Touching, Traditional Wedding Ceremonies with a Twist

Curious to learn some of the personal twists that get her the most? “When couples write their own vows,” says Olsen, “and I’m a sucker for anything that includes the guests as a whole. For example at one wedding ceremony, the bride’s family surprised the couple with a rendition of ‘Hallelujah,’ but with lyrics changed to pertain to them, and the entire congregation joined in for the chorus. Acapella group singing is a personal fave.”

Because the wedding ceremony is where the true combining of lives formally takes place, we understand that many couples also have to be thoughtful about weaving in multi-faith and multi-cultural elements into their at-the-altar-mix. First and foremost, you’ll want to schedule some tête-à-tête’s with your boo, both sides of the family and your officiant very early on to see how best to create something harmonious and reflective of your two unique perspectives (this applies whether you’re bringing two religions or two cultures - or both- together through your vows). Once you’ve mapped this out with your loved ones, your event planner can jump in with some creative suggestions to bring it all home.

”…they all sang the bride down the aisle, it was amazing!”

Take it from Jove Meyer, of Jove Meyer Events, who openly admits that he, too, is a lover of the ceremonial sap. “It may be that I am a hopeless romantic or just that I have amazing couples, but many of my couple’s ceremonies have moved me in meaningful ways!” Beyond his romantic inclinations, Meyer is also big proponent of taking cultural and religious tradition and personalizing it to make it a reflection of you and your partner. “For example when a couple’s having a jewish-ish ceremony, instead of just one person stomping on the glass, each person does it. Another great jewish tradition that has been edited is when you have your friends read the seven blessings instead of the rabi. They can modernize them and make them personal,” continues Meyer.

Meyer, like Olsen, is also a big fan of the participatory wedding ceremony and agrees that music is one of the best ways to invite everyone into this intimate moment. “I love when a couple has a talented friend who performs a song for them,” says Meyer, “I have also had a couple sing with all of their guests to start the ceremony off - it really brought everyone together and they all sang the bride down the aisle, it was amazing!”

Since your wedding ceremony is one of the most emotional parts of your Big Day, for you, your wedding party and your guests, you’ll also want to be mindful of the flow; making sure everyone feels thoughtfully taken care of as you move from the ceremony to the reception. Alia Wilson, go-to event planner from Firefly Events confides that, “a great flow is really important. You don’t want your guests to have to walk too far or in a manner that’s too confusing, from the ceremony to the reception.”

From your vows to your first dance, we’ve got you! And, we highly suggest taking these tips to heart so that your magic moments are full of love, heartfelt words and personal twists that will guarantee you and your guests will remember your unique union forever.