View Full Version : Wedding ceremony ideas - the good and the bad
nolanfan34
08-22-2005, 12:57 PM
So, a while back I asked about getting ordained online (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=exchange&Number=2567295&Fo rum=f20&Words=%2Bordained&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Ma in=2567295&Search=true&where=bodysub&Name=9725&dat erange=1&newerval=1&newertype=y&olderval=&oldertyp e=&bodyprev=#Post2567295) so I could officiate one of my wife's best friend's wedding.
Went ahead and did it, and so I'll be officiating it in about a month now.
So, they don't have a lot of specific ideas for what they want/don't want in the ceremony, but they want it to be fun, and somewhat brief - probably 20 min range or so would be good.
Of course I come to OOT for some ideas. Those who have been to lots of weddings - which means anyone 25 or older most likely - tell me some of the things you've thought were cool/lame from ceremonies you've seen. Any unique twists or parts of the ceremony that you thought were neat? Anything that was weird or didn't work?
Thanks for your thoughts.
tolbiny
08-22-2005, 12:59 PM
Instead of rings you should handcuff them together.
jakethebake
08-22-2005, 01:00 PM
Short ceremony. Long reception.
touchfaith
08-22-2005, 01:01 PM
NO SHEEP!
And if there are...LISTEN!
mslif
08-22-2005, 01:03 PM
don;t try to do and/or say anything funny, it usually comes out lame.
jakethebake
08-22-2005, 01:05 PM
I don't know how much anyone really cares about the ceremony itself. The important thing is the setting. If it's in a cool or meaningful place, then that's what matters.
By the way, make sure you collect your fee from the best man.
Boris
08-22-2005, 01:06 PM
I'm a big fan of the outdoor wedding. Please don't do this:
married in a McDonalds drive through. (http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050816/ap_on_fe_st/mcdonald_s_wedding)
puke.
gumpzilla
08-22-2005, 01:06 PM
Have the groom ride in on an elephant, if you can swing that. Somebody mentioned at a wedding I was at this weekend that this is something they occasionally do at Indian weddings, and my roommate couldn't get over it.
Boris
08-22-2005, 01:07 PM
chicks dig the ceremony.
jakethebake
08-22-2005, 01:14 PM
[ QUOTE ]
chicks dig the ceremony.
[/ QUOTE ]
They want to have a ceremony. My point was that the ceremony itself doesn't matter.
edit: ask any girl to describe her wedding. she'll remember where it was. maybe who was there. but the ceremony itself is very forgettable. so don't spend time worrying about it.
if you want your sister/brother/cousin/best friend to sing at the cermony, please make sure that s/he actually has some singing talent.
On second thought, nix the idea completely. let them sing as the reception is winding down and everyone is blitzed out of their minds anyway.
touchfaith
08-22-2005, 01:22 PM
[ QUOTE ]
don;t try to do and/or say anything funny, it usually comes out lame.
[/ QUOTE ]
Besides my NO SHEEP comment, this is by far and away the best advise...
I have a very bad habit of trying to be funny at the wrong time...Granted...I [/i]am[/i] very funny (see), during the ceremony would be a bad thing...
And by 'bad thing', I mean...BAD THING
MikeNaked
08-22-2005, 01:24 PM
My friends recently got married at Timberline Lodge, Mt Hood, OR at 6000 ft.
Their bright idea was to have the audience ruminate on the Native American myth that wishes told to butterflies come true, because wishes have power if kept secret. Butterflies are silent of course, so they keep their secrets and are excellent wish-recipients. So everyone was directed to come up with a wish for the couple and mentally tell it to a butterfly. And it will come true....
They then released the butterflies out of a box, shook the box, and they all tumbled out stunned or dead on the ground.
"May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Bride and Groom!" - as about a hundred butterflies lay dead and strewn across the aisle. My friend, the groom, stepped on more than one of them...A couple kids started crying... /images/graemlins/grin.gif
mslif
08-22-2005, 01:26 PM
I'm sorry but I had to laugh at this one....
By the way, what is your avatar?
wayabvpar
08-22-2005, 01:43 PM
I had some friends who got married on the balcony at the groom's parent's house. It was a very small guest list (like 40). They served appetizers and drinks before hand, then had all the guests gather below the balcony. They then showed some scenes from Much Ado About Nothing (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107616/), and then had a very short ceremony.
It was actually kind of cool. Very intimate, and very different.
offTopic
08-22-2005, 02:05 PM
[ QUOTE ]
My friends recently got married at Timberline Lodge, Mt Hood, OR at 6000 ft.
Their bright idea was to have the audience ruminate on the Native American myth that wishes told to butterflies come true, because wishes have power if kept secret. Butterflies are silent of course, so they keep their secrets and are excellent wish-recipients. So everyone was directed to come up with a wish for the couple and mentally tell it to a butterfly. And it will come true....
They then released the butterflies out of a box, shook the box, and they all tumbled out stunned or dead on the ground.
"May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Bride and Groom!" - as about a hundred butterflies lay dead and strewn across the aisle. My friend, the groom, stepped on more than one of them...A couple kids started crying... /images/graemlins/grin.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
This is friggin' awesome...I'm still laughing as I type this.
Shajen
08-22-2005, 02:17 PM
My wedding was small and in my backyard. (We'd just bought the house, and a bunch of other stuff, so money was super tight, plus her parents couldn't afford to pay for it...long story, but anyway...)
