The marriage ceremony is what your wedding celebration is all about. While everyone is eager to finish the ceremony and proceed to the cocktail hour, think about making this part of the day extra special. Every religion has their own traditions, but if you are having a nondenominational ceremony at the venue, consider these meaningful elements:
At the beginning of the wedding ceremony, a representative from each family lights the two taper candles. Later in the ceremony (usually after the vows) the bride and groom use the two taper candles to light the large unity candle together. This symbolizes the two families coming together.
Like the unity candle, this ritual symbolizes the joining of the bride and groom (and their families). There are three small vases. Together, the bride and groom each pour a small vase of sand (different colors) into a slightly larger vase. To make the sand ceremony extra special, collect sand from a trip that you take together or from a beach that has significance to you as a couple.
If a parent or close family member has passed, consider placing a rose on the ceremony chair where they would have sat. You could also light a memory candle in their remembrance.