Wedding Ceremony ideas

There are many special elements that can be incorporated into your ceremony and some are a great way of including family and friends. Here are a few examples.

Unity Sand Ceremony

This ceremony is ideal for any wedding. It expresses the coming together of two people or two families into one new family. It is a very simple idea that can be incredibly powerful.

Typically, each person has different coloured sand and takes turns pouring into one clear vessel, forming a layered effect.
It’s a great element to include if you want to involve children into the ceremony.

Wine Box / Love Letter Ceremony

This ceremony involves the couple writing letters to each other before the wedding which they will seal in an envelope.
They will then choose their favourite bottle of wine or drink of their choice and place these and any other memorabilia into the wine box.

During the ceremony, they will seal the box and vow not to open it until either an anniversary of their choice, or the box may be opened if the couple are having thoughts of separating, at which time they will drink the wine and read the letters which will hopefully remind them why they fell in love and chose to be together in the first place.

Wine Ceremony

A wine ritual can be included in wedding ceremonies to accomplish several purposes. At the beginning of a ceremony, it can involve parents and signify the uniting of two families.

Placed later in the ceremony, like Sand or Unity Candle ceremonies, a wine ceremony may symbolize the blending of two lives into one. By blending sweet and dry wines together, it can be used to symbolize the marriage bond that persists in times and joy and in sorrow.

The couple may choose to pour one white glass of wine and one red glass to create a blush. They will both then take a drink. Regardless of how a couple chooses to use wine, it can add a touch of elegance to the moment.

Broom Jumping Ceremony

The Broom Jumping Ceremony is based upon a tradition dating back to the 1600’s and derived from Africa. It symbolises the clearing away of negativity with a sweep of the broom and creating a threshold for the couple to cross over into their new life together.

The bride and groom can either carry out this element at the beginning of the ceremony or indeed at the reception later.

They are ‘’sweeping away’’ their former single lives, former problems and concerns and jumping over the broom to enter upon a new adventure as wife and husband.

Rose Ceremony

During the Rose Ceremony, the couple can choose to present roses to their mothers or grandmothers as a way of showing appreciation for their support.
The roses can also be presented as the first gifts that the couple will give to each other. It symbolizes the giving and receiving of love for each other throughout their married life.

Ring Warming Ceremony

This is a great way to involve guests during the Wedding Ceremony or a Renewal of Vows Ceremony.
Before you say your vows and exchange your rings, the wedding celebrant will ask everyone, including your wedding party, to participate in a ring warming ceremony.

The rings are passed from one guest to another and it is an opportunity to send the bride and groom good luck love through a silent wish.

Hand Fasting Ceremony

More and more bride and grooms are choosing to incorporate this element into their ceremony. It is also another lovely way of involving family or friends.
Hand fasting is a Celtic tradition and the original meaning of ‘tying the knot’. The hands are tied with ribbons in the shape of the infinity symbol to symbolise the bringing together of the two hearts in a marriage of strength and unity forever.

The ribbons or cords can be of all different colours. Each colour has a different meaning and the couple can ask several guests to come forward and place a ribbon/cord over their hands before their Celebrant ties the knot.

Unity Candle

This ritual has long been used in the Catholic Wedding Ceremony, but as a traditional option, it holds a universal meaning. It symbolises the joining of the couple in a marriage as well as the joining of their two families.

The couple’s mothers can light individual candles for them as a symbol to show that they are moving on from their family to create a new family together.
Alternatively, the couple take the light from their own candles and together, light one joint candle.

Wishing Jar or Tree

Each guest will be asked to write a thought or message personalised to you, on tags or wooden shapes such as hearts. These could be placed on a tree before the ceremony and then collected in a jar as a memento of the day

Beverage Ritual

Wine, cocktails and Whisky are all used in different ways to signify your unity. Some traditional elements such as “The Quaich” are popular in Celtic circles. Tea ceremonies also offer many symbolic meanings as you mix different types of tea, but in fact any drink can be mixed to symbolize togetherness.

Unity Date – Fruit

A Middle East favourite, this small fruit is steeped in history and seen to have spiritual links, which bring health, prosperity and is also seen as an aphrodisiac! Each couple chose a date variety relevant to their personality and take a bite during the ceremony.

Parchment or Wedding Certificate

Standard practice for all of our Ceremonies. Each of you, in turn sign a keepsake parchment or certificate, with your witnesses, if desired, as a lasting memory of your day