Your wedding ceremony is a presentation which contains all of the legal requirements that transform a couple of single individuals into a married couple. The language therein is arranged with all of the necessary wording to accomplish that fact. When it comes down to it, there is little that must be said, and a lot that makes the money you spent on your ceremony worthwhile. You will want your ceremony to reflect your feelings and express who you are as a couple. The ceremony script should express how you feel, but also, include nothing that you feel is irrelevant. It is important that you communicate this to your officiant.
What, then, is a required part of the ceremony, and what is for appearances? Let’s run through the ceremony skeleton and see what we can find.
The first segment is the Prelude. This is, generally, the music that is played while guests are being seated. It is entirely optional and fairly difficult without a large sound system, if your ceremony is to be out or doors.
Next is the Processional. This is also music, but it is played while the wedding party is approaching the area where they will stand for the rest of the ceremony, i.e. the front of the church, a stage, the water’s edge if near a lake, etc. Even if you have no Prelude, a Processional is nice to have, but it, too, is not a required part of the ceremony.
The Convocation is the third part of the ceremony. This is where the officiant or a designated individual introduces bride and groom, welcomes your guests and/or invites them to witness the union. This is usually brief, often stated in traditional ceremonies as, “Dearly Beloved…etc.” This too is optional.
The Invocation is next. It may be a religious prayer or a secular wish of goodwill toward the bride and groom. It is not legally required, but its presence may nicely set the tone for the rest of the ceremony.
Following the Invocation is the Dedication. This is the part where the Officiant asks, “Who gives this woman to be married?” for example. Again, this is completely optional, particularly if the bride has not chosen to be escorted up the aisle.
At this point comes what I think of as the entertainment portion of the ceremony. It includes the Address, which involves a message that can include how the bride and groom have come together, what they think about each other, and advice that may seem appropriate. This would be the section of the ceremony in which there might be passages of scripture, poems, literary readings and music. This part should be long enough to be interesting and entertaining, yet short enough so that your guests won’t fall asleep. This, too, is optional.
Now we come to the required parts of the ceremony. There is the Expression of Intent. This is merely a statement, such as, “Have you come here for the purpose of marriage?” Both parties answer in unison, “We do,” or something similar.
If the couple wish to share personal messages with each other, this is a nice spot for them to do so.
Once that is done, the Officiant may say the Consecration. Not required, it is a form of blessing. Some people like to say one of several Old Irish Blessings.
Next come the Vows. While it may be as simple as, “Do you, (name), take (name), to be your wedded wife/husband” followed by, “I do,” they can also be poetic and lengthy. These are required.
Following the Vows, some couples like to have more entertainment, such as music, another reading, or a Unity Ceremony, which can involve flowers, water, sand, candles, hand tying, or planting a flower bulb, a tree, or other symbolic ceremony. All of this is optional, but ideally represents the couple’s feelings.
Next comes the Blessing of the Rings, which is also optional and can be either religious or secular, simple or poetic. It precedes the Exchange of the Rings, in which the bride and groom place their rings on each other’s fingers. This can be done with or without vows, such as, “With this ring, I thee wed.”
Immediately following is the Pronouncement of the couple as husband and wife. This is required.
Some couples like to save the signing of the Marriage License for this part of the ceremony, but it can also be signed following the end. It should be noted that there must be two witnesses of legal age to sign the license. This is a legal requirement.
Most couples like to seal their vows with a kiss at this point. After that, the Officiant may introduce the couple to their guests as Mr. and Mrs. (names) followed by the Benediction, which is another blessing. All of these parts are optional as well.
The couple goes out of the church/etc. during the Recessional, often followed by a Receiving Line, in which the bridal party and relatives receive the well-wishes the guests. Some will do this immediately after the wedding, while others like to save this for the reception/party afterward.
It is important for a couple to choose the parts of the ceremony which reflect their feelings and to advocate for themselves with the professionals who will make the ceremony special for their wedding day. A good Officiant will guide you through the script and create a memorable ceremony that you can remember for the rest of your lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment