Let’s talk about family and friends …… wedding ceremonies are one of life’s most celebrated and exciting moments! Each wedding is a joyful memory created by surrounding ourselves with those who are dearest to us our family and friends!
Who do I include on my Wedding Day?
Getting married can be a simple process or complicated with lots of decisions on wedding venue, bridal dresses, wedding celebrant, wedding florist, wedding photography …. the list is endless!
Such as, where, when, who and how many guests will we have? How many attendants? Can we involve children? What if we forget a role for someone and how can we include them? Can we have a small ritual within our ceremonies such as handfasting, sand ceremony, fire lighting, warming of the rings, candle ceremony, poetry, or personal wedding vows?
Traditional versus Non Traditional?
Throw your ideas about wedding traditions out the window and think about what is important to you and come up with some ideas on what you might like included. Of course, there are some traditions that may be important to you or your parents and let’s face it, being married is traditional and at the very heart of this tradition is the basic need to commit and bind your soul to another in front of your loved ones. That is why it is important that you consider who you want to be involved and why you want to involve them in your wedding day.
How to involve young children successfully within your Wedding Ceremony
Involving children within your wedding party doesn’t have to be a chore and can be made fun and enjoyable. If the children are very young, stage fright might happen, and it is usually a safer option to have them walking in with one of the attendants or someone special.
Standing out the front for the length of the ceremony can be a difficult ask and the better option is to have them sit down in the front row. Presenting them with a gift adds a special touch making them feel special with the bonus of keeping them occupied during the ceremony!
If you decide to give the rings to a child/children to present, ensure the rings are given into their keeping right before they come forward. The rings could be tied with a ribbon or still within the jewellery box.
Music is evocative and romantic, and you might have a special person in your life that sings, plays the guitar, flute, sax, bagpipes etc that you would like to be part of your wedding ceremony and wedding reception adding that personal touch. Or if you are using my PA system to play music a tech savvy person to start/end each music selection.
Maybe someone could come forward and read a piece of poetry about love and commitment or be included within a handfasting ritual where they tie the ribbon around your wrists and read the blessing?
Will some of the Guests be standing at the Wedding Ceremony?
Councils often dictate how many seats a wedding venue are allowed to be seated outside on their premises and if a large guest number is present the remaining guests will need to stand so they do not obstruct the wedding party walking down the aisle. Give this role to a couple of family members or friends and they will guide standing guests where to stand.
Two Witnesses are needed for signing the marriage certificates and so long as they are over the age of 18, they can be anyone of your choice. Next-door neighbours, mum, dad, grandma or grandpa, cousins, best friends, a daughter, or son.
At the end of the ceremony after presenting the marriage certificate and just as the last wedding song begins, the certificate is handed back to me and I then place it in a clear folder to be kept flat and handed to a nominated person to take back to the car for safekeeping. The reason for this is if the Marriage Certificate is accidentally destroyed, scrunched up, folded or damaged in any way once signed can never be replaced. Usually, it is the mother of one of the couples who takes this into safekeeping.
I could go on and on ……… forever with ideas on how to include family and friends. These are just a few for you to consider and to get your creative juices flowing! AND this is where I come in …. if you come up with the idea, I will find a way to make it work for you creating your DREAM WEDDING whether you are celebrating on a Sydney beach or outside the greater Sydney area in surrounding country areas!
