Enhance your ceremony with Add-Ons!
Adding a personal touch to your ceremony with a ritual or traditional add-on is sure to elicit many compliments from your family and friends. Some enhancements for you to consider are fairly new and uncommon, others are a bit more traditional but all are a great addition to any ceremony style.
I can also design the ceremony to include other family members, such as children, parents, grandparents, and so forth. Be sure to ask for more details on any of these special ceremony enhancements, they can all be adapted to suit your preferences or you can create your own to reflect your unique relationship.
There are many options, these are just a few ideas.
While each add-on is different and unique there is only an additional fee of $25.00.
Unity Candle
It represents the merging of the Bride and Groom and of the two families into one inseparable unit. This ritual has two parts: the first part takes place near the beginning of the ceremony, where the two special participants are asked to present the individual candles to be lighted. Then those candles stand ablaze during the ceremony. Following the exchanging of vows and rings, you and your spouse will then complete the ritual by lighting a center candle. But there are many ways to do this, maybe you want to light all of the candles at the same time or maybe your mothers or a family member will light the taper candles during the Processional and then you light the pillar candle during the ceremony. I will customize the ceremony to your specifications.
Sand Ceremony
Is a beautiful and meaningful unifying ceremony from Hawaii that symbolizes the joining together of the Bride and Groom or the blending together of their families. This ceremony began to gain more popularity here on the “mainland” within the last 20 years, especially among those seeking a non-denominational and non-religious ceremony. There are two versions: one for the couple and one for the family, but I can tailor it any way you’d like. It makes a lovely alternative to the Unity Candle Lighting Ceremony, especially if you would like to include the participation of children.
Jumping the Broom
The meaning behind Jumping the Broom has evolved since its origins, and, according to the most commonly used interpretation, it now focuses on its primary significance: the sweeping away of past transgressions, the removal of and protection from evil spirits, and the welcoming of a new beginning. Whatever your beliefs may be, I will tailor this custom to suit your preferences.
You can buy it and others prefer to use a regular household broom decorated with bows, flowers, and/or other trinkets in their wedding colors. At some receptions, guests may participate in the ceremony by tying ribbons around the broom before the Broom Jumping begins.
Hand Fasting
Have you ever wondered where the phrase “tying the knot” came from? It refers to the ancient marriage ritual of Handfasting, which is a custom found across cultures around the world. Isn’t it fascinating that so many different people performed a similar ritual?! It was recognized as a binding contract of marriage between a couple before weddings became a legal function of the government or a papal responsibility of the church. After the wedding vows and ring exchange, the couple’s hands were bound together with a cord, strap, or fabric that is tied in a love knot, signifying the joining of their lives in a sacred union. Today, it is a symbolic ceremony to honor a couple’s desire for a never-ending commitment to each other and to acknowledge that their lives and their destinies are now bound together.
Tying the Knot
Instead of a handfasting, the couple truly ties a knot during the ceremony. The meaning of it is, it takes 2 to create a couple and in this case, the couple has to work together to tie the ropes. The Fisherman’s knot, which is the strongest knot created, is performed by the couple to symbolize their desire to work together and their unbreakable bond.
It is a great twist to the handfasting ceremony for couples and guests to enjoy.
Wine Box – Time Capsule
A few weeks before the wedding, take some time to write a letter to each other in private, expressing your thoughts about the good qualities that you found in your future partner, the reasons for falling in love, and your hopes and dreams for the future. Place your letter in an envelope, and seal it with the name of your partner on the outside. You can also include CDs of your favorite music, memorable photos of you together, and other mementos, you are creating your own romantic time capsule.
The Wine Box should be opened on your wedding anniversary, depending on the wine and storing conditions you will be able to accommodate. You will be reminded of what brought you two together, and the hope is that your relationship has aged as well as the fine wine has. This is a glorious way to celebrate your dedication to each other on your wedding anniversary!
Couples Rose Exchange
Something similar is done in Hindu ceremonies where the couple exchanges Varmala (rose garland). It is the very first gift you give to each other as partners for life, and it symbolizes your ever-growing love for one another. On each wedding anniversary you share, it is suggested that you add another rose to the vessel. In addition, many couples will use the symbol of a rose to represent their heartfelt intentions and thoughts.
