Creative Ways To Spice Up Your Ceremony

From drab to fab, let’s make your ceremony one to remember with some unique rituals and readings.

1. Joint Processional: The couple enter the ceremony together as a united couple/family

2. Adult Flower Girls: All the guests put their names into a bowl and one of the parents draws out two names. The “Flower Girls” are then presented with their flower petals and positioned to surprise the couple/bride as they enter the ceremony.

3. Wishing stones: A bowl of stones is placed at the entrance, guests each take a stone and hold it throughout the ceremony filling it with love for the couple. The stones are then placed in a second bowl on the signing table as the couple sign the documents

4. Exchanging of gifts: An Eastern tradition. Gifts are exchanged prior to or instead of the rings, the gifts usually have some personal or cultural significance.

5. Token Bowl: Each guest brings with them a token, with a note. The tokens are placed into a bowl as the guests arrive at the ceremony. During the ceremony a couple of tokens are randomly removed from the bowl and described to the guests. Further tokens may be removed and described during the reception. All the tokens are kept by the couple.

6. Bridal Party Intro: After being primed by the couple, the Celebrant introduces each member of the wedding party in the theme of....... A Talent Contest, A Game Show, A Beauty Pageant etc

7. Parents Blessing: The parents are asked to give their personal blessings, whether together or separately

8. The Red String of Fate: The Red String of Fate can involve just the couple or everyone at the ceremony. The couple enter the ceremony together, holding hands. One end of the Red String of Fate is tied to the finger of one person, the string is then looped around their hand and wrist, then looped around the hand and wrist of their partner and the other end is tied to the second partners finger. The couple stand facing each other and slowly untangle the string, to show it is one long single string. It is then slowly removed from one finger, looped around itself and removed from the other finger. It is then set aside for safekeeping.

9. Burning the Past Away: Each party writes a note about their past, everything that they are letting go of. The notes are placed into a bowl and burnt during the ceremony, signifying releasing their old emotions to the sky.

10. Ring Warming: A Celtic tradition. The rings are placed in a bowl. The bowl is then passed around the friends and family, who each make a wish across the rings as they hold the bowl, before passing it on to the next person. Flower petals or rice can be placed in the bottom of the bowl as it carries the rings, it is then used at the end of the ceremony as confetti.

11. Guests Pledge: The guests repeat a pledge, to have fun, share the love and have a good time, as well as being supportive and loving to the couple.

12. Guests Vows: Guests are asked to repeat a set of vows written by the couple, vows which convey the love that the guests have for the couple, how they will assist them to stay on

track with their promises and not lead them astray!

13. Circle Ceremony: A Celtic/Pagan tradition. A circle is created around the couple to symbolise there unification into a married couple. Inside the circle they are strong and unified as one.

14. Magic Wands: Magic wands are presented to the children and they are asked to cast spells over the rings that their parents will exchange and over their parents, so they will all live together happily ever after

15. Blanket Wrapping: A North American Indian, Inuit or Mongolian tradition. The blanket symbolises the love of their friends and family and their new life together. The couple are wrapped in a blanket by their wedding party, prior to the recessional.

16. Rope Braid: An intricately braided rope or Rope Knot is passed through the guests, so they can hold it and pass their wishes for the happy couple over it. It is handed to the celebrant at the appropriate time for the couple to hold as they make their vows.

17. Wedding Crowns: The couple are presented with crowns (Metal, Floral, Ivy, Wheat) to wear, symbolising that they are royalty for the day.

18. Flower Garlands: Flower garlands are placed around the necks of the couple, to bring good luck for their future. This could be extended to the Bridal Party or all the guests. This is popular in many cultures including India and Hawaii

19. Breaking Bread: Bread or other food is shared during the ceremony, to symbolise the many meals yet to come. Traditionally this was done with bread, but could be done within food. Modern versions include foods from home countries or foods that one partner likes but the other does not care for!

20. The Wedding Cup: The sharing of water or wine from the wedding cup is a traditional part of the Pagan ritual of the Celtic Trinity. Couples share a cup to symbolise how much they will share in the years to come.

21. Ceremony of Light: A Hindu tradition. A fire or light is placed in the centre of the ceremony.

The couple then circle the light four times. Each time they stop to touch a stone, which is placed in their path, with their toe. This symbolises obstacles in life that they will overcome together. Three times the groom leads and the fourth, the bride goes first. These four rounds stand for the four basic human goals: family, wealth and duty and salvation. The groom will lead the bride through the first four and in the last he will follow her.

