Afifoluwa & Mihlali · Durban
Together with our families, thank you for joining us as we begin our marriage. Follow the morning's programme and service here.
1 October 2026
St Elizabeth's Anglican Church
The morning
All times are local to Durban.
Please arrive in time to be seated for the service.
Please arrive by 10:30 so everyone has time to be seated. The wedding ceremony begins promptly at 11:00 and concludes at 12:30.
Time for photographs with family and friends.
Our wedding ceremony
11:00–12:30
The marriage service
Follow the service below. Words in bold are responses or shared prayers. Italic text gives directions for the service.
We have come together in the presence of God to witness the marriage of Afifoluwa and Mihlali, to ask his blessing on them and to rejoice with them. Our Lord Jesus Christ, by his presence at the marriage in Cana of Galilee, blessed this way of life.
Marriage is a gift of God and a means of grace, in which man and woman become one flesh. It is God's purpose that, as husband and wife give themselves to each other in love, they shall grow together and be united in that love, as Christ is united with his Church.
The union of husband and wife in heart, mind and body is given for their mutual comfort and help in prosperity and adversity. It is given that they may know each other with delight and tenderness in acts of love. It is given that they may have children and bring them up in the knowledge and love of the Lord.
In marriage husband and wife are linked to each other's families and they begin a new life together in the community. This is a way of life that all should reverence and none should lightly undertake. Those who are called by God to this holy state, should continue in mutual fidelity and love.
Into this way of life Afifoluwa and Mihlali come now to be joined. If any of you can show just cause why they may not lawfully be married you must now declare it.
Afifoluwa and Mihlali, I charge you both, as you will answer before God who is the judge of all, that if either of you knows any reason why you may not be united in marriage lawfully in accordance with God's word, you now declare it.
The Lord be with you
And also with you
Jesus said, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.
Let us confess our sins
Almighty God, our heavenly Father
in penitence we confess
that we have sinned against you
through our own fault
in thought, word, and deed
and in what we have left undone.
For the sake of your Son, Christ our Lord
forgive us all that is past
and grant that we may serve you
in newness of life
to the glory of your Name.
The Priest stands and says
Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy on you; pardon your sins and set you free from them; confirm and strengthen you in all goodness and keep you in eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
The Collect of the day
Heavenly Father, you have taught us through your Son
that love is the fulfilling of the law:
grant that your Holy Spirit may lead your servants Afifoluwa and Mihlali
in the way of eternal life and that they may continue together in your love until their lives’ end;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
The First reading
After the reading
Hear the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
The Psalm
Glory to the Father and to the Son: and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning: is now and will be for ever. Amen
The Second reading
After the reading
Hear the word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
The Gradual Hymn
The Gospel
Listen to the Good News proclaimed in the Gospel according to…
Glory to Christ our Saviour
After the reading
This is the Gospel of Christ
Praise to Christ our Lord
Hymn
The Sermon
The bride and bridegroom stand before the Priest, the congregation standing.
The Priest asks the bridegroom for his consent
Afifoluwa, will you take Mihlali to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and protect her, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?
I will
The Priest asks the bride for her consent
Mihlali, will you take Afifoluwa to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort him, honour and protect him, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?
I will
The Priest asks
Who gives this woman to be married to this man?
I do
The Priest receives the woman from the hand of her father or other relative.
The bridegroom takes the bride’s right hand in his and they turn towards each other. He says
I, Afifoluwa, take you, Mihlali, to be my wife;
and I promise,
before God and these witnesses,
to be your loving and faithful husband;
in plenty and in want;
in joy and in sorrow;
in sickness and in health;
as long as we both shall live.
They loose hands. The bride takes the bridegroom’s right hand in hers.
She says
I, Mihlali, take you, Afifoluwa, to be my husband;
and I promise,
before God and these witnesses,
to be your loving and faithful wife;
in plenty and in want;
in joy and in sorrow;
in sickness and in health;
as long as we both shall live.
They loose hands. The Priest receives and blesses the ring(s). He says
By your blessing, O God,
may these rings be to Afifoluwa and Mihlali
symbols of unending love and faithfulness,
reminding them of the covenant they have made this day,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
The bridegroom places the ring on the fourth finger of the bride’s left hand and, holding it there, says
I give you this ring
as a sign of our marriage.
With my body I honour you
all that I am I give to you
and all that I have I share with you
within the love of God
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
They loose hands and the bride places a ring on the fourth finger of the bridegroom’s left hand and, holding it there, says
I give you this ring
as a sign of our marriage.
With my body I honour you
all that I am I give to you
and all that I have I share with you
within the love of God
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The bride and bridegroom kneel, whilst the congregation remains standing. The Priest says
Eternal God,
Creator and preserver of all life,
author of salvation, and giver of all grace:
look with favor upon the world you have made and redeemed,
and especially upon Afifoluwa and Mihlali
Give them wisdom and devotion
in their common life,
that each may be to the other
a strength in need,
a counselor in perplexity,
a comfort in sorrow,
and a companion in joy.
Grant that their wills
may be so knit together in your will,
and their spirits in your Spirit,
that they may grow in love and peace
with you and each other
all the days of their life.
Give them the grace,
when they hurt each other,
to recognize and confess their fault,
and to seek each other’s forgiveness and yours.
