In this new age of wedding ceremonies, anything goes! Unless a couple chooses
to be married in a religious ceremony that will follow a time honored religious
protocol, they can be as creative as they like. The range of options is vast.
Finding your personal style is a matter of deciding the type of ceremony most
suited to you, and getting a sense of which rituals, blessings, prayers, readings,
and cultural or religious aspects are personally meaningful.
In my line of work as a Wedding Liaison, it's all about ceremony planning and design. First we assess the general
type of ceremony that is right for each couple. Then we seek ways to blend in the traditions they do like, with
creativity, romance and personal touches. For couples where one or both have children, we look for ways to
honor the new family that is formed on your wedding day.
These personal touches can be anything from aspects of religion or culture, to honoring and involving family, to
including a humorous story about how a couple met or a poignant poem that captures their feelings. Or all of
the above!
There are several types of weddings to choose from.
Traditional These are typically faith- based and brought from the tradition the bride or groom were born into.
Non-denominational A spiritual ceremony that includes reference to God, but does not adhere to any
particular religious protocol.
Non-religious Usually includes no reference to faith and typically does not mention God. (some people call it a
civil or secular ceremony.)
Interfaith and Inter-cultural The first is a blending of two or more faiths, by including an aspect of religion or
religious rituals or readings that are symbolic of each faith. The later is a blending of cultures - such as a Filipino
veil ceremony with a Chinese red string ritual and yet can certainly also blend religious aspects.
That said, from my perspective, you can do all of the above in one specially tailored ceremony. The biggest
issue is deciding how or if you want to reference God. Some couples, while faithful to God, do not feel
connected to their religion; and some couples don't care for the Divine mentioned and want their ceremony to
focus on their love and relationship. The trick is to find a creative officiant who is not bound to a particular
religious protocol. These are some of the questions I ask couples when consult with them about creating a
personalized wedding.
Here are some things to ponder as your decide the kind of ceremony you want:
· Where does religion fit in - or does it?
· What kind of ceremony would be most suited to the two of you?
· Where would you like the ceremony to take place?
· Are you an interfaith couple? Is one of you more religious than the other?
· How much do you want to honor your heritage, ethnic background or family?
· How would you like to involve your children?
· What type of music do you want: traditional, contemporary, live or recorded?
Resource: © Laurie Sue Brockway, 2006, Wedding Goddess
to be married in a religious ceremony that will follow a time honored religious
protocol, they can be as creative as they like. The range of options is vast.
Finding your personal style is a matter of deciding the type of ceremony most
suited to you, and getting a sense of which rituals, blessings, prayers, readings,
and cultural or religious aspects are personally meaningful.
In my line of work as a Wedding Liaison, it's all about ceremony planning and design. First we assess the general
type of ceremony that is right for each couple. Then we seek ways to blend in the traditions they do like, with
creativity, romance and personal touches. For couples where one or both have children, we look for ways to
honor the new family that is formed on your wedding day.
These personal touches can be anything from aspects of religion or culture, to honoring and involving family, to
including a humorous story about how a couple met or a poignant poem that captures their feelings. Or all of
the above!
There are several types of weddings to choose from.
Traditional These are typically faith- based and brought from the tradition the bride or groom were born into.
Non-denominational A spiritual ceremony that includes reference to God, but does not adhere to any
particular religious protocol.
Non-religious Usually includes no reference to faith and typically does not mention God. (some people call it a
civil or secular ceremony.)
Interfaith and Inter-cultural The first is a blending of two or more faiths, by including an aspect of religion or
religious rituals or readings that are symbolic of each faith. The later is a blending of cultures - such as a Filipino
veil ceremony with a Chinese red string ritual and yet can certainly also blend religious aspects.
That said, from my perspective, you can do all of the above in one specially tailored ceremony. The biggest
issue is deciding how or if you want to reference God. Some couples, while faithful to God, do not feel
connected to their religion; and some couples don't care for the Divine mentioned and want their ceremony to
focus on their love and relationship. The trick is to find a creative officiant who is not bound to a particular
religious protocol. These are some of the questions I ask couples when consult with them about creating a
personalized wedding.
Here are some things to ponder as your decide the kind of ceremony you want:
· Where does religion fit in - or does it?
· What kind of ceremony would be most suited to the two of you?
· Where would you like the ceremony to take place?
· Are you an interfaith couple? Is one of you more religious than the other?
· How much do you want to honor your heritage, ethnic background or family?
· How would you like to involve your children?
· What type of music do you want: traditional, contemporary, live or recorded?
Resource: © Laurie Sue Brockway, 2006, Wedding Goddess
Your Wedding Your Way
| Copyright © 2009 Carolyn Burke - Wedding Liaison |
