Getting married while on a cruise is increasing in popularity once again with some companies advertising  wedding and honeymoon packages. Some cruise ships will even broadcast the ceremony live via web cam satellite broadcast over the internet to your family and friends back home!

* In order for a ship’s captain to marry anyone, he or she must have the pre-requisite qualifications to do so, for example, a JP, a Notary Public, a celebrant or an officiant.

* Some cruise lines have arrangements with celebrants or officiants in various countries and as long as your documentation has been cleared and meets local requirements with that celebrant, you can marry – usually while the cruise ship is docked in port.

* Some cruise ships have their own wedding chapels. Public rooms are also used as ceremony venues.

* Some wedding planners are also offering cruise weddings.

* Japanese ship’s captains can marry Japanese citizens who have valid passports.

* Captains aboard Princess Cruise Line’s “Golden Princess” and the “Grand Princess” can perform weddings aboard ship and at sea because they have Bermuda licenses allowing them to do so. You must be 21 years of age and have proof of identity.. .                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  * Cruise West captains [with temporary permits]can conduct your wedding ceremony in Alaska Waterways.

So, before you make any bookings at all  check with cruise ship companies to see which one provides the service that fits best with your wedding ceremony plans. Don’t forget to ask about your documentation and if you can have input into your ceremony and vows. Double check before you leave, you don’t want any unpleasant surprises.

For more wedding ceremony information check out Elizabeth’s e-books on wedding ceremonies and eloping weddings.

www.thevowsbook.com.

www.wedding-vows-and-ceremonies-guide.com/eloping-ceremonies-ebook-description.html

www.2ndmarriageceremonies.com

www.wedding-ceremonies.net

Acknowledging traditional ownership of the land on which we are having our wedding ceremony is one way of expressing respect and spiritual connection to the land on which we now occupy or use intermittently. This is something we can do do at the start of our ceremony. The celebrant or officiant, tribal or group elder or representative may speak at this time.

Our marriage vows can also reflect our spiritual inclinations, hopes, desires and promises for one another. When looking for guidance or ideas for spiritually inclined vows, Buddhist vows offer fine examples.

Another way to acknowledge spiritual connection is to remember deceased loved ones and friends through ritual. Those people who have had an influence on your life, especially the formative years, and  importantly, instrumental in the making of the person you are today. A candle or candles may be lit at this time in remembrance of a person or a number of people.

Beautifully written, spiritually inclined readings and poetry in ceremonies can spell out unsaid feelings and thoughts of the couple, enhancing the ceremony. Such readings are often rich with profound thoughts and symbolism.

To seek more information on spiritual wedding ceremonies, Elizabeth has compiled an e-book on spiritual ceremonies including vows, readings [and suggested authors], poetry and rituals. To see for yourself  go to…….

www.spiritualceremonies.info

It’s important that you have input into your ceremony……..that you take this opportunity to express your true feelings to one another, that your ceremony is one of authenticity, that your words are sincere and meaningful. It’s also important that your children are involved in the planning of the wedding and given a role in the ceremony if possible. It’s paramount that your children are seen as an important part of the new family. The marriage is not only about you, the couple. Its about your children as well.

Vows involving children are a very good idea in second weddings. Apart from your own vows to one another, vows can also be said to the children , for the children or by the children. If you havn’t heard about a blended family ritual or a family unity ritual, these are rituals that can be enacted during a second wedding ceremony that have the ability to recognize and strengthen family unity.

If you would like more information to help you plan your second wedding ceremony take a peep at the information Elizabeth has compiled to inspire and assist you……

http://www.wedding-vows-and-ceremonies-guide.com/second-wedding-ceremonies.html

Isn’t that just sooooo romantic.

I’d love to share a beautiful short wedding or commitment ceremony reading I came across recently…….

“The Most Wonderful Things in Life” Unknown author

“The most wonderful of all things in life is the discovery of another human being with whom one’s relationship has a growing depth, beauty and joy as the years increase. This inner progressiveness of love between two human beings is a most marvellous thing; it cannot be found by looking for it or by passionately wishing for it. It is a sort of divine accident, and the most wonderful of all things in life.”