Make their life together
a sign of Christ’s love
to this sinful and broken world,
that unity may overcome estrangement,
forgiveness heal guilt,
and joy conquer despair.
Give them such fulfilment of their mutual love
that they may reach out in concern for others.
Grant that all who have witnessed these vows today
may find their lives strengthened,
and that all who are married
may depart with their own promises renewed.
Enrich with your grace
all husbands and wives, parents and children,
that, loving and supporting one another,
they may serve those in need
and be a sign of your kingdom.
Grant that the bonds by which all your children
are united to one another
may be so transformed by your Spirit
that your peace and justice may fill the earth,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
The Priest joins their right hands together (with a stole).
The congregation may join saying:
Those whom God has joined together,
let not one separate.
The Priest blesses them
May God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit
bless, preserve and keep you;
the Lord pour upon you the riches of his grace
that you may faithfully live together
and receive the blessings of eternal life. Amen
The bride and bridegroom stand. The Priest says
Now that Afifoluwa and Mihlali have given their consent and made their vows to each other before God and this congregation, with the joining of hands and the giving and receiving of a ring, in the name of God I declare that they are husband and wife.
The Priest may use these acclamations
Blessed are you, heavenly Father
You give joy to bridegroom and bride
Blessed are you, Lord Jesus Christ
You have brought new life to humankind
Blessed are you, Holy Spirit of God
You bring us together in love
Blessed be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
One God, to be praised for ever. Amen
The signing of the register takes place here.
The greeting of peace 1 John 4:7–8
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God.
All who love are born of God and know God.
All who do not love do not know God, for God is love.
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Peace be with you
Offertory Hymn
Prayer for alms and other gifts for the church
Yours Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the splendour, and the majesty; for everything in heaven and on earth is yours. All things come from you, and of your own do we give you. Amen
At the taking of the bread and wine
Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. For us it becomes the bread of life.
Blessed be God for ever
Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. For us it becomes the cup of salvation.
Blessed be God for ever
The Lord be with you
And also with you
Lift up your hearts
We lift them to the Lord
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
It is right to give him thanks and praise
It is right and indeed our duty and joy, Lord and heavenly Father, God almighty and eternal, always and everywhere to give thanks through Jesus Christ, your only Son our Lord;
And now we give you thanks because in him you have received us as your children, made us citizens of your kingdom, and given us the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth.
Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we acclaim you and declare the greatness of your glory; we praise you now and for ever saying:
Holy, holy, holy Lord
God of power and might
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest,
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Please be seated or kneel.
Hear us, Father, through your Son Christ our Lord; through him accept our offering of thanks and praise, and send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts of bread and wine so that they may be to us his body and his blood.
For on the night that he was betrayed he took bread, and when he had given you thanks, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples saying, 'Take this and eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me’
So too after supper he took the cup, and when he had given you thanks, he gave it to them saying, 'Drink of it all of you; for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins; whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.‘
So we proclaim the mystery of faith
Christ has died
Christ is risen
Christ will come again.
Holy Father, with these your gifts, we your people celebrate before you the one perfect sacrifice of Christ our Lord, his rising from the dead and his ascending to the glory of heaven.
Gracious Lord, accept us in him, unworthy though we are, so that we who share in the body and blood of your Son may be made one with all your people of this and every age.
Grant that as we await the coming of Christ our Saviour in the glory and triumph of his kingdom, we may daily grow into his likeness; with whom, and in whom, and through whom, by the power of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour be given to you, almighty Father, by the whole company of earth and heaven, throughout all ages, now and for ever. Amen
As Christ has taught us we are bold to say
Our Father in heaven
hallowed be your Name
your kingdom come
your will be done
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen
The bread which we break
is it not a sharing of the body of Christ?
We, who are many, are one body
for we all partake of the one bread
Jesus, Lamb of God: have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins: have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world: give us your peace.
We do not presume
to come to this your table, merciful Lord
trusting in our own righteousness
but in your manifold and great mercies,
we are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs
under your table
but you are the same Lord
whose nature is always to have mercy.
Grant us therefore, gracious Lord
so to eat the flesh of your dear Son Jesus Christ
and to drink his blood
that we may evermore dwell in him
and he in us.
Draw near and receive the body of our Lord Jesus Christ which he gave for you, and his blood which he shed for you. Feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving.
Communion Hymn
Give thanks to the Lord for he is gracious
His mercy endures for ever
The Priest, standing before the couple, gives the Nuptial Blessing as follows
Merciful Lord and heavenly Father, by your gracious gift humankind is increased: bestow upon Afifoluwa and Mihlali the gift of children; and grant that they may so live together in godly love and honesty, that they may bring up their children in faith and virtue, to your praise and honour; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
God our maker,
you have consecrated marriage as a wonderful mystery
a sign of the spiritual unity between Christ and his Church:
look in mercy on these your servants
that Afifoluwa may love his wife as Christ loved his bride the Church
and also that Mihlali may love her husband
as the Church is called to love her Lord.
Bless them both
that they may inherit your eternal kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Father almighty
we offer ourselves to you
as a living sacrifice
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Send us out into the world
in the power of the Holy Spirit
to live and work
to your praise and glory.
The Priest blesses the congregation
God the Holy Trinity make you strong in faith and love, defend you on every side, and guide you in truth and peace; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always. Amen
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen
Recessional Hymn
Continue the celebration
Reception programme, menus & starter orders