WEDDING CEREMONY RITUALS YOU MAY WANT TO INCORPORATE INTO YOUR WEDDING      

          SAND  CEREMONY :                     

Celebrant: Bride and Groom, today you are making a life-long commitment to share the rest of your lives with each other. Your relationship is symbolized through the pouring of these two individual containers of sand; one, representing you, Bride and all that you were, all that you are, and all that you will ever be, and the other representing you, Groom, and all that you were and all that you are, and all that you will ever be.

 As you each hold your sand the separate containers of sand represent your lives to this moment; individual and unique. As  you now combine your sand together, your lives also join together as one.

 You may now blend the sand together symbolizing the uniting of the bride and groom into one.

 Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be.

             WINE - SHARING OF WINE

The goblet of wine is symbolic of the cup of life. As you share this wine, you promise to share all that the future will  bring.

All the sweetness the cup of life holds for you is sweeter because you drink it together; and whatever drops of bitterness it contains are less because they are shared.

              Bride and groom sip from goblet.

             HAND FASTING CEREMONY 1

Bride , please hold Grooms hands palms up, so you may see the gift that they are to you.

These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and vibrant with love, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as he promises to love you all the days of his life.

These are the hands that will work along side yours, as together you build your future, as you laugh and cry, as you share your innermost secrets and dreams.

These are that hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.

These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy.

These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when fear or grief engulfs your heart.

These are the hands that will tenderly lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into his eyes: eyes that are filled completely with his overwhelming love and desire for you.

Groom please hold Bride's hands palms up, so you may  see the gift that they are to you.

These are the hands of your best friend, smooth, young and carefree, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as she pledges her love and commitment to you all the days of her life.

These are the hands that will massage tension from you neck and back in the evenings after you've both had a long hard day.

These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.

These are the hands that will comfort you when you are sick, or console you when you are grieving.

These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.

These are the hands that will give you support as she encourages you to chase down your dreams. Together as a team, everything you wish for can be realised.

                SIMPLIFIED HAND FASTING

            CELEBRANT: Bride and Groom, I ask you to turn and look into each other's eyes and hold hands.

            Will you honour and respect one another,And seek to never break that honour?

            Bride & Groom: We Will (the first cord is draped over the hands)

            CELEBRANT: And so the binding is made.

            Will you share each others pain and seek to ease it?

            Bride & Groom: We Will (the second cord is draped over the hands)

            CELEBRANT: And so the binding is made.

            Will you share the burdens of each other, So that your spirits may grow in this union?

            Bride &  Groom: We Will (the third cord is draped over the hands)

            CELEBRANT: And so the binding is made.

            Will you share each others laughter, And look for the brightness and positive in each other?

            Bride &  Groom: We Will (the forth cord is draped over the hands)

            CELEBRANT: And so the binding is made.

            Bride and  Groom, as your hands are bound together now,
            So your lives and spirits are joined in a union of love and trust.
            Above you are the stars and below you is the earth.
            Like the stars, your love should be a constant source of light,
            And like the earth, a firm foundation from which to grow.

                 This  Blessing is said whilst holding hands

"These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever.

These are the hands that will work alongside yours, as together you build your future.

These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch, will comfort you like no other.

These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief fills your mind.

These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes; tears of sorrow, and tears of joy.

These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children.

These are the hands that will help you to hold your family as one.

These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.

And lastly, these are the hands that even when aged, will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch."

                  BUTTERFLY RELEASE:

              Wording for Release of Butterflies

According to an American Indian Legend -If anyone desires a wish to come true they must first
capture a butterfly and whisper that wish to it.Since a butterfly can make no sound, the butterfly can not reveal the wish to anyone but the Great Spirit who hears and sees all. In gratitude for giving the beautiful butterfly its freedom, the Great Spirit always grants the wish........... So, according to legend, by making a wish and giving the butterfly its freedom, the wish will be taken to the heavens and be granted.
We have gathered to grant this couple all our best wishes and are about to set these butterflies free in trust that all these wishes will be granted.

