Wedding Ceremony: Vows, Traditions & Tips
Wedding Ceremony: Vows, Traditions & Tips
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| (Image from One Heart Ceremonies) |
Location
Where is the ceremony going to take place? In a church/religious site or at the same location that your reception?
If your ceremony is taking place in a church, it's important that you meet with your religious leader to make sure that the day and time that you want to get married is available. In some cases, this meeting needs to happen months before the wedding.
For example, if you are going to have a Catholic Ceremony, it's important that you meet with your priest at least six months before the wedding date. My fiance and I have already had this initial meeting to have the priest, and he gave us some resources to help us choose our readings, songs, and also the contact information to parish coordinators in charge of certain things.
It's important to meet with your religious leader as well to be able to go through some required paperwork that may have to be done before the ceremony, or any other requirements you may need to have in order.
If your ceremony is taking place in a church, it's important that you meet with your religious leader to make sure that the day and time that you want to get married is available. In some cases, this meeting needs to happen months before the wedding.
For example, if you are going to have a Catholic Ceremony, it's important that you meet with your priest at least six months before the wedding date. My fiance and I have already had this initial meeting to have the priest, and he gave us some resources to help us choose our readings, songs, and also the contact information to parish coordinators in charge of certain things.
It's important to meet with your religious leader as well to be able to go through some required paperwork that may have to be done before the ceremony, or any other requirements you may need to have in order.
Getting all the documents in order
Whether you are having your wedding ceremony in a church, at home, in a hall, or at city hall, there are certain documents that you need to get done in order to have your marriage license and get it on record.
Talking about record, something that you and your future spouse should discuss is whether you both want to have a private marriage license by paying a little extra or have your marriage license be part of public domain. This means that if your marriage license is public domain, any one part of the general public can obtain a copy of those records. On the other hand, if you choose to go with a private marriage license, only you and your then-spouse can have access to that information.
Every state and even every county varies in cost and requirements. Marriage License Requirements can help you find those.
Make sure to have everything in order. I would recommend getting all the requirements together as soon as possible, especially if you are getting married by the church. U.S. requirements for getting married in the Catholic Church can be found at Catholic Wedding Help, it's always recommended to meet with your priest to double check on these.
Talking about record, something that you and your future spouse should discuss is whether you both want to have a private marriage license by paying a little extra or have your marriage license be part of public domain. This means that if your marriage license is public domain, any one part of the general public can obtain a copy of those records. On the other hand, if you choose to go with a private marriage license, only you and your then-spouse can have access to that information.
Every state and even every county varies in cost and requirements. Marriage License Requirements can help you find those.
Make sure to have everything in order. I would recommend getting all the requirements together as soon as possible, especially if you are getting married by the church. U.S. requirements for getting married in the Catholic Church can be found at Catholic Wedding Help, it's always recommended to meet with your priest to double check on these.
Order
The order of your wedding ceremony depends a lot on yourselves as a couple and also where is it that you are getting married. There are so many wedding traditions that vary by religious belief and culture and you can choose to include or neglect as many or as little as you both want.
Even if you are having a traditional Catholic Wedding Mass, there is still some space to personalize it to whom you and your future spouse are. Even if there is a wedding template for the wedding Mass, there is space to change the readings, the songs, or choose to include your personal wedding vows. There are more details on the specificity on Catholic wedding ceremonies that I will leave for another post if requested.
The important thing is to create a wedding ceremony that reflects who you and your fiance are a couple and a ceremony that reflects your relationship. There are so many traditions and ceremony elements out there like unity candles, sand ceremony, vows or having a loved one be the ceremony officiant.
Moreover, it is important that you make sure that the element(s) that you choose as a couple to incorporate into your wedding ceremony are okay with the location. For example, keep in mind that there are places that do not allow candles due to safety reasons. It is important to check with your wedding officiant and the location that everything that you envision as your perfect wedding ceremony is able to happen.
Even if you are having a traditional Catholic Wedding Mass, there is still some space to personalize it to whom you and your future spouse are. Even if there is a wedding template for the wedding Mass, there is space to change the readings, the songs, or choose to include your personal wedding vows. There are more details on the specificity on Catholic wedding ceremonies that I will leave for another post if requested.
