Christian Wedding Traditions

A traditional Christian wedding not only celebrates the union between two people, but is also considered a sacred sacrament in the Christian faith. The ceremony generally follows a certain format and takes place in front of the couple's friends and family members in the presence of a priest or minister. Most Christian weddings take place in a church or religious building, however, it's not uncommon for some couples to choose an outdoor setting at a formal gathering place.

Before the ceremony begins, the groomsmen typically act as ushers and direct guests to their seats. Important family members - parents and grandparents, for example, are often escorted down the aisle to their seats by one of the groomsmen. The Best Man and Groom are often in a private room or secluded area and it's the Best Man's job to try and keep the Groom calm and reassured.

The Bride and Bridesmaids arrive at the ceremony location and wait, out of sight, for a cue to begin the Bridal procession.

Before the Bridal procession begins, the Groom, Best Man, and Groomsmen stand in front of the altar along with the officiating priest. This is usually a signal that the Bridal procession is about to begin so guests stand up and look to the back of the church in anticipation of the Bride's arrival. A processionary march is usually played and the Bridal procession begins.

The procession may include flower girls and ring bearers who are typically children of close family members or young siblings of the bride or groom. Following these are the Bridesmaids and finally the Bride who is usually escorted down the aisle with her father or other close family member. When the procession reaches the front of the church, the Bridesmaids line up opposite the Groomsmen and the person escorting the Bride down the aisle shakes hands with the Groom to signify their approval of the union and is traditionally seen a "giving the bride away".

At this point in the ceremony traditions vary. Some couples chose to have their mothers each light candles. These candles represent the two families. The Bride and Groom then light their own candles from the family candles and then both simultaneously light a third candle that is placed between the two family candles. This signifies the joining of two families via the marriage of the Bride and Groom.

Another tradition is the Sand ceremony. This is thought to have originated from Apache Indian customs but opinions vary. During this ceremony, the Bride and Groom each hold a container of different colored sand. Each of them pour their sand into a common unity vase which signifies the joining of two people and two lives being intertwined.

All Christian ceremonies include the exchange of wedding vows where the Bride and Groom express and confirm their commitment to each other. This is a pivotal point in the marriage ceremony as it marks the beginning of the couples lives together as Husband and Wife. The vows can be traditional or scripted, but often the Bride and Groom write their own vows and keep them secret until this point in the ceremony.

The exchange of rings is usually done either during the vows or immediately following the vows. The Best Man holds on to the rings until this point in the ceremony and then passes them to the priest. The rings are sometimes blessed by the priest and then handed to the Bride and Groom. The Bride places the Groom's ring on the ring finger of his left hand and the Groom does the same for the Bride.

After the rings have been exchanges, the priest says a closing prayer or blessing and then turns to the Groom and says, "You may now kiss your Bride". This is known as the "first kiss" and is seen as the fist kiss between them as Husband and Wife. After the kiss, the priest will turn the couple towards the guests and say, "I present to you Mr. and Mrs. _____ (Groom's last name inserted here)".

At this point in the ceremony, the Recessional begins. This is where the Bride and Groom and entire wedding party exit the church, starting with the Bride and Groom and then followed by the Groomsmen and Maids of honor who typically walk out in pairs. The guests then gather in the lobby of the church to congratulate the couple.

Formal family photographs are usually taken following the ceremony and are usually done either at the church or at a scenic outdoor location during warmer months.

A reception or post-ceremony celebration is traditional after the ceremony has finished. This usually involves some kind of meal for the guests and includes toasts and speeches by family members and members of the wedding party. Though traditions can vary for a reception, any or all of the following may take place:

First Dance - the Bride and Groom share a first dance together as husband and wife. They are the only ones on the dance floor during this dance and guests usually gather around the dance floor to watch them and take pictures.

Parent dances - the Bride will dance with her father and the Groom will dance with his mother. This is to signify that each of them is saying goodbye to their parents as they begin their new lives together.

Cutting of the wedding cake - this is where the Bride and Groom cut their wedding cake and feed each other.

Bouquet toss - the Bride will toss her bouquet to a gathering of single women behind her. The woman who catches the bouquet is said to be the next woman in attendance to get married.

Garter toss - the Bride is seated on a chair and the Groom removes the garter from her leg. The Groom then tosses the garter to a gathering of single men behind him. The man who catches the garter is said to be the next man in attendance to get married.

Each Christian wedding is different, but most contain at least some of these elements.