Unique Personalized Ceremony Ideas

When it comes to weddings, naturally couples want to make the day memorable and include elements that truly represent them as a couple. There is quite a bit of time dedicated to planning by choosing the right attire and accessories, hiring the best photographer and florist, and planning an unforgettable reception. Letting your wedding day be an experience to remember which is why couples often choose to do things that are personal and special to them as part of the festivities.

However, most often these special moments and plans are typically reserved for the reception, with the wedding ceremony being slightly forgotten. It is the wedding reception that is the center of most couples’ imagination and creativity, which at times leaves the ceremony rather staid and traditional. For someone that loves tradition, go the traditional route! There is certainly nothing wrong with it. Yet, do not forget there isn’t a law saying you can’t pool some of your creative ideas to the wedding ceremony by adding some unique touches that put your personal stamp on the service.

Ceremony Format
Typically wedding ceremonies follow the same, general format. Beginning with a processional of the wedding party, followed by the officiant welcoming guests and giving a speech or anecdote about the couple, and then the exchanging of vows and rings, and the grand finale – the kiss! Within each of these sections of a ceremony there are great ways to make the service truly intimate and special for you and your fiancé.

Processional of the Wedding Party
The processional is the first, most impacting moment of a wedding for both the couple and guests. If a couple chooses not to share a first look with one another prior to the ceremony, it will be the first time they see one another on the day of their wedding in all their wedding attire. It’s also a special moment for guests to see the couple for the first time. Personalize this initial part of your ceremony with special music that you can have your DJ play during your ceremony for the wedding processional to take place during.

Welcome and Speech or Anecdote
Once the couple are in place, surrounded by their wedding party, and being watched by their friends and family, the officiant takes over. Some couples choose to hire an officiant or ask a family member of friend to marry them. If having a family member or friend marrying you, there is bound to be plenty of love and celebration in their message. If opting for an officiant that doesn’t know the couple as well, this portion of the ceremony might be lacking that special touch some couples are looking for. An easy and great way to make this a memorable moment is to invite the parents of couple to say a few words at the start of the ceremony in the form of a welcome to all the guests.

Another great way to add a splash of personal flair to the ceremony is to read love letters from everywhere. Indianapolis is the hub of the Midwest. Chances are, if you have family throughout the eastern and western areas of the United States, Indianapolis marks the middle point for everyone. These days it isn’t unusual for family and friends to live in different states, and it isn’t always possible for everyone to make the journey to attend a wedding. Historically, those out-of-town guests that couldn’t attend the wedding would send a telegram to the happy couple to be read during the wedding ceremony, usually expressing their good wishes for a lifelong marriage. While the technology of our age has advanced beyond the telegram, it is still a beautiful sentiment. If you are preparing for your ceremony and know there will be many family or friends from out-of-town that are unable to attend, encourage them to send letters of love and support which can be read during the ceremony. It’s a great way to include far flung friends, and adds a personal touch to the proceedings. Record the ceremony and send a copy to those that didn’t attend so they can see their messages immortalized on one of the most important days of your life.

Exchanging of the Rings and Vows
The most personal of all parts of the ceremony is the most intimate for the couple. Some couples choose to exchange vows they have written themselves, and other couples choose to join together with more traditional phrasing. Either way is a beautiful way to commit to one another. If opting for traditional vows, consider extending your vows to include some of your own heartfelt words of love for your soon-to-be spouse. Not all personal touches need to be grand gestures. Also invite a close family member or friend to hold onto your rings during the service and hand them off to each of you when the time comes. Whomever hands the rings of will be thrilled they are included and touched by your thoughtfulness.

Unity Ceremony
Long standing is the tradition of lighting a candle. As traditions change, more and more couples are opting for unique unity ceremony ideas that they can use again the future. Keep reading to get some of our favorite ideas!

The Big Finale – The Kiss!
Everyone’s favorite part of the ceremony – the kiss! It’s the first moment as a married pair that all of the couples closest friends and family will bear witness to. This incredibly special moment is one worth more than a thousand words and the photograph that all photographers are prepared to capture. If having an officiant marry you and your fiancé that isn’t close with either of you, consider asking someone special to the both of you to make the announcement of your marriage.

Unity Ceremony Ideas
The Reversed Unity Candle
The unity candle ceremony is an old wedding tradition where mothers of the couple each light a candle, then the couple uses those flames to light a larger couple candle symbolizing their new union. To make the ceremony more inclusive and stunning, present a twist of this idea by giving each adult guest an unlit candle. To begin the unity ceremony, you and your fiancé will each light a single candle that you will use to light the candles of your wedding party. Encourage your wedding party to in turn spread their flame among the guests. As the flame is spread among the guests, the service comes alive with light and love for the happy couple. This is a stunning finish to any wedding ceremony, especially those later in the evening.

The Anniversary Time Capsule
Remember the time capsule you buried when you were in grade school? Well you can do much the same on your wedding date. Have all of your guests write a short message to the happy couple such as advice, well wishes and reminiscences, ect.) and during the ceremony, take them and seal them in a time capsule to be opened on your first anniversary. You and your fiancé can create a living memory to share one year from your wedding day. Work together to seal a wooden box with nails and hammer with all the great messages from your family and friends.

The Wine Box Ceremony
Blend your two lives together as one with this take on the typical unity ceremony. Like a good wine, a marriage will only ripen and grow stronger with age. Seal the same brand of wine you serve during your wedding or your favorite bottle, along with a few moments in the box to enjoy during your one year anniversary (or 5th or 10th should you choose to wait!)

The Love Letter Ceremony
The love letter ceremony Is a romantic concept that involves the couple writing letters to one another before their wedding listing reasons why they fell in love. The letters are presented at the ceremony, but not read to one another. They are sealed and placed in a box along with a bottle of wine to be opened on a set anniversary date or in times of hardship (which is why this concept has also been dubbed a ‘fight box’). The couple would then open the box to read the letters to each other and drink to their marriage. Afterwards, you can write new letters to be sealed or opened on a future anniversary.