Your secular wedding, a unique celebration!
You’ve never liked doing what everyone else does, and you’re right!
Choosing a secular ceremony is once again a way to differentiate yourself from traditional wedding ceremonies. An alternative to traditional or religious wedding celebrations, symbolic ceremonies are attracting more and more couples looking for an original and romantic way to exchange their wedding vows. This customizable ceremony generally takes place after the civil wedding at the town hall, replacing the religious wedding. Therefore, there are no specific rules to follow for a successful symbolic ceremony. Treat yourself to the wedding ceremony of your dreams, where the only limit is your imagination!
The goal is simple: Create your wedding ceremony as ideal as a relaxing and romantic setting in the heart of Italy! So if you want to celebrate your secular wedding in Italy, don’t wait any longer and discover our services to support you!
CHOOSE AN AUTHENTIC AND UNUSUAL PLACE
The first advantage of a symbolic ceremony is being able to choose the location: outdoors or indoors, at the wedding venue or in a dedicated space, in your country of residence or abroad, dare to get married in an atypical and enchanting setting! With Noces Italiennes, you can choose the destination of your choice: Puglia, Tuscany. As a result, many newlyweds treat themselves to exceptional ceremonies in idyllic and heavenly settings with the seaside as a backdrop, the exotic and intimate atmosphere of olive groves in a masseria in the Puglia region, or even in the lilting and fragrant gardens of Tuscan villas. The important thing is to choose an authentic location that reflects your personality. If you want a ceremony on the beach, we advise you to avoid the peak tourist periods of July and August to maintain a peaceful and solemn atmosphere. You will also avoid the intense Italian heat. In the case of a summer wedding in Italy, choose a shaded location for the comfort of your guests and the freshness of your floral decorations. Conversely, in the case of a winter wedding, opt for locations with a plan B in case of bad weather.
ORGANIZE A WEDDING IN YOUR IMAGE
A secular wedding is an opportunity to surprise your guests with a ceremony that is unique in both its content and its presentation. The absence of codification and rules gives you the freedom to choose your officiant, as well as the schedule, the process, the duration, and the ritual of your wedding. You can thus imagine the scenario of your symbolic ceremony in its entirety. This is the guarantee of having a wedding that reflects you and perfectly meets your expectations. However, this requires advance preparation on the part of both the bride and groom and the officiant. The ceremony can be led by one or more people who become ambassadors of your story and your love. Some brides and grooms prefer to entrust their ceremony to a professional officiant, while others take this opportunity to involve their loved ones in the animation of this emotional moment. Reading texts, exchanging rings, or even wedding rituals, the modalities and formats are free and varied and are often accompanied by a few musical notes.
TREAT YOURSELF TO AN ORIGINAL AND PERSONALIZED DECORATION
Take advantage of your secular union to treat yourself to a unique wedding decoration. Whether floral or draped, rectangular or round, personalize your symbolic arch in the colors of your wedding in Italy. For the layout of your ceremony venue, again, be creative: chairs, benches, long rows in an arc or star shape. Dare to be original with your guest seating! Don't hesitate to stage your secular ceremony according to your wedding theme with symbolic accessories to add a magical touch. Then venture out and wear an original wedding dress that will make your big day unforgettable! Anything goes for your secular ceremony. Finally, the wedding chairs and the wedding ring box are decorative elements to which you can innovate and add your personal touch. Our wedding planners in Italy are at your side to advise you in the preparation of your secular ceremony to make it an unforgettable memory.
WHY ORGANIZE A SECULAR CEREMONY?
For some couples, the administrative procedures involved in preparing for a civil wedding can be a hindrance. Indeed, the future spouses must obtain the Nulla Osta, a certificate of capacity to marry, by sending several documents to the embassy of their country of residence in Italy, or to the Consulate to celebrate their civil wedding. In contrast, the secular ceremony does not require any administrative procedures or documents to send. Finally, in the context of gay weddings in Italy, the symbolic ceremony is an excellent way to formalize one's love in the most beautiful landscapes of the boot of Europe. This symbolic wedding will then be the opportunity to organize a celebration that is meaningful to the couple in one of the most beautiful regions of the country of La Dolce Vita. Be careful, however, secular weddings themselves are not recognized. A secular wedding must be organized in addition to a civil ceremony to be official.
THE SECULAR CEREMONY, AN ALTERNATIVE TO RELIGIOUS WEDDING
Some brides and grooms don't identify with the rituals of a religious wedding—often highly codified—or with a civil wedding, which is often perceived as impersonal and institutional. A secular wedding is therefore the ideal alternative for couples who want an authentic and moving ceremony that reflects their image. Brides and grooms are attracted for several reasons when they choose a secular ceremony. In the case of a wedding with a mix of faiths, for example, a secular ceremony allows them to bring a spiritual dimension to the bride and groom without the constraints of a liturgical venue. The absence of religious affiliation or beliefs can also motivate the choice of a secular wedding for future brides and grooms who would like a ceremony without connotations. For your reception venue, our wedding planners will help you discover the most beautiful places in Italy. You can then celebrate your symbolic wedding with your feet in the water on the beaches of Porto Cesareo or Gallipoli in the Puglia region. For history lovers, there's no doubt that a wedding in an Italian castle in Tuscany will delight you! Noces Italiennes will find the perfect venue for your secular wedding.
OUR ADVICE FOR AN ORIGINAL SECULAR CEREMONY
First of all, we recommend a ceremony at the end of the day. Ideally, you should start your ceremony after 5 p.m. to enjoy an incredible sunset that will enhance the emotion of your union. For those who choose to celebrate their wedding in the summer, it's also the perfect time to enjoy milder, more pleasant temperatures. Finally, a late-afternoon celebration is the perfect transition before the cocktail reception and the start of the festivities. We also recommend limiting the number of speeches to maintain a harmonious rhythm. Therefore, try to organize a ceremony of less than an hour to keep the full attention of your guests. The choice of the officiant is very important, as they set the tone and represent the values of the bride and groom. It is therefore important that they be a good speaker. Although there is no requirement, it is customary for close family and witnesses to be seated near the couple, particularly for logistical reasons. The secular ceremony is the ideal moment to share a memory, a project or a poem and exchange original wedding vows.
CHOOSING A RITUAL FOR YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY
To personalize your symbolic ceremony, you can imagine your own symbolic ritual using sand, seashells, or even an olive branch! Here are some examples of rituals for a secular ceremony:
The Sand Ritual: Each bride and groom brings a vase containing sand, preferably a different color. The bride and groom pour their sand into a single container to create a mixture. Once the sands are combined, they cannot be separated.
The Candle Ritual: The candle adds a spiritual dimension to the ceremony. The bride and groom each light a candle and join their flames to light a third, larger one. The candle lit by the union of the two flames symbolizes the uniqueness and grandeur of the couple.
The Sealed Wine Ritual: The bride and groom choose a fine bottle of wine. During the wedding preparations, they wrote each other a letter expressing their feelings. On the day of the ceremony, the bride and groom placed their letters and the bottle of wine in a chest, which they sealed. They would open the chest a few years later on their wedding anniversary. Just like wine, love improves with age!
Our team of wedding planners will be happy to assist you in planning your ideal secular wedding. Contact us now for all the necessary information or a quote.
DISCOVER THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO GET WED IN ITALY
Getting married in a Masseria
Getting married in an Italian castle
Getting married in a villa in Tuscany
Getting married in the Trulli
Getting married on an Italian beach
Getting married in a cloister, a monastery