22. Sand Ceremony: A modern inclusion. Seperate vessels of sand are combined into a larger vessel, signifying the combining of two lives into a marriage.

23. Tying the Knot: A Scottish tradition. The bride and groom tie strips of their wedding tartan (or ribbon) together in a knot, symbolically uniting the two clans. A variation of this custom involves the groom pinning a piece of his tartan to the bride's dress, thus confirming her bond to his clan. Hand fasting is when the strips of tartan or a ribbon is used to tie the bride's and groom's hands together - hence the phrase "tying the knot".

24. Flash Mob Reading: A fun surprise for the couple. Cards are distributed through some of the guests before the ceremony. All the cards are printed with the same reading but show different times to join in. The reading starts with the Celebrant, then others join in gradually, until lots of people are all standing up reciting the same reading.

25. Touching of Hearts: A Pagan tradition. The bride and bridegroom touch each other's heart reciting promises to each other. This ceremony binds the couple together with oaths taken in the presence of their friends and relatives.

26. Seven Steps: An Indian tradition. The celebrant states the seven oaths and the couple repeats them. Whilst taking seven steps together.

27. Wine Box Ceremony: A Dutch tradition. A bottle of wine is sealed inside a box with love letters written by the couple, to be opened on the couples on a significant wedding anniversary. The wine can be accompanied by notes written by the guests.

28. Time Capsule: Each of the guests are asked to bring a token or note for the capsule. They are collected prior to the ceremony and the capsule is sealed during the ceremony. To be opened on a significant wedding anniversary

29. Mixing Colours: Each party choose a colour which represents them. During the ceremony, the liquid colours are poured out onto plates. Each party places their palm onto their colour. They then place their palms together, mixing the colours into a new hue, which represents them as a couple. The couple then place their palms onto a small canvas as a memory to keep. The guests could add to this after the ceremony as a final piece of art!....Possibly a bit on the messy side!!

30. Create a piece of Art: A small canvas is set up to one side of the ceremony. During the ceremony the couple begin the piece of art as a symbol of their unity. Members of the wedding party and other guests are asked to contribute to the piece.

31. Freehand Blind Sketch: Each of the parties is blindfolded and stood in front of an easel. They are given a pencil and asked to place the pencil on the paper and without removing peeking or removing the pencil from the paper, they try to draw a picture of their beloveds

face. The other party is also asked to do the same thing, either on the same piece of paper, so the images are merged, or on a seperate easel at the same time.

32. Celtic Trinity: The Celtic belief in all things being connected, the trinity is the connection of the Candle Ceremony, Hand fasting and the Wedding Cup into one ritual.

33. Candle Ceremony: A Zen tradition. A candle is lit at the beginning of the ceremony by the celebrant, this symbolises the universal energy found in all things the bride and groom both bring their own lighted candles to the ceremony and place them next to the first candle. The joining of these candles in one places symbolises the combining of the couples energy with the energy of the universe.

34. “I do” questions from guests: Guests are asked to pose questions to the couple in the hope that the answer is “I Do” The questions can be written down beforehand, or thrown out during the ceremony.

35. Ninja Vows: Each party writes some additional vows for their partner to read, but neither one has seen the others vows beforehand

36. Duelling Vows: Each party writes a short list of vows/promises and the celebrant reorders them, so they are read out alternately as a Vow duel

37. Mystery Vows: Individual vows are placed into a bowl and each party, takes an individual vow in turn and reads them out.

38. Ring Exchange Done by Friend: Invite a trusted friend to perform the ring exchange
39. Draw Names for Witnesses: Names of all the guests over the age of 18 are put into a draw

and two guests are randomly chosen to sign as witnesses

40. Shots: The couple share shots of their favourite drink to celebrate the moment, before or after the kiss and before the recessional

41. Pronouncement Done by friend:Invite a trusted friend to announce the happy couple 42. Jumping the broom: A European wedding tradition. The bride and groom jump (or skip)

over a broom. This signifies the leap into a new life together.

43. Colour Power: A “Holi” tradition in India, but it’s not for the fainthearted or couples who want to maintain a white wedding look! The guests all step forward and dowse the couple with coloured powders and it turns into a kaleidescope cloud of crazy colour.... Everyone ‘s involved and they will all get covered in colour

44. Hide The Rings: Before the guests arrive the rings are hidden under two random seats. No one knows where the rings are..... When asked, everyone checks under their seats and x2 lucky randoms stand up and come forward as ring bearers.

Ask your celebrant how you can include some of these in your ceremony.