Wedding Tips: Make it Your Own with a Unique Ceremony!
You know the gist of how your wedding day is going to go. Bride walks down the aisle, possibly guided by her father. Vows are exchanged, a reading or two thrown into the mix, then they kiss and walk back down the aisle as husband and wife. Most of us can even recite the vows by heart. For better or worse, richer or poorer, etc. While there’s nothing wrong with the normal ceremony and all its cherished traditions, some couples want to mix it up a bit. We’ve put together some ideas to take your ceremony from a bit personalized to one your guests will never forget!
Integrate an Old Tradition– Include an old tradition from your heritage that isn't often seen in today’s culture. Or choose one from you soon-to-be-spouse’s culture that can be added into the ceremony. Pro Tip- Put some background about the tradition in your program so your guests can follow along with what's going on.
Make the program your own– Speaking of the programs, add some flare to yours and give your guests something fun to look at while they wait. Guests sometimes keep the programs as a memento of your wedding day. Give them something beautiful to keep as a reminder. Put interesting facts about you as a couple, your favorite poem or verse, or a fun story for them to read. You could turn your program into a fan if your wedding day is likely to get hot, or list your wedding party and add a fun tidbit about each one, or, as mentioned above, add some detailed explanations about anything you may be doing differently during the ceremony to keep your guests from being confused. Pro Tip- Have separate programs to keep kids busy during the wait. Include fun games like I Spy.
Pre- Ceremony Snacks– Depending on your ceremony start time, reception start time, and the gap between the two, you may opt to provide some small finger foods before the ceremony. Little snacks can help hold guests over until dinner and adds a special flare to your ceremony.
Honor Special People– Distinct, personal touches can really add to a wedding ceremony. Honoring special people in your lives makes it all the much more meaningful to not only you, but the guests as well. Having lilies in your bouquet because your grandmothers name was Lily or having a special section of seating dedicated to those who’ve passed away add a loving touch that will be moving to all guests. You can also carry photos of your loved ones in small frames on your bouquet or have them attached to your husband’s corsage.
Special Song– This trend has become fairly popular in the last few years. Instead of walking down the aisle to the traditional wedding march, couples are opting to use their own choice of song. Whether it’s known as ‘your song’ or you just find a beautiful song you find fitting, having a different song will set your ceremony apart from others.
Walk with your spouse-to-be– Perhaps your father has passed away, or maybe you aren't close to your dad. Were you previously married and want to skip the parents-walk-you-down-the-aisle tradition? Or maybe you just want to be a little different. Walk down the aisle with your soon-to-be-spouse instead of meeting him or her at the end.
Add a Backdrop– If your ceremony space could use some extra wow, try adding a backdrop to the spruce up the space. Have your vows calligraphed onto a large white cloth or create a large wall of flowers to have behind you. Adding a beautiful backdrop will not only look beautiful for photos but will make your ceremony stand out. Plus, it could become you newest piece of home décor.
Rearrange the space– You don’t have to have the typical ceremony space everyone else does. Create your own tailored look to wow your guests. Instead of an aisle up the middle, put in on the side or up the front. Change up the chairs from the usually rows and put them in a circle formation around your alter to give guests a better view. Circle not an option? Then put traditional rows of chair on different sides of your alter.
Spice up the Officiant– In today’s world, almost anyone can become an officiant. So instead of using the "normal "judge or priest, try a beloved family member or hilarious neighbor and make it your own.
The Vows- As I’ve already mentioned, most of us can recite the vows by heart. Change them up by either each writing your own or add in your own personal touches to the traditional vows for a fun twist on something everyone knows.
I'm sure you already have some ideas of ways to change up your ceremony. What fun touches are you most excited about?
