Do you need to include all them? Can you change them? Most people don’t quite know exactly what a wedding ceremony includes. This is, in part, because there is a lot of flexibility in general and a fair bit of difference in cultural traditions.
The truth is a ceremony can contain whatever you want. It helps if it makes sense to you and your family, if it helps connect you more deeply to your history while at the same time reflects your more modern understanding of marriage.
My first post is a bit of a cheeky overview of all the parts of a wedding ceremony. My second is some practical advice for you wedding party. I also have both post condensed into a two sided handout. Print & share with your wedding party to help everyone do their best! I also have a helpful handout that focuses on ideas for the processional.
These will give you a general idea as to the different parts of a wedding ceremony and what the purpose of each part is. I don’t cover every situation, but my goal is to help give some general ideas that will serve as a good starting place!
As ever, one of the best sources of info is the Off-Beat Bride. I love their take on ritual and ceremony. It’s a nice reminder of the underlying meaning that connects rituals across cultures and traditions:
Rites of passages have three stages: separation, transition, and incorporation. We can see these stages reflected as we approach the life event (for example, your engagement period is one of transition, and your wedding celebration is a moment of incorporation), but can also look at what each element in the ceremony represents, and use the corresponding stage to help us order the ceremony.
WEDDING PARTY & FAMILY At a minimum this is composed of the officiant & the couple. OR it may include grandparents, parents, 12 attendants on each side along with 2 ring bears & 3 flower girls, one pulled in a wagon with a puppy. Attendants might be groomsmen, bridesmaids, groomsmaids, bridesmen. Wedding party–your main job … [Read more…]
A nontraditional primer for the eager and the anxious! Click for a downloadable copy of this to print out for your wedding party! *Disclaimer: Weddings vary greatly based on culture, religion, & personal peculiarities of the couple. This is just a stab in the dark with no guarantee to reflect the actual ceremony in which … [Read more…]
One of the best ways to personalize your ceremony is by dedicating a few moments to telling each other why you love each other! Alayna + Gerardo’s Wedding Highlights from TwoFish Weddings on Vimeo.
There are a lot of reasons why someone might not want the big traditional wedding—expense, complicated family situation, personal style. One thing I’ve learned through officiating is that a wedding is special regardless of the size. Recently I had the opportunity to officiate for a couple who wanted a private ceremony for just the two … [Read more…]