Whether or not your ceremony creates
a legal marriage between you, (Yes, you can have
),
there are six things a successful wedding ceremony
will achieve.
Your ceremony can be fun, heart-warming, nostalgic,
romantic, just plain quirky, or all of those things
and more, in turn.It doesn't have to be a comedy
show to entertain and engage. It can include
surprises - and not just what you wear. It may
include a ritual that reflects something about your
cultural history, your interests, your values. It
will allow you to put your own stamp on traditional
components, like the way you walk in, who you
include in your wedding party, who else might speak
or contribute to the ceremony.
It will solidify your
commitment
Just the act of working together to plan your
wedding confirms and deepens your commitment to
one another. Standing up together, on the day, in
front of family and friends, to formally express
your commitment to one another, deepens and
solidifies it. Words have power. Words that are
promises are extra powerful.
It will provide a window
on your relationship
"That was so them". Whether the
story of your relationship is narrated in detail,
or just referred to in snippets here and there in
the ceremony, those personal touches, together
with the promises you make to one another and the
way you respond to one another, will provide your
guests with a window on your relationship. A good
ceremony will have opportunities for authentic
spontaneity built into it. Any readings
chosen will add something to the picture of who
you are, individually and together.
It will convey a strong
message of equality and respect
Old-fashioned customs that relegate the bride to a
subservient status will be completely absent.
Whether you are bride and groom, two brides, or
two grooms, everything about the ceremony will
send a strong message that yours is a partnership
of equals
It will celebrate your
family ...
... and the role they have played in your
individual lives, in your life together to this
point, and how they will continue to play an
important role in your life together. Whether that
family is by blood, or by choice, or both. To
achieve this the ceremony won't just include a
"who gives this ..." and leave it at that. There
will be room for expressions of gratitude.
It will open the door
... and lay down tracks into your future
Your wedding ceremony is the moment when you cross
the threshold into married life, together. Your
vows, your intentions, are part of creating tracks
into that future, of providing a mud map of the
direction in which you plan to head, together.
Did you enjoy reading this post? Check out
my other posts about
wedding
ceremonies. And let's talk about how we can
make your dream wedding a reality.
Whether or not your ceremony creates
a legal marriage between you, (Yes, you can have a non-legal wedding),
there are six things a successful wedding ceremony
will achieve.