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This site reflects a variety of wedding ceremony styles and types that are available
and may serve to further identify what you may be seeking. If you have found your own preferred wedding ceremony
from other sources, we would be happy to use yours. Nothing is ever set in stone!
This is YOUR wedding ceremony! It should reflect who you are as a couple - NOT who
your family, your pastor, or tradition wants you to be. There are no set rules for what has to be in a ceremony.
Your ceremony should engage your guests - it should not cause them to tune out! My wedding ceremonies are exciting -
not boring. You want your ceremony to be just as incredible as the two of you!
Information About The Unity Candles Ceremonies:
A beautiful ceremony within a wedding service is "The Unity
Candle ceremony." In celebrating the union of the bride and groom, this "unity" ceremony symbolically
represents, not only their becoming united in marriage, but also the coming together of all their friends and family
through their marriage. In the ceremony below, I have the couple lighting their individual candles, but they may opt
to have their mothers light their candles instead, or any other members of their family, close friend, etc. This is considered
an honor.
In the ceremonies I
officiate, the wording of the ceremony might be a little different and will depend on the desires of the couple and
the feedback I receive from them. Also, in situations where a candle lighting might not work, the couple may want to
perform another type of unity ceremony such as a SAND Ceremony. Be sure to ask me about them.
THE UNITY CANDLE CEREMONY
(At the instruction of the officiant,
the bridal couple moves over to a table with the Unity Candles placed on it.) This ceremony usually takes place after
the Exchange of Rings and the Ring Vows. Sometimes a song is played softly in the background as the couple light the
candles. After the lighting of the center pillar candle by the couple, they may choose to extinguish the two tapered
candles to signify the ending of their two individual lives for the sake of a new life together, or continue to let
the two candles remain lighted as a symbol of their holding on to their individuality.
THE OFFICIANT SPEAKS TO THE BRIDAL COUPLE:
Before you met, your lives were on different paths with different destinations, But love has
brought you together and joined these separate paths into one.
I will now ask that in a moment you each light a single
tapered candle that will symbolize your previous and separate lives, separate sets of friends, separate families and the different
life's journeys you once travelled. (NOTE: It should be noted here that this part of the ceremony offers many possibilities.)
The first step of the ceremony typically takes place just before the start of the wedding. It is traditionally thought that
the mothers of the bridal couple are to come forward and light the two tapered candles. From grandparents and children
to friends and mentors, anyone special in their lives can take on this honor. When it's time for the bridal couple
to walk to the unity candles table, I will ask that they each take their individual pre-lit tapered candle and together light
the center-pillar candle. (the couple will then step forward and light their individual candles.)
With the lighting of the center candle you have now symbolically joined your
once separate lives. As two flames combined into one light, so now are your friends and familiy joined, through you
into one. And your once solitary life's paths are also now one. All that was once separeate
is now shared and in this sharing you both will find great comfort and joy as you forge a new life's and destination together.
(the bridal couple will then go back to where they were standing before, in front of the Officiant, facing each other and
holding hands.)
TO
SET UP A FREE-NO OBLIGATION APPT. CALL ME AT (727) 871-9900.
THE UNITY SAND CEREMONY
If you would like a "unity" Sand Ceremony inserted within your wedding ceremony
and your wedding is going to be outside, you might want to consider this beautiful alternative to a Unity Candle ceremony.
Candle ceremonies outside are at the mercy of the winds and elements and many times don't work. However, with a "Sand
Ceremony " there is nothing to blow out. The wording or symbolism is the same as in a Unity Candle ceremony.
The bridal couple blends two containers of sand into a larger single container. Instead of lighting two candles and
using them to light a larger unity candle. If you wish, you can use "Colored Sand" and blend the two
different colors in layers from the two containers into the larger container thus you are able to keep the Unity Sand as a
souvenir of this part of your wedding. The ceremony below is an example of the Sand Ceremony.
THE SAND CEREMONY
(at the instruction of
the officiant, the bridal couple moves to a table that has two small vials of sand and a larger empty container) Like
the Unity Candle ceremony, the sand is used to symbolize the uniting of the bridal couple. Their separate lives are
symbolized by two vials of sand (usually two different colors) . This takes place after the Exchange of Rings
and the Ring Vows. The Officiant explains the meaning of the Unity Sand Ceremony. The Bridal Couple then come
together, and pour their individual vials of sand into a larger vase or other container. The flowing sand, in an intertwined
pattern, in two separate colors, symbolizes the joining of the couple as they share their first experience of unity as husband
and wife. This also provides a wonderful keepsake of their wedding day. This ceremony also creates a lovely visual
presentation for your guests to see.
THE OFFICIANT SPEAKS:
There is a song that speaks of "a long and winding road" and before
you met, your lives were on such a road....each going in different directions and seemingly leading to different destinations.
But somewhere along the way you took a fork in the road to a destination called "love" and today you find yourselves
standing together at the entrance of a new path that will join your once separate journeys into one.
Before each of you there is a container of sand.
each container represents the separate journeys you were once on. They also represent your own sets of friends and families
that once were apart. I will ask that in a moment, you both blend your individual containers of sand together....representing
the coming together of your friends and families, through your marriage, into one. And as the sand is blended into one
container, your once solitary journeys will now be one of companionship, as you walk a single path together into your future.
