Friends and Family

Involving Friends and Family

Chances are, if you're holding a wedding ceremony, you'll have your friends and family around you to share your celebration. There are all sorts of ways for them to be involved in the ceremony - if you want them to be.

Remember, it's YOUR day and you get to choose!

Readings

A popular way to involve friends and family members is for them to perform a reading. There are all sorts of sources for readings, including poems, song lyrics, and quotes from books, TV and films. I can offer a range of suggestions and help narrow down the search, to find something that really resonates with you.

You might even have a talented writer among your circle, who would like to create something totally personal for you. I'm all for this!

Music

Music is a key part of any wedding. It sets the mood, stirs emotions and triggers memories. It can make us laugh, make us think and make us cry. It’s a unifying creative force.

So if you've got a talented singer or musican amongst your family and friends, why not get them involved? They could sing or play at key parts of your ceremony - your entrance, exit and signing the certificate. It will make for a poignant and memorable part of your ceremony.

Photo: Sonia Oliver Photography

Cellist: Mary Mohan

Symbolic Actions

Another way is for friends and family members to take part in a symbolic action such as a handfasting, candle ceremony or sand blending. Or create your own that reflects your interests and passions! See the symbolic actions page for more information.

Here, Michelle and Pete's children each added a cord to the main cord that Michelle made, and the cords were wrapped and tied together to represent the new family.

Memories and messages

One lovely way to enhance your ceremony is to include memories and messages from your friends and family in the storytelling section. This is included in the "The Power Of Love" and "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" packages.

With your permission, I'll invite your key friends and family members to send me their favourite memories and anecdotes about you that can be woven into your story. They'll add another level of personalisation to your ceremony and will certainly generate some emotional moments! I can either include them in my draft script and let you see them beforehand, or I can keep them as a surprise until the big day!