BRIDE and GROOM love each other romantically, but they also have deep friendships that will sustain them through this marriage. Their friendships and the love of all of you here today will help them fulfill the promises they make.
You can choose to have someone give the bride away or you could have her meet her partner halfway down the aisle. If you’re a same-sex couple, you can even choose to walk down the aisle together.
1. It is a celebration of love
There are few days more important in a person’s life than their wedding day. It is a time to publicly state the deepest commitments and love you share. It is a time to remember that the one you love is always there for you no matter what.
During the ceremony, you can have a friend or family member read a special blessing for you. This can be anything from a poem to a short passage from your favorite book. You may also have the officiant recite the seven blessings or sheva brachot. After this, you can drink together from the same cup. Then, everyone exits in the same order they entered, with the newlyweds leading the way. This is usually followed by a recessional song.
2. It is a symbol of commitment
One of the most important parts of a wedding ceremony is the exchange of vows. This is where the couple promises to be faithful to each other for all eternity. They may choose to write their own vows or use the traditional phrasing guided by their officiant.
After the vows, the officiant declares the couple married and they share a kiss. The couple then drinks wine from the same cup to symbolize their unity as husband and wife. This is usually followed by a recitation of seven blessings, called the sheva brachot.
Some couples will also include a memory table during their ceremony, where they display photos of loved ones who have passed away. This is a wonderful way to honor their memory and to keep them close to the couple as they begin their lives together. Religious and non-traditional ceremonies often feature this as part of their ceremony. They can also incorporate cultural rites into their ceremony as well.
3. It is a celebration of family
There are only a handful of days in a person’s life considered the most important. Those days include births, deaths and, for many people, weddings. A wedding ceremony is not only a celebration of love, but it also celebrates family.
During the wedding ceremony, important family members are seated first, including parents, grandparents and siblings who aren’t in the wedding party. This is followed by the flower girls and ring bearers. The bride and groom then walk down the aisle, accompanied by their escorts. The escorts can be either their parents or friends.
At the end of the ceremony, the officiant usually says a few closing words and asks the couple for their blessing. If it is a religious ceremony, the officiant might also recite a few prayers for prosperity and a happy marriage. Alternatively, the officiant can offer a personalized prayer or reading. It’s a nice touch to have someone who isn’t in the bridal party to do this, such as a grandparent or mentor.
4. It is a celebration of life
The wedding ceremony is a time to share the story of your life together with loved ones. Whether it’s a short anecdote, a personal spiritual selection, or a passage from literature, you can make your ceremony a meaningful one by sharing a few select details of your relationship.
Most ceremonies follow a similar order: the processional (wedding party enters the ceremony space), opening remarks from the officiant, the exchange of vows and rings, and finally, the couple’s first kiss as husband and wife. Other common rituals include the reciting of promises and the presentation of an offering, a unity ceremony, or readings from religious texts or literature.
After the couple exits the ceremony area, guests can congratulate them by throwing flower petals, streamers, or confetti. Then, the newlyweds can head over to the reception, while their new family and friends help them celebrate their big day! It is also recommended that you hire a professional wedding coordinator and officiant. They will not only help you iron out the logistics of your ceremony, they’ll be able to cue and direct the ceremony so that everything runs smoothly.
