Tag: wedding traditions
Real wedding: Camaraderie…
Camaraderie was the order of the day By sheer coincidence, serving soldiers, Jack and Charlotte, chose a former serviceman to marry them. In a previous life, humanist celebrant Robbie Sharpe served in the Royal Air Force and, although they ultimately…
Are wedding favours still a thing?
There’s no compulsion to provide favours at all. More and more couples are opting to ditch them entirely, with some opting to donate to a charity instead. However, if you’d like to offer favours, try to make them something that…
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…
Wedding ceremony rituals
Some people want a very simple ceremony, but others just aren’t sure about the possibilities or what sort of wedding rituals are out there. If that’s you then read on!