We said our own marriage vows and did the unity candle thing. As we were turning back to face the preacher, she grabbed my hand and sang a song she'd written for me. It was fan-[censored]-tastic. A buddy of ours played guitar while she sang. I admit, I might of gotten something in my eye at that point.
Writing about it doesn't do it justice, but trust me, it was awesome. In fact, if I had $50k to spend on a wedding, I'd do it the exact same way. It was small and intimate and kick ass. It also helped that we spent about $500 on booze.
astroglide
08-22-2005, 02:25 PM
that one made me lol mike
Patrick del Poker Grande
08-22-2005, 02:26 PM
Do NOT have any singers in the ceremony. This is aweful. I don't care if her best friend fancies herself an opera singer and it would mean the world to her or her nephew is the cutest little boy ever and his mom thinks he sounds like Luciano Pavarotti. Don't do it.
jakethebake
08-22-2005, 02:28 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Do NOT have any singers in the ceremony. This is aweful. Don't do it.
[/ QUOTE ]
Agree.
James Boston
08-22-2005, 02:31 PM
My friend Daniel was married by the mayor of the town we grew up in, a long time family friend. He had sort of a folksy delivery to much of what he said. I thought one line in particular was pretty cool. He said, "Daniel, it is tradition at this point in the ceremony that the groom kisses his new bride. At this time, I suggest you continue that tradition."
That won't really help you with the ceremony, but I thought it was a cool twist on the staple, "you may now kiss the bride."
a friend of ours got married recently, and her god brother is a pop star in taiwan. Pretty decent, actually. however, they followed the advice I wrote above and had him sing during the reception rather than the ceremony. an oiled up audience plus an oiled up singer made for a pretty entertaining performance.
Eurotrash
08-22-2005, 02:38 PM
[ QUOTE ]
My friends recently got married at Timberline Lodge, Mt Hood, OR at 6000 ft.
Their bright idea was to have the audience ruminate on the Native American myth that wishes told to butterflies come true, because wishes have power if kept secret. Butterflies are silent of course, so they keep their secrets and are excellent wish-recipients. So everyone was directed to come up with a wish for the couple and mentally tell it to a butterfly. And it will come true....
They then released the butterflies out of a box, shook the box, and they all tumbled out stunned or dead on the ground.
"May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Bride and Groom!" - as about a hundred butterflies lay dead and strewn across the aisle. My friend, the groom, stepped on more than one of them...A couple kids started crying... /images/graemlins/grin.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
funny story, Mike.
It kind of reminded me of this video (eh, just watch it, it's safe enough.) (http://www.ebaumsworld.com/videos/deaddove.html)
Justin A
08-22-2005, 02:48 PM
Keep it simple. PM me if you want a basic script to get you started.
coffeecrazy1
08-22-2005, 02:56 PM
Have you seen Joe vs. the Volcano?
Chief of the Waponis: Do you want to marry her?
Joe: Yes.
Chief of the Waponis: Do you want to marry him?
Patricia: Yes.
Chief of the Waponis: You're married.
Done deal.
Second the don't try any funny stuff. There's really no way to do funny in good taste here, just don't try.
teamdonkey
08-22-2005, 07:29 PM
[ QUOTE ]
My friends recently got married at Timberline Lodge, Mt Hood, OR at 6000 ft.
Their bright idea was to have the audience ruminate on the Native American myth that wishes told to butterflies come true, because wishes have power if kept secret. Butterflies are silent of course, so they keep their secrets and are excellent wish-recipients. So everyone was directed to come up with a wish for the couple and mentally tell it to a butterfly. And it will come true....
They then released the butterflies out of a box, shook the box, and they all tumbled out stunned or dead on the ground.
"May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Bride and Groom!" - as about a hundred butterflies lay dead and strewn across the aisle. My friend, the groom, stepped on more than one of them...A couple kids started crying... /images/graemlins/grin.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
we released 2 doves at our ceremony (about 80 miles from Mt Hood as it were)... suddenly im thanking god they came out alive.
We held the ceremony at a cabin we rented on the river, then held the small reception there and everyone stayed the night. Had breakfast together and everyone left that afternoon. I still get comments from the guests about how great that small simple event was.
plaster8
08-23-2005, 04:55 AM
[ QUOTE ]
We said our own marriage vows and did the unity candle thing.
[/ QUOTE ]
Glad someone brought up the unity candle. At almost every wedding I've been to, they pick a 4- or 5-minute song to play while they're doing the unity candle thing. The only problem is that the entire unity candle process takes about 30 seconds, tops. Then, after lighting the candle, the bride and groom and everyone else stand up there awkwardly for several minutes just waiting for the song to end and the ceremony to resume.
If they do a unity candle, make sure the song is under two minutes long (unless someone is singing live, of course). Or have someone prepared to fade the music out.
(We played "Bron-y-aur," a nice little minute-and-a-half long acoustic Zeppelin piece.)
Other than that, the other advice has been good. NO JOKES. Unless you're absolutely sure of your crowd and sure it will work.
And finally, I was at a wedding a few years ago where the officiant started talking about HIS marriage, how he'd been married 30 years, blah blah blah. I thought it was incredibly rude, even though he meant well. It made it seem like he was trying to make the ceremony about him instead of the bride and groom.
Anyway, good luck, my friend. I think it's really cool that you're doing this.
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