How to Experience a More Meaningful Wedding Ceremony

If you’re busy planning your wedding, you probably have hundreds of ideas floating around in your head. The ceremony is the most important aspect of the day (it turns your expensive party into a wedding!) and most couples really want to make this moment even more memorable – here are a few unique ways that you can do just that…

Think Twice about the Music

Music evokes emotion and will set the tone for your ceremony. There are a number of moments during your ceremony that will require music and every track that you choose should add to the soundtrack of your relationship. Some of the moments you’ll want to consider include your family and bridal party entering the venue, you walking down the aisle and you and your partner leaving the venue. Don’t go with the songs you think you should be playing, choose music that speaks to you as a couple!

I always love when couples choose unique songs rather than the same Ed Sheeran song the last 50 couples I married chose. If that truly is your song, go for it, but don’t feel that your wedding has to sound exactly the same as every wedding out there. Two of my favourite ceremonies included Seasons of Love from Rent, and Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey – and I picked the Bridal version of Dancing Queen for my own bridesmaids to walk to.

If you think your song is to punk/rap/rock for your wedding, ask your musicians if they can play it as a wedding version or find one online!

Decide What’s Important to You

If you’ve been to a few weddings before or have watched wedding videos online, think about the aspects of the ceremony that were most memorable or that brought a tear to your eye. Sit down and chat about the aspects that are most important to you and your partner so that you can include them in your own day. Once you have decided, communicate clearly to your Officiant what you would like. When a couple book me, the first thing I do is send them an intake form for them to fill in with all of their information AND all the things they would like included in their ceremony. If you leave this blank, I have no idea that you want anything more than my usual generic ceremony.

Include the People You Love

There are so many ways that you can involve friends or family members in your ceremony! Whether they do a special reading, sing a song or bless your rings (I love when family members, especially parents and grandparents, bless the rings), including the people you love the most in this memorable moment is a wonderful way to make your ceremony more meaningful.

It’s in the Small Details

Do you still have objects that you kept from early on in your relationship? Find ways to add these to your ceremony. Perhaps there are people who have passed on that you would’ve loved to have there? Find ways to include objects that bring them into your ceremony to add a special touch. I wore my Grandfather’s wedding ring as my something old, and I’ve seen quite a few brides with a photo charm with a picture of a loved one in their bouquets and grooms with photo charm pins on their lapels.

Create Your Own Vows

There is absolutely nothing wrong with reading the standard vows (I include lots of choices when we work on your ceremony) but if you want to make your ceremony even more special, take the time to write your own vows. Don’t worry about memorizing them though! When you tell me you will write your own, I make vow books for you and bring them to your ceremony. Please don’t pull a sweat soaked sheet of school paper out of your cleavage or read from a phone or other device – it looks terrible and will have you feeling regret when you see your ceremony photos later on.

Don’t forget, VOWS means promises and oaths. This part of your ceremony is about what you promise to bring to your marriage. You intentions for your life together. Include promises to turn your beautiful love letter into actual vows.

Personalize Your Readings

If you want to include one or two unique readings in your ceremony, spend time researching a few to ensure you pick readings that truly mean something to you and your partner. These readings can be absolutely anything you want. From religious verses to lyrics from a song, the readings should be about what you value as partners.

My intake form always asks if there are any specific readings you would like included – if you leave this blank I will choose readings for you based on the details you have shared with me. If you don’t share enough me that I can pick readings that speak to you and your love, I will choose popular romantic ones.

Include Your Furry Family Members

If you simply can’t be without your pets, you should definitely include them in your wedding ceremony. Whether you want your pup to be your ring bearer or you just want them to be close by as you say your vows, this is one way to make your ceremony extra special. Check out my blog post on how to include your dog in your wedding!

As you plan your ceremony, stick to what’s important to you as a couple and ignore the rest. There really is no set formula that you need to follow, there are no rules, and these days it’s always exciting to see a wedding that breaks the monotony of all the weddings that look and sound the same.

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