Unconventional Wedding Ceremony Ideas to Make Your Day Unique

 

Guess what? You don’t have to say “I do” to a traditional ceremony. That’s right, there’s no official rule governing how to exchange rings at all.

So, for those hoping to say “I do” to something fresh and new, we’re bursting with ideas.  There are so many different ways to mix up the ceremony and make yours a truly unique once in a lifetime experience.

Determining the Wedding Vibe and Theme

Before launching straight into planning the ceremony, it’s critical you spend some time thinking about the overall theme and aesthetic you’re aiming for with the whole event

Figuring this out is a key factor that helps determine things like choice of venue, wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses (check out Bella Bridesmaids! They’ve got an incredibly diverse selection of drop-dead gorgeous options!) and the décor elements.

Some ideas to mull over to help inform your choice in theme are:

• Coming up with a list of words that describe the mood of your big day. Words like romantic, enchanting, lively, rustic, magical, etc.

• Create a mood board. Go old school and scour bridal magazines and clip out the images you love, or lay out your vision electronically on Pinterest.

• Think about the aesthetic you gravitate toward. Articulate your personal style, both in terms of fashion and décor.

• Think about activities or pop culture things you can’t get enough of. Is there something you enjoy so much it seems only natural you incorporate it into the ceremony?

Your goal here is cohesion. Guests may be confused if your wedding is a black-tie event randomly officiated by Chewbacca.

Now that’s been said, it’s time for fun! Here are some of the incredible and outlandish ideas to make your wedding ceremony unique.

Have your wedding ceremony somewhere unexpected

Picture this: your guests boarding a boat, and being ferried across smooth glittery water to a small island decorated solely for your big day.

They walk along a small path to a clearing that’s been set up with chairs, billowing in silk. There’s an arbor decorated with pink, red, and white roses. A woman playing gentle harp music mixing with the sounds of birds.

Or, take it up a notch. Have your guests raft to your ceremony location. Hire local river guides to take them there. For this, you’ll definitely need to establish the dress code and prepare your guests. Err on the side of caution, and don’t choose anything beyond class two rapids.

Other honorable outdoorsy mentions

• Hold the ceremony in a cave

• Say I do in the trees

• Get married on the water

• Tie the knot above the clouds

Hire a Celebrity Officiant

Or more realistic: a celebratory impersonator officiant.

Decided on a movie theme? Why not hire the doppelganger of the main character to officiate your wedding? If you’ve got a themed wedding that’s based on a certain time period, an actor who’s got that era dialed in would really take it up a notch.

Think of ways you can nail the theme by incorporating it into the ceremony. And by all means, have fun with it.

Involve Your Guests

Have your guests vote on what makes a marriage good and lasting, or involve them in other ways—perhaps by sharing their ideas on what makes a relationship a success.

Have a surprise under each guest’s chair, or host a mid-ceremony champagne toast. 

Share the love by expressing how appreciative you are to each and every one of your guests in your life. Yes, your wedding day is your celebration, but that doesn’t mean you can’t express gratitude as well.

Go offline

Make your event a truly offline affair. Encourage your guests to turn off their phones—or even better, leave them behind. Put emphasis on the true connection and being present in the moment, free from any digital distraction.

Involve your dogs

A no-brainer, right? After all, they’re family too.

Ditch the rings, and get tattoos

Instead of exchanging rings (and fretting about the absent-minded best man losing them) why not get them tattooed on during the ceremony,  right then and there?

Make a dedication

This can be ceremonial in nature, such as planting a tree. Or pledge something to a cause you’re passionate about, in the name of your union. 

Love is an incredible thing, and something the world could always use a little more of. Seize the opportunity to take a celebration rooted in love, and extend it out into the world.

Mix up the vows

If you’re a musician, why not write your vows into a song that you perform? Not musically inclined? Perhaps one of your friends is, and they can help put your love into song and perform it during the ceremony.

Other fun things are to have an end of ceremony flash-mob style dance, involving your bridesmaids and the groomsmen.

Conclusion:

As you can see, there’s no shortage of unique and fun ways you can inject a little life and individuality into your wedding ceremony.

Above all, by choosing something that feels authentically you, you’re guaranteed to get it right.