When creating your wedding ceremony, you can choose to include that extra special touch by adding mini-ceremony elements. Here are a few examples to inspire you. And we can come up with something entirely personal to you.
Handfasting
Handfasting is a wonderful mini-ceremony to add to your wedding. You can include other family members like your children or your best mates. They can place the handfasting ribbons and help you say your vows.
The ceremony itself is believed to have come from the Celts. It involves having your hands bound together to show your lives being bound together. It may very well be where the phrase “Tie the Knot” comes from.
You can have different coloured ribbons or fabrics to use as the binding. Some people choose the colours to match their wedding colours, some sports teams, and some create their own ornate handfasting cords. These are very groovy.
Sand Ceremony
Oh I love this one! This is a lovely ceremony, especially if you have children (or other family members) you want to include in your day.
Basically, you have some beautifully coloured sand, different colours for each person, and you take turns pouring it into a vase or bottle that you finally seal.
You can get some gorgeous layered patterns. Each colour symbolises the individuals within the relationship. And the finished container is your relationship, showing how you are connected and essentially how tricky it would be to separate you.
The picture shows a family of five completing their sand ceremony, and I promise you that the yellow sand fits in there too. It’s all about the jiggling.
Jumping the Broom
Haha! I am so looking forward to someone choosing this!
The gist is the couple jump over the broom together to signify their new lives together.
There are loads of origin stories for this one. Celts, Romani Gypsies, and African slaves all wanting to show that they are a couple who can work as a team starting from their wedding day onwards and jump over any challenge that gets in their way.
Some say the broom used to be placed in the newlywed’s front door. The couple had to enter their home without dislodging the broom. Sort of a simple Mission Impossible.
In your ceremony, you can swap the broom for something that is more relevant to you: a hockey stick, a Dyson, or a light sabre – the choice is yours. And also, you don’t have to jump over it if that’s not your thing. You can step, roll, dance, scamper…you get the idea 😊
Let’s end with a fun one that I saw at a friend’s wedding in South Korea:
Carrying the Mums
I am not entirely sure how traditional this practice is, but it is a LOT OF FUN to watch. Basically, the Groom, to prove his strength and worthiness for the Bride, is expected to give a piggyback first to his mother and then to his mother-in-law-to-be. He runs down the aisle and back up, ensuring the mother remains safe.
So that’s an option for your wedding, and it doesn’t really matter who carries who as long as everyone finishes on their feet, safe and sound.
Your Wedding – Adding That Extra Special Touch
There are many ways to add that extra special touch to your wedding ceremony. I shall write about some more mini-ceremonies soon. The most important thing is you have the wedding ceremony you want, and you celebrate your love your way.
Because why be ordinary when you can be unique?
Sarah x
PS If you are unsure or a bit overwhelmed by choices, feel free to message me, and we can have a chat. It’s your wedding day, so you can include these extras or not. It’s about what makes you happy.
