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RITUALS AND SYMBOLS

 

Rituals and symbols form a major part in our lives and are especially significant at marriages. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vows by the couple, presentation of a gift, usually a ring, and a public proclamation of marriage by an authority figure or leader. Special wedding garments are often worn.  The following are some ancient customs that are still observed in today's modern marriages:

 

  • Groom Enters First

  • Father Escorts and Gives Away the Bride

  • White Wedding Dress

  • Joining Right Hands

  • Exchanging of the Rings

  • Presentation of the Couple

 

Rituals also have a firm place in many modern wedding ceremonies. Through rituals, the couple conveys to their family and friends what the ceremony means to them and what they feel for one another.  Following are examples:  

 

Unity ceremonies 

  1. Unity Candle:  Each party takes a lit candle and together they light a third larger "unity candle." The ceremony symbolises the pledge of unity between the partners and the merging of two families. 

  2. Rose Ceremony:  In the Rose Ceremony, the couples give each other a Rose. Two roses are all that is necessary. In the old language of flowers, a red rose always meant “I love you”. 

  3. Wine Ceremony:  Each party takes a carafe of wine and pours it into a single glass, which they both drink from.

  4. Water Ceremony: The couple each pours different coloured water into a single glass, creating a third color. 

  5. Sand Ceremony:  Similar to the water ceremony, the parties, with or without other participants (children and/or parents) pour different coloured sand into a glass

 

Hand Fasting ceremony:

This is an ancient ritual in which the couple’s hands are tied together with a ceremonial ribbon or cloth.  It is usually tied loosely so that hands can come out freely.  The couple saves the ribbon or cloth as a keepsake of this day.  

 

In some cultures, colours are specially significant in weddings:

 

Purple:

In a Japanese wedding, purple is typically the colour of love and a bride may choose to wear (at one point in her ceremony or reception) a beautifully embroidered silk kimono covered in either lavender or purple flowers.  The colour purple can be incorporated in aspects of your wedding such as flowers and other décor.

 

Red:

Red is the colour of weddings in China and is central to the wedding theme.  It signifies love, joy, and prosperity and is used in a variety of ways in Chinese wedding traditions.  The bride’s wedding dress is often red, as are the wedding invitations, wedding gift boxes or envelopes for cash gifts.  

POEMS AND READINGS

 

One of the most significant ways to enhance and personalise a ceremony is to include a poem or reading by a friend or family member. This is a unique way of making your ceremony truly memorable and inclusive. By asking someone of special importance to you to do a reading is a way of including him/her into the service and giving him/her a prominent role in your big day. The choice of readings will set a mood for the ceremony.

 

BLESSINGS

 

Blessings are a very integral part in a lot of weddings and are usually given by the celebrant to the couples at the end of the ceremony. Blessings can be a great way to inject a religious dimension into the civil ceremony, but they do not have to be religious and can take the form of a poem or a ritual that can be tailored to fit your requirements perfectly. 

MUSIC

 

Music can play a significant role in a marriage ceremony. Choices may include a worship song sung by the entire congregation of guests, a hymn, an instrumental piece, a special solo or a favourite or meaningful song. The possibilities are endless. When deciding on song choices for a ceremony, there are some things to keep in mind:

 

  1. Your musical choices can set the mood for your wedding ceremony.

  2. Choose songs that are appropriate to the context of your wedding.

  3. Be sure the lyrics express faith, love, joy and commitment.

  4. You may want to choose a special friend or family member, who is musically gifted, to sing or play one of the songs.

  5. If either of you  happens to be musically talented, you may also want to be involved in singing or playing one of the songs

  6. Incorporating a congregational song or hymn will allow another opportunity to involve your invited guests into the worship experience.

 

The music can be performed live by musicians and/or vocalists or use pre-recorded songs, depending on the format of the event, traditions associated with the prevailing culture and the wishes of the couple being married. Types of music are as follows:

 

  1. Prelude music is played prior to the ceremony as guests are being seated. These songs will set the tone for your ceremony, therefore classical or jazz music is commonly played.

  2. The Processional begins as the immediate family members are ready to be seated. Depending on your ceremony dynamics, you will choose a new song as your bridal party walks down the aisle. The perfect song should be chosen, as all eyes will be on you ..

  3.  Interlude songs are often used during the ceremony to signify a special moment for the couple. This would be a perfect type of song to play during the signing of the documents or the lighting of a unity candle.

  4. The Recessional song celebrates your new commitment and is played as you walk up the aisle together. It should reinforce the congratulatory sentiment of the moment.

  5. The Postlude plays at the conclusion of the ceremony, after the recessional. As your guests exit, the postlude music should keep with the upbeat mood. With the wedding ceremony likely to be an eternal memory, it is important that couples select songs that they both love and are familiar with.

 

There is a plethora of music genres that songs can be chosen from - from a traditional wedding ceremony bridal march to a new release on the pop charts, it’s really up to the couple what to choose. Wedding ceremony often lend themselves to a particular type of music; outdoor weddings are perfect for a gentle wedding ceremony song or music based on noises from nature, while elegant weddings are ideally suited to classical wedding ceremony songs.

 

 

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" Ceremonies for your special moments"

..... Celebrating YOU ....

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