We all know the old traditional wedding or commitment vows but here they are embellished with just a few simple but beautiful words……..

I, John Smith take you Mary Brown to be my beloved wife/life partner, to have and to hold you, to honour you, to treasure you, to be at your side in sorrow and in joy, in the good times and in the bad, and to love and cherish you always.  I promise you this from my heart, for all the days of my life.

You see, we don’t have to be super articulate or have fancy qualifications to get to the heart of the matter. If you love someone, want to spend the rest of your days with that person, that’s all you have to say, really. What ever you say or do must convey your feelings and your intentions, no matter how simple or unsphisticated it seems or sounds.

For a little more inspiration for your wedding or commitment ceremony take a peek at Elizabeth’s e-books……

www.thevowsbook.com

www.wedding-ceremonies.net

www.gaycommitmentceremony.net

How is it done? Choose your date; choose your venue; find a celebrant or officiant at or near your destination and sort out the documentation required. While you are speaking with your celebrant ask how much input you can have into the formation of your ceremony. Ask about the provision of witnesses if required. Organize your transportation and accommodation. All you have to do then is arrange for a celebratory meal together and your celebration has been a relatively smooth process.

Why do couples elope? The stresses and strains of organising a celebratory event becomes too much when coupled with busy working lives. The escalating costs of attire, venues, food, beverages, waiting staff, photographers, cars…..even bouquets can be in excess of $170 each. Before you know it a wedding can consume more than the deposit for a new home.

Many couples come to the decision that they would be living up to the expectations of others when all along they felt that the event was really all about them. Combining a wedding, a renewal of vows or a commitment ceremony with a holiday is fast becoming a popular choice with many couples. Eloping no longer carries with it the stigma of yesteryear. No, and it’s your kids and mine who are doing it…..and even our friends who are marrying for a second time are doing it!

For even more information on eloping go to……………..

http://www.wedding-vows-and-ceremonies-guide.com/elopement.html

The times we live in are changing and your naming ceremony can reflect these changes. Your unique circumstances can be included in your ceremony making for a unique and very personalized celebration for you and your family.

Consider the following ……..IVF or surrogate births for both heterosexual and gay couples; adoption of children from other cultures; blending of children into a new family situation resulting from second marriages or a commitment; the appointment of mentors/guide parents/god parents.

These are all examples of modern day circumstances that demand and deserve special acknowledgment and participation within a ceremony.

The naming ceremony is an ancient ritual celebrating the arrival of a new life and although it remains as a core ceremony in its own right we have now fashioned into it and around it all the special circumstances we as people and especially as parents, find ourselves in.

Traditional baptisms or christenings do not cater for the varying ways our children are given to us. Indeed, not so long ago a teenager (whose father had been diagnosed with a terminal disease ) whose mother wanted to appoint godparents for him in a ceremony, was refused by the church because the child was conceived through IVF. We fashioned a truly touching ceremony around a naming ritual incorporating the appointment of his two godparents, beautiful readings and vows that reflected the values and beliefs of the family.

Don’t give up in despair thinking a ceremony does not exist that embraces your needs or unique situation. Take a peek at my naming ceremony information. I am sure you’ll be inspired to go ahead and plan a celebration of welcome for your child.

www.namegivingceremonies.com

In doing so you will bring rejuvenation to your relationship; a heightened awareness and appreciation of each others needs and renewed purpose and meaning to your life of commitment together. It will bring a feeling of thankfulness and gratitude to one another for what you have and for what you share. And in these times of well over 50% divorce rate, those of us who have marriages of qualitative longevity DO have a lot to be thankful for.

Do you have a special anniversary coming up or that might make an ideal opportunity for a vow renewal celebration? That’s just one of the reasons that couples seem to use BUT you don’t need to have a reason at all.

Your vows can be renewed intimately …..just the two of you sharing the moment and chosen promises or pledges to one another or it can be done with your circle of family and friends present to help you celebrate. Either way it will be the right way for you.

