Wedding ceremony readings are verbiage read by a family member or friend during a wedding ceremony. We wanted to provide a showing of our favorite examples of our favorite readings. However, while researching such readings, we realized that we would need to have permission by the authors to post their words on our site. You see, authors own the copyrights to their published words. Therefore, we were forced to change our thinking a bit to be legal.

As a result, we decided to give you, our readers, the best sources for finding the perfect wedding ceremony reading.

• Recite the lyrics of your favorite song.  This could include a song about the bridal couple (motorcycle riders – Song: Born To Be Wild, ice cream lovers – Song: Ice Cream).  In addition, the song read during the ceremony can be played as the bride and groom’s first dance song.  Love songs may include John Lennon’s Grow Old With Me and Dance Me To The End Of Love written by Leonard Cohen.
• Recite your favorite Bible scripture.  One of our favorites is 1 Corinthians 13 – Love Is The Greatest.
• Recite your favorite poem.  It doesn’t have to be a love poem.  Just select a poem that describes the bride and groom or describes their feelings for each other.
• Wedding ceremony readings from movies.  There are an unlimited number of movies that contain a wedding ceremony.  Such movies include a quote from The Prophet and a famous quote from the movie When Harry Met Sally.
• Popular literary excerpts from the likes of Plato and any other great literary writers.  It could even be an excerpt from your favorite book!  Check out Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.
• Take an exempt from an opera.  Verdels’s opera La Traviatta is a great example.
• Also review your favorite love story plays.Review Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.
• Not only excerpts from movies common, so are love meaning excerpts from your favorite TV shows.
• Last and probably the most important is to write your readings from the bride and groom’s own hearts.  Nothing will be more powerful than from the bridal couple themselves.

I hope this gives you some ideas on the verbiage for your wedding ceremony.  There is plenty of examples on the web for each category.

The unity candle is a tradition at most weddings.  The lighting of the unity candle is meant to signify the joining of the bride and groom as one.  Unity candles come in many sizes, shapes and colors.  You can purchase them already made, or you can design it yourself for a more customized look.  Usually, the unity candle is comprised of three separate candles.  Two smaller or thinner candles and a larger or thicker candle placed between them.  Most wedding venues have an area for your unity candle but if you are choosing something out of the ordinary you may want to check with your venue to be sure your idea will work.  If you are choosing to customize your own unity candle, here are a couple ideas to help you out.

Tradition usually dictates unity candles are white.  It is your wedding and you can make your own traditions so think outside the box.  Candles now come in all different colors.  How about using your wedding colors to help you choose the colors of the candles?  You can make all three candles the same color, or you can choose to make the two smaller candles one color and the center candle another color.

You can also decorate the candles.  There are products out there that are used to adhere on the outside walls of candles for decorative purposes.  If you cannot find those, you may choose other items to decorate the candle like buttons, artificial flowers, ribbons, etc. Use a dab of hot glue or regular white glue to affix your decorations.  You can also just melt the wax slightly and press your decoration into it.

Another idea for a candle is a memory candle.  These are usually used when a loved one has passed away before the wedding.  This candle is can be set somewhere separate from the unity candle and is usually lit right before the ceremony.  If it is a member of the brides’ family, like mother or father, then the bride will light the candle after walking down the isle.  The same holds true for the groom.  This candle can also be personalized with some type of decoration.  You might want to think about affixing a photo of the person the candle if it is in memory of.  In other words, if it is the mother of the bride, take a photo or photocopy of the mother, cut it out and attach it to the candle.  You can also place ribbon or beads around the picture to make it stand out more.

If you really do not care for candles, or the wedding venue does not allow them, you may want to consider sand instead.  The premise is the same as for candles.  You will need three containers.  Your containers can be any color, shape, or size you choose.  Fill two containers with sand; they do not have to be completely full.  We recommend using two different colors of sand so that it can be seen easily.  Again, you have the option of using any color you like.

For either method, candles or sand, the officiant will tell you when you should light the candle or mix the sand.  The bride and groom will each take one of the smaller candles (they will already be lit).  Then, together the bridal couple will light the larger candle.  With sand, the bride and groom will each take a smaller, sand filled container, and then together they will fill the larger container.  Both methods are a symbol of two people joining together as one.

Summary: It is your best friend’s wedding and you want to make it really special for her but do not know what to do or how to go about it. Then you should take charge of selecting the wedding songs to be played on the special day. Read this article to find out what type of songs and music you need to choose for the wedding ceremony.

Without doubt wedding songs are an integral part of a wedding ceremony. Thus, it becomes important to choose the right songs so as to make the wedding more memorable. So what type of wedding songs to choose? This can be a bit tricky with the option to choose from millions of songs and thousands of wedding songs. But then, the whole task can be quite enjoyable too. While choosing the songs, one consideration could be whether the wedding will be a traditional or contemporary affair. Depending on the type of wedding, songs can be chosen to reflect the whole ambiance of the wedding.

