How to Plan Your Wedding Ceremony & Vows | Jesse Blum
Jesse Blum of Eclectic Unions is one of the amazing celebrants we recommend. I asked her to write this article for the Allebach Photography website.
Choosing the person who is going to marry you is hard. You want someone who "gets" you, who can share a little bit of your relationship and your love with all of your guests. That's what I do. Often times, after weddings, guests come up to me or the couple, and they think that I must have known them for years, or that the couple themselves wrote the ceremony. By capturing the details of the everyday, the relationship, and the love that my couples share, I create unique wedding ceremonies that really speak to who they are, and, more importantly, what their marriage will be like. Because, in the end, that's why we're all here, right? Because two people loved each other enough that they want to stand up in front of their family and friends and make promises and vows and be with one another for the rest of their lives.
A lot of time, with wedding planning, we get bogged down in details – what color our shoes or nail polish should be, what the flowers will look like, where Aunt Julie is going to sit at the reception. By taking some time to concentrate on the ceremony, and make it into a special and personal moment, instead of just using a standard script or readings, you can share a little bit of your lives and relationship with your guests through the ceremony, enabling them to really "feel your love" and commitment to each other.
One of my favorite elements is to create a custom ritual for my couples, one that is really tailored to them. You may have heard of the more standard wine ceremony – maybe they can share a glass of wine that was purchased at the vineyard they were engaged at. Or go a little more than that – what other beverages do they like to share? I had a couple who did a cider sharing ceremony, cider they had brewed themselves for the wedding! Or what about a twist on the sand ceremony, where colored sand is poured into a vessel to represent their coming together – what about a tasty twist, like salt and pepper or colored candies? Or a family twist, like sand from the beaches they went to as kids?
And then, of course, there is the personal story. I like to find fun stories that capture a couple's relationship – oftentimes, these are their engagement or first date or first kiss, but I had a couple where we instead shared the story of them going to see a space shuttle launch. It was unusual, but really showed their perseverance, their love, and their passion.
There is so much that a Celebrant can do with a wedding – so many directions to go in, so many ways to personalize it and make it fun. Because, in the end, we want to have fun – this is a wedding, after all!
Make sure to stop by and visit her site http://www.eclectic-unions.com
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Your wedding ceremony is the key element and centerpiece of your whole wedding celebration, and I work closely with my couples to create a ceremony that truly reflects who you and your partner are, and your love and commitment for each other. All traditions, religions, backgrounds, and life choices are honored and accepted. Together, we will create your ideal ceremony – and I promise it will be touching, funny, and a special moment that you, your family and friends will remember forever.