Tag: symbolic gestures
The Oathing Stone: A ritual that rocks
Thinking about adding the oathing stone ritual into your wedding ceremony? We spoke to celebrant Lizzie Edgerton to find out why it’s her favourite symbolic gesture! Photos are from Matt and Summer’s gorgeous elopement in the Scottish Borders. The couple…
Involving friends and family in your ceremony
One of the most special things about your wedding day is getting to share it with your nearest and dearest. For many, involving friends and family in the ceremony can make things even more personalised and meaningful. Whether you are…
Real wedding: First love
First love, everlasting love If you can survive as a couple through those late teenage years – those years of self-growth and discovery – and you come through the other end still wanting to be together, then the likelihood is…
Naming ceremony rituals and keepsakes
Naming ceremony rituals and keepsakes are really popular ways to make ceremonies even more personal and memorable for families. Here we explore some of the better known and most popular rituals or symbolic gestures included a Humanist Society Scotland welcoming…
Unity candle
A unity candle is a symbolic way of showing the joining of a couple in marriage. You will each light a candle representing you as two individuals – ‘twin flames’ – usually before you make your legal declarations. After you…
Quaich
A quaich is a Scottish two-handled drinking cup, often referred to as the cup of life. Drinking from the quaich is one of many wedding rituals often included in humanist wedding ceremonies. The history behind it Drinking from a quaich…
Wedding band warming
If you’re exchanging rings as an outward symbol of your love for one another, you can choose to have them ‘warmed’ first. The symbolism of a wedding band warming ceremony is that your wedding rings have been ‘warmed’ forever by…
Handfasting
Handfasting is an ancient celtic marriage ritual and is thought to be where the expression ‘tying the knot’ came from. This is one of the most popular symbolic gestures, or rituals, in humanist wedding ceremonies. It even featured in popular…
Sand ceremony
A sand ceremony is a unique way to symbolise two lives becoming one, or the blending of families in a wedding ceremony. It’s also a beautiful way of symbolising the strength of a family unit in a naming ceremony. The…
Oathing stone ritual
Humanist wedding ceremonies often include symbolic gestures, or rituals. The oathing stone is a great alternative to handfasting, since this ritual is also typically performed while exchanging vows. The history behind it This ancient ceremony is rooted deeply in the…
Civil partnership
There are no significant differences between the rights and obligations of a marriage and those of a civil partnership. Civil partnerships are formed by signing a civil partnership document, whereas marriages are formed by making legal declarations. Some people are…