When choosing words for simple wedding ceremonies, consider values or notions that are highly important to you, for example friendship, love, tolerance, patience, understanding, respect, sense of humor, generosity etc. Words can embrace and speak of your personal journey, your relationship, what marriage means to you, your hopes and dreams for the future, what you [...]
Second wedding ceremonies
A second wedding ceremony is an ideal occasion to include family…..children, grandchildren and friends. It is here that blending of families can occur, formally or informally. It is an important milestone in the life of many couples in today’s society and should be celebrated. By celebrating in a meaningful way we help to prepare the [...]
Civil wedding ceremonies
Where to start? No matter how simple or elaborate your wedding is shaping up to be if you stick to a basic wedding ceremony plan you can’t go wrong, its the words that matter….by that I mean, in your own words just say what’s important to you both. In civil wedding ceremonies an introduction can [...]
Elopement
A whole page in a recent national paper, was devoted to the rising popularity of elopements and the practicalities and the realities of elopement weddings as understood by the bride and groom A couple who were planning a traditional wedding in the new year have decided to elope! A planned holiday in May is being [...]
Wedding theme ideas
A couple who met while out on a walking trail in a bushland reserve had their ceremony in the same reserve. Symbolically, it was their wish to capture and re-create the origins of their journey together in their marriage ceremony. They wanted to start their journey of married life together right at the beginning of [...]
Renewal of wedding vows.
How special is your marriage? As a couple, what do you mean to one another? Do you remember what your marriage vows promised to your partner? These are questions that those of us who are married must ask ourselves from time to time, especially when someone close to you loses a partner. Renewing wedding vows [...]
Second marriage vows
“We want our ceremony to be warm, sincere and inclusive. We want to speak of our journey together and our love for one another to all the important people in our lives, our families and special friends.” This is the vision of a second marriage ceremony that many couples have and it can be a [...]
Blessing the home
Moving into a new house, an older home that is ‘new for you’, or an apartment, deserves to be celebrated, to be dedicated or blessed. Milestones or times such as these ought to be marked or distinguished as being different and special. In reality we all hunger to celebrate life’s milestones, to add more meaning [...]
Dementia – how do you explain it to your kids?
I am very mindful of the degenerative diseases plaguing our aging population today, dementia, Parkinsons Disease, strokes and arthritis. Almost every family is touched by such disorders and children especially are exposed to the debility and dependence that they cause. How do we explain dementia to kids? How do we explain diseases like Parkinsons Disease [...]
A divorce ceremony
A ceremony or ritual to signify the ending of a relationship, the dissolution of a marriage and a new beginning, can help greatly with the healing process and preparedness for the next chapter of your life. As not all relationships end amicably or in the shortest possible time frame, a divorce ceremony or ritual can [...]