“Our ceremony is going to be really quick, five minutes max…”
I get assured by brides all the time that they are keeping their ceremonies very short, almost as if they are apologizing for taking up too much of peoples’ time… on THEIR wedding day! I imagine it is a result of most of us having had to sit through a few painfully long and drawn out wedding ceremony over the years, but I would argue that a ceremony with a little bit of length doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, with some thoughtful touches it can and SHOULD be the highlight of your day.
Here are my top six reasons for not having a five minute wedding ceremony :
- A wedding ceremony is a sacred ritual, it deserves to be treated like one! Marriage ceremonies are rich with religious, cultural, spiritual and even family traditions that date back to ancient times.
- People often travel far to see you get married. Yes, I am sure everyone is incredibly excited to celebrate with you, but first and foremost, many of your guests went to great lengths to witness and support your union.
- Your wedding ceremony is a wonderful opportunity to share with your favorite people your unique values, beliefs, and the life circumstances that brought you two together. People want to hear about your love story!
- Nerves are high on your wedding day, give yourself time to relax so that you will actually be able to remember what it felt like to look into each others’ eyes and profess your love for one another days, weeks, months, and years after your wedding. You can even build in a few minutes of silence or have your officiant ask everyone to pause and take a few deep breaths so that everyone can soak in the gorgeous setting.
- People feel honored to be involved in your ceremony–Enlist friends and family to play music, do a reading, give a blessing, or tell a story about you two… Or ask your grandparents or a couple that you look up to to share some marriage wisdom.
- Take some time to thank everyone for making the effort to be there for you both and also recognize those who played significant roles in your lives that were not able to be there. You could have your parents or role models stand up, or maybe introduce the person who was responsible for you two meeting each other. There are also many ways to acknowledge the beloved people in your lives who have passed away.
Above all, remember that this is your ceremony, it should sound and feel like you!
P.S. Stay tuned for parts two and three of my blog series on “Crafting a Meaningful Wedding Ceremony.”