Wedding Ranunculus

Every couple dreams of having a one-of-a-kind wedding. Whether you’re having a religious or non-denominational ceremony, the program is one vital element that you should plan carefully. Not only will it give a coherent structure to the flow of the wedding rites, it is also your chance to bring out your uniqueness as a couple and make you stand out from other brides and grooms who have ever stood face to face on the altar.

Here are some basic elements of a wedding ceremony program to guide you:

Processional

The processional marks the beginning of the wedding ceremony. This is when the wedding party walks down the aisle toward their seats, accompanied by stirring wedding music. In some religious denominations, there is a fixed order of the processional. If you’re having a non-sectarian wedding, you can organize the processional to your own design. Typically, the groom and the best man would be standing near the altar while the wedding party marches in. The highlight and finale would of course be the bride walking down the aisle toward her groom.

Readings

Once everybody is seated, the officiant would begin by addressing everyone. In traditional weddings, we usually hear the line, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of (groom and bride’s names),” or a variation of this. Readings from the Scriptures would also follow, particularly verses about love and family. If you’re on the non-religious route, you may pick out readings from poetry or love quotations from a favorite book or movie instead.

Exchange of vows

The wedding vows are probably the most significant part of the ceremony. This is when the couple exchange heartfelt words to express their commitment to each other as husband and wife, until death do they part. In religious weddings, the couple cannot deviate too much from the wordings of the traditional vows. But in non-traditional settings, couples can write their own vows. In this case, you can personalize your vows through funny anecdotes, or even express them through a song.

Unity symbols

Aside from the typical exchange of wedding rings as a symbol of the bride and groom’s union, you can also incorporate any of the following into your program: lighting of a unity candle, water ceremony, wine ceremony, sand ceremony, rose ceremony and so on.

Blessing or declaration

Towards the end of the ceremony, the officiant would bestow his blessing to officially declare the sanction of the marriage. This is the part where we usually hear the words, “By the power vested on me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

The kiss

The most awaited and sweetest part of the ceremony is when the couple would share their first kiss as husband and wife. In traditional weddings, the officiant would tell the groom, “You may now kiss the bride.” Otherwise, modern couples would kiss spontaneously after the officiant’s blessing or declaration of their marriage.

Remember that the ceremony is the very core of the whole wedding event, so be involved in its planning to make your wedding truly significant and heartfelt.

Anyone who has gotten married will tell you that planning a wedding is not easy at all. There are loads of things to think about and lots of setbacks that you’ll encounter along the way. One way to make things easier for you is to have a comprehensive checklist of all the tasks that need to be done. Other than that, you must also write down a list of the essential wedding supplies so that you can start shopping for them right away. Here are some of those that you may want to include in your own list:

Wedding Ceremony Supplies

First, you need to list the supplies needed for the ceremony. This list covers the basic things you’ll need for the ceremony like unity candles, sand ceremony set, aisle runners, candle holders and so on but feel free to add other items that would make your ceremony unique and unforgettable.

• Unity Candles – A central component in many wedding ceremonies, the unity candles serve as the symbol of two people merging into one.
• Unity Sand Ceremony – It’s similar to the unity candles in what it represents. The unity sand ceremony set symbolizes the coming together of two lives. It’s a unique alternative to the unity candles. And the nice about it is that you can customize the set by choosing colored sand that complements the wedding colors.
• Wedding Candle Holders – For the unity candles and the other candles you’ll be buying to decorate the altar, you need candle holders. There are various types of candle holders out there that you can choose from. Be sure to get those that are suitable to the type of candles that you are using. For example, mason jars are suitable for votive candles but not for pillar candles that may topple over.
• Wedding Aisle Runners – Enhancing the venue are high quality aisle runners that can be personalized for a picture perfect look, embellished with drama and elegance.
• Ring Bearer Pillows – After you’ve found the perfect rings to exchange during the ceremony, the next step is to find ring bearer pillows.
• Flower Girl Baskets – Don’t forget the flower girl baskets that are to be filled with either fresh or silk flower petals that the little girls will scatter around as they walk down the aisle. Flower girls baskets are made more adorable with ribbon, lace, and bow embellishments.

