If you have some friends or relatives who you’d like to be more involved in your ceremony, here are a few options for you …
Author: Meggan Brummer
If we haven’t met before - I am an award-winning Marriage Celebrant in Sydney, Australia.
I’ve married hundreds of couples over the last 12 years and have over 23 years experience as a professional writer.
Bridal Party
The obvious choice is to make those closest to you part of your bridal party – flower girls, bridesmaids, groomsmen, best man. One wedding I officiated at recently had 9 grandkids in the bridal party … the first one, less than one year old, got wheeled down the aisle in a kid’s toy car. The choices are endless. Remember, it’s your day … you can do whatever you like.
Who’s Walking You In?
Another option is to have someone other than your dad walk you down the aisle. Some brides are choosing to walk down with their mum and dad, others choose a friend or even their nanna!
Doing Ring Exchange?
If you want to include a friend or cousin but aren’t sure how you could give them the role of being your ring bearer. Or you could split the role between 2 – one brings your ring forward at the moment before you exchange rings and another steps forward a minute or so later to bring the other ring.
Thought About Including Your Dog?
I’ve been to 2 weddings where this happened … the bride and groom’s dog was the ring bearer. Just tie the rings to a soft ribbon and attach gently around their neck … and make sure they don’t go running off! There are convenient dog minder services to look after your dog the rest of the day.
An Awesome Poem
Often a beautiful poem or reading is read during a wedding ceremony, sometimes 2 or 3. It’s a great way to include that close family friend or your mate who’s an actress. Although not essential, it’s a good idea to choose someone who’s not afraid of public speaking or not too shy. You want them to be heard. My starter pack has an awesome choice of poems and readings for you to choose from. Your vibe might be spiritual, religious, atheist, humorous … there’s something to fit every preference.
3 Important Signatures
At the end of your wedding ceremony, you’ll need 2 witnesses. Each witness has to sign 3 legal documents. This is a simple but important role to give someone who you’re not sure how to include. Only prerequisites are: they need to be over 18 years old, speak the language that your ceremony’s in and be sober – shouldn’t be too hard.