Rituals

In traditional Mexican, Filipino, and Spanish culture, couples can celebrate unity through a lasso ceremony, or el Lazo ceremony. After the couple recites their vows, an officiant, parent, or relative drapes two linked rosaries or one floral rope across the bride and groom's shoulders in the form of a figure eight, which represents the couple's unity. The couple then wears the lasso for the duration of the service until the person who placed it on the couple removes it and gives it to the bride as a reminder of their commitment to each other.

A Coin Ceremony during your wedding is usually a Latin tradition going back to Spanish and Roman days and is also referred to as Las arras matrimoniales. During the coin ceremony or arras ceremony, the groom drops 13 coins into the bride’s hands, representing his vow to support her. Some people think that it represents 13 core values shared by the couple. It’s still a deeply entrenched tradition, nonetheless.

This Judeo-Christian tradition is probably the most well-known wedding ritual that symbolizes unity. The bride and groom each hold a lit candle and combine their flames to light a third, larger candle. Sometimes the bride and groom's parents take on this task instead to symbolize the union of their families. You can also get the guests involved by displaying candles in the ceremony entrance and inviting friends and family to light one and say a blessing as they enter.

Sometimes referred to as a "blending of the sands" ceremony, each person pours a small container of sand (often different colors) into a larger vessel to symbolize their "coming together" as a couple. Some couples that have a beach wedding like to use the sand from the location. Other couples like to include their children in this ceremony to symbolize the blending of families.

Participate in the ancient Celtic practice of "handfasting," or tying hands together. The bride and groom hold opposite hands (so their arms make a figure eight—representing eternity). Then, their hands are tied together with a ribbon to symbolize a union. You could even use heirloom fabric to make it even more meaningful.

This custom derives from Native American culture and involves wrapping a quilt around the newlyweds' shoulders to symbolize warmth and togetherness as they take on the future together. The ancient Cherokee tradition, however, is a bit more involved. First, both parties are wrapped (individually!) in blue blankets, before an officiant blesses the union. Next, the couple is shrouded in a single white blanket. The blue represents the elements of the couple's respective past lives and the white symbolizes the couple's dedication to filling their new lives with peace.

This tradition dates back to the 1800s and is believed to have origins in western African weddings and Wiccan communities. Jumping the broom takes place at the very end of the wedding ceremony after the officiant pronounces the couple as officially married. The newlyweds jump over a broomstick before the recessional to symbolize sweeping away their old lives and welcoming their new life together.

A wine ritual symbolizes blending two lives (and two families!) into one. Some couples choose to drink wine from the same cup, a practice performed in most Catholic and Jewish ceremonies, while others prefer to pour two types of wine into one glass before sharing. This "blending" is symbolic of your union and the life you'll create together.

Place meaningful items, like a bottle of wine created during the year you first met, a favorite set of poems, or a poignant keepsake, into a box and help each other nail it shut. This modern ceremony is about togetherness, both at the time of the capsule's creation (take turns hammering!) and at its opening, on your first anniversary.

This tradition, which is reserved for military weddings, goes beyond the symbolic commitment newlyweds have for each other. The practice is a pledge of fidelity and protection from the military to the couple; service members shelter the newly married couple beneath the sword or saber arch as they exit the ceremony.

This ritual has no official religious or cultural ties, but the tradition itself symbolizes you and your spouse beginning a new life together. Taking care of your tree will remind you to nurture each other throughout your marriage, even when the honeymoon phase fades! Like flowers, trees symbolize different things, for example, cherry trees represent good fortune, so choose the type of tree that resonates with you the most. During this ritual, you and your spouse will take turns adding soil and water to the seedling.

The love letter ceremony is a ritual you could choose to hold within your wedding ceremony. You write each other heartfelt letters and they’re locked away for safekeeping and revealed several years after the marriage. Once you open them, you should write new letters to each other and continue the tradition for years to come.