Wedding Reception Supplies

The reception is just as important as the ceremony so you’ll also need a couple supplies for this too. But this one is the less serious part of the wedding so you can be more creative with the items that you’ll use like the wedding guest books, place card holders and so on.

• Wedding Guest Books – This is an effective way of securing the cherished memories of your wedding. Have your family and friends scribble some sweet or funny messages into your guestbook, not only for attendance purposes but so you can keep with you their wishes for your marriage for a very long time.
• Wedding Toasting Flutes – No reception would be complete without these. The must-have celebratory pieces are a must for the wedding reception so that you can make a toast in a sophisticated way.
• Wedding Cake Serving Set – You’ll definitely need this for the cake-cutting ceremony. There are lots of themes, designs and details to choose from so make sure you find one that complements your wedding cake.
• Wedding Place Card Holders – There is never a shortage of options when it comes to wedding place card holders. Whatever theme you choose for your wedding, you’re sure to find a distinct and creative wedding place card holder that will help your guests find their seat assignments with ease.
• Wedding Handkerchiefs – Personalized with your monogram or with a sweet message, wedding handkerchiefs are the best gift ideas for your family and wedding party. You can give these to your parents and parents-in-law after you make a thank you speech during the reception.

It’s easy to lose track of the things you’ll need to buy for the wedding because there are just so many of them. This won’t have to happen if you create a checklist that contains these basic wedding supplies and more.

Traditions have been passed on from generations to generations but let us face it, we have reached that point where we just want to do away with certain customs and rituals. Take weddings for example. Yes, wedding traditions are beautiful and memorable but because so many couples have done these things before, modern couples are now looking for non-traditional ideas that can make their event special and one-of-a-kind. If you feel the same way, you would surely enjoy looking at these wondrous ideas for a non-traditional wedding and reception.

• Groom and Wedding Singer in One

Traditionally, a choir or wedding singer would sing while the bride makes her way down the aisle. But what if the groom does this? Would not it be lovely and dramatic if a groom would sing the song for his lovely bride’s walk down the aisle? There would not be a single dry eye in the house. But of course, this is only ideal if the groom has talent in singing. Abandon the idea if the groom’s voice sounds like a cat screeching on the roof. It may ruin the moment.

• Tossing the Bouquet? Not Anymore!

While the usual routine would have the bride toss the bouquet to bride hopefuls, the new thing would be to play a game. All the single women can gather around in a circle and they will pass the bouquet around while the music plays. When the music stops, the woman holding the bouquet would be the next bride.

• Blow them Away with Unique Favors

Another great way to make your wedding unique is to give away extraordinary wedding favors that would commemorate the occasion. Instead of the usual candles and ceramic figurines, hand out cookie cutters, manicure/pedicure sets, mint tins, monogrammed make-up bag, bottle stoppers, sewing kits, mini tote bags, topiary photo holders, and so many more.

• Dessert, Tea, or Cocktails Reception

The customary sit-down dinner or buffer dinner receptions are quite expensive. Less costly options such as dessert, tea or cocktail receptions would not only enable you to enjoy maximum savings, these would also be an excellent way to stand out.

• Fluttering Butterflies in Lieu of Shower of Flowers

During the recessional when the bride and groom walk out of the wedding ceremony venue, instead of showering them with flower petals and rice grains, a creative alternative would be to have butterflies fly out. Balloons would also be a fun idea.

• Sing your Vows Out

Writing personalized vows are becoming more and more popular for weddings these days. To make yours even more unique, why not sing your vows to each other? Again, this would be a plausible idea for couples who have good singing voices. Saying poems would also work just as great.

While traditions have been here since time immemorial, there is certainly nothing wrong with wanting to do away with the norm. Couples who are looking for unique ways to make their wedding event extraordinary would surely love the ideas mentioned above. But do not stop here, let your mind fly, and you will be able to come up with more wondrous ideas to use for your special day.