Ceremony Traditions

Your wedding reception is easy to personalize — your ceremony, however, can be tougher. After all, most wedding ceremonies are rooted in tradition, and involve a series of predetermined steps that have been taken for years (if not centuries!). If you're looking to put your own stamp on the event, incorporate a ritual that symbolizes the reason why you, your spouse-to-be, and your guests are there on the big day: unity.

Some of the following customs and practices, like lighting a unity candle, circling the groom, or jumping the broom are rooted in faith or tradition. But others, like the sand or the tree-planting ceremony, are modern alternatives. While all represent the joining of two people—and familial and community togetherness—there might be a few that resonate more than others. Since no two weddings (or couples!) are the same, we made sure to keep all faiths, cultures, and beliefs in mind when curating this list.

Whether you utilize one of the ideas above or would prefer to dream up something completely different, a ceremonial ritual is bound to bring even more meaning to your big day. These practices can tie your wedding back to marriages that took place hundreds of years ago—or inspire the generations of lovers to come. However you decide to signify unity on your big day, let the following historical, cultural, and spiritual symbolic rituals be your guide.

In the spirit of unity we have one officiant that stands out – Rev. Hannah Grace. With a passion for creating beautiful and meaningful custom wedding ceremonies. As an ordained Interfaith minister she brings knowledge of and respect for a wide range of backgrounds and beliefs to her work in an effort to honor the significant moments in life's journey, offering clients an experience they may not know exists outside of a faith community.

Whether the ceremony is secular, spiritual or religious—at a barn, backyard, mountaintop or museum, chapels or city hall Rev. Hannah Grace has done it all, and everything in between. She has incorporated Buddhist, Jewish, Catholic, Shaker, Sikh, Hindu and Native American faiths, to name a few, and rituals from Greece, Poland, Nepal, Ireland, Japan, the Philippines and beyond.

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