Ceremony & marriage

Your wedding day. It is truly the most important day in your life. You have chosen to share your life with another and no matter the style of celebration you have chosen, be it large or small, formal or casual, the ceremony is always the key part of every wedding day. It not only sets the tone for the celebration to follow that day, but also is symbolic in how you will choose to live the rest of your life together.

Though we are often caught up in the vision of the traditional church wedding, today’s lifestyles dictate the ability to choose many different options when planning where you will say your vows. Though the majority of couples still choose to marry in the church or parish of their youth or family, many other couples are opting for less conventional settings. Homes, backyards, tropical islands, your grandparent’s farm, and non-denominational wedding chapels are all commonplace choices where couples are saying “I Do.” Many couples of different faiths are choosing to share their lives and often prefer a neutral ground such as a hotel or picturesque grounds where both faiths are equally represented, setting a tone for the way they may also choose to spiritually raise their family. Other couples are marrying for the second time and are blending families, so what better place to make their new commitment than the site of their new home and begin this new stage in their lives.

In addition to all the various locations where you may exchange your vows, the style and structure of your ceremony offer endless possibilities as well. Though there were once really two options, civil and religious, today’s ceremonies often combine a blend of formality and spirituality. Many couples of differing ethnicities may also blend elements of their culture into their wedding vows. This inclusion of their own special heritage in the wedding ceremony symbolizes the building of the foundation that will allow them to share their special traditions with their spouse, new family and any children they may have in the future. Today, there are many officiants that can provide spiritual guidance and atmosphere in a wedding ceremony, without actually representing any specific religion.

For couples that already have children, they are choosing to customize their ceremonies to show the commitment they have for each other and the rest of the family members as well. There are many elements of the traditional ceremony that can be altered for the inclusion of other immediate family members, including an exchange of “family rings”or the lighting of the unity candle together as a family.

It is most important to remember, however, that whatever location or format you choose for your ceremony, it is the true declaration of your love and commitment for each other. Let your love for one another be reflected in this celebration of your two lives joining together.

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