Parts of a Wedding Ceremony

What are the different parts of a wedding ceremony? 

Maybe you are writing your own wedding ceremony or maybe you are putting together the program for your wedding before you send it off to the printer and you are asking yourself, how exactly does this work?  Are there different parts of a ceremony and, what are they called?

The first thing I want to point out is, there is no right or wrong.  There are no absolutes.  If you are getting married in a church or religious institution, they have a set way of performing a wedding.  Ask them what that is and then use their information to print your program.  (Trying to decide if you should print a program? Click Here)  If you are writing your own ceremony or working with a professional wedding officiant, it’s really up to you what you put in your wedding ceremony.  I’ve put this website together for myself and the couples I marry and anyone else who would like to use it.  There may be other words people use or have been traditionally used. This is my personal version and it’s always open to revision.  I want you to have the wedding ceremony you want and I make suggestions and share my experiences so you have more information to make your own decisions. If I’m your wedding officiant, I look it as my job to support your decisions.  ​

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Here is a list of the possible parts of a wedding ceremony.  You can use all of them or just the parts you need.  
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• The Unplugged Ceremony
• The Photo Moment 
• The Procession 
• Presentation
• Opening Prayer
• Welcoming
• Moment of Silence
• Words about love and marriage for the couple
• Readings appropriate for the wedding
• Declaration of Intent
• Support of the Community
• Exchange of vows
• Talk about the meaning of the rings
• The blessing of the rings
• Exchange of rings
• Unity ceremony
• Final words of encouragement for the couple
• Final blessing or closing prayer
• Pronouncement of Marriage
• First Kiss
• Introduction as a married couple
• Instructions for the guests after the ceremony  

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The Unplugged Ceremony

It has become very popular to announce an unplugged ceremony.  It's when you ask your guests to silence and put away cell phones and refrain from taking pictures during the wedding.  There are opinions about this and it can be worded in many different ways. 

There is usually as sign, isn't that enough? 

Maybe.  I usually think of it as eye-candy.  It's a cute sign to look at but people may not pay attention.  It's better to say something at the right time. 

You may think it's rude to ask your guests to do this. 

I get that!  You may know your family better and know it's pointless to ask!  Some couples simply ask guests to stay seated during their ceremony instead of standing up and taking pictures. Some couples want you to keep the wedding off of social media.  

I've heard some photographers will give you a discount if you announce an unplugged ceremony! 

Unplugged Ceremony Options

The Photo Moment

Some couples want their guests to have an opportunity to take pictures during their ceremony.  They also want their professional photographers to take great pictures.  You can give your guests an opportunity to take a phone-shot with their phones at the beginning of the ceremony and then put their phones away, or right before your pronouncement. 

The Procession  

This is how everyone enters the ceremony.  If you are having a small wedding or eloping, you might just gather around, with the couple holding hands and facing each other.  If you are having a formal wedding, you will decide how everyone is going to enter or walk down the aisle.  Who will escort grandparents or the mother of the bride? Perhaps both parents will escort both the bride and the groom down the aisle?  ​

The Presentation 

 Traditionally, this is the presentation of the bride and the words are, “Who gives this woman to be married?”  Or, “ Who gives this woman to be married to this man”  Today, the verbiage might be changed to “Who presents this woman to be married?”  Some couples choose to have both the bride and the groom presented in a wedding, as in the Jewish Culture.  If it’s a same gender wedding, both brides or both grooms may want to be presented in marriage.  It’s a way to honor your parents and your family and give meaning to now only marriage but the continuation and growing of the family.
Some brides are simply escorted down the aisle and nothing is said. 

