The Organization Of Your Wedding Ceremony
by George Meszaros
Typically, wedding ceremonies
are structured events and are commonly broken down into
several components. Remember, that this is your wedding
and you have options on what happens during your wedding.
Dont be intimidated by your friends, family, or even your
wedding officiant. Unless you are asking for something outrageous,
you should be able to have the ceremony conducted to your
desires. Music is almost always part of the beginning of
all wedding ceremonies, but music can be a part of any element.
Some of the most common elements
of the wedding ceremony are:
Introduction - In this segment
your wedding ceremony officiant declares the purpose of
the gathering. He introduces the bride and groom, and welcomes
the wedding guests. If it is a religious ceremony, he solicits
everyone to participate in a prayer.
Lead up - This segment is probably
the most forgettable part of the event, and it is often
omitted. You may ask your officiant to follow the introduction
with your vows to save time or if you are not interested
in a drawn out sermon. If you elected to have a clergyman
as your officiant, this part of your ceremony may be difficult
to omit.
Vows - This is the "I do" part.
Simply put, this is the one part of a wedding ceremony that
you cannot compromise. It is always going to be part of
the wedding, and it should be the most intimate part of
your entire ceremony. At this time your officiant explains
the significance of the couples vows followed by the bride
and groom affirming their commitment to each other. Did
you know that you could write your own vows? Writing your
own vows gives you a chance to really personalize your ceremony.
Be sure that both you and your groom are involved in the
process. It should be a democratic process, to enhance the
experience for both of you. Feel free to use your own words,
so you feel comfortable with the language of your vows.
Exchange of the Rings - Once
you declared your commitment to each other with your vows
you are invited to place a wedding ring on each others ring
fingers. For many this is one of the most moving event of
the ceremony.
Announcement - The closing
segment of most wedding ceremonies is the announcement and
the "kissing of the bride."
Keep in mind, this is your
special day and you decide on how you want the wedding ceremony
to progress. Remember, it is OK to be different. Your guest
will appreciate an interesting wedding ceremony that is
unpredictably exciting. To a large degree, ceremonies are
for the entertainment of you and your guest, so have fun
with it.
George Meszaros http://www.sweet-reflections.com