To help you decide which way to celebrate your vows renewal and to guide you in composing your vows or ceremony Elizabeth has compiled information to guide you every step of the way. To see for yourself…….

www.wedding-vows-and-ceremonies-guide.com/Wedding-Vows.html

www.wedding-vows-and-ceremonies-guide.com/renewal-of-wedding-vows.html

The wedding ceremony is followed by the naming – it is an ideal time to unify or bring together the new family. It is also a great time to celebrate both ceremonies when you have all your friends and family together. With our fragmented families and super busy lives it’s often hard to get everyone together at the same time.

The Naming on Saturday will include appointment of Godparents and a reading by one of the grandmothers. All the guests will read the actual naming statement together.The ceremony will conclude with the reminder that the naming ceremony will in no way inhibit the children from seeking the truth during their lives or any future commitments to religious or non religious beliefs.

To read much more on naming ceremonies [or wedding ceremonies] check out my new website pages, packed with tons of usable information

www.wedding-vows-and-ceremonies-guide.com/baby-naming-ceremony.html

www.wedding-vows-and-ceremonies-guide.com/wedding-ceremonies.html

www.thevowsbook.com

Why do we do this? Apart from sharing happiness or or being supported in grief, human needs have to be fulfilled. Ceremonies and rituals add meaning and purpose to people’s lives and a a result our society benefits as a whole.

Statistics tell us that today over half of all marriages will and do end in divorce and because many divorces are acrimonious it means that thousands upon thousands of men, women and childrens lives are at risk of  being adversely affected. Even without the acrimony there are major adjustments to be made, many issues to be addressed. After a divorce, separation ceremonies offer an ideal forum for the identifying of many lingering feelings and thoughts and assist with the preparation and transition to the next phase of people’s lives.

Some divorces have been waiting to happen for years, marriages have been dysfunctional and hurting many lives. Many marriages have been physically or psychologically damaging over a long period of time where other separations and divorces have come ‘out of the blue’. No matter what the circumstances or time frames the divorce process can be damaging with some people never recovering to the point of never living a fulfilled and truly happy life again as they understand it.

With divorce there is often no closure, no healthy grieving process.The divorce document arrives in the mail and hey presto, you are divorced! You know you are ready to move on but so many people just can’t seem to do it somehow, or may carry past hurtful events around like a monkey on their back. Life after divorce is often consumed with a sense that ‘absolutely no-one else understands what you are going through’ and thoughts of  ‘and do they really care?’,  feelings of anger, depression, maybe even suicide….being tearful day after day and being consumed with feelings of vengeance towards certain other people.

A divorce ceremony is particularly helpful after having some therapy sessions or counselling for unresolved or deep seated issues. A divorce ceremony is where the good aspects of the marriage or relationship are remembered, acknowledged for what they were and the hurtful, damaging or toxic aspects of the relationship acknowledged then banished – washed away, burnt or buried where they belong. Forgiveness is given, apologies are said and here begins a new life. Separation ceremonies can play a big part in preparing the way for the next phase of life…..a better life.

For more information on divorce ceremonies seek out www.divorce-ceremony.com

On the scale of stressful events in our lives divorce is up there with the most stressful. Divorce has the ability to change lives like no other event…..for better or for worse. It is recognized that divorce has the ability to affect people physically, psychologically, emotionally and spiritually.

So often the divorce process is long and drawn out and as a result producing debilitating negative feelings and interfering with quality of life of the couple and also children. Participating in a divorce ceremony to signify the dissolution of the bonds of marriage will help with the healing for all concerned. The divorce ceremony is intended to help resolve issues, say goodbye to the chapter of your life that brought you sorrow as well  as joy, acknowledge the good, the positive and give thanks. Acknowledge the bad, hurtful, toxic and assign it all to where it belongs – to the past, forgive the wrongs and assist with moving on and the healing process. A divorce ceremony can be the springboard from which you transition with preparedness to the next phase of your life.

A divorce ceremony can be conducted with one person; the husband or the wife; the couple together; the couple, their children and supportive circle of friends or any combination. The needs for every couple or person is different. It is important that at the outset the needs of the person/persons seeking a divorce ceremony are made very clear so that needs are addressed through the ceremony.

A divorce ceremony because of their positive outcomes could and should be considered as a celebration….a celebration of the beginning of a new life.

To learn more about a ceremon for divorce visit www.divorce-ceremony.com