Texoma Bride Guide | Issue 008 | Winter/Spring 2021

CEREMONY
Bethel Rock
PLANNING THE
CEREMONY
Planning the party is the most fun and takes the most time, but don’t wait
until the last moment to plan the ceremony. When you’re not
stressing over floral arrangements or frosting flavors, take the time to schedule
a time to sort out your ceremony. Here’s everything you need to know.
TYPE OF CEREMONY
The first order of business is to decide
whether you want a religious or secular
ceremony. There is no right or wrong answer,
and one is not necessarily easier than the
other. As with all decisions you have to make
when planning your wedding, this is your day
and you should get married in an environment
that suits you both.
If you and your fiancé are considering a
religious ceremony, remember that some
religious services require a specific location,
like a church, temple, or mosque. However,
some religious officiants will be glad to go
to an untraditional location. Consult with
the officiants you are considering before
you make final decisions to avoid any
uncomfortable situations. Also, remember
that you may be required to be a member of
a specific religious institution if you want to
be married on their property.
A civil ceremony is one that is still legal, but
the exact requirements you need to meet
vary from state to state, and even from
county to county. Having a civil ceremony
means that you’re free to be more
Wcreative with the elements you want to
add or remove, or to have a destination
wedding or an elopement. That’s not to say
that you couldn’t make a religious ceremony
work for all of those, but it will be much
simpler to create an untraditional wedding
with a civil ceremony.
When it comes to who will be marrying you,
you’ll need to check out the legal
requirements for your area once again. If
you have any questions, you can always
contact the county clerk’s office in the city
where you will be having the ceremony
to find an officiant that will fit your needs.
Keep in mind that if you want to be married
by a close friend or family member, they’ll
need to be ordained first. After you’ve
found your officiant, follow up about
paperwork, fees, or counselling that may
be required before you can be considered
legally married.
VOWS
Hilo Sisters Macramé
If you and your fiancé decide to write
personal vows, we recommend setting
some guidelines before you begin
writing. Maybe limit them to 30 seconds
or a minute, or say that you’re both going
to tell a story about your life as a couple.
Begin by collecting inspiration from old
texts or love letters, other weddings,
books, or movies and documenting them
somewhere. About a month before
your wedding, compile your gathered
thoughts into a draft. Remember that
this is just your first attempt, so it’s fine
if it’s a little choppy or rambling. Wait a
couple of days, then come back to edit.
Read it aloud and make sure it sounds
like you, because you’re the one getting
married.
As your wedding day nears, go back and
review your vows periodically. Read and
re-read for clarity, and work in additional
thoughts as they come to you. By taking
the time to write your vows over the
weeks leading up to your wedding and
not waiting until the last minute, you will
not only be confident in your words, but
you will know that you put your best self
into them.
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