Ideas for a Wedding Ceremony
Make your wedding more than a "Will you?" "I do," and "You may kiss the bride" affair. Instead use it as a chance for your new spouse and you to express how you feel about love, marriage and each other. From writing your own vows to special ceremonies, personalizing your ceremony reflects on how you two feel about each other.
Vows
Instead of reading traditional marriage vows, some couples choose to write their own. These vows can include meaningful quotes, anecdotes and heartfelt expressions of love, which make them very personal to the couple.
Before writing the vows, ask your officiant if it's allowed, says The Knot in the article, "20 Tips for Writing Your Own Wedding Vows." Some religious institutions require couples to recite traditional vows. It's likely the officiant will want to review the vows in advance.
Next, discuss the personalized vows with your fiancee. Decide whether you want to write sappy, tear jerking vows or vows peppered with humor. Some couples might prefer to write one set of vows that they both recite.
Readings
"Love is patient, love is kind." This popular Bible passage--1 Corinthians 13:4-has been quoted in movies such as "A Walk to Remember" and "Wedding Crasher." While the Bible provides plenty of marriage-related readings for religious couples, there are other sources, too. Pick out a passage from your favorite novel, movie or a traditional cultural blessing, such as this Irish blessing:
"May God be with you and bless you
May you see your children's children
May you be poor in misfortunes,
Rich in blessings
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward"
Select a special person to recite the reading, such as a cousin or close friend who isn't part of the bridal party. If there isn't a reading that's inspiring enough to read at your wedding, ask a musical friend to sing a song instead.
Ceremonies
Some couples choose to perform a ceremony within the ceremony, such as a unity candle ceremony or the sand ceremony. According to UnityCandle.com, the unity candle ceremony became popular in the 1980s. The ceremony goes like this: Before the wedding, the bride's mother and the groom's mother each light a taper candle at the front of the venue. This represents each side of the family. During the ceremony, the bride and groom approach the candles and use the candles their mothers lit to light one pillar candle in the middle. This symbolizes the two families being joined in marriage.
An alternative to the unity candle is the sand ceremony. In this ceremony, the bride and groom each have a vase of colored sand. The groom begins by pouring a portion of his sand into an empty vase in the center. The bride follows by pouring a portion of her sand on top of it. These two steps are repeated, and the bride and groom pouring the remainder of their sand simultaneously into the vase finish the ceremony. The vase of sand is a souvenir of the day and can be used as decoration in their home.
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