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SYMBOLIC CEREMONY IDEAS
Adding a symbolic visual element to your ceremony can really tie the whole thing together. Visuals speak to everyone and evoke memories and feelings that words sometimes can’t.
Many of the symbolic elements below have a participatory element so they are an easy and simple way of including more special people in your ceremony.
COMMUNITY VOWS
Probably the simplest and most profound way to involve everyone, is to include a community vow, where all the guests at the ceremony make their own vow to continue to be great friends and supporters of the married couple in their life together.
SAND CEREMONY
This would work well at a beach wedding. Either the bride and groom alone, or with their guests take some sand, either from the beach or from a vessel given to them and pour it into a community vessel with the bride and groom to symbolise their joining together in marriage, and their community’s support.
WISHING STONES
Each guest is given a pebble at the beginning of the ceremony, which they are asked to hold during the ceremony then place into a vase or box at the end to pass their good wishes onto the couples to keep. You could also have the guests write their wishes on the stones.
PLANTING A TREE
During the ceremony the couple “plant a tree” together, symbolically pouring earth into a pot with a sapling tree inside which will grow along with their relationship. The guests could be invited to add their own earth to the pot and add their symbolic support of the couple as they start out together.
WISHES FOR THE COUPLE
There are lots of different ways to do this, depending on the style of the ceremony, but the basic idea is that each guest is given a card and a pen or pencil to write a little message for the couple to pledge their support or advice for them – a little like a guest book.
CALL AND RESPONSE READINGS
Two guests read a reading together – this makes it more fun for them and also for those watching. It could be something funny, or profound or it could be a way of combining two families through reading passages from two faiths or in two languages.
SINGING TOGETHER
Singing as a group creates a feeling of community and togetherness and the songs don’t have to be traditional. It would be really nice and maybe even funny to sing something contemporary that everyone knows – and a nice surprise for the guests.
WARMING OF THE RINGS
This may be done before the ceremony or may be passed around family and friends during the ceremony. Finally, reaching the couple as they say their vows and then exchange the rings.
Each person imparts their good wishes and blessings for the couple as they hold the rings, “warming” them, before the couple exchange them imbued with good feelings.
HANDFASTING
Handfasting is an ancient Celtic engagement ritual where a couple signify their intent to be married by binding their hands with ribbons, each of which represents a promise.
These ribbons are tied in a knot. In a wedding ceremony, handfasting can be used to represent the couple’s free choice to be together, symbolised by the perishability of the ribbons.
WINE / BEER / COCKTAIL /GIN & TONIC CEREMONY
The couple each pour one another a glass of beer or wine, symbolising their willingness to give and receive as a member of an equal partnership. You could also make a cocktail and drink it together. Maybe even your friends and family could add ingredients with a little message for you – almost like a reading.
QUAICH – SCOTTISH FRIENDSHIP CUP CEREMONY
The Quaich is a traditional Scottish Friendship cup, commonly made of pewter or wood. It has two handles representing each member of the couple.
The couple both drink (whiskey/brandy/vodka or whatever drink they choose) from the Quaich at the end of their ceremony to seal their wedding vows.
EXCHANGING LETTERS
The couple writes secret letters for one another which they present to each other just before they make their marriage vows.
These letters are kept safe, and on the date their first wedding anniversary they each open the letters and read them. This could become a yearly tradition.
WEDDING CHEST
The wedding chest is a special box presented to the couple on their wedding day. This box is for them to put special keepsakes inside which will remind them of important moments throughout their lives.
They could begin by placing the vows they have written for one another inside the box at the end of the ceremony.
JUMPING THE BROOM
This tradition dates back to the 1800s and is believed to have origins in western African weddings and Wiccan communities.
Jumping the broom takes place at the very end of the wedding ceremony, after the officiant pronounces the couple as officially married.
The newlyweds jump over a broomstick before the recessional to symbolise sweeping away their old lives and welcoming their new life together.
BURYING THE BOURBON TRADITION
Burying the bourbon is a Southern tradition that’s said to prevent rain or bad weather on your special day. Exactly one month before your wedding, dig a hole at your ceremony site and bury an unopened bottle of bourbon (make sure that it’s upside-down).
According to the superstition, you’ll have sunny skies for your wedding day! Right after you and your spouse say “I do,” dig up the bottle and enjoy.
While I’m not positive this works, I can’t argue that it makes for a priceless photo op!
WEDDING CEREMONY TIME CAPSULE
This is a newer wedding ceremony ritual, but we love the romantic notion behind it. Before the wedding, you and your partner write love letters to each other and then seal or lock them inside a box during the ceremony.
Traditionally, the letters are accompanied by a bottle of your favorite wine or champagne— and any other mementos you want to save as a keepsake.
You’ll eventually open the wine box or time capsule at a later date, such as an anniversary or life milestone.
