The ceremony is a very important part of the wedding, and should never take a backseat to reception planning. If you have a dominant religious background, choosing the venue will be simple. If you don’t, there is a wide selection of options available depending on what kind of ceremony you want to have and what your beliefs are. If neither you nor your fiancé have devout beliefs, you will probably be most comfortable with a civil ceremony. This can be conducted at the local courthouse or even by a certified friend or family member.
Having a close friend conduct the ceremony saves you from the headache of trying to find an officiant on your own. Otherwise, the best way to find the better officiants is by word-of-mouth. Call all of your married friends and relatives and see if they have anyone that would refer or recommend for your ceremony. First, of course, you need to decide whether you want to be married by a rabbi, minister, priest, public official, or justice of the peace.
Once you establish in what manner you would like the ceremony to be conducted, next comes choosing location. There are so many different spots that would be an ideal place for romantic nuptials. You can exchange vows in a museum, art gallery, hotel, or keep it classic with a chapel, synagogue, or church. Yachts, parks, and beaches are great for the bride who desires something under the wide outdoors.
Nowadays, it seems that there are more interfaith couples than is not. This means that the couple comes from two contrary religious backgrounds. If this is the case for you, speak to clergy representing both of your religions and see if either one is open to co-officiating. There are many ministers who specialize in interfaith ceremonies, so you may need to contact the Unitarian Universalist Association (uua.org) and see if there are any members in your area.
If you’re getting married in a church or synagogue under very specific religious circumstances, you will need to ask the clergy for permission to personalize the ceremony. This goes for the songs played before and during the ceremony, the wedding vows spoken, all readings, and rituals such as the unity candle or unity sand. If your church refuses to let you individualize the nuptials to suit your own specific taste, you may want to consider seeking a new officiant and ceremony venue so that you can have the wedding you want.
Just as with the reception, you can carry out the ceremony in any manner you wish. You can designate a handful of friends to read scriptures from the Bible, or even your favorite book. Work one-on-one with the officiant so that he can mention love quotes and parables that you feel reflects your relationship and what you expect in your future together. There are so many ways that you can convey your own personality in the ceremonial festivities, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t be 100% satisfied with the end-result. For more tips on how to plan the perfect wedding ceremony, check out 1WeddingSource’s Guide on Ceremony Planning on the main page.