I was very pleased with the service that we received, everything was perfect.
Donna worked with all the preperations of our wedding. – Wendy & Joshua
Ceremony Enhancements
Our enhancements are meant to assist in making your wedding ceremony more meaningful for you, your family and your guests. Enhancements may be added without incurring any additional charge. If you would like to include an enhancement that is not listed, please let us know and we will be happy to include it for you.
For Couples
Include your family/guests
- Affirmation of the Community
- Flower Presentation
- Guest Participation of Vows
- Support of Families
- Unity Peace Lily Ceremony
Honor your Mothers
Remembrance of
loved ones
Post Ceremony
Include Your Children
For Couples
Blessing to the Four Directions
A long time ago, people believed the human soul shared characteristics with all things celestial. This prayer service designates the four points on a compass with elements representing human virtues.
Blessing of the Rings
An option that may be added before the exchange of rings and related vows is the blessing of the rings. The officiant would bless the rings and the marital couple who will wear them.
Breaking of the Glass
The breaking of the glass at the end of a wedding ceremony is usually a Jewish tradition. It signifies the clarity of the love the bridal couple has for each other and the shattering of their old separate lives. It may also be included as a beautiful ending to any wedding ceremony.
Hands Ceremony
This is a favorite of many couples. A three to five minute ceremony in which the officiant uses the phrasing, "These are the hands that...." to symbolize what the couple’s hands represent as they work together to build their future.
Jumping the Broom
There are many different versions of this ritual which involves the couple jumping over a broom. Essentially, the jumping of the broom is an African American tradition and is a symbol of sweeping away of the old and welcoming the new, or a symbol of a new beginning.
Marriage Vessel and the Rose
This enhancement would follow the pronouncement. The vessel and the rose are symbols for God as Creator and Sustainer of Life and are held and exchanged by the bride and groom. Appropriate scriptures are included during this special ceremony in your wedding.
Rose Exchange
This is a ceremony using roses to symbolize love. Many couples who have chosen this have described it as an extremely beautiful and moving inclusion in their ceremony. At the appropriate moment roses are handed to the couple, they exchange the roses and the officiant explains the significance of this ceremonial moment.
Sake Ceremony (San San Kudo - さんさんくど)
This is a Japanese tradition called San San Kudo, or the way of 3, 3, 9, nine meaning triple happiness. Because odd numbers cannot be divided by 2, they’re considered very lucky, so 3 sips from 3 shared cups of sake make an exceptionally lucky number. A third person is instrumental in this meaningful ceremony to pour the sake.
Support of Families
Instead of the ‘giving away of the bride’, today parents (or whomever escorts the bride down the aisle) express their support of the couple being married at the beginning of the ceremony.
Unity Candle Lighting
This is the most common ritual performed at weddings. During the ceremony the couple will take two small taper candles and light a main larger candle together to symbolize the unity of the couple. There are many different readings and ways of including this in a wedding ceremony. Please visit our online store for that perfect unity candle.
Unity Sand
The sand ceremony can be a beautiful and meaningful addition to a wedding ceremony and works especially well with outdoor settings or weddings by the water. This involves the couple pouring grains of sand (usually two coordinating, contrasting colors) together from individual cylinders into one cylinder creating a beautiful piece of art that can be a meaningful keepsake for years to come. A couple may have saved some sand from a special vacation and utilize that sand during their ceremony. Visit our online store to see our great selection of unity sand sets and sand colors.
Unity Tree
A green trend. Requires a pot, a sapling (perhaps from a special place), dirt, gardening trowels & watering can. The planting symbolizes the roots of their relationship and continued growth of their love.
Unity Water
As two different colors of water are combined, creating a third, the officiant explains what each color of water represents and then what the blended color represents and bestows a blessing upon the couple. Unity sand sets may be used for this ceremony and are available on our online store.
Unity Wine
This is a special ceremony that may be included to symbolize two people coming together as they form their bond of marriage. There are several passages to choose from that the officiant can read while the bridal couple each takes a sip of wine (or water). Please view goblets in our online store glasses that may be used during the ceremony, as well as for the toast at the reception.
Water Blessing
There is an Eastern tradition saying that when you have love, even plain water is sweet. The bridal couple takes a drink of water from the same glass after receiving a blessing from the officiant. Use one of your toasting flutes or or a special glass of your choosing
Include your family/guests
Affirmation of the Community
Today, instead of asking if anyone has ’just cause why this couple should not be married’, family and friends of the couple are asked to support the marriage. After a short reading by the officiant, the entire gathering of witnesses will respond "We do."
Flower Presentation
This is a part of the ceremony where family and friends would participate. Each designated person comes up and places a flower in a vase to create a garden of love.
Guest Participation of Vows
A couple may want to include their guests in the ceremony so that they have an opportunity to experience the same feeling of love as the bride and groom. Guests repeat words of affirmation simultaneously with the couple.
Unity Peace Lily Ceremony
The peace lily ceremony requires four people, generally the couple and either the father or mother of each. One adds some soil (foundation), one adds the lily bulb (new relationship of marriage), one adds more dirt (representing support) and the last one adds water (symbolizing love that makes the union bloom). They each play a part in the planting of a peace lily that will then be displayed in the couple's home and continue to grow, just as the new relationship of marriage will continue to grow.
Support of Families
Instead of the ‘giving away of the bride’, today parents (or whomever escorts the bride down the aisle) express their support of the couple being married at the beginning of the ceremony.
Honor your Mothers
Honoring the Mothers
A brief reading is done and then the bride and/or groom present each mother with a small gift, usually flowers.
Presentation of Roses to Mothers
Roses may be presented to the families, generally the mothers, after a short reading. Some couples do the presentation only at the end of the ceremony as they go back up the aisle.
Remembrance of loved ones
Flower Presentation
This is a part of the ceremony where family and friends would participate. Each designated person comes up and places a flower in a vase to create a garden of love. This can also be done in memory of a loved one. Flower vases are available and may be personalized with the name(s) of your loved one(s).
Remembrance or Memorial Service
This is a way for a couple to honor a deceased loved one or someone that is unable to attend. You may discuss this with us to determine the most meaningful way for this service to be included. A short reading or blessing is specially worded, not to sadden, but to honor your loved one(s). Names may be included, if desired. Flower vases and memorial candles are available in our online store and may be personalized with the name(s) of your loved one(s).
Post Ceremony
Dove Releases
A dove release is performed outside and may be done before or after the marriage pronouncement. A beautiful passage tells what the doves symbolize to a newly married couple and is read just before the doves are released. What a memorable ending to a beautiful ceremony!
Include Your Children
Family Unity Candle Lighting
During this ceremony, each child is presented with a small youth taper candle and together, the bride, groom, and child(ren) light a special Family Unity Candle. This symbolizes the uniting of a new family. The age of the child(ren) should be considered because of the candle flame.
Family Medallion™
After the exchange of vows, the children are invited for a special unity ceremony. In the medallion ceremony, the child(ren) are presented with a special Family Medallion® symbolizing the creation of the new family. Meaningful words are exchanged between the new step parent and the child(ren). If there are children on both sides, they may also exchange words accepting each other as brothers and sisters. Please view special Family Medallion® jewelry to be presented to the child(ren). Click here to read more!
Family Unity Sand
In this ceremony the bride, groom, and child(ren) pour their own color of sand together in a family unity container symbolizing the blending of the family. What fun the children will have picking their own colors of sand, adding a bit of their personalities to the ceremony. View sand ceremony sets. in our online store.
Family Unity
This ceremony would include the verbiage only portion of the Family Medallion® ceremony except each child would not be presented with a special gift.
Ribbon tying
This ceremony is a nice way to include children in the ceremony. Towards the end of the ceremony, the hands of the bride and groom are loosely tied together by their child(ren) with a soft ribbon signifying his/her/their happiness and/or blessing of the marriage of their parent(s).
Anything You May Dream Of!
Do you have your own wedding idea or tradition that you would like to include in your ceremony? We will work with you to create a very special moment for you, so that your ceremony is the most magical and memorable event of your lives.
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