So you choose to get a civil marriage in your country before your wedding destination at Puerto Vallarta but want to do something more meaningful to your symbolic ceremony. Keep reading to find modern rituals:
CEREMONY OF THE UNION OF THE HANDS OR HANDFASTING
This ritual consists of the union of the hands and the spiritual promise to maintain that union for as long as the love remains. The bride and groom join their hands (the right of one with the right of the other) forming the symbol of infinity. The officiant ties them with a rope in the presentation of the union before the gods and nature.
SAND CEREMONY
Originating from the ancient Hawaiian weddings held on the beach, it is a very simple but romantic ceremony. Each groom has a glass jar with sand of different colors. The bride and groom pour it into a larger container so that both are combined creating a mixture that symbolizes marriage. The fine grains of sand stick together and it is impossible to separate them. This symbolizes the intention of the eternal commitment of the couple. This ceremony is ideal for couples with children since they can also have a jar to pour the sand into the larger container, together with the bride and groom. The fine grains of sand mix and it becomes impossible to separate them, as the life of the spouses should be, symbolizing the eternal commitment of the couple.
CANDLELIGHT CEREMONY
In this simple ritual, life in common is represented in a spiritual way. The bride and groom use three candles, one large and two small. First, the two small ones are lit each with their family, representing their individual lives and with these the large candle is lit, forming a new flame that symbolizes unity and the new life in common about to begin. You can also get the guests involved by displaying candles in the ceremony entrance and inviting friends and family to light one and say a blessing as they enter.
You can make before the wedding day a “”marriage contract”” with your vows, desires, and promises. A graphic designer can make a beautiful version with the same style as your wedding invites to print. Another idea is to have a writing artist make it in calligraphic style on special paper.
On the wedding day, you can sign it and your wedding planner (that’s me) packs it perfectly to take it back home safely to then frame it to hang on the entrance of your house.
Traditionally, two special witnesses sign the document (this is a great honor!) before it is read aloud, which happens after the ring exchange.”
“The original idea is to put on a large wooden box a bottle of wine of the year that you started going out, along with all your keepsakes from your relationship before getting married and help each other nail it shut.
Since you’ll be traveling back home with it, a new take on the anniversary capsule is to make it through paper so is not heavy to take it back home. Some Ideas that I had is to fill it with polaroid pictures taken that day of your guests, letters from them too, an example of the stationary and a flower from your bouquet. That will make the box lighter but still full of meaning and love to receive on your anniversary.
A great idea is to make a collaborative piece of art, between you two or made by an artist or a talented friend. Other ideas on the creative ritual are to paint your hands on a white canvas or do a freehand sketch. If you are artsy and colorful, you can incorporate different colors of paint and pour them onto a single canvas. The two paint colors blend and bring life to the
On the artistic side, we have this new trend that can be really beautiful. During the vows at your ceremony, you fill a container (a nice one) with different colors of glass crystal. And in your home town, look for a Glass artist to make you a sculpture that represents your love.
A new way to do the wine blend ceremony can be done with any other beverages like coffee! If you both are coffee lovers why not do a ceremonial brew with 2 kinds of coffee from different regions. Or two kinds of mezcal…..all you need is 3 bottles ( One for each original beverage, and one to pour in) and 2 nice shot glasses, or more if you like your guest to toast with you.
With the stone ceremony, you can give your guest one small stone to hold during the ceremony and make them put the stone in a jar as they say a wish or a blessing for you. This works best for ceremonies with less than 30 guests. You can change the stones for colored quartz, beach crystals, or seashells if your theme is the beach.
Why not contribute to the local Butterfly Farm project, realizing endemic butterflies at the end of your ceremony, that can look beautiful in pictures and can be meaningful in the sense of your compromise with the planet and the so-needed environmental care.