Wedding Ceremony Procedures Alexandria VA

Exchanging your wedding vows will be both a public and a private pronouncement of the love you two share, and you'll want it to be unique and meaningful. Options abound for making a wedding ceremony uniquely yours.

Many couples prefer a traditional religious wedding ceremony, officiated by a clergy member and personalized with selected readings, poems, original vows, or symbolic candle lighting. Others might prefer a civil wedding ceremony performed by a public official, or a nondenominational wedding ceremony held in a unitarian church for a spiritual essence without religious restrictions. And if you're an interfaith couple, you may choose an ecumenical ceremony in which an officiant from each faith is present. Whatever you desire, your wedding ceremony should satisfy both your feelings and beliefs, and it should acknowledge the serious nature of the commitment you're making.

Your wedding officiant can usually provide you with a list of recommended readings and music selections (see our Wedding Ceremony Music Suggestion for more details) and explain the basic order of the proceedings. Then it's up to the two of you to decide whether you will follow that exact format or add your own touches. Here are some suggestions:

Readings and Prayers

Readings and prayers may be used to turn even the most strictly religious wedding ceremony into a highly personalized event. or to bring a note of spirituality to an ecumenical wedding ceremony.

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