Honoring tradition
Weddings offer an opportunity for happy couples to express their love for one another while showcasing their own personalities .
Couples can choose from an assortment of wedding styles when planning their nuptials , and the style they ultimately pick says something about who they are .
Traditional weddings are popular , and these types of ceremonies suggest couples value tradition and perhaps have a sentimental attachment to the style due to a parent , grandparent or another loved one . Couples considering a traditional wedding should know that such affairs typically include the following components .
· Processional : Most people who have attended a wedding are familiar with the processional , during which bridal party members walk down the aisle . Groomsmen typically accompany bridesmaids down the aisle in traditional weddings , and they are followed by the flower girl , the ring bearer and finally the bride . Brides are often walked down the aisle by their fathers in traditional weddings , but a bride may choose to walk alone or alter the tradition by asking both parents to accompany her . A bride whose father is deceased or estranged also might ask another relative , including Mom , to walk her down the aisle to create the traditional feel .
· Officiant opens the ceremony : Once everyone has walked down the aisle and taken their places , the officiant will open a traditional ceremony by welcoming guests and thanking them for attending . After the opening remarks , the officiant may discuss the institution of marriage and share some personal anecdotes about the couple .
· Readings : Traditional weddings often are associated with religion , and traditional weddings held in a house of worship may feature readings from the spiritual text of the couple ’ s faith . Interfaith weddings are very common , and such ceremonies can still be characterized as traditional and might feature readings reflective of each person ’ s faith . Readings that follow the processional also may come from poems or other texts that are meaningful to the couple .
· Exchange of vows : Traditional weddings also feature an exchange of vows . Some couples choose to write their own vows , while others recite previously written vows . Officiants may work with couples to develop their own vows and identify the feelings they want to express . After exchanging vows , couples having a traditional wedding will say , “ I do .”
· Ring exchange : The ring exchange follows the exchange of vows in a traditional wedding .
· Pronouncement : After couples slip rings onto each other ’ s fingers , the officiant will pronounce them as married , a moment that is typically followed by the first kiss .
· Recessional : A traditional wedding ceremony ends with the recessional , during which the processional is repeated but in reverse order , so the happy couple are the first to walk down the aisle .
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