Ceremony
How to Personalise a Civil Ceremony
A civil ceremony is a non-religious, legal marriage ceremony presided over by a legal official instead of a religious one. In Malta, they are celebrated in the Marriage Registry in Merchants’ Street Valletta, or any other place open to the public and which the Registrar deems to be appropriate. Here are some ideas on how to make yours feel truly unique and personal.
Choosing a theme
Since you’re not getting married in a church, which tends to be more on the conservative side, your wedding theme doesn’t have to be limited to the reception alone. Want to have a Jazz Age-themed ceremony with everyone dressed up as flappers and gentlemen, a high fantasy ceremony with everyone decked out in their best wizard and witch garments, or even, like devotees of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, a pirate-themed wedding? The options are endless, as long as you and your partner are both on board.
Walking down the aisle
Tradition states that the father of the bride should walk her down the aisle, but there’s no need to be a slave to custom during a civil ceremony. You can choose to walk down the aisle with your father and your mother at the same time, a beloved grandparent, or even with your fiancé – why keep them waiting? You can do away with the aisle walk all together, depending on what venue you’ve chosen. As for the aisle music, feel free to do away with Here Comes the Bride and pick a tune that really means something to you.
Writing your own vows
Vows are the most special part of any ceremony, whether it’s a religious wedding or a secular civil ceremony. Writing your own vows allows you to add a deeply personal element, since you can express how you really feel, what you pledge to bring to the union and what the ceremony means to you. You can also leave out any questionable elements of the original vows, like ‘obey’ and substitute a more equal word, such as ‘respect’, and include new elements, such as pledges to respect and cherish each other’s families.
The ring exchange
Rings are exchanged during a wedding ceremony as a symbol of the newlywed’s couple commitment and enduring love for each other. Many people have started including their pets in this part of the ceremony too! However, if you’re not big jewellery people or rings just don’t do it for you, you can exchange something else – matching or complementary bracelets or bands or even get matching tattoos.