Wedding ceremony rituals can add tradition, but also a unique element to your wedding ceremony. Most rituals are a symbolic gesture of you as a couple becoming united as one. Having a ritual as a part of your ceremony, is by no means compulsory; it’s completely up to you. Here are a few of my favourites:
Ring Warming Ceremony
A very and beautiful way to get friends and family involved in the marriage ceremony. Rings are passed between guests, each person holding the rings and making a wish, saying a blessing or prayer. The idea is that by the time the rings arrive back to the bride and groom for the ring exchange that the rings are saturated in love and blessings to ensure a strong and loving marriage.
Example:
“Caitlyn and Brett will exchange rings today as a symbol of their love, promise and commitment; before they do I would ask that you participate in warming the rings. The wedding bands will be passed down the rows and we ask that you make a wish or a blessing for the couple. By the time the rings are placed on the fingers of this beautiful couple they with be saturated with the love and support that you have all infused. The Irish believe that this creates good luck for the couple and longevity in their marriage. Isabella will collect the rings when everyone has made a wish on them in preparation for the exchange”
Unity Candle Ceremony
The candle lighting ceremony is symbolic of two individuals joining as one. You would normally have three candles in total. Two lit (long skinny candles) and then together you would light a larger candle in the centre and blow out your individual candles. This is a nice simple and symbolic way to show a couple united
Example:
“Caitlyn and Brett, together as you light this candle of unity, you symbolize the flame of your own individual selves joining to ignite the partnership of marriage. You also bring the warmth, strength and wisdom of your family’s fire as kindling for your own.”
Example:
“This candle you are about to light is a candle of Marriage.
Its fire is magical because it represents the light of two people in love.
This candle before you is a candle of Commitment because it takes two people working together to keep it aflame.
This candle is also a candle of Unity because both must come together, giving a spark of themselves, to create the new light.
As you light this candle today, may the brightness of the flame shine throughout your lives.
May it give you courage and reassurance in darkness; warmth and safety in the cold; and strength and joy in your bodies, minds, and spirits.
May your union be forever blessed.”
Blending of the sands
Blending of the sands ceremony, is a special way to show unity, like the unity candle ceremony.
You have two jars/vials of different coloured sand and a small vase. The couple pour the sand into the vase (this could also be used with children if you have a ‘blended family’ by having further vials of coloured sand)
Example:
“Philip and Joan, today you join your separate lives together. The two separate bottles of sand symbolize your separate lives, separate families and separate sets of friends. They represent all that you are and all that you will ever be as an individual. They also represent your lives before today.
As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one. Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be.”
Wine Ceremony
A type of unity ceremony similar to the candle and sand ceremony’s above. You have two wine glasses with wine already poured and have an empty glass in the centre. You pour the wine from both glasses into the centre glass and then each party to the marriage drinks from the glass. You could also incorporate your parents in this if you wish ‘a joining of families’
TIP- You can organise personalised sets from www.etsy.com.au
Celtic Oathing Stone
The celtic tribal people where like many tribal people who were tied to spirit of a place. Not unlike the way indigenous Australian see the land. In traditional celtic weddings a stone or piece of wood from a sacred place was used as a way of infusing a couples vows or oaths into the spirit energies present in a sacred location. Often after the ceremonies the couple would throw the stone or piece of wood into a creek or lake and the object would travel on its own journey. The celtic oathing stone is about helping stabalise a couples future with the wisdom from the past (spirit of the land) with the oaths, vows and promises of the future.
A modern twist on this.... is a couple prior to the ceremony getting a rock engraved, as seen in the picture and then hold their hands on the stone during their vows. Their vows will then be 'set in the stone' and due to the stones strength, are symbolic of never being broken. The stone can be placed in a special spot eg: in the garden and in difficult times, can be a reminder of the promises made to each other on your wedding day.
TIP- If you are looking to order one of these stone click on the image; it will take you to the 'Engraved Stone Co' website. They are fantastic and post Australia wide.
Hand Fasting
A Celtic; a simple and traditional ceremony which goes back to the medieval and renaissance period. It involves the tying of hands together to symbolize the coming together and remain tied together.
Tasting of four elements
Tasting of the elements is an African American wedding tradition in which the bride and groom taste 4 elements SOUR, BITTER, HOT AND SWEET. Whilst the tasting proceeds the celebrant will link the tastes to the experiences you will have throughout your marriage. I think this is such a fantastic idea and can't wait till one of my Territorian couple's wants to try it!
Example:
'I want you to now taste the sour lemon. As we all know, there will always be moments in your lives and marriage that are less than perfect. As the bride and groom experience lifes dissapointments they will unite together; two people are stronger than one and face these challenges together. We all offer our support and encouragment during these sour times.
Now to taste the bitter vinegar. Every couple will experience times of bitterness and deep despair. We ask that you are not bitter toward each other and unite in the tough times. Your friends and family will offer their guidance and encouragment during thes bitter times.
Now for the hot cayane peper. We all hot your marriage is filled with spice, pashion and desire for one another, and hope that if the heat is ever lost the fire can be re lit. We will respect your relationship and privacy during hot times
And now for the sweet honey. You will expereinces times like today during your marriage. Times of complete joy and happiness. Let us cherish, encourage and remember these moments.
We all hope you have a life filled with lots of honey and pepper'