The Blog
Ceremony & Vows
22 posts in this category.
What to do if you start crying during your vows (you probably will)
Getting emotional during your own wedding ceremony is normal, expected, and honestly kind of the point. Here's how to get through it gracefully.
9 November 2026Having your ceremony and reception at different venues: what actually needs planning
A separate ceremony and reception venue gives you more choice for each, but it adds logistics a single-venue wedding doesn't have to think about.
4 November 2026Writing a fully secular ceremony script from scratch, without a religious template to lean on
Without a traditional religious ceremony structure to adapt, a secular ceremony needs its own shape. Here's a workable framework to build from.
28 October 2026Destination wedding legal requirements: what to actually check before booking
Legal marriage requirements vary enormously by country, and getting this wrong can mean you're not legally married after all that planning.
21 October 2026Unplugged ceremonies: how to ask guests to put their phones away
A phone-free ceremony gives your photographer a clear shot and gives you a room full of faces instead of screens. Here's how to make the ask land well.
14 October 2026Building ceremony traditions when the usual gendered scripts don't apply
A lot of standard ceremony language and structure assumes a bride and groom. Here's how same-sex couples are adapting and building new traditions.
7 October 2026Wedding traditions from other cultures worth considering, regardless of your own background
You don't need a direct cultural connection to a tradition to find it meaningful. Here are a few worth learning about, respectfully.
30 September 2026Planning a vow renewal ceremony: what's different from planning a wedding
A vow renewal has more freedom and fewer rules than a first wedding, but a few practical questions are still worth answering early.
23 September 2026The ring warming ceremony, and how to run one without it going wrong
Passing your wedding rings through the whole guest list for a blessing is a beautiful idea in theory. Here's how to make sure the rings actually come back.
16 September 2026Planning a multi-day wedding celebration without losing everyone by day three
Many cultural traditions involve several days of ceremonies and events. Here's how to pace a multi-day wedding so guests, and the couple, actually enjoy all of it.
9 September 2026Ceremony etiquette for a second marriage: what changes, and what genuinely doesn't need to
Some old-fashioned rules about second weddings have quietly fallen away. A few practical considerations are worth keeping in mind regardless.
27 August 2026Elopement versus a traditional wedding: what you're trading off
It's not simply small versus big. The real trade-off is between two very different kinds of day, each with its own genuine upsides.
20 August 2026Choosing wedding ceremony music beyond the traditional processional
The processional gets most of the attention, but there are five or six separate music moments in a typical ceremony worth planning individually.
15 August 2026Building a real backup plan for an outdoor ceremony, not just a hopeful forecast check
A rain plan that's never been tested with your actual vendors is just a hope wearing a plan's clothing.
8 August 2026How long should your wedding ceremony actually be?
Too short and it can feel rushed. Too long and guests, especially kids and older relatives, start to lose focus. Here's a working range.
1 August 2026Common mistakes people make when writing their own vows, and how to fix them
The instinct to make vows funny, or to make them a complete relationship history, both tend to work against you. Here's what lands.
25 July 2026Ceremony readings that aren't 1 Corinthians 13 (though that one's still good)
It's a beautiful reading, and also the one every guest has heard at every wedding they've ever attended. Some alternatives worth considering.
18 July 2026Religious, secular, or somewhere in between: choosing your ceremony style
For couples from different backgrounds or no religious background at all, the ceremony format is often the first real negotiation of the engagement.
11 July 2026Processional order explained, including the parts nobody agrees on
Who walks first, who walks with whom, and where the parents sit. The traditional order is a starting point, not a rulebook.
4 July 2026How to choose a wedding officiant who actually sets the tone you want
The officiant shapes the entire ceremony's tone more than almost any other single decision. Here's what's worth asking before booking one.
15 May 2026Unity ceremony ideas beyond the sand pouring and the unity candle
A unity ritual is a nice moment in a ceremony, and the two most common versions have become genuinely overused. Here's what else couples are doing.
8 May 2026How to write your own wedding vows, without staring at a blank page for a month
Writing your own vows sounds simple until you're actually staring at a blank document. A structure helps more than inspiration does.
1 May 2026