Making your ceremony that extra bit personal

You’re finally tying the knot, congratulations! How will you do it, will you literally tie the knot or will you create one of these beautiful unity ceremonies?

Tying the Knot

An old Irish tradition where the couple tie a fisherman’s knot to symbolise a bond that rather than break under pressure, becomes stronger.

Hand fasting (or binding)

Hand fasting is the joining of the couple’s hands  and wrists using vines, cord, rope or ribbon. During the ceremony, family members and friends can participate at each stage. 

This ceremony stems from Celtic tradition and can be modernised to incorporate meaningful colours or fabrics that are woven together and when gently tied around the couple’s wrists symbolise that just as the knot is tied, so are your lives now bound.

Sand Ceremony

Mix two different colours of sand into one glass container, symbolising that your hearts and lives are entwined. It would be extremely difficult to separate the sand again, just as the couple are so joined together. Using an hour glass may represent always having time for each other.

Ring Warming

Invite your guests to warm the rings before they are placed onto your fingers. Each person has their own beliefs and culture, this is a great way to let your guests make their own wishes and prayers on your rings in their own private way. The rings will be passed around the room either together or individually and then they will be ‘warmed’ and ready for you to wear, filled with everyone's love and good feeling. You could use an organza bag or ring cushion matching your wedding colour scheme.

Time Capsule

Create a wedding day time capsule to be opened at a milestone anniversary. You would of course include your Wedition! Here are a few other ideas: a newspaper from the day, your favourite magazine of that week, a napkin from the meal, the cork from your wedding toast, cake topper, wedding favours, a lock of your hair and messages from your guests.

Candle Ceremony

You each have a candle, plus a third main candle. The main candle is lit by the officiant, family members or friend. You both light your own candles from the main one, the rest of the family can do so too, the merging flames will show your unity and strengthened love and shared lives. This is a flexible ceremony that can be performed in many ways and involve many people. You could darken the room for effect, you could use torches or lanterns rather than candles. Or you could both light the middle candle as a symbol of your shared light joining together.

Love Letters

Write a love letter to each other (before the ceremony). During the ceremony lock the letters into a box with a bottle of wine and wine glasses. Open it up on a milestone anniversary, share a drink of wine, read the letters, a reminder of your love for each other.

Flower Ceremony

You each have a flower which you give to each other, your first gift. You then place the flowers in a vase. Your friends and family could all have a flower too, they then place theirs in the vase, symbolising the beauty of joining two families together.

Tree Planting Ceremony (or plant)

Planting a tree or plant symbolises the growth of your relationship, together you will see it grow, just as your love and married life does. You must nurture your tree/plant to keep it alive. You could perhaps use soil from a significant place, look into mythology or lore and choose a tree that has meaning and significance to you. Perhaps plant two trees and entwine them together.

Water Ceremony

Much like the sand ceremony, pour two colours of water together to create your own colour, using inks will create beautiful swirling effects, you could pour the water into an engraved glass.

Wine Ceremony

Similar to the water ceremony, you mix the two wines together and then take a drink, this sharing of a cup is symbolic of togetherness.

Contour

Without taking your eyes off each other, and never looking down at the paper, draw a contour of each others faces, you are able to demonstrate not just your sense of humour, but how focused you are on each other.

Paint Ceremony

Every marriage starts out as a blank canvas and every day is a splash of colour. The blank canvas represents the day of the wedding, and a new beginning. Use this ceremony to demonstrate your artistic side and your wonderful colourful journey ahead. You could pour the paint or use a brush, with or without a specific shape, like a heart or tree, in mind. You might like to invite your guests to add their touch with different colours, possibly with their fingerprints.

Honey Ceremony

Couples, in turn, drink some honey from a shared glass. Like the term honeymoon that refers to the period of pleasure and tenderness experienced by a newlywed couple, this golden liquid celebrates abundance and everything that is sweet in the natural world and welcomed into new marriages. As bees work hard collecting pollen from many flowers to produce this sweet culinary delight, a Honey Ceremony could also symbolise the effort sometimes required that will harvest the sweetness of the relationship. 

Couples Thank You

During most of the ceremony the couple are facing each other or with their backs to their guests. A Couples Thank You provides an opportunity to turn and face friends and family while the celebrant thanks everyone for all their support in making them who they have become and being with them in important life moments. This is a beautiful way to treasure the moment of seeing everyone there for you on your special day.

Balloons, Bubbles, Butterflies or Doves

Balloons bubbles, butterflies or doves are a fun way of ending the wedding ceremony. Just before the couple recess down the aisle as newlyweds, one of these are released into the sky. Each with slightly different symbology, but a similar sentiment of being set free and on a new journey together.