If you’re planning a wedding, make sure your day of coordinator and your officiant are professional. They will help you iron out the logistics and cue your ceremony.
The primary purpose of any wedding ritual is the exchange of vows. Everything that happens before and after the exchange is icing on the cake, but it’s important icing.
It Celebrates the Marriage
There are few days in a life that are considered to be more important than one’s wedding day. This day is a celebration of love, family, and bringing people together.
In the wedding ceremony, a few loved ones may be asked to read readings that reflect the couple’s beliefs, values and their view of marriage. Some couples also add special ceremonial elements like a sand ceremony, tree planting, or cultural ritual to make the day unique to them and their partner.
The couple will then exchange vows and promise to each other that they are committed to their partnership for life. The wedding officiant will then pronounce them married and the couple will seal their commitment with a kiss. Closing remarks and blessings are then shared by the officiant and guests to wish the couple well on their new journey.
It Highlights the Bride and Groom’s Vows
A couple can tailor their ceremony to reflect their personal beliefs, but many ceremonies share a similar structure. It starts with an opening blessing or invocation, followed by guests sharing blessings, well wishes and stories, as well as the exchange of rings and the couple’s vows. Finally, the officiant greenlights the couple’s picture-perfect kiss and declares them married.
Music is an important part of any ceremony, but a bride’s walk down the aisle doesn’t have to be traditional. She can walk down to anything from Beyonce to The Beatles. Likewise, couples can include other musical elements in their ceremony, including group blessings or songs they wrote themselves. However, Reynolds cautions against filling a wedding ceremony with “stuff just for the sake of filling time and space.” Instead, every element should serve to highlight the couple’s marriage vows.
It Provides a Reflection on the Vows
Ultimately, wedding ceremonies are about more than the couple and their loved ones; they’re a public reflection of spoken promises. The bride and groom say their vows in front of family, friends, and witnesses, which allows them to reflect on the responsibilities and commitments they are entering into.
Vows can vary, but many include a promise to love and support one another, fidelity, and permanency. Couples can also choose to incorporate readings, poems, or musical performances that resonate with them personally.
Once the vows are exchanged, the minister announces the couple as husband and wife and they share their first kiss. The ceremony can also conclude with closing remarks and blessings, or special ceremonial elements such as a unity ceremony (mixing different colors of sand or water to symbolize two becoming one or a tree planting) or a handfasting ritual crewlogout. If a couple wants to add any cultural or religious rituals to their ceremony, it is important to communicate with the officiant in advance to ensure that they are approved.
It Creates a Community of Support
There are very few days in life that people consider to be as significant as their wedding day. This is because the ceremony offers a unique opportunity to celebrate the start of a new life together in front of loved ones and friends.
While most ceremonies follow a similar order, every couple is free to add their own personal touches. They can use songs, readings, prayers or even vows that they write themselves to put their stamp on their ceremony and make it memorable for everyone in attendance. The entrance of the wedding party is also an important part of the ceremony, and is often timed to match the processional music. It is a great opportunity to set the tone for the event by reflecting on your relationship and the upcoming marriage. This can be done through the opening remarks from the officiant or a brief recounting of your love story. It is also a good opportunity to express gratitude for the presence of family and friends.
