Rituals
Some of the Best Ceremony Rituals for weddings, vow renewals and family celebrations
Hurray – it’s time to celebrate! Let’s make sure we make a real occasion of it. The inclusion of rituals is where you can really personalise your day – and one of the joys of having a celebrant led celebration as pretty much, anything goes!
From the reading of vows and ring exchange to hand-fasting, jump the broom, oathing stones and tree planting, rituals like these can really help define the moment and make your ceremony special. And they can be a lot of fun in the making and delivery of for you and me too.
So, how do you go about choosing the perfect one for your ceremony? Have a look at these for some ideas...
Vow Exchange Ritual
An opportunity to declare your love for each other, in front of family, friends and/or witnesses.
Ring Exchange Ritual
Dating back to ancient Egypt, with the ring serving as a symbol of the couple's eternal love, this is a ritual that is the backbone of almost every kind of ceremony, as the couple exchange rings and pledge their commitment to one another.
And if rings are not your thing, you can always exchange something else as a token of your love. A flower perhaps, a memento of your journey to now, or favourite photograph? Anything goes.
Candle-Lighting Ritual
This is popular when having a secular celebrant led ceremony but would like to add a familiar element for religious family members. What’s great about this is it can make them feel more included, or even integral to the proceedings. The ritual finds the couple, or their parents, lighting one common candle from two individual candles, symbolising your union. Best for indoor ceremonies though, just in case there is a breeze!
Sand-Pouring Ritual
A variation on the candle-lighting, sand-pouring sees you pouring sand from two small glass bottles into a single vase or vessel to symbolise your union. The sand can come from a special place of interest, perhaps a local beach, or you can use coloured sands to create a decorative item to display for the years to come. It's also a great one to include a couple of members of the or your wedding party in as they each add some sand, symbolising the joining of families, or as homage to your enduring friendships.
Hand-Fasting Ritual or "Tying the Knot"
The hand-fasting ritual, an ancient Celtic tradition and where the old saying ‘tying the knot’ comes from, sees you standing face to face, as I or a family member binds your hands with a special length of material, as a symbol of your commitment. I can provide the ribbons for the ‘knot’, or you can. Have a think what you might like to use if this lovely ritual is for you.
Salt-Pouring Ritual
Well, everything tastes better with a bit of salt! Used metaphorically to signify permanence, loyalty, durability, fidelity, usefulness, value, and purification, the salt ritual is great for food lovers. It involves you and your partner pouring salt from two individual containers into a single vessel to symbolise your union. You can even try to source salt locally as an extra nice touch.
If salt isn’t your thing, then my variation on this – a Shot for Love or Sip of Fizz ritual – works equally well. You each pour a shot of a favourite drink for the other and raise a glass to each other’s happiness in your union. Well, if I had my wedding again, I’d incorporate it! Good one to steady the nerves after all that planning and to get the party started!
Oathing Stone Ritual
While reciting your vows you’ll be holding the oathing stone – one you have chosen and that is special to you – figuratively setting your love in stone together. I rather like the simplicity and symbolism of this one. And every time you visit a pebble beach, you’ll be reminded of your fab day.
Ring-Warming Ritual
This ritual creates a wonderful moment, unifying the whole congregation as the rings are passed around in a small pouch to be "warmed up" by the guests as they each set an intention or wish for you. Obviously, depending on the size of the guest list, you might just want immediate family or the wedding party to warm them for you…or you might be late for the wedding breakfast!
For nervous couples worried about the rings going missing, you can also do this warming and intention wishing if having a tying the knot ritual or the oathing stone. You share the ribbons or stone with the guests instead of the rings.
Jump the Broom Ritual
This fun ritual symbolises a new beginning, whilst sweeping away the past. After your wedding vows, you quite literally jump into your new life together, leaving the past behind you. Great fun for all to witness and to cheer you on – and for the photo album!
Love Letter, Time Capsule & Wine Box Rituals
For these rituals you can mix and match or select just one element. You’ll bring a specially selected bottle of wine, love letters, or mementos of wonderful times – or each of them – to put into a box and seal it during the ceremony. I would then explain your pledge to open the box – and the wine if included – perhaps one or ten years from now to celebrate an anniversary.
Tree-planting Ritual
Planting a tree, a favourite plant or bulbs represents your relationship, which is about to take root, grow and flourish. It’s a lovely one to include if you’re planning on getting married at home, or near-by. Some venues will allow it as it might encourage you to return for a visit or two! If not planting in the ground, then a planter also works well, and you can take it home with you to nurture.
Guard of Honour
This is a great way to get creative. The Guard of Honour can be before – particularly if no-one is being ‘walked’ down an aisle – or after the ceremony. Or both! Friends and/or family holding something aloft to create a canopy for the couple to pass through is the order of the day here. From ceremonial swords, to burning smoking sage sticks for a spiritual cleanse, and throwing eco-confetti – the choice is yours!
Bread Ritual
Another one for food lovers, or hungry couples who skipped a full breakfast! These rituals are popular in many cultures, often symbolising the couple's prosperity. Family or guests offer the couple a special loaf of bread in the hope that they'll never go hungry – I like to say for love! Combined with the Salt and Shot of Love rituals above, a bread ritual can also create a food theme at your ceremony. If you wanted me to, I could even share the traditional housewarming blessing, "Bread, that this house may never know hunger. Salt, that life may always have flavour. And wine, that joy and prosperity may reign forever.” We can tweak as you please…
Loving Cup Ritual
This is usually sharing a drink from a two-handled silver cup or an heirloom cup or glass. Sometimes offered to wedding party guests too, the idea is that a drink shared to toast to your past, present and future, is sweeter. Note for the nervous: Watch out for red wine spills on lovely white wedding dresses and dress shirts! A jug of mojito with straws also works!
Bell Ringing Ritual
Ringing bells is thought to bring in good luck and prosperity for newly-married couples – a happy sound-bath for all. Small handbells tuned to different notes make a joyful sound when rung by your guests at the end of the ceremony and is certainly joyous and celebratory. Kids can get involved too, allowing them to make some proper noise – a great reward for being well behaved during the ceremony! Have some fun collecting bells at vintage fairs and curiosity shops in the run up to your big day!
The choice is yours.
If one or a few, or a variation of any of these wedding rituals are what you’re looking for, then together, we can make it happen. If none of them are quite your thing, then that’s fine too. Let’s talk and go from there.