Opening Prayer 

 If you are having a secular, or non religious, ceremony, you can leave this out.  It could also be replaced with something secular like a poem about love.  ​

Opening Prayer Options

The Welcoming

 As a wedding officiant, I love to say to the couple “Welcome to your wedding!”  All the planning that goes into your wedding day and the momentous occasion of walking down the aisle and being in this place of actually going through the process of being married and exchanging vows is huge! You’ve just had the emotion of maybe seeing each other for the first time on your wedding day or finally experiencing the moment of walking down the aisle. I love to take just those few seconds to breathe and acknowledge that particular moment for what it is, even if they are the only two people to hear it.  The wedding ceremony is about the two of you exchanging vow and making promises to last a lifetime. 

Of course, after I welcome you, the couple, I welcome everyone who came from far and wide, thanking them for being there and making the trip.  We might also take time to say hello to those people joining via video chat from a distance. If the wedding is being videotaped for an elderly person to watch later, I like to acknowledge them as they are there in real time. Some couples do their best to do a live video chat but if they can’t, they take a video to show them later.  ​

Options for Welcoming Your Guests to Your Wedding

Moment of Silence  

This is when we take a moment to acknowledge those who aren’t present at the wedding.  Either they couldn’t make it or they have passed away.  For some couples this is very important. They want to remember those who have recently passed away.  I know personally, my father will always remember our grandmothers on special occasions, especially a wedding, knowing how special and important it would have been for them if they were there. I always caution couples when they decide to do this.  If someone recently passed away it may do more harm than good because it will stir up emotions. You can name actual people or, you can make a blanket statement.  Some couples simply leave it out.  The day is about them and those present.  End of story.  I once had a couple use the phrase, “We’d like to remember those who are not here today, either they are no longer with us or they had something better to do.”  Think about it, it was a realistic statement! ​

Moment of Silence Options

Words about love and marriage 

This could be a few short paragraphs about marriage itself.  It can also include personal information about how the couple met, things about their relationship and funny or meaningful stories.  This could also include religious passages  or scriptures about marriage.  For a small wedding or elopement, I often use an appropriate reading, poem or passage from a book that says everything perfectly.  My favorite passage to use is Union, From Beginning to End by Robert Fulgham

Words About Love And Marriage

​Readings

Readings could be passages from the bible, poetry or passages specifically written about marriage, love or spirituality.  This is a great opportunity to have loved ones participate in your wedding by sharing a reading.  It can be very special to have those people reading choose a reading to share that is meaningful to them when they think of you and sharing the day with you.  These readings could also be funny, about your dogs or something fun and lighthearted for your wedding.  Not everyone has a super-serious wedding. Sometimes the people chosen to do a funny reading actually give a fantastic performance.  I once married two English teachers who chose their favorite book passages and read them to each other during the wedding.  It was so sweet

Non-Religious Readings

Christian Wedding Readings

Declaration of Intent   

The Declaration of Intent are the "I do's." The ONE thing I need to do is ask you is, "do you consent to the marriage?"  This can be said in many ways.  The traditional "to have and to hold..."  Or, there are many more modern and updated versions! There are usually considered vows too.  But vows can be something you write personally too.  

Non-Religious Declaration of Intent Options

Christian Declaration Of Intent Options

Exchange of Vows 

I have a vow writing guide to assist you in writing your vows.  You can choose to share your vows during your wedding ceremony or privately, before your ceremony.  Many couples choose to do this during their first look.  You can also write vows for each other and have me read them for you or work them into your ceremony if you don't want to say them out loud. 

Vow Writing Guide

The meaning of the wedding rings 

This can be something different for everyone.  They could be an outward and visible sign of the vows you’ve made. They can mean, you are “taken” when you go to a bar.  They could could symbolize the unending circles that they are, like love, they have no beginning and not end.  They can be a daily reminder that there is one other person in the world that has pledged to love you, forever.  Some couples are choosing tattoo’s over actual rings and some couples are choosing not to wear them or one person is choosing not to wear a ring, for whatever reason.  I thought that was really odd the first time I heard it.  However, the bride really didn’t care and they decided to spend the money on something else.  I have a friend that got married late in life and her husband also chose to forego the ring. He works with his hands every day and with electricity.  There are non-metal wedding band these days a lot of couples are choosing however, there is no law that states you must wear a ring.  ​

