Personalized Wedding Ceremonies by Reverend Arlene Ponack

Who says your reception is the only fun part of your wedding day? There's no reason why your ceremony shouldn't be as exciting, meaningful, and inventive as your reception!

Many wedding officiants offer “cookie cutter” ceremonies. To me that means you and your wedding are not important to the wedding officiant or to your family and friends. A wedding officiant who reads or recites the same exact words at every wedding believes you and the story of your love is the same as everyone else. I believe everyone has different personalities, different viewpoints and may want to infuse different aspects into their ceremony.

I have performed many different weddings over the years and have seen many different types of weddings. The weddings are as different as wedding venues are different. Some people choose to have an outdoor wedding and others prefer the comfort of an indoor wedding. Some couples choose a fancy venue, others may choose a barn, a park, or the comfort of their home.

I have done weddings where the guests dress up as in steampunk weddings like Sloane and Grey's wedding

Sometimes it may simply just be a different culture like the beautiful Wedding I did for Shivani and Christopher:

Other times perhaps no one dresses up but the wedding decorations and bouquet are themed as in Slone and Grey's wedding:

I have done weddings where someone sings or reads a poem or a passage. I have done many weddings where a friend or family member reads something they wrote, a passage from the bible, or a poem, but the two that stick out in my mind are Kara and Tim's Wedding where they had a few of their friends read song lyrics that reminded them of the couple. I also liked Dawn and Andy's Wedding where they had friends entertaining the wedding guest while rings were being passed among family and friends during a Ring Warming Ceremony. The songs were really beautiful and made the wedding special.

I have done weddings where the couples choose to use songs to walk down the aisle or couples choose to leave together with non-traditional songs. Who says you have to walk down the aisle with the traditional “Here comes the Bride” song. Modern couples use songs like

like the following list:

Katy Perry's Unconditionally

Bette Midler's Wind Beneath My Wings or The Rose

Luther Vandross's Endless Love

Christina Perri's A Thousand Years

Leanne Rhimes' A moment like this

Bryan Adam's Everything I do, I do it for you

These are just a few songs but my favorite is Michelle and Robb's Wedding. Michelle and her dad came down the aisle with Mr. C-Cha Cha Slide by Mr. C. The lyrics include:

Right foot, let's stomp!
Left foot, let's stomp To the right now!
To the left!
Take it back now y'all!
One hop this time!
One hop this time!
Right foot two stomps!
Left foot two stomps!
Slide to the left!
Slide to the right!
Criss-Cross!
Criss-Cross!
Cha Cha real smooth!

Michelle and Robb Wedding was probably the most unique wedding I have done. In this particular wedding, the couple wanted part of The Princess Bride wedding scene incorporated into their wedding ceremony. They also wanted me to say “You may kiss your wookie” instead of the traditional “You may kiss your bride”

Besides couples making an entrance with non-traditional songs, many couples choose to leave non-traditionally. Here is a list of non-traditional songs couples use to leave the altar:

Kelly Clarkson's A Moment Like This
James Taylor's How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
Firehouse's Love of A Lifetime
Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle's A Whole New World
Katrina and The Waves's Walking on Sunshine
Barry White's Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe
Louis Armstrong 's What a Wonderful World
Natalie Cole's This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)
Starship's Gonna Stop Us Now
Kool & The Gang's Celebration
James Brown's I Feel Good

Bruno Mars's Marry Me

Probably my favorite “exit” song was at Mandy's and James Wedding. Many couples use Bruno Mar's Marry Me to walk down the aisle, but they chose it as their exit song. They actually held hands and ran down the aisle to a waiting limosine. (it was an outdoor wedding). They rode around in the limousine for a few minutes then returned to their wedding. It was fun to watch!

I have done weddings where children are active in the ceremony. Many couples today have been together for years and already have children. Other couples are on their second or third wedding and want to include their children. These couples want to include their children in the wedding party and not just as the “flower girl” or “ring bearer”. Children can be a bridesmaid or a groomsman, an usher, a child can escort their mom or dad down the aisle. I've also seen very young children being pulled down the aisle in a wagon by one of the parents who is getting married!

I have done weddings where pets are included. These pets, usually dogs can serve as the “ring bearer” (better known as the “dog bearer”) or where the dog has walked down the aisle with their owner as their “best man (better known as the “best dog”).

I have done humorous weddings where couples read Mad Lib vows! In Sarah and Glyde's wedding, we had a lot of fun laughing as they read their Mad Lib Vows!

I have done weddings where the couple have made a time capsule, or done a love letter and wine box ceremony. This can be done for your wedding or in a vow renewal. In this ceremony many couples chose to open the box on a milestone anniversary. If the couple hits any bumps in the road before their milestone 5, they may choose to open their time capsule and read letters they wrote to each other to remind them of why they fell in love.

A good wedding officiant will accommodate a wide range of traditions and styles, even if they are non-traditional or for couples who choose an alternative life style. Personally, I feel it is YOUR WEDDING and the ceremony should be an outward expression of your personalities, values, beliefs, traditions blended into a ritual that is YOUR Celebration of Love!