On your special day, do you want your ceremony to represent your personality, traditions and religious believes? What better way to do this than to add a special ceremony to your wedding services. Below is a list of just some of the more common ceremonies that couples like to include on their wedding day.
- Unity Candle: In this ceremony, the bride and groom light their own individual candle. During the ceremony, the couple simultaneously light a third larger "Unity Candle". This symbolizes the joining of the two families into one. One variation of this is where every guest has a candle. The first guest lights their candle. Guest light the next guest until all the guest are lit. Then the bride and groom light their unit candle. This variation represents the unity of friends and family in order to support the couple.
- Sand Ceremony: In this ceremony, the couple each have a different color sand. During the ceremony, the pour the sand into a third, usually more decorative container. Couples usually display this container of sand in their house as a reminder of the commitment they shared on their wedding day. A variation to this is the Water Ceremony where the same thing is done with different colored water.
- Lasso Ceremony: Traditionally found in Catholic or Latin communities, the lasso ceremony is usually performed after the couple has exchanged vows. Using a lasso, rosary beads or rope to join the couple, the "lasso" is placed around the bride and groom's shoulders by either the officiant or the wedding godparents (los padrinos) which are selected by the couple. This is suppose to symbolize the everlasting union under the Lord.
- Las Arras: Traditionally found in Catholic or Latin communities, The arras (meaning to promise in Latin) ceremony is where one partner gives the other 13 coins as a promise that they will provide for the family and will share all treasures with each other. The receiver then accepts the coins stating that they will be the careful administrator of the couples wealth. The 13 coins represents each of the months of the year, plus one coin to represent Jesus. This final couple should remind couples to always share themselves with others who are in need. Typically in a Catholic Mass, the ceremony would happen right after the exchange of rings.
- Jumping the Broom: A common African-American tradition, this ceremony has the family place a broom on the ground, and the bride and groom jump over it together. The broom if often decorated and would decorate a place of honor in the couple's home.
- Witness Ceremony: In Connecticut witnesses are not needed in order for a marriage to be performed. Yet some people often want to have special friends or family to play a role in their ceremony. In the witness ceremony, the two selected people agree to support the health of the marriage and couple. They then sign a certificate that the couple can keep as a momento of the special day.
- Handfasting Ceremony: Rooted in Celtic or Viking tradition, this ceremony joins the couples hands and then ties them with a ribbon or cord. Usually the hands are joined, right to right and left to left with at least 3 different color cord. Each color symbolizes something different which is often explained in during the ceremony. This is where the term "tying the knot" originated from. In more recent tradition, couple have opted to hold hands while a handkerchief is placed over their hands. This is very common when couple want to perform this ceremony before saying their vows. This is a ceremony often also used during vow renewals.
- Smudging Ceremony: Traditionally a Native American ceremony, smudging is meant to eliminate negative past experiences, purifies, and influences a positive beginning. Native Americans consider sage, cedar, sweetgrass and tobacco as the Four Sacred Herbs. In the ceremonies that I have performed, usually a family member is selected to igniting dried sage or some other ritualistic flower. They then cleanse the couple and the officiant thereby allowing the smoke to carry their prayers to the Creator. Some couples may choice to do each of the sacred herbs since each cleanses
- Breaking the Glass Ceremony: Traditionally marking the end of a Jewish wedding, the breaking of the glass is performed under a chuppah. Chuppah consist of a cloth or sheet stretched or supported over four poles. Sometimes this is held by the attendants to the ceremony. A chuppah symbolizes the home that the couple will build together. Usually a thin glass wrapped in a napkin is smashed under the foot of the groom.
- Rose Ceremony: This ceremony is where the bride and groom exchange roses. In variations of this ceremony, the bride and groom would exchange roses with their families, then the bride and groom exchange roses. Finally, the couple would present the roses to their mothers.
- Wine Ceremony: In this ceremony, the couple usually have a carafe of wine and a single glass. The wine is poured into the glass and each one of them will drink from the glass.
- Time Capsule Ceremony: During the ceremony, the couple will read their vows to each other and then place them in a decorative time capsule of their choice. They will also have written "Message to the Future" letters to each other. They will share tidbits from these letters and then place them in the capsule. In addition, you could have your guest fill out advice or prediction cards to be placed in the time capsule. After the wedding is over, the couple may fill the capsule with other memorabilia such as decorations, sign in book, CD of music played or even that day's newspaper. Then on an anniversary of the couple's choosing (5th, 10th, 20th), they will open the wedding time capsule and relive the special day all over again.
- Remembering Loved One: Sometimes a loved one is no longer with us but they were instrumental in your life. You can remember them during the ceremony. This can be done with saying a few words about them and having a moment of silence, to reading a favorite poem for them or about them. Other ways to honor them could be to leave an empty chair or have their photo in a special location (some folks place small pics on boutineer) or even include some of their favorite things (flower, wine, etc.) during the wedding.