I now ask that you blend your containers of sand together. As the sand has blended together, your lives are now joined.
Your friends and family are as one as well, for you now will share those who are in your lives and will walk hand-in-hand
along the path of your marriage - united and strong as husband and wife.
INCLUDING CHILDREN IN YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY
Often marriage is thought of as the joining of two people.
In reality, marriage joins many lives, which is most apparent when the bride and / or the groom have children from a previous
marriage or union. The lives of your children change with yours on your wedding day and your marriage becomes the proclaiming
of a new family. Without a loving commitment to those children, a wedding ceremony is incomplete. The presentation
of a token of family unity such as a necklace or ring is just one of many ways of honoring your children during the ceremony.
Depending
on their age, personality and ability level, there are several ways in which your child can be an active part of your ceremony.
In a family unity ceremony, the bride and groom speak vows and take an oath to their children. This is usually done right
after the the bride and groom's "ring exchange." The bride and groom can present the child(ren) with a token
of family unity, if they wish. After the parents speak their vows to the child(ren), a necklace or ring would be presented
as a symbol of the new blended family. Remember, the giving of a gift is not mandatory. Making vows to your child(ren)
followed by your loving embrace is just as effective. An excellent source for more information on tokens of family unity
can be found at www.familymedallion.com. This ministry has no business affiliation with the Family Medallion company, however we use their products
quite a bit due to their popularity.
THE FAMILY UNITY RING OR FAMILY MEDALLION CEREMONY
GROOM:______________ &
BRIDE:______________, today as you have sealed your commitment to each other by the giving and receiving of rings, you too
make a commitment to CHILD(REN) ___________ (state their 1st names) ________________. We lovingly recognize the significant
role that CHILD(REN): ________________(their names) ________________ plays in this marriage celebrated today.
GROOM:__________________ & BRIDE'S: _________________love
for this / these child(ren) have no boundaries.
CHILD(REN),
would you please come up and join the (Bride) & (Groom) ?
GROOM:_________________ & BRIDE:_______________, do you promise to work together as CHILD(REN)'s _____________
_____________parents, to share with one another the joys and sorrows of raising him/ her/ them, and to cherish your family
as you cherish one another? (ANSWER: " We Do." )
Will you BRIDE:____________ & GROOM: _______________, promise to honor and protect CHILD(REN) __________________ (their names) ________________,
and to make his / her / their home a haven, where trust, love, and emotional support are abundant? (ANSWER:
"We Do")
At this time, the Bride and Groom shall present the token(s) of family unity to the child.
(NOTE:
tokens can be a ring, family medallion, or a necklace)
ELOPE TO BEAUTIFUL FLORIDA!
OK, so you are ready to elope and can't figure
out where to go? Well, here's the greatest location for an elopement ever! Yes indeed, it's Clearwater,
Florida as well as the entire Gulf - West Coast area. We have everything you might want...Sun, Sand and Surf, great
entertainment, hotels /motels and much, much more and all at affordable prices ! So, whether your running away
to elope in sunny Florida or you already live in the area and just want a simple , spur of the moment, lovely and meaningful
wedding ceremony....look no further! Call Rev. Ronald Turcot at (727) 871-9900.
We have world-class beaches, rated #1 and #2 in the entire
world. Check out this website for your MARRIGE LICENSE requirements! If your from
"out of state", there's NO WAITING to be married, NO Blood Test and NO Witnesses required. However,
Florida residents do have a three (3) day wait. The many locations for a beautiful wedding are simply endless!
Call me at (727) 871-9900. Short Notice is OK!
THE "BLESSING STONE" CEREMONY
The Blessing Stone Ceremony is designed to take place at the end of the wedding ceremony, usually
after the pronouncement of the bridal couple being married. Each guest is given a stone before the ceremony.
As your guests hold them during the wedding ceremony, they are infused with the love , good wishes and heartfelt blessings
that each of them are experiencing. At the end of the wedding ceremony, your guests are asked to move to the waters
edge for the casting of the blessing stones.
The Blessing Stone Ceremony is a happy addition to any ceremony and is fast becoming very popular,
because it involves everybody in attendance; the Bride and Groom, the entire wedding party, your families, friends and invited
guests.
LIST OF FAITHS PREVIOUSLY MARRIED: (interfaith & multicultural)
Christian (There are 191 denominational faiths
within the Protestant church)
Catholic (roman and orthodox (if mass is requested, only our priest will perform it)
Roman Catholic & Jewish (No Mass) (catholic
& hebrew prayers & Blessings)
Christian & Muslim (arabic-muslim rituals included)
Catholic & Protestant (no mass) (Christian prayers)
Christian & Jewish (christian & hebrew
prayers-blessings)
Jewish
& Muslim (hebrew & muslim (que'ran) verses included
Greek Orthodox & Catholic (no mass)
Hispanic-Catholic & Italian-Catholic
(prayers in spanish & italian with hispanic traditions & customs)
Christian - Hindu
NOTE: There are many more variations that were performed and available,
so be sure to inquire if your faiths, customs & tradions
can be
performed by this
ministry. I recognize & honor all faiths, customs and traditions.
E-MAIL: tampaweddingofficiants@yahoo.com
CALL:
727-871-9900 today!
FL Wedding Officiants | St Petersburg Marriage Ceremony | Clearwater, FL Wedding | St Petersburg Wedding
