I've heard of some couples having wedding traditions in their ceremony ? There are many traditions and symbolic gestures that can be included in wedding ceremonies, here are some of the most popular
Handfasting Hand fasting, hand tying or ‘tying the knot’ is an ancient Celtic marriage ritual. The celebrant ties ribbons around your joined hands as a way of confirming your union. Hand fasting is an ancient Celtic marriage ritual and it is where the expression ‘tying the knot’ came from! It is a symbolic way of showing that you are joined to one another and although originally, the idea was that they be betrothed for a year and a day a hand fast during a legal wedding will be for life. You can also do a family hand fasting and involve your family members – this is often done with young children, and is a lovely way of involving them in your ceremony.
Quaich Drinking from a Quaich is an ancient Scottish ceremony, symbolic of trust, love and peace between two people. This act of sharing is a symbolic of the life you will share together, and the cup represents the cup of life. In drinking from the same cup, you are symbolizing your commitment to share all that the future may bring. All the sweetness life’s cup may hold should only be sweeter because you drink it together. And whatever bitterness it may contain should be less bitter because you share it together. This is traditionally done with whisky but you are welcome to choose a drink of your choice and create your own special drink (alcoholic or not).
Wedding Band Warming A wedding band warming is a lovely way to involve all of your guests at the ceremony. This is where the wedding rings get passed round all the guests (usually tied on a ribbon or on a ring cushion) as the ceremony is taking place so that everyone gets to ‘warm the rings’ and add their own thoughts, wishes and hopes for your marriage. They are passed round (usually monitored by a reliable member of the wedding party) until they make their way back to the front in time for the vows.
Unity Candle A Unity Candle is a symbolic way of showing the joining of 2 individuals on your wedding day. You will light two candles to symbolise your identity as two individuals. This is usually done before the vows. After the vows you would light a third candle – although you are still individuals, you are also then as one and from the two candles they light a third to recognise your union together.
Jumping Over a Broom This is an adaptation an old African-American tradition to jump over a broom on your wedding day. The broom symbolises the sweeping away of the past and the fact that you are now starting a new life together – as a happy married couple!
Oathing Stones An Oathing Stone is an old Scottish tradition where you place your hands upon a stone while saying your wedding vows. It was thought to be the best way to express your solemn promise in physical form. This ancient ceremony is rooted deeply in the Celtic tribal traditions. Having a connection to your ancestors and the land was a critical ingredient to any important new venture – particularly, marriage. The oathing stone helps root your future into the wisdom of the past at the start of your new life.
Sand Ceremony A Sand Ceremony is a unique way to symbolize two lives becoming one. The two separate bottles of sand represent your single lives, separate families and separate friends and your lives before your wedding day. Two containers of sand are poured into one container, the individual containers will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one. Just as the grains of sand can never be separated, neither will you in your married life. This can be done with sand from significant beaches/areas in your lives or with different colours of sand too. There is also a variant where you use different sizes of stones to represent the challenges you will take on together through your married life, big stones for the large events in life are placed into a jar until it is full. Smaller pebbles to symbolise those moments which may be less important but are still significant, will fill in the gaps around the larger stones until the jar again seems full. Then sand is poured in to symbolise all those small steps you take together each day. The sand fills in the rest of the gaps. This symbolises that while you may look back on your life together and see those big events, it is all the little kind gestures and support you give each other along the way that shore up and support you through the bigger challenges.
What happens if you are unwell or unable to make it to the Ceremony?
You'll want to have peace of mind over what happens if, for some reason I'm suddenly taken unwell or I'm unable to conduct your Ceremony in the event of an emergency. Most Celebrants will have a back-up, so for example I am a member of the Scottish Independent Celebrants Association, and we are committed to stepping in for each other in the event of illness etc. But I should add this very rarely happens to any Celebrants
Aren't all the ceremonies the same ? No I write and prepare a separate bespoke ceremony for each client - whether its a weeding, funeral, naming ceremony etc and will be unique, individual and feature elements from our meeting. No two ceremonies will be the same, whereas Registrars simply “fill in the gaps” of a standard ceremony script.
What Qualifications do you have as a Celebrant ? Would you believe many celebrants out there have had little or no training at all ! some have merely just fallen into the job ! I on the other hand have been credited with a Certificate of Merit in Celebrancy by Neil Dorward & Annie Scrimgeour of Legacy Training. Neil is one of the most experienced and longest serving Funeral Celebrants in the UK and is the only funeral Celebrant in the whole of Scotland who is accredited by the Professional Speaking Association
Can I plan my own funeral ? Of Course you can. We offer an Pre Planned and Living Funeral option. This allows you to plan as much of your ceremony in advance as you would like. Some people may decide to plan the full ceremony, others may wish to specify the type of ceremony and the music they would like. Your ceremony should be a reflection of you, so why not be involved in the planning. You can also arrange to meet a Celebrant to discuss your Advance Wishes with as well. In a living funeral you can even have a celebration of life before your death - many people with terminal illness opt for this .
Can I get any financial help with a funeral ? You may be entitled to Funeral Support Payment which helps pay for funeral costs if you live in Scotland. You can use the payment towards funeral costs for a baby, child or adult. This includes babies who were stillborn. It usually will not cover the full cost of the funeral but it should help pay for some costs. It can be paid either to you or the funeral director who's helping you plan the funeral. Only one person can get Funeral Support Payment for the funeral. You will not be eligible if you've already had other government support for the funeral, this includes: Funeral Expenses Payment (England or Wales) Funeral Payment (Northern Ireland) your hospital arranging and paying for your baby's funeral if you had a stillbirth