             
                 CANDLE LIGHTING CEREMONY:

The unity candle symbolises the very essence of the wedding ceremony. Two taper candles, representing the couple as individuals, are used to light a single centre candle as a visible symbol of their commitment to each other. There are many variations on the ceremony and the individual tails are completely up to you. Here are some ideas to help you as you plan your ceremony.
Before the ceremony begins, place the unity candle on a small table. To prepare for the ceremony, it is a good idea to light the wicks for a moment.
There are several popular options for lighting your taper candles. You can have your parents come forward to light the side tapers as a symbol of your two families coming together as one. At this point, some couples choose to present their mothers with a rose. If you wish, the celebrant or best man and the maid of honor can light the tapers. Or, you may light the tapers yourselves from a candle on the table.
As (Name) and (name) together light the centre candle, they will extinguish their own candles, thus letting the centre candle symbolise the union of their lives. As this one light cannot be divided, neither will their lives be divided.
If you'd prefer to leave your tapers lit ...
(Name) and (name) come into their marriage relationship as individuals and they do not lose their identity, rather they use their individuality to create and strengthen the relationship of marriage. Therefore, the three candles remain lit, one for each of them and one for their marriage.
This represents your commitment to each other and to a lasting and loving marriage. The Unity Candle symbolises the new family you are now forming from your past lives. The flames you light it with both burn brighter when joined together. Now you both are charged with keeping this flame bright for the rest of your days.

                THE ROSE CEREMONY:

In the Rose Ceremony, the Bride and Groom give each other a Rose. Two roses are all that is necessary.   

"Your gift to each other for your wedding today has been your wedding rings - which shall always be an outward demonstration of your vows of love and respect; and a public showing of your commitment to each other.

You now have what remains the most honorable title, which may exist between a man and a woman - the title of "husband" and "wife." For your first gift as husband and wife, that gift will be a single rose.
In the past, the rose was considered a symbol of love and a single rose always meant only one thing - it meant the words "I love you." So it is appropriate that for your first gift - as husband and wife - that gift would be a single rose.

Please exchange your first gift as husband and wife.

In some ways it seems like you have not done anything at all. Just a moment ago you were holding one small rose - and now you are holding one small rose. In some ways, a marriage is like this. In some ways, tomorrow is going to seem no different than yesterday. But in fact today, just now, you both have given and received one of the most valuable and precious gifts of life - one I hope you always remember - the gift of true and abiding love within the devotion of marriage.

                 THE ROSE CEREMONY 2:

Groom (as he hands his bride a long-stemmed white rose): (Name) take this rose as a symbol of my love. It began as a tiny bud and blossomed, just as my love has grown and blossomed for you.
Bride (as she places the rose into a bud vase filled with water): "I take this rose, a symbol of your love, and I place it into water, a symbol of life. For, just as this rose cannot survive without water, I cannot survive without you."
Groom: In remembrance of this day, I will give you a white rose each year on our anniversary, as a reaffirmation of my love and the vows spoken here today.
Bride: And I will refill this vase with water each year, ready to receive your gift, in reaffirmation of the new life you have given me and the vows spoken here today.
Groom (as he and his bride join hands around the rose-filled vase): And so, this rose will be a symbolic memory of my commitment to you this hour; I vow to be a faithful husband to you, to comfort you, honour you, respect you and cherish you for as long as we live.
Bride: (as they continue to hold the vase together): And I commit myself to you, to be a faithful wife, to comfort you, honour you, respect you and cherish you for as long as we live.

                 WARMING OF THE RINGS:

During this ceremony Bride and Groom will exchange rings. They have entrusted (person) with the keeping of the rings. These rings are the visible signs of their commitment to one another.

As this ceremony proceeds we ask that the friends and families of  Bride and Groom take part in the warming of the rings.

We ask that you, their family and friends wish them health and happiness, and all that is noble and good in life.

(person) will now pass these rings to the families of  Bride and Groom and I ask that each family member hold them for a moment, warm them with your love, then pass them on to the next person. I ask that all present voice a silent wish or prayer for this couple, for their marriage and their future together.

When these rings come back to  Bride and Groom they will contain, in their precious metal, that which is more precious, that which is priceless: your love and hope and pledge of support for this union.

              Music can be played while the rings are being "warmed".