Okay, we know, a wedding is mostly about the reception – the dancing, the food, the flowers – but let’s not forget the real reason to celebrate. The wedding ceremony is actually the most meaningful part of the day. It’s the time when the bride and groom promise to commit to one another and love one another for the rest of their lives – in front of their closest family and friends. Now that’s something to celebrate. Mostly everyone gets married at some point in their lifetime, so how exactly can each wedding ceremony be meaningful and unique to the couple getting married? Here’s how to personalize your wedding ceremony:

Vows

This is obviously a no-brainer. Instead of reading the already written traditional vows, write personalized ones. Read the personally written vows aloud during the ceremony for the perfect touch of personalization. Bonus points for handwritten vows in a pretty book!

Don’t want to bear your heart and soul in front of everyone? Exchange personal vows during a first look and then opt for traditional vows during the ceremony for another way to do this.

Unity Ceremony

Choose to incorporate a unity ceremony that represents you best. If you love the beach, do a sand ceremony. If you are more rustic, tie twine or rope. Candles are always a great traditional option. If there are children, it could be a super sweet touch to include them.  

Whatever you choose to do, customize the piece! Buy candle holders you love and can reuse one day in your house; etch the sand bottle with your wedding date… you get the idea!

Song Choices

Select songs that have meaning behind them. There are all sorts of places to incorporate song choices, including the processional, the bride’s entrance, the unity ceremony and recessional. Opt to have someone sing (or play) a special song during the ceremony. This is a great way to showcase songs that are special to you as a couple that you did not choose as the first dance song. 

Flower Presentation

Opt to do a flower presentation to the mothers or another special person in your life. Presenting a person with a flower during the ceremony is a special moment to say thank you to that person for all they have done and show off just how important that person is to you both.

Readings 

Choose readings that are special. Sure, you can read from Corinthians (it is certainly beautiful!) but maybe there is a poem or an excerpt from a book that you both love. Also, think about who you select to do the reading. This could be person a person outside the wedding party that holds in an important place in your lives. 

Photo Credit: Rebecca Hicks Photography