Personalizing your Wedding Ceremony

Hi all.

I tried searching to see if anyone had any other ideas, but maybe couldn't find the right wording to use in a search.

I was wondering what people are doing to personalize their wedding ceremony.

We all know about writing our own vows. And, adding sand ceremonies, etc. I was thinking more of the unusual ways.

Like, in another post, someone talked about throwing seashells into the ocean after they have been wished upon. Or rocks.

Does anyone else have any cool and unique ways they are personalizing their weddings??

I love the idea of a hand ceremony. I just heard of it in a thread this past week... I think maybe by Tami. Or if you google Wedding Hand Ceremony you can find some different wording.

I also had a friend who did a outdoor ceremony here in MN and they did some sort of a rock ceremony. (It was a couple years ago and I wasn't in wedding planning mode... so the details are kinda fuzzy)

I remember when we entered there was a table telling us to choose a rock... then during the ceremony we made a wish for the couple and a glass container of some sort was pass around and all the rocks collected. They used pretty glass rock and I think they still have the container in their home... turned it into a vase of some sort.

I tried doing a search of it... but w/ little success. Here is one website: Rock Ceremony, Seashell Ceremony, Water Ceremony for use within your wedding ceremony, from The Marrying Guy® Was cute... not sure if it's right for a beach wedding... but figured I would throw it out there.

I decided to but maracas since i am marrying in Mexico and using them like we use bubbles in the states.

Here is the thread on a hand ceremony, it is unique and very pretty.

http://bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/t15510

Here are some other ideas:

Asking guests of your wedding to read poems or Shakesphere sonnets...pretty romantic

Write your own vows

Have a sand ceremony

This site had some cool ideas:

http://www.blueridgeweddings.net/ceremony.html

thanks for the ideas! I tried googling some more ideas....and got pretty much the same ones everyone is quoting! <laughs> Though, i REALLY like the Rose Ceremony.

The Rose Exchange (Short Version)

In the elegant language of flowers, red roses are a symbol of love, the giving of a single red rose is a clear and unmistakable way of saying the words "I love you." For this reason it is fitting that the first gift you exchange as husband and wife would be the gift of a single red rose. Please exchange your first gift as husband and wife. 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. ______ and ______ I would ask that wherever you may make your home, that you choose a special location. And at those times when words fail, that you leave a red rose at that spot you have both selected -- a rose that will say what matters more than all other words..."I still love you; The other should accept this rose for the words that cannot be found, and remember the love and hope that you both have shared today.

The Red Rose Exchange (long version)

The Bride & Groom give each other a red Rose as their first gift as husband & wife. Two roses are all that is necessary.

______ and ______ 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 the most honorable title that may exist between a man and a woman - the title of "husband" and "wife." In the elegant language of flowers, red roses are a symbol of love; the giving of a single red rose is a clear and unmistakable way of saying the words "I love you." For this reason it is fitting that the first gift you exchange as husband and wife would be the gift of a single red rose. Please exchange your first gift as husband and wife. 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. In every marriage there are times when it is difficult to find the right words, and the ones we love the most are the ones we can most easily hurt. There are times when it may be difficult to say "I'm sorry" or "I forgive you" or "I need you" or "I'm hurting." ______ and ______I would ask that wherever you may make your home, that you choose a special location. And at those times when words fail, that you leave a red rose at that spot you have both selected -- a rose that will say what matters more than all other words..."I still love you; The other should accept this rose for the words that cannot be found, and remember the love and hope that you both have shared today.

I like it! I am going to personalize mine with the hand ceremony. I will have FI's father read me verse... as I hold FI's hand and I will have either someone from my side (if anyone shows up ) or his stepmom read him the verse as he holds my hand. Since its going to be super small. I wanted everyone to be apart of the ceremony.

Hello you two,

Well, if ya wanna do something different, how about this: in the Jewish weddings the couple breaks or steps over a glass cup that's covered or wrapped around with a napkin or cloth. Well, if you're doing in on the beach, you could have a seashell and do the same. It would simbolize a "break" of the old life and begin a new one.

Yep, we are doing a Hand Ceremony right before we exchange vows (and tweaking the standard ceremony vows just a bit). Then, we will do the Sand Ceremony just before we cut the cake, or right before the first dance.

My uncle is reading the Hand Ceremony for us.