How to officiate a secular wedding?

You want to celebrate your union in a unique and personalized way? The secular ceremony, also known as a symbolic ceremony, is what you need! Having fewer constraints than a religious ceremony, a secular wedding gives you the freedom to use your imagination. All you need is an officer for the ceremony. The officer is the one who will symbolically unite you. For everything else, nothing can stop you. Organize the wedding of your dreams and let us guide you in this adventure!

Who should officiate your wedding ?

The officiant of the ceremony has a mandatory part because he is the one who symbolically unites the couple. He is also responsible for the entertainment and the unfolding of the ceremony through texts, rituals or funny stories about the couple. It is therefore necessary to work with the bride and groom to prepare the ceremony: music, readings, speeches, etc. The officiant can be a professional. Indeed, the officiant has a certain experience and knows how to manage the responsibility of a wedding. In addition, he is used to speaking in front of an audience with a certain eloquence, which can be a difficult task for some people.

However, if you want a totally intimate wedding, there is another option. You can have someone close to you officiate your ceremony! This will make your wedding more personal because the person who will be speaking knows you better than a stranger. An emotional moment is guaranteed! Nevertheless, the preparation will require a little more time because the professional officer knows the business and will be able to guide you each step of the way.

What texts should be written for a secular ceremony?

The ceremony is composed of several strong moments: the exchange of the vows, the wedding rings or the symbolic rituals. It is articulated by transitions between speeches and readings in order to make the ceremony dynamic. Most of the words that will be pronounced will be written. The most important parts are the speeches of the master of ceremony since he will guide it from the beginning to the end with an introduction, transitions, and rituals. Furthermore, keep in mind the speeches of the relatives if there are any and the text of the exchange of the wedding rings.

Which rituals to choose ?

Many rituals exist for a secular ceremony. The union ritual concerns the couple and the collective ritual allows you to involve your guests. It’s time to choose how to seal your union! Here are some rituals that we can find during a symbolic ceremony :

The sand ritual:

This ritual involves pouring sand into a vase. Each groom has his own sand, usually of a different color, they then pour their sand into a single container at the same time. In this way, just like the mixed sand that cannot be separated again, the couple becomes indivisible.

The candle ritual:

The bride and groom will each light a candle. Once their candle is lit, they will unite them in order to light a third candle that will be larger. The final flame symbolizes the uniqueness of the couple and the greatness of their love.

The ritual of the imprint tree:

This ritual is collective. It consists of displaying a picture with a drawing of a tree. Each guest will then mark the tree with a fingerprint. These prints will constitute the leaves of the tree. This will finally give the tree of life of the couple marked by each of the guests.

The ribbon ritual:

This ritual involves people designated in advance: witnesses, officiant … The bride and groom hold hands and the people involved come, one by one, wrap a ribbon around the hands. These ribbons, different from each other, will each represent a symbol such as love, union or fidelity. 

You will have understood, the secular ceremony is perfect to organize a wedding that looks like you from start to finish. It is a ceremony full of emotions and symbols for you and your loved ones. Places, decoration, procedure… organize your custom-made secular ceremony in the most beautiful landscapes of Italy and Corsica with Noces italiennes ! Do not hesitate to contact us for more information.