Not many of life’s ceremonies are as powerfully symbolic as the wedding ceremony. Consider incorporating one of these beautiful and unique wedding ceremony ideas to make your big day that much more poignant.
Wrap up in a blanket
In this ancient Cherokee tradition, the bride and groom first wrap individually in separate blue blankets. After the officiant blesses the union, the couple then wraps together in one single white blanket. The blue color of the individual blankets is supposed to represent each person’s individual life, while the white represents the new union into one life of peace and harmony.
Do an Arch-of-Swords Exit
This wedding ceremony idea is a tradition usually reserved for military weddings, but that doesn’t mean civilians can’t take part! We could see this tradition working great for a medieval themed wedding, as well. For this tradition, two individuals hold swords to create an archway under which the newly married couple exits, symbolizing a pledge to fidelity and protection.
Light a Combined Fire (or candle)
Photo courtesy of Cathal Mac An Bheatha
This old African tradition uses fire to symbolize the joining of two familial houses. In it, the bride and groom each take a flame which they use to light a single fire together. In some traditions, the parents of the bride and groom then fan the flames to increase the intensity of the fire. If your wedding site isn’t conducive to fire lighting, a candle lighting works just as well.
Do a “Blending of the Sands”
For this tradition, the bride and groom each hold a vial of sand. Between them is an empty vial which they fill together to symbolize the joining of two separate lives into one. For this ceremony idea, many couples will use sand with special significance, such as sand from a hometown or favorite vacation spot.
Do a Mexican El Lazo Ceremony
El lazo, or the lasso, ceremony is a traditional Mexican ritual that occurs after the couple recites their vows. The officiant or parent drapes a floral rope across the couple’s shoulders in the shape of a figure eight to represent their unity. If going the ultra traditional route, the couple continues to wear the rope throughout the ceremony until a parent or relative removes it and gives the lasso to the bride as a reminder of the couple’s commitment.
Plant a Tree
Photo courtesy of Gerrie Van Derwalt
Often incorporated as a symbol of unity and growth as a couple, planting a sapling is a wedding ceremony idea growing in popularity, particularly in the face of global warming. Following the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom each take soil from different containers to plant a sapling as a symbol of two separate lives becoming one. Just be sure to choose an indigenous tree to increase the odds of survival!
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