Ancient Wedding Ceremonies

posted by on Jan 11

The wedding ceremony is one of the most romantic moments in your life and the pefect place to express your feelings towards your fiancé(e). Not all of us are poets, and to write your own vows may be harder than you think.

Traditional Vows
If your wedding is religious (Baptist, Buddhist, Catholic, Christian, Jewish, Lutheran, Methodist, Muslim weddings, etc.) you usually have a few already established wedding vows to choose from.

Civil Ceremony Wedding Vows
(Name), I take you to be my lawfully wedded (wife/husband). Before these witnesses I vow to love you and care for you as long as we both shall live. I take you, with all your faults and strengths, as I offer myself to you with all my faults and strengths. I will help you when you need help, and turn to you when I need help. I choose you as the person with whom I will spend my life.

Or

I, (Groom’s/Bride’s name), take you (Bride’s/Groom’s name), to be my wife/husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever. I will trust you and honour you, I will laugh with you and cry with you. I will love you faithfully, through the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. What may come I will always be there. As I have given you my hand to hold, so I give you my life to keep.

Personalized vows
(Name), our miracle lies in the path we have chosen together. I enter into this marriage with you, knowing that the true magic of love is not to avoid changes, but to navigate them successfully. Let us commit to the miracle of making each day work together. Respecting each other, we commit to live our lives together for all the days to come. I ask you to share this world with me, for good and ill. Be my partner, and I will be yours.

Remarriage Vows
(Name), we take our vows together today. We will be changed forever, and I take them gladly, and without reservation. I promise to honour you, believe in you, protect you, and do everything in my power to make your life happy and fulfilled. This is my promise. Take my hand as we go with joy into our new life together.

Later in life vows
(Name), I offer you not the “summer of my life” but the autumn, brisk and vibrant. I promise to be a companion worthy of your precious friendship. I pledge you compassion in good times and bad, encouragement in sickness and health. It is my intent that our life together includes our large circle of friends and loving families. We’ll cherish the memories of our individual pasts; and create our new life as we go now together.

Traditional Irish Blessing
May the road rise to meet you May the wind be always at your back May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home And may the hand of a friend always be near.

If you are blessed with a beautiful singing voice, why not sing “your song” for your future wife / husband.

Some suggestions on the beautiful love songs:

• Annie´s Song
• Because You Love Me
• From This Moment On
• Hello
• The Way You Look Tonight
• Your Song

posted by on Jan 8

Feel inspired by our ideas for your wedding reception programs. From the style to the font you’ll end up with a fantastic memento of your wedding service.

Wedding programs are a great way for you to communicate to your friends and relatives exactly the type of wedding they can expect. Choose your words and pictures carefully to ensure that you communicate the right message. Remember; your wedding program also acts as a keepsake for your guests.

Design
Consider how you would like your wedding program to look. Would you like something simple like a double sided card or maybe a more substantial book. Choose a style that fits well with the overall theme of your wedding. A simple way to make it complement your theme is to incorporate your wedding colours. If your having a fun playful wedding why not create a unique embossed or cut out design. Attach ribbon or lace for a more classic feel.

Content
When it comes to writing your wedding program you can keep it simple or elaborate around the basics. The wedding program always has to include the names of the couple getting married as well as that of the officiant. There should also be a list of the rest of the wedding party. Other necessary things are of course the place, date and time of the ceremony. It should also include the order of which the ceremony is conducted, composers and titles of any music performed as well as the singers/musicians. If you want to, you can include an introduction as well as the words to songs or hymns you might want all the guests included in.
Sometimes the couple choose to add an expression of gratitude for everyone involved in making the wedding day special. Some also add a message about absent or deceased members of the family.

Production
If you’re feeling creative or your wedding budget won’t allow you could make your wedding program yourself. To make them consistent do as much as you can on the computer and print it out. You can mount your wording and add creative touches. If you haven’t got time or the inclination to do it yourself you could pay for someone to take care of your wedding program. Agree on the design, supply the wording and set a date for delivery. It is important to have the finished programs delivered at least two weeks before the wedding so that you have time should anything be amiss.

posted by on Nov 16

What would your wedding be without music! Here some alternatives to accompany you, as you walk up and down the aisle. It is really a pleasure to choose the music for the wedding. Below some tips:

Bride – and wedding marches

• Air – George F Handel
• Bridal chorus (Here Comes the Bride) – Richard Wagner
• Spring – Antonio Vivaldi
• Wedding march – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Romeo and Juliet love theme – Tchaikovsky
• Winter – Antonio Vivaldi

It is also very nice to have a solo performer, someone who plays the acoustic guitar, flute or some other instrument.

Other music songs:

• Annie´s song – John Denver
• Ave Maria
• Because you love me – Celine Dion
• Endless love – Lionel Richie
• Everything I do I do it for you – Bryan Adams
• From this moment on – Shania Twain
• Hello – Lionel Richie
• The Rose – Bette Midler
• The way you look tonight – J Kern
• Vision of love – Mariah Carey
• Your song – Elton John

Take your time to choose your music, to make the most of this beautiful moment!