The important thing is to create a wedding ceremony that reflects who you and your fiance are a couple and a ceremony that reflects your relationship. There are so many traditions and ceremony elements out there like unity candles, sand ceremony, vows or having a loved one be the ceremony officiant.
Moreover, it is important that you make sure that the element(s) that you choose as a couple to incorporate into your wedding ceremony are okay with the location. For example, keep in mind that there are places that do not allow candles due to safety reasons. It is important to check with your wedding officiant and the location that everything that you envision as your perfect wedding ceremony is able to happen.
Traditions
As said before, there are so many beautiful traditions across the world! Some traditions from this Brides' article highlight some of them. From China to India, Sweden, and Peru.
When it comes to Catholic weddings there are some traditions too as highlighted in this For Your Marriage article. Personally, I have seen that some of these traditions also vary by culture. In Latin@ cultures, we include a rope (lazo) symbolizing the strong sacred bond between the couple or the blessing of thirteen golden coins (arras) to symbolize the blessing of the prosperity for this new marriage.
Traditions are a great way to add meaning to your ceremony! Make sure to plan accordingly to be able to incorporate these traditions into your ceremony schedule.
When it comes to Catholic weddings there are some traditions too as highlighted in this For Your Marriage article. Personally, I have seen that some of these traditions also vary by culture. In Latin@ cultures, we include a rope (lazo) symbolizing the strong sacred bond between the couple or the blessing of thirteen golden coins (arras) to symbolize the blessing of the prosperity for this new marriage.
Traditions are a great way to add meaning to your ceremony! Make sure to plan accordingly to be able to incorporate these traditions into your ceremony schedule.
Decor
The decor of your ceremony can be as intricate and extravagant or as sweet and simple as you want.
My fiance and I are opting for a Winter wedding since our parish will already be decorated for the Christmas season, that way we don't have to spend money on that.
But if you are planning to have a ceremony that requires some decoration, you may want to limit the decor to the front of the room, or only to the aisle. Mainly, limit it to where the camera person will be taking photos/video.
Another thing to consider is to have decorations that you can later transfer on to the wedding reception, whether it is at a different location entirely or a different area of the venue.
My fiance and I are opting for a Winter wedding since our parish will already be decorated for the Christmas season, that way we don't have to spend money on that.
But if you are planning to have a ceremony that requires some decoration, you may want to limit the decor to the front of the room, or only to the aisle. Mainly, limit it to where the camera person will be taking photos/video.
Another thing to consider is to have decorations that you can later transfer on to the wedding reception, whether it is at a different location entirely or a different area of the venue.
Vows
The marriage vows are an essential and tear-jerking moment of the wedding ceremony itself. Although there are stories out there of wedding vows that have been written the day of the wedding, your wedding vows are something that you have to start thinking about and start writing much before your wedding date.
Here are some things to think about to facilitate the vow-writing process:
Whether you are going with the most eloquent written vows or the simplest and sweetest, it's important that it all sounds like you. Vows are a reflection of your love for the other person, and just like that love, it's unique.
Here are some things to think about to facilitate the vow-writing process:
- What uniquely about your fiance do you love? The things that you love about them. You can start by writing this out in sentences or even bullet points.
- Would you normally say it to them or to another person (in reference to your significant other)? It's important to write out your vows with your own words, even if you don't sound like the most romantic poet ever.
- Can you mean it when you are mad? There are going to be some difficult times in your marriage. It's important to say and mean the things you will say in your vows through it all, especially when you are mad and bothered by your spouse.
- Will what you are going to say withstand the test of time? It's important that what you include in your vows applies to your relationship a year, twenty, or even fifty years from then.
Whether you are going with the most eloquent written vows or the simplest and sweetest, it's important that it all sounds like you. Vows are a reflection of your love for the other person, and just like that love, it's unique.
Keep Love at the Center
It's important to always remember to make your love the most important aspect, especially of your wedding ceremony. However you are personalizing this magnificent event, it's important to remember to personalize it to who you are as a couple and for it to be a reflection of your love.
Through the stress and nerves of it all, remember that after this you will be married to your loved one.
Please leave comments and questions below & share!
Through the stress and nerves of it all, remember that after this you will be married to your loved one.
Please leave comments and questions below & share!
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