If the wedding ceremony is planned to take place in a traditional manner, then slow-moving traditional songs can be played. Though, it is not a hard and fast rule to opt for traditional songs. Some contemporary love songs can be played too. There are lots of songs that can certainly make the ceremony quite lively. Another good option could be to hire a pianist. The pianist can play at a slower tempo and could give the feeling of the start of the ceremony.

Besides a pianist, an orchestra can be a good choice too, with people to play the violin, cello and saxophone. Another great option could be to hire professional singers to sing wedding songs during the whole wedding affair. The professional singers can be asked to sing from the list of selected songs.

You can also purchase a CD of best wedding songs for the special day, if the ceremony is planned to be a simple one. This could be the choice for couples who prefer a small and simple wedding ceremony and do not wish to hire an orchestra. These music CDs will deliver just what is required to be played on the wedding day from traditional wedding songs to groovier and slow dance tracks. One can also choose the songs before hand and get it burned on a CD to be played on the wedding day. The songs can be chosen and downloaded from popular music websites.

However, the most important thing to remember while selecting the wedding songs is to make it absolutely personal for the bride and the bridegroom. The idea should not be just to please the guests but more so to make it memorable for the wedding couple. The first dance of the married couple is special to both the bride and groom and care should be taken to select a song that is liked by both or somehow reflects their love story.

A wedding is a once in a lifetime occasion and it becomes that much more crucial to make it really special and memorable and by choosing the right songs to be played on the wedding day, this goal can be achieved.

To make the wedding ceremony a grand success, songs and music play an important role. By taking care of this need, the wedding can be made quite a special and unforgettable event for both the married couple as well as the guests.

This article has been written by an expert working with WeddingMuseum.com, a website that offers a list of professional wedding planners along with free wedding website service.

Planning a Memorable Wedding Ceremony
by Jean Neuhart

Congratulations! You and your beloved have decided to get married. Romance and excitement fills the air as you think about what you will wear, what your bouquet will look like, who will be invited, and where the wedding reception will take place. But don’t forget the wedding ceremony. These days there’s so much emphasis on planning the “fun” parts of a wedding (reception, music, food, gown, etc.) the ceremony itself can easily become nothing but an afterthought.

So what is a wedding ceremony? It is a rite of passage in the form of a public exchange of vows. Note the keyword here – “public.” Two people state their vows in the presence of their guests, who are active witnesses, and an officiant. It is interesting to note that the officiant (minister, pastor, judge) doesn’t actually marry the couple, instead they marry each other, by means of stating their intent, reciting their vows, and the other formalities customary to the wedding ceremony. The officiant is merely the formal representative of your witnesses. Your officiant can also lead you through the customs and rituals associated with the ceremony.

Does this mean that you have to have hundreds of “witnesses?” Of course not. You may have your heart set on inviting hundreds of friends and family members to celebrates, and have a maid of honor, best man, bridesmaids, groomsmen, jr. bridesmaids and groomsmen, ring bearers and flower girls. Then again, you may prefer to have a simple ceremony in front of your immediate families with only have a maid of honor and best man. Some areas only require your officiant to be the official witness. Be sure to inquire at your marriage license bureau to see what local rules apply.

Sit down with your fiancé and decide what style of ceremony will be the most appropriate for both of you. Do the two of you prefer a religious, non-denominational, or perhaps civil ceremony? Do you want readings, and if so, would you prefer them to be from scripture, literature or from another source? Are there any cultural or ethnic customs you want incorporated into your ceremony? How many guests do you want? Don’t forget to think about your parents, and the expectations, if any, they may have for your wedding day.

Adding personalized touches to your ceremony is fun, and can make for a much more meaningful event, not only for your friends and family, but for you and your fiancé. Personalization can make the difference between a cookie cutter wedding and one that is charming and expressive.

The variety of ways to add personalization is easy and abundant. You can include a special reading or prayer. A special hymn or song can be played. You may choose to compose all of your vows, or just a portion. The observance of ethnic or family customs is a nice touch. Perhaps you can carry a handkerchief or pin that was carried by your grandmother or mother when she got married or incorporate a flower that was in your sister’s bouquet into your own . . .

Be sure to inform your guests as to the meaning behind any unusual or particularly special personalization, or cultural rituals. Keeping your guests informed during your wedding ceremony, and allowing them to understand and appreciate the events happening before them will make your event more meaningful and memorable for everyone. One of the easiest, and inexpensive, ways to provide this information is by using a program, which also makes a lovely keepsake of your special day. With the use of a home computer, a color printer, and some pretty paper from your local craft store, you can easily design and create a unique program for your wedding.

But regardless of how simple or how elaborate your wedding ceremony will be, please give it some serious thought while planning your wedding. After all, your ceremony is the reason for the day, and the celebration that follows, isn’t it?

About the Author: Jean Neuhart is the owner of Weddings From The Heart. As a Professional Bridal Consultant, she helps busy brides and their fiances plan creative, personalized and stress-free weddings. Visit Jean at www.weddingsfromtheheart.net. You can email her at jean[at]weddingsfromtheheart[dot]net.