People tie in knot and marriage practiced around the world but the way people like to celebrate it is to vary from culture to culture. These days there are so many rituals that couples perform to make their wedding memorable and joyful. Some rituals are spiritual and part of religion while some are made for fun and the result of creative thought. Incorporating one to two rituals at your wedding is a great way to celebrate your big day. Here is the list of some popular rituals with the history behind them. So let’s observe some great wedding ceremonies rituals and understand what they really mean.
Unity Candle Ceremony:
I’m sure you must have seen a couple performing a unity candle ceremony because it is one of the most popular and easy rituals. In this ritual groom and bride each have one small candle and one big candle placed on the middle to those two candles. Couple burn the small candle and together they light the big middle candle. Lighting together symbolizes the mixture of two lives into one. This ritual is easy to do but if you observe it symbolizes how marriage joins two lives into one and their individuality has been replaced with unity and commitment.
Sand Ceremony:
One of the most popular rituals when it comes to beach-themed weddings. It is a type of a unity ceremony. In the sand ceremony, the groom and bride have a vial of sand usually they both have a different color. They pour the sand in a single container that symbolizes their connection and joining of two lives. Two different colors and vial shows separate lives before the marriage and when they pour the sand color in one container and the sand mixed with each other and unable to separate that shows the life of groom and bride after the marriage. It symbolize the lifelong marriage.
Wine Ceremony:
It is also the type of unity ceremony and it is as same as sand and candle ceremony but it usually takes place after the ring ceremony and after the exchanging of vows. In this ceremony, the bride and groom’s parents bring their selective wine into the ceremony. The bride and groom take their perspective wine and pour it into a single glass to show the blending of families. Sometimes the wines are dry and sweet which symbolize that the marriage has ups and downs but you need to be together with each other in sorrow and in joy, in happiness and in sadness, in health and in sickness.
Dove/butterfly Release:
Dove is the symbol of peace, purity and hope. In wedding ceremony, when the dove or butterfly release ceremony takes place it shows that it is a beginning of hope and of a new journey with no regret. It shows the starting of a new life with new hopes. This ceremony takes place before the bride and groom walk down the aisle as a husband and wife. Watching the butterfly and dove releasing in the sky shows that now the couple has moved on from the past and completely devoted to the present and future.
Tree planting Ceremony:
A perfect ceremony for the eco-friendly person who loves green and nature. If you and your partner are fascinated by nature and greenery then you should have a tree-planting ceremony at your wedding. After saying I do bride and groom plant a small tree in the altar that reflects their relationship. With the passage of time, the tree gets stronger and healthier just like their relationship. In this ritual family members, relatives and friends can also participate to show the blending of two families into one family. It’s a beautiful way to start a new life by doing something for nature.
The ceremony of the three Cords:
The ceremony of the three Cords also knows as God’s knot or unity braid ceremony. So what happens in this ceremony? In this ceremony, there are three cords of different colors (Golden, purple and white) Golden represents GOD, purple represents Groom and, white represents Bride. The golden cord keeps between the middle of purple and white which shows that the GOD is in the between of your marriage. Bride and Groom together braid the cord of three. This ceremony is the symbol of GOD’s sacred union in the marriage.
Handfasting Ceremony:
This ritual is very popular because It is a very beautiful and symbolic marriage ritual. In this traditional hand fasting ceremony, a bride and a groom stand face to face and their hands are tied together. The bounding of two hands symbolizes the true meaning of marriage and the relation between them. With the bound hands, both the parties express their feeling and show their commitment to each other. This ritual usually finds in western European countries. It is one of the kinds of unity ceremony which has gain popularity among modern couples.
Ring Warming Ceremony:
Incorporating the ring warming ceremony at your wedding is the best way to involve all your guests at your wedding. The ring warming ceremony is easy to do but this ritual gives a chance to all the guests to warm your ring with good wishes. In this ceremony, the ring is being passed to all the guests so that they can bless them for your relationship with hope, good luck, and prosperity. The ring warming ceremony is the perfect way to send warm wishes and blessings to the bride and groom and your contribution to the couple’s life and wedding.
Salt Ceremony:
Salt is the symbol of usefulness, loyalty, and durability. The word “Covenant of Salt” is the indication of everlasting relation between GOD and human. Salt Ceremony is just like any other unity ceremony and it describes the blending of two families into one. In this ceremony, just like any other unity ceremony couple add salt from two small bottles into one large bottle and then used it for cooking. This ritual tells how two different people have become one after coming into the umbrella of marriage. Different culture performs this ritual in a different way and manner.
Rose Ceremony:
This ritual is simple yet romantic that is why it was the part of 2019 wedding photography trend. Roses has always symbolized as love and affection. In this ritual, just before the couple announced as husband and wife, they give each other a red rose that symbolize the giving and taking of love. A single red rose indicates “I love you”. This ritual is the most romantic way to start your new life with your loved one by exchanging the roses. The rose ceremony is the visual representation of the love and care between bride and groom.
Blessing of the coin:
Blessing of the coin ceremony originated in Spain and it usually incorporate in Hispanic wedding. This ceremony performs by the groom to show the support and care of him for his bride. In this ritual, the groom offered thirteen gold coins to his bride as a gift to show his affection and care. This ceremony represents the bride and groom promise to provide the support and care to each other and to each other families. In the Hispanic wedding tradition, thirteen coins represent thirteen words; love, peace, commitment, respect, trust, joy, happiness, nurturing, caring, harmony, wholeness, prosperity, and, cooperation.
Jumping the broom:
Jumping the broom is the wedding tradition mostly incorporate in the wedding by Black communities in the United States of America. This ritual is so easy and quick to do is that all you need is a Broom. In this ritual, couple either at a wedding or at a reception jump over the broom sometimes separately sometimes together. Jumping over the broom indicates that they have entered into a new life and they have moved on from their single life, their past problems, and concern. The significance and importance of broom are deeply rooted in African American heritage.
The unity heart ceremony:
The Unity heart ceremony is definitely a timeless symbol for the couple. Unity heart ceremony illustrates how two hearts link and connect with each other and become one for a lifetime. The best thing about unity heat ceremony is it keeps at the home the couple and reminds them how they are bounded with each other in this beautiful relation. In this ritual, two hearts are locked together by the Crystal Ball peg. This ritual is the optimum choice for those couples who are looking to do something creative and unique in their wedding day. This ceremony also called a locking heart ceremony.