Ceremony of the Rose (Mothers)
The Ceremony of the Rose symbolizes the merging of the two families by paying respect to the women who first taught the couple what it means to give and receive unconditional love—their mothers. At the beginning of the ceremony, once the procession is at the front, she will give her mother a kiss and a rose. Once the ceremony has ended, as the couple exits, a second rose is presented to his mother. In doing this, the couple is expressing gratitude to these women for preparing for their beautiful relationship and future together.
Wine Ceremony/Unity Loving Cup/Toast
Sharing a glass of wine has been included in many different ceremonies dating back to the 15th century, having roots in Scotland and France. Thinking about wine and how it is made helps us understand its special relationship to a wedding ceremony. Like your relationship with your true companion, wine making requires a certain environment, patience, tenderness, and loving care to cultivate the very best the grape has to offer. Many couples wanting to incorporate the Sharing of the Wine—Unity Cup find it to be a perfect segue to the Breaking of the Glass Ceremony. Nevertheless, the Sharing of the Wine—Unity Cup is not restricted to any particular custom or faith, and it makes a lovely complement to your sacred promise to each other.
Breaking of the Glass
The breaking of the Jewish wedding glass is a perfect way to include a touch of tradition to an interfaith or civil marriage ceremony. It takes place at the end of the wedding ceremony when the Groom stomps on a glass enveloped in a napkin or satchel, at which point the guests shout “Mazel Tov!” (meaning “congratulations” or “good luck”) or “Siman Tov!” (meaning “good sign” or “good omen” and “a wishing of good things to come”). I recommend that you select the interpretation that resonates with you and your partner so that the act holds more significance for you. The breaking of the glass symbolizes the fragility of life, because whatever we see before us as whole can be broken at any moment. It reminds us of the need to care for one another. Many times couples save the pieces of glass from the ceremony in a symbolic box.
The Cord of Three Strands
Traditionally this symbolizes the joining of one man, one woman and God into marriage, but as with any ritual, it can be used in any situation and non-religious ceremonies as well.
This is a great addition to a traditional wedding ceremony, it adds an unique element to your ceremony that friends and family will remember. At a certain point in the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom braid the Cord of Three Strands together. The Officiant holds the strands and the bride and groom braid the strands together, symbolizing their union as husband and wife.
The colors of the cords is significant:
- Gold Strand – Represents God at the center of the Marriage
- Purple Strand – Represents the Groom
- White Strand – Represents the Bride
The Chocolate & Wine Ceremony
This ceremony represents that life has both bitter and sweet moments and that you will experience them together. This Ceremony Enhancement can be placed anywhere in the ceremony but many couples choose to have it just before their wedding vows or at the very end before the pronouncement. You will need two small portions of Dark Chocolate that represent the bitter and two glasses of Red Wine to represent the sweet.
Ring Warming
As wedding ceremonies become personalized, there are many different ways of bringing special touches for couples who want their guests to feel included in their ceremony.
During a ring warming, the couple’s wedding rings are passed among their guests, who are asked to say a prayer, blessing, or make a special wish for the couple over the rings while holding them. This intimate exchange brings all of the loving thoughts of the couple’s families and friends into the rings that the couple will be wearing for a lifetime. It brings an inclusive element of the ceremony and connects the couple with their loved ones in attendance.
This is an inclusive new trend and there is a good chance many of your guests will have never heard of it. You may want me to explain its meaning or adding an explanation in your wedding program about how the ring warming ceremony works and why it is important to you. When your rings finally come to rest upon your hand, they will contain not only the love you have for one another, but also the love, hope and pledge of support of all those in attendance.
Blended Family
During this ceremony, the new step-parent(s) present(s) to the child(ren) either a ring, necklace, or bracelet. This includes the child(ren) in the ceremony by receiving a symbol of thier very own, this expresses to the child(ren) that they are important and unique to the marriage and the new family being created. I can read a poem of heartfelt love during the exchange as I have witnessed this moment become emotional, that way you can focus on putting the jewelry on the child(ren) while I read or a special song is played that is special to your family.