your service. However, you must discuss your preferences with the minister
who's approval is needed.
When considering hymns for your service, you should always bear in mind the vocal talents
of your guests. Unless they are known to be good singers, you should avoid unfamiliar hymns and hymns with high notes.
This is particularly relevant if you will not be using the church choir. The last thing you want is an embarrassed silence!
HYMNS and songs included here:
All Things Bright & Beautiful
Be Our Chief Guest, Lord
Father Hear The Prayer We
Offer
Give Me Joy In My Heart
Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer Amazing Grace
How Great Thou Art
Jesus Stand Among
Us
Lead Us Heavenly
Father Lead Us
The Lord's My Shepherd,
I'll Not Want
The
Wedding Song (There Is Love)
Just To Hear
You Say That You Love Me
Amazing
Grace
Words by John Newton (1725-1807) PUBLIC DOMAIN
This hymn is about celebration
and praise, making it suitable as the first hymn sung at the beginning of the service, which is in praise of God in whose
presence everyone has assembled.
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once
was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my
fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and
snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord
has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea,
when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy
and peace.
The world shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun refuse to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Shall
be forever mine.
When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing
God's praise
Than when we'd first begun.
All
Things Bright and Beautiful
Words by C. F. Alexander (1818-95)
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This
hymn is about celebration and praise, making it suitable as the first hymn sung at the beginning of the service, which is
in praise of God in whose presence everyone has assembled.
All things
bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their
tiny wings.
Refrain
The purple-headed mountain,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning,
That
brightens up the sky;
Refrain
The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits
in the garden,
He made them every one;
Refrain
The tall trees in the greenwood,
The meadows for
our play,
The rushes by the water,
To gather every day;
Refrain
He gave us eyes to see them,
And
lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.
Be our chief guest, Lord
Be our chief guest, Lord,
Lord of all living,
Lord
of all loving,
This wedding day:
Bind us together
In your sure keeping,
So we may never
Wander away.
Bless
all who have brought us
Up from our childhood,
Caring, forgiving,
Through the long day:
May the same spirit
Shine
in our home, Lord,
Lighting our pathway,
We humbly pray.
Bless all our friends, Lord,
Happy and true friends,
Laughing
or crying,
Always the same:
Bright with this friendship,
May our own home be
Ready to welcome
All in your name.
Be
our chief guest, Lord,
Lord of all living,
Warm with compassion
Showing the way:
Keep us together
In loving
service,
Families and friends, Lord,
This wedding day.
Father
Hear The Prayer We Offer
Words by Maria Willis (1824-1908) PUBLIC DOMAIN
This hymn is suitable as the
second hymn sung after the marriage ceremony, which is about praise and celebration of the union. It is also suitable as the
third hymn that is sung after the signing of the register, which usually speaks of the desire that God goes with you into
the future to help you live out your vows.
Father, hear the prayer we offer:
Not
for ease that prayer shall be,
But for strength that we may ever
Live our lives courageously.
Not for ever in
green pastures
Do we ask our way to be;
But the steep and rugged pathway
May we tread rejoicingly.
Not for
ever by still waters
Would we idly rest and stay;
But would smith the living fountains
From the rocks along our way.
Be
our strength in hours of weakness,
In our wanderings be our guide;
Through endeavour, failure, danger,
Father, be
thou at our side.
Author unknown - PUBLIC DOMAIN
This hymn is about celebration and praise, making it
suitable as the first hymn sung at the beginning of the service, which is in praise of God in whose presence everyone has
assembled. It is also suitable as the third hymn that is sung after the signing of the register, which usually speaks of the
desire that God goes with you into the future to help you live out your vows.
Give me joy in my heart, keep me praising,
Give me joy in my heart, I pray,
Give me
joy in my heart, keep me praising,
Keep me praising 'till the break of day.
Refrain:
Sing
hosanna, sing hosanna,
Sing hosanna to the King of kings!
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna,
Sing hosanna to the King.
Give
me peace in my heart, keep me praying,
Give me peace in my heart, I pray,
Give me peace in my heart, keep me praying,
Keep
me praying 'till the end of day.
Refrain:
Give my oil in my lamp, keep me burning,
Give me oil in my lamp,
I pray,
Give my oil in my lamp, keep me burning,
Keep me burning 'till the end of day.
Give me peace in my heart,
keep me resting,
Give me peace in my heart, I pray.
Give me peace in my heart, keep me resting,
Keep me resting 'till
the end of day.
Words by Peter Willkims (1726-94) PUBLIC DOMAIN
This hymn is suitable as the third hymn sung after the signing of the register, which usually speaks of the desire
that God goes with you into the future to help you live out your vows.
Guide me, O thou great redeemer,
Pilgrim
through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty,
Hold me with thy powerful hand;
Bread of heaven, bread
of heaven
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.
Open now the crystal fountain
Whence the
healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong deliverer, strong
deliverer;
Be thou still my strength and shield;
Be thou still my strength and shield.
When I tread the verge
of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell's destruction
Land me safe on Canaan's side:
Songs
of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to thee;
I will ever give to thee.
How
Great Thou Art
Author: Hine, Stuart Westley Keene. Copyright: 1941,1953,1955 Stuart
This
hymn is suitable as the first hymn sung at the beginning of the service, which is in praise of God in whose presence everyone
has assembled.
Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works thy hand hath
made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed;
Refrain:
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great
Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
When through
the woods and forest glades I wander
and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
when I look down from lofty mountain
grandeur,
and hear the brook, and feel he gentle breeze;
Refrain
And when I think that God his son
not sparing,
Sent him to die - I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died
to take away my sin:
Refrain
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home- what
joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim, my God, how great thou art!
Words by W. Pennefather (1862) PUBLIC DOMAIN
This hymn is suitable as the second hymn sung
after the marriage ceremony, which is in praise and celebration of the union. It is also suitable as the third hymn that is
sung after the signing of the register, which usually speaks of the desire that God goes with you into the future to help
you live out your vows.
Jesus, stand among us
In Thy risen power,
Let this time of worship
Be a hallowed
hour.
Breathe the Holy Spirit
Into every heart,
Bid the fears and sorrows
From each soul depart.
Thus
with quickened footsteps
We'll pursue our way,
Watching for the dawning
Of the eternal day.
Lead
Us Heavenly Father Lead Us
Words by James Edmeston (1791-1867)
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This hymn is suitable as the
third hymn sung after the signing of the register, which usually speaks of the desire that God goes with you into the future
to help you live out your vows.
Lead us, heavenly Father, lead
us
O'er the world's tempestuous sea;
Guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us,
For we have no help but thee;
Yet possessing
every blessing
If our God our Father be.
Savior, breathe forgiveness o'er us,
All our weakness thou dost know;
Thou
didst tread this earth before us,
Thou didst feel its keenest woe;
Self denying, death defying,
Thou to Calvary didst go.
Spirit of our God, descending,
Fill our hearts with heavenly joy;
Love
with every passion blending,
Pleasure that can never cloy;
Thus provided, pardoned, guided,
Nothing can our peace
destroy.
Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven
Words by H. F. Lyte (1793-1847) PUBLIC DOMAIN
This hymn is suitable as the first hymn sung at the beginning of the service, which
is in praise of God in whose presence everyone has assembled. It is also suitable for Easter weddings.
Praise,
my soul, the King of heaven,
To his feet thy tribute bring;
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Who like me his
praise should sing?
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.
Praise him for his grace and favour
To
our fathers in distress;
Praise him still the same as ever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Glorious
in his faithfulness.
Father-like, he tends and spares us,
Well our feeble frame he knows;
In his hands he gently
bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Widely as his mercy flows.
Angels, help us to
adore him;
Ye behold him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before him,
Dwellers
all in time and space:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace.
The
Lord's My Shepherd, I'll Not Want
(Psalm 23) PUBLIC DOMAIN
This hymn
is about marriage and eternal life, and is suitable as the second hymn sung after the marriage ceremony, which is in praise
and celebration of the union. It is also suitable to sing during Communion, if you decide to include it during the ceremony,
and also at Easter weddings.
The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want;
He makes me
down to lie
In pastures green; he leadeth me
The quiet waters by.
My soul he doth restore again,
And me to
walk doth make
Within the paths of righteousness,
E'en for his own name's sake.
Yea, though I walk in death's
dark vale,
Yet will I fear no ill:
For thou art with me, and thy rod
And staff me comfort still.
My table
thou hast furnished
In prsence of my foes;
My head thou dost with oil anoint
And my cup overflows.
Goodness
and mercy all my life
Shall surely follow me;
And in God's house for evermore
My dwelling-place shall be.
The Wedding Song
(There is Love)
Author Unknown
He is now to be among you at the calling
of your hearts
Rest assured this troubador is acting on his part.
The union of your spirits, here, has caused him to
remain
For whenever two or more of you are gathered in his name
There is love. there is love.
A man shall leave his mother and a woman leave
her home
And they shall travel on to where the two shall be as one.
As it was in the beginning is now and til the end
Woman
draws her life from man and gives it back again.
And there is love. there is love.
Well then what's to be the reason for becoming
man and wife?
Is it love that brings you here or love that brings you life?
And if loving is the answer, then who's
the giving for?
Do you believe in something that you've never seen before?
Oh there's love, there is love.
Oh the marriage of your spirits here has caused
him to remain
For whenever two or more of you are gathered in his name
There is love. there is love.
Just to hear you say that you love me
Author Unknown
If I could win your heart
If you'd let me in your heart
I'd
be so happy, baby
Just for these arms to be
Holding you close to me
There's nothing in this world I won't try
No
limit to what I'd do to make you mine, 'cause
I'd climb right up to the sky
I'd take down the stars
Just
to be in your arms, baby
I'd go and capture the moon
That's what I would do
Just to hear you say that you love me
Just
to hear you say that you love me
If I could taste your kiss
There'd be no sweeter gift
Heaven
could offer baby
Oh, baby
I want to be the one
I want to be the one
Living to give you love
I'd walk across
this world just to be
Close to you 'cause I want you close to me, yeah
I'd climb right up to the sky
I'd take down the stars
Just
to be in your arms, baby
I'd go and capture the moon
That's what I would do
Just to hear you say that you love me
Just
to hear you say that you love me
For
the rest of your life
For the rest of your life
Love me for the rest of all time
Oh baby, baby
Just say the word
And
I'll give you my world
There's nothing I won't do
Baby, just to be with you
I'd climb right up to the sky
I'd take down the stars
Just
to be in your arms, baby
I'd go and capture the moon
That's what I would do
Just to hear you say that you love me
Just
to hear you say that you love me, baby
Just to hear you say that you love me
Oh, I need to hear you say that you love
me, baby
Just to hear you say that you love me
Just say you love me
Just say you need me
Just to hear you say that
you love me
