American Weddings Blog

When we were asked if we had any tips on “planning a cemetery wedding ceremony,” it raised a few eyebrows. But the more we thought about it, the more it made sense. For many cultures, celebration of the afterlife is a big part of their spiritual practice, and graveyards are places where the living can connect with their history and ancestors. 

Ram Dass taught us that “In our Western culture, although death has come out of the closet, it is still not openly experienced or discussed.”

Michel de Montaigne, another philosopher who challenged us to think more deeply about life wrote that, “we are in death, whilst we are in life.” 

Why not double down on that philosophy and tie the knot surrounded by the symbols of death?...(continued)

Looking at the title of this article, you might be thinking, “of course the ceremony is important.” You can’t really have a wedding without a wedding ceremony. But you might be surprised, because while some couples understand that the wedding ceremony is a key part of the wedding day, others look at it as a formality that they need to rush through so they can get to the partying.

We wanted to write this post to speak to that second group. Don’t worry - there will still be champagne and cake! - but without an investment in your ceremony, something will be missing. Here’s how to avoid that:

At American Marriage Ministries, we have always insisted that the wedding ceremony sets the tone for the rest of the wedding festivities. After officiating/planning/attending more weddings than we can count, we have received plenty of feedback from both couples and other wedding vendors to back up this belief. ...(continued)

Working closely with your wedding officiant is a must, but a lot of couples don’t quite know how to navigate or coordinate their timeline with their wedding officiant’s. We’re here to give you some pointers so that you know what to expect, and how to get a head start on your ceremony planning.

What Your Officiant is Responsible For:

•  Working with you up until the wedding to craft your ceremony.

• Being present and performing your ceremony on your wedding day (and rehearsal, ideally).

• Assisting with the signing and filing of the completed marriage license.

First, Consider This

What type of ceremony do you want? Religious, Non-denominational, or Civil?...(continued)

When writing a wedding ceremony, a question that often comes up is, should there be humor in a wedding ceremony, and if so - how much?  

Well... the way we look at it, the ceremony should reflect the couple. Since most couples love to laugh together, some humor in the ceremony is not only acceptable, but actually desirable. Injecting a dash of (appropriate) humor into the ceremony adds emotional variety to the event, providing a counterpoint to the more somber, serious moments. 

That said, the 'precise' amount of humor is something that the officiant and the couple must work out. But one thing's for sure -- adding light-heartedness to a ceremony is great for couples who don’t want to cry through the whole ceremony. It’s also great for couples that are worried about being nervous (laughter calms the nerves, it’s a fact!).

 ...(continued)

The wedding ceremony sets the tone for the rest of the wedding celebration, from the entrance of the bride to the start of the cocktail hour and reception  - when the real party kicks off!  If you have ever been to a wedding with a great ceremony, you probably noticed that the guests left the ceremony and carried those feelings of love and joy into the reception - and well into the night.  A great wedding ceremony starts the whole experience off on a positive note. 

“The wedding ceremony sets the tone for how the guests will see the couple’s relationship,” explains Stan, a wedding officiant from the Houston area. “If the couple has a good mix of love and laughter, their ceremony should reflect that, instead of being boring and full of negative marriage advice.”  ...(continued)