Creating a Memorable Ceremony

 

Here are some tips for designing a day that is as unique as you are:

 

• Attend as many ceremonies as you can.  Most couples will allow you to "crash" their ceremony as long as you don't eat or drink at the reception.
   

• Watch as many movies as you can.  Old or new, Hollywood has given us lots of creative examples of ceremonies.
   

• Ask around:  "What was the best wedding you ever attended?  Why?"
   

• Do you follow a spiritual tradition?  A wedding can be a highly sacred event with or without the mention of a deity.  Together, we will find the right wording for you and your beliefs.
   

• Couples who come from different spiritual practices may choose a ceremony that reflects one religion (like the Vietnamese bride who embraced the traditions of her Irish groom, but included nothing from her own background), or they can blend elements of both their faiths.  A blended ceremony will not look or sound exactly like the ceremonies of either religion, but it can include the most important parts for the couple.  And it will make the families very happy their beliefs were honored.
   

• Was there an event or activity that brought you together?  Is there a theme you would like to use?  It may influence your location, selection of music and vows.
   

• Is regional history or scenery important to you?  Is this a destination wedding?  Some couples select a concert hall or a park or another setting that pays tribute to their relationship.  In Northern California, we have a lot of options:  You can choose a vineyard in wine country.  Perhaps you'd like the Golden Gate Bridge or Lake Tahoe as a backdrop.  Or maybe you want to hold your event on one of our many stunning beaches.  Would an orchard be a good setting for you?  Or maybe an old mining town in gold country?  The possibilities are endless.
   

• What is your heritage?  Every ethnicity has its traditions.  You can do your own research or I can help you.
   

• Do you want to include family traditions?  Some couples repeat some of the vows spoken by their parents or grandparents, sometimes even in more than one language, to honor their families and to extend a bit of history.  Is there a song, a dress, a color or a location you'd like to "borrow" from your ancestors?