Guide to the Symbolic Ceremony: inspirations and ideas for an unforgettable civil wedding

What is a Symbolic Ceremony?

The symbolic ceremony is a ritual that can be performed in any place and in any way to seal the love and marriage between two spouses who usually exchange written vows for the occasion. It is fully customizable in every detail and can be celebrated by a professional officiant, a friend of the couple or a loved one.

 

Unfortunately it has no legal value, so the couple must still fill all the common paperwork for their civil union, but this doesn’t mean that this kind of ceremony will be less romantic or engaging.

 

Why should you choose it?

There are several reasons for choosing to get married with a symbolic ceremony:

 

– you can offer your guests a unique experience, especially if you are an unconventional couple, who loves standing out and dreaming of a tailor-made wedding

 

– it’s perfect for outdoor weddings or weddings that take place in a very peculiar location

 

– if you have two different nationalities or religions, you can combine them in a single ritual full of original symbols

 

– to involve family and friends who will have the chance to make touching and loving speeches

 

5 Ideas for the set up of your symbolic ceremony

The symbolic ceremony is a magical and touching moment and requires the right set up that should be tailor-made in order to convey the style and atmosphere of your wedding. The arrangements, whether floral or non-floral, make the ritual unforgettable and, if properly designed, offer a special background to the couple’s photo session.

 

Here are 5 ideas to design unique arrangements:

 

– No to floral arches with a classic shape! Yes to the imagination! Your arch can be moon-shaped, circular, hexagonal…, depending on the style of your wedding

 

– Original compositions will make your ceremony unmatched. As wedding planners we always offer bespoke designs, such as the asymmetrical one on this video which has been enriched with details that represent the personality of the couple

 

– Make use of trees! You could get married in the shade of an ancient olive tree decorated with ribbons and candles

 

– Create a small themed area with vintage furniture and objects that can convey the mood of the event

 

– Place guests’ seats in an original way! They may form various concentric circles around you or follow unusual shapes

 

How can a wedding planner help you in designing your symbolic ceremony??

A wedding planner takes care of the design and styling of the set up that will be the background to your ceremony, defines its timing, making sure there is a correct alternation between the ritual actions performed by the officiant and the speeches by family members and friends, that the entrance of the groom, bride, witnesses, any bridesmaids and/or page boys takes place in the right order, that guests know where to sit, gifting them with printed materials necessary to follow the ritual or wedding bags, if required. In short, a wedding planner guarantees that everything goes as dreamed and planned by the couple.

 

For us wedding planners, witnessing the realization of our ideas is always an indescribable emotion. We feel the same way at every wedding. That’s why we love designing an event and one of our absolute favorite moments is the ceremony. Observing a touched couple as they express their love in front of an installation that we have imagined for months and being aware that everything has been planned as they dreamed of it always makes us proud of our work and reminds us why we do it. A passion that will never leave us.