I’m so excited for you. So you’re arranging your wedding and are looking for ideas about your ceremony? You’ve come to the right place. This article will share some resources, some of my own experiences and ideas for you to ponder. The main thing that I’d like to share is whatever works for you is the right answer. This is your ceremony, the heart of your day and it should reflect exactly what you want. If your relationship is all about humour, it might include it or at least a flavour of it.
Why Do We Have A Ceremony?
Holding a ceremony or ritual is a tradition as old as the hills. It is a way for us to mark an occasion, to honour a milestone in our lives. It’s also a way for us to share our love for one another with those around us. Back in medieval times before the legal aspect of weddings was brought in, partners would commit to one another by way of a ‘handfasting’ event, where the village elder would tie the knot – quite literally! – around the partner’s hands, and for a year and a day, they would be engaged. If after this period they still wanted to be together, they were wed.
Another old tradition was jumping the broom (or besom), holding hands, the pair would jump over a broom signifying their partnership, There’s an old saying about living under the brush, because the couple may not have been able to marry in a church. A ceremony is a public declaration more than anything, and in the legal sense the ‘marriage’ is important yet the wedding is the more meaningful aspect of the coming together.
A celebrant led wedding is all about what you want and can include music, humour, guest speakers, mini-ceremonies and fun and laughter! And it can include gratitude for your ancestors, for those who can’t be physically with us on your most important of days.
Thinking About Vows
Many of my couples like to have some help with vows as they feel like such an important part of the ceremony, and if feels important to get them right. I like to share a couple of websites with examples so that you’re able to have a look through, take your time and write something meaningful for you both. Again, no right or wrong!
My simple advice is to agree on a number together, somewhere between 3 and 7 vows each is good. Agree together how many serious/humorous ones. You can find more advice online, there are many articles to help with it, and some people even use a writer to make them perfect.
You can always incorporate quotes if they have meaning for you too. I’ve included a couple of examples below.
Romantic Quotes
“I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart). I am never without it (anywhere I go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling).” — E. E. Cummings, I Carry Your Heart With Me
“You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope…I have loved none but you.” — Jane Austen, Persuasion
“And I’d choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I’d find you and I’d choose you.” — Kiersten White, The Chaos of Stars
“For all the things my hands have held, the best by far is you.” ― Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness
“I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone.” — J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
“They slipped briskly into an intimacy from which they never recovered.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald, This Side of Paradise
Mini Ceremonies
One of the wonderful parts of my role is that I get to be really creative. That means I can work with you to incorporate family members, to perhaps introduce a ring blessing where your whole wedding party can get involved. One of my favourite things to do is to start a love squeeze. Where everyone holds hands, everyone in the wedding party and each person squeezes their left hand and starts a little Mexican wave of love, to include everybody.
It’s always wonderful when the love reaches the front of the room and is a great way to engage everybody, young and old!
I also like to do sand ceremonies, especially if two families are joining together, and all the children can get involved too.
If you’d like to chat about any aspect of your perfect ceremony, drop me a line.
