| Additional Ceremonies For Personalized & Personalized Plus Ceremonies |
Hands Ceremony
____________and___________, please face each other and take each
other’s hands so that you may see the gift that they are to you.
These are hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love
for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as a promise to love
each other today, tomorrow and forever.
These are the hands that will work along side yours as together you build
your future.
These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you
through the years, and with the slightest touch will comfort you like no
other.
These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief temporarily
comes your way.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your
eyes, tears of sorrow and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children.
These are the hands that will give you support and encouragement to
chase down your dreams.
These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through
difficult times.
These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.
These are the hands that will lift your chin and brush your cheek as they
raise your face to look into eyes that are filled with overwhelming love for
you.
And lastly, these are the hands that, even when wrinkled and aged, will
still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness
with just a touch.
Handfasting or Binding of the Hands
Handfasting is an ancient Celtic wedding ritual in which the bride's and
groom's hands are tied together —hence the phrase "tying the knot".
During the ceremony, the couple's hands are tied together with a red
cord or ribbon, symbolizing the desire, passion and vitality of the love the
couple have for each other. The cord is often kept by the couple as a
reminder of their vows. In a handparting, the cord is tied at the beginning
of the ceremony and cut at the end. Other traditions involve each
wedding guest tying a ribbon around the couple's hands to symbolize the
community's support and recognition of their bond.
Breaking Bread Ceremony
The breaking and sharing of the bread among family and friends is an
ancient tradition. It symbolizes that we are all nourished and sustained
by the very same love that brought the bride and groom together, as well
as their future as a family together.
Circling
In Eastern European ceremonies, the bride and groom circle the altar
three times, which are their first steps together as husband and wife. In
Hindu ceremonies, couples circle the fire seven times, sealing their bond.
The unbroken circle represents the unbroken commitment to each other.
Blanket Ceremony
The Blanket Ceremony is among the oldest and best loved traditions.
Two blue blankets used in the ceremony each represent the couple's
past lives that may have been filled with loneliness, weakness, failures,
sorrow and spiritual depression.
The couple are wrapped in the blue blankets and their relatives follow
them to the sacred fire circle. After the spiritual leader blesses the union
the couple then shed the blue blankets and are enveloped by relatives in
a single white blanket representing their new ways of happiness,
fulfillment and peace.
Under the white blanket, the couple then embraced and kissed.
The white blanket is kept by the couple and often displayed in their
home. It is the same blanket that is some times split in half if the
marriage goes sour.
Wine Sharing Ceremony
This ceremony is highly symbolic of the couple's intention to "make a
sacred vow to each other". Wine is said to embody the very Spirit of
Nature. It has been used in sacred traditions the world over to signify the
Presence of Spirit...and in its sharing, the Communion with Spirit. Taking
an oath with a wine ceremony has become a sign of the purest and of the
most sacred of all contractual agreements.
Broom Jumping
An African-American tradition that has its roots in slavery times when
slaves couldn't marry. Typically the family places the broom on the
ground, and the bride and groom jump over it together. The broom can
then decorate a place of honor in their home.
Lasso Ceremony
Lasso or rope is placed around the bride and groom's shoulders, usually
by the officiant. Sometimes rosary beads, or orange flowers are used
instead of rope. It can also be placed around the couple's necks, or
wrists.
Salt Ceremony
Indian weddings often include a salt ceremony, where the bride passes a
handful of salt to her groom without spilling any. He then passes it back
to her and the exchange is repeated three times. She then performs the
salt exchange with all the members of the groom's family, symbolizing her
blending in with her new family.
Knot Ceremony
In the knot ceremony, the mothers of the bridal couple are given a cord,
which the officiant later asks them to give to the bridal couple. The
couple ties a lover's knot, which they may save to look back on later.
____________and___________, please face each other and take each
other’s hands so that you may see the gift that they are to you.
These are hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love
for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as a promise to love
each other today, tomorrow and forever.
These are the hands that will work along side yours as together you build
your future.
These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you
through the years, and with the slightest touch will comfort you like no
other.
These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief temporarily
comes your way.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your
eyes, tears of sorrow and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children.
These are the hands that will give you support and encouragement to
chase down your dreams.
These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through
difficult times.
These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.
These are the hands that will lift your chin and brush your cheek as they
raise your face to look into eyes that are filled with overwhelming love for
you.
And lastly, these are the hands that, even when wrinkled and aged, will
still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness
with just a touch.
Handfasting or Binding of the Hands
Handfasting is an ancient Celtic wedding ritual in which the bride's and
groom's hands are tied together —hence the phrase "tying the knot".
During the ceremony, the couple's hands are tied together with a red
cord or ribbon, symbolizing the desire, passion and vitality of the love the
couple have for each other. The cord is often kept by the couple as a
reminder of their vows. In a handparting, the cord is tied at the beginning
of the ceremony and cut at the end. Other traditions involve each
wedding guest tying a ribbon around the couple's hands to symbolize the
community's support and recognition of their bond.
Breaking Bread Ceremony
The breaking and sharing of the bread among family and friends is an
ancient tradition. It symbolizes that we are all nourished and sustained
by the very same love that brought the bride and groom together, as well
as their future as a family together.
Circling
In Eastern European ceremonies, the bride and groom circle the altar
three times, which are their first steps together as husband and wife. In
Hindu ceremonies, couples circle the fire seven times, sealing their bond.
The unbroken circle represents the unbroken commitment to each other.
Blanket Ceremony
The Blanket Ceremony is among the oldest and best loved traditions.
Two blue blankets used in the ceremony each represent the couple's
past lives that may have been filled with loneliness, weakness, failures,
sorrow and spiritual depression.
The couple are wrapped in the blue blankets and their relatives follow
them to the sacred fire circle. After the spiritual leader blesses the union
the couple then shed the blue blankets and are enveloped by relatives in
a single white blanket representing their new ways of happiness,
fulfillment and peace.
Under the white blanket, the couple then embraced and kissed.
The white blanket is kept by the couple and often displayed in their
home. It is the same blanket that is some times split in half if the
marriage goes sour.
Wine Sharing Ceremony
This ceremony is highly symbolic of the couple's intention to "make a
sacred vow to each other". Wine is said to embody the very Spirit of
Nature. It has been used in sacred traditions the world over to signify the
Presence of Spirit...and in its sharing, the Communion with Spirit. Taking
an oath with a wine ceremony has become a sign of the purest and of the
most sacred of all contractual agreements.
Broom Jumping
An African-American tradition that has its roots in slavery times when
slaves couldn't marry. Typically the family places the broom on the
ground, and the bride and groom jump over it together. The broom can
then decorate a place of honor in their home.
Lasso Ceremony
Lasso or rope is placed around the bride and groom's shoulders, usually
by the officiant. Sometimes rosary beads, or orange flowers are used
instead of rope. It can also be placed around the couple's necks, or
wrists.
Salt Ceremony
Indian weddings often include a salt ceremony, where the bride passes a
handful of salt to her groom without spilling any. He then passes it back
to her and the exchange is repeated three times. She then performs the
salt exchange with all the members of the groom's family, symbolizing her
blending in with her new family.
Knot Ceremony
In the knot ceremony, the mothers of the bridal couple are given a cord,
which the officiant later asks them to give to the bridal couple. The
couple ties a lover's knot, which they may save to look back on later.
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Additional Ceremonies
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