Meaning of Your Ring Options

The Blessing of the Rings

 This is for a religious wedding.  I never really thought about it until I was performing a christian wedding for a couple in their backyard.  We didn’t include a blessing of the rings.  At the end of the wedding the father of the bride was quite upset.  He said, “You didn’t bless the rings!  If they walk into the house without having their rings blessed it’s bad luck!”  There was no logic in the statement, but we stopped, bowed our heads, and I blessed the rings.  Other couples have specifically asked for me to bless the rings during the ceremony. ​

Christian Ring Blessings

The Ring Exchange 

 Sometimes couples simply put the rings on each other’s fingers.  In an informal wedding or elopement I usually ask the couple if they have anything they would like to say to each other ask they place rings on each other’s fingers or would they like to repeat after me?  They may say something like, I love you!  Traditionally the phrase has been, “With this ring, I thee wed.”  I’ve started using, “With this ring I marry you” because a lot of people were not familiar with using the word “thee” and it was coming out, “With this ring, we be married.”  Sometimes couples speak actual vows while exchanging rings.  

Ring Exchanges - Non-Religious

Ring Exchanges - Christian

Unity Ceremony 

 There are a lot of options for unity ceremonies.  This is another thing I have mixed feelings about  There are things to do during your wedding that having incredible meaning at this point.  If you are joining two families with children there may be vows to the children or some sort of unity ceremony, like the sand ceremony.  Maybe the couple can express themselves in a really fun way during their wedding ceremony with a unity ceremony.  The unity candle honors their mothers in a beautiful way and is common in a Catholic wedding so mother’s appreciate it if you aren’t getting married in the church.   Tying a knot or doing a box ceremony.  They can have a powerful meaning or be really fun during your ceremony.  Just remember you don’t have to do a unity ceremony if you don’t want to.  It’s not in any way a required part of your wedding.  You may not want to spend the money on the supplies or it may just not completely unnecessary to you.  ​

Unity Ceremonies

​Final Words of Encouragement for the couple ​

 This could also be a personal statement for the couple or a secular blessing. 

Secular Blessings

Final Blessing or Closing Prayer

   In a Christian wedding, a final prayer can be offered, or a mixture of many.  ​

Christian Blessings

Pronouncement of Marriage! 

 “ I now pronounce you married!”  “I now pronounce you husband and wife!”  Man and wife is definitely out of style, for the most part.  There are a few ways you can say this.  ​

Pronouncement Options

Christian Pronouncements

The Kiss!  

“You may seal this marriage with a kiss” or, “You may kiss your bride!” ​

Introduction as a Married Couple  

This can vary for everyone. Sometimes I just say Name and Name are Married!  Mr. and Mrs. Doe or Mr. and Mrs. John Doe or Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Doe.  Some people choose to leave it out.  

Instructions for the Guests 

Where should the guests go now? To another room for cocktails?  To the reception at another venue?  Should certain people stay for pictures?  I sometimes put the instructions for guests before the pronouncement, especially if there is some sort of send off for the bride and groom and you need to give specific directions.  

If you’ve read this far, thank you!  You may have learned more about wedding ceremonies than you realized.  Hopefully, you have more of an understanding of the parts of a wedding ceremony. 

 The biggest thing I think most people don’t realize is they don’t have to do each thing.  It’s OK to say vows and exchange rings and be done.  I once wrote a long, detailed, personalized ceremony for a couple who came back with a request that I use a very short, traditionally worded ceremony verbatim.  It seemed really odd to me; they’d rented one of the most amazing ceremony venues in town for a 5-minute ceremony.  It turned out that they really didn’t want to cry during the ceremony, so they made it super simple, and the verbiage made it hard to get emotional.  I received a thank you note from them stating they had more compliments on the ceremony and it’s brevity!  There is something to be said for keeping it short, simple, and brief!