The boom in civil ceremonies is happening, and in recent years, 9/10 weddings are civil. However, there are different ways to celebrate your civil ceremony so that you remember it forever for being completely personalised to you.
As a general rule, couples that get married in a civil ceremony usually do it at a court, town hall or in the presence of a notary and, after some days, they celebrate another more personalised ceremony together with their family and friends, but without legal validity. Did you know that it is no longer necessary to go to the Civil Registry to get married?
The type of ceremony that you want is something that you must decide before making the script, so that this is very adapted to your personality and story together and is 100% faithful to your desires.
Here, we will tell you which 4 steps to follow to create the perfect guide for your civil wedding. Take note of everything!
Firstly…find a ceremony master!
If you sign a matrimonial act before the day of the celebration, the following ceremony will not need any of the formalities established for civil ceremonies, since everything will have been approved previously.
Despite this, you will have to find a ceremony master or wedding officiant to direct the big moment. This can be a professional or even a family member or friend that you like and is good at public speaking. There is nothing more special and emotional!
Yes, many people present will have to bring kleenex to dry their tears of emotion.
Well if you already have someone in mind to officiate the ceremony, it is time to create the script. We are sure that it will be a big help to know which basic points that it should include! And this is why we will tell you about them now.
1. Arriving at the altar and presentations
To make your entrance to the ceremony, firstly you will have to have decided how you want this to work, that’s to say: faithful to tradition, with the groom entering first holding the arm of his mother and waiting at the altar for the arrival of the bride who, in turn, will enter holding the arm of her father or the best man, or, in contrast, if your prefer to move away from traditions and enter the ceremony together. There are more and more couples every year that choose to do a first look for their civil wedding!
In the same way, you will have to have decided if you want to have a wedding party, formed of bridesmaids, flower girls and/or page boys and in what order they will enter.
Once they are all seated in their positions, it is time for the officiant of the ceremony to greet the guests and introduce the couple, usually including an anecdote about the bride or how they met etc.
It is important that, if you choose a professional, you meet with them various times before the big day so that you can get to know them and make clear how you want to personalise the ceremony. In this way, the ceremony master’s script at your wedding will fit perfectly with your wishes.
2. Speeches of family and friends
It is practically essential that the script of a civil ceremony puts the family and friends close to the couple and that they read the text that has special significance for the couple. It will be instantly emotional for everyone!
The good thing is that at a civil wedding, speeches don’t have to be formal, but they can be whatever you and your guests want to say, either a song, a poem, a story or even a rap, and writing funny speeches for a civil ceremony is a marvellous way to express the love of the friends towards the couple.
The not so traditional speeches can not only make the guests laugh, but also create a unique memory of the wedding. They are as simple as they are special, and without a doubt unforgettable!
Remind the people that you choose to give speeches that they should be brief, that they should try not to read too much, that they make the guests laugh and that they focus on you: the protagonists. And that they speak correctly and loudly so that everyone can understand what they’re saying!
3. Vows, wedding rings, rituals and a sealing kiss
Next in a wedding script for a civil wedding comes one of the peak moments of the day which cannot be missed at any wedding: the exchange of rings and the reading of vows. In this case, you should choose to follow either a more traditional version or write them yourself so that the results are even more personalised.
As well as this, there are more and more couples that opt to include some sort of symbolic ritual, like that of sand, candles, roses or planting flowers. An activity that the officiant directs and that creates a magical moment. And the scenery is amazing!
And lastly… you can’t forget a romantic kiss to seal your marriage!
4. Farewell and exit from the altar
To finish the guide of the civil ceremony, the officiant will say some concluding words, congratulating your union and giving thanks to everyone present for witnessing such a special day.
Note that, if it is a ceremony with legal validity, both you and the witnesses have to sign the corresponding documents.
Afterwards, to the song of your choice, you will start the ceremony exit as a recently married couple whilst the guests throw rice or whichever other alternative to traditional rice that you have chosen.
And then start heading to toasts with lovely cocktails!
Remember that the script of your wedding has to be faithful to your style and personality, since this is what will help you to have a ceremony that matches your desires, preferences and 100% of what you hope for your big day.
And if you want to know a lot more about how to organise a civil wedding, at Perfect Venue we can help you with everything. We are an excellent choice for creating the wedding of your dreams!
Search
Let me find the perfect venue for you!
