Ceremony Types
Choose your Style of Ceremony
| l Traditional |
l Historic l |
Pagan l |
Gothic l |
Write Your Own l |
Some Ceremony Additions
| l Unity Candle Ceremony l |
Sand Ceremony l |
Handfasting l |
Runestone Ceremony l |
For You Who are 'Traditional' at Heart
So...you're
the traditional ceremony type? That's Great... Maris of Vale Ceremonies can design
a ceremony that is as traditional as you need. He can even perform the
Elizabethan Wedding Ceremony, which outlines
the "role of the wife" in marriage.A Vale Ceremonies Traditional Ceremony will include:
As well as your preferred combination of the following or anything else that is important to you.
Maybe an Affirmation
of Love, such as;
"Real love between a man and a woman is perhaps the highest experience that is possible for human kind. Such love reduces selfishness, deepens personalities and…above all…gives life purpose and meaning."
or A Ring Giving Ceremony (very traditional, almost expected) possibly including some folklore such as;
The fourth finger of the left hand has a vein leading directly to the heart, and so you have paced your rings on the path which reputedly leads directly to each others hearts."
You
could even include a Cross-Culture Blessing "Real love between a man and a woman is perhaps the highest experience that is possible for human kind. Such love reduces selfishness, deepens personalities and…above all…gives life purpose and meaning."
or A Ring Giving Ceremony (very traditional, almost expected) possibly including some folklore such as;
The fourth finger of the left hand has a vein leading directly to the heart, and so you have paced your rings on the path which reputedly leads directly to each others hearts."
such as this Apache Wedding Blessing;
Now we feel no rain, for each of us will be a shelter to the other. Now we feel no cold, for each of us will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no loneliness, for each of us will be a companion to the other. We are two bodies, but there is one life before us and one home.
When evening falls, I'll look up and there you will be. I'll take your hand; you'll take mine and we'll turn together to look at the road we traveled to reach this: the hour of our happiness. It stretches behind us, even as the future lies ahead.
A long and winding road, whose every turning means discovery. Old hopes, new laughter, shared fears.
The adventure has just begun!
"The Sky and your Imagination are the only limits"
Your Special Day as an 'Homage to History'
Firstly
is must be said that a Vale Ceremonies Historic ceremony IS NOT a theme
wedding - they are weddings inspired from History,Vale Ceremonies specialises in conducting Ceremonies under Australian law that are inspired by History, complete with Maris wearing the relevant recreation of attire that existed in the period in question.
All of Vale Ceremonies Historically inspired events are 'Civil' ceremonies, that is, they do not represent and are not developed to present themselves as religious services.
When we think about historic ceremonies we usually have two images our minds;
1. Romantic-beautiful maidens and knights in shining armour, complete with recollections of Guinevere and Sir Lancelot - This is a combination of a Medieval & Renaissance Ceremony.
2. Flowing gowns, collar ruffs and the gentlemen in hose and hats - This is an Elizabethan Ceremony
Vale Ceremonies can develop a ceremony from any other period of history, providing there was a ceremony during that period. Also ceremonies from different parts of Europe and the old world - Norse, Celt, Scots etc.
If you are a recreationist - Maris can develop a ceremony that is as close as it can be to what happened in your favoured time period while still being legal under Australian Law.
*please note-price on application.
"An Historic Ceremony links You with Your Past." - Maris
For a truly 'Green' Ceremony - Pagan
Vale Ceremonies offers you a modern (usually) Pagan wedding ritual - The Handfasting.
There are many thoughts on the history of the term "handfasting". At Vale Ceremonies Handfasting refers to one of two types of ceremonies, either a "wedding" or a betrothal of a year and a day, which the participants can then decide to renew or not at the end of that period.
Handfasting is quite popular today, among many people who find that their own lifestyles call for an alternative joining ceremony to that provided by more typical weddings. Handfasting can be used by couples of the same sex, or by group marriages who wish to have more than two people in their families. They can be used by people who are members of Pagan (polytheistic nature religions), or by people who don't necessarily share the same beliefs.
There are also Christians and others who choose to use handfasting as their wedding rituals for various reasons.
Something that was once seen as worship of the devil in mainstream religion is now something that many people include as another element in their ceremonies.
We have Handfasting ceremonies that are quite short and can be included in your standard civil ceremony, or you can have a full or partial 'Pagan inspired' ceremony.
All ceremonies also include a dedicated Handfasting Certificate.
Note - the Traditional Pagan Wedding must be performed by a Priestess and Priest and as Maris is not of the Pagan faith he performs a civil ceremony that draws heavily on Pagan influences.
If you are looking for Pagan attire Vale Ceremonies highly recommends
All life springs from our Mother Earth"- Maris
Your 'Dark' Ceremony's Home is Right Here.
Firstly
is must be said that a Vale Ceremonies Gothic ceremony IS NOT a theme
wedding!We DO NOT dress up in 'costumes' and make parody of a legitimate sub-culture.
Vale Ceremonies specialises in conducting Ceremonies under Australian law that are developed for the marriage of a couple who are practising Goths. They are intentionally dark and brooding..
So what is Goth? This is probably the hardest question any goth could try and answer.
Goth in its simplest form, is a subculture. A group of people who feel comfortable within each others company. There is no specific thing that defines what you need to do or be to fit into the goth scene (except of course the implied black clothing).
People in the goth scene all have different musical tastes, follow different religions, have different occupations, hobbies, and fashion sense.
Modern goth (ignoring where the name itself originally comes from) started in the early 80's as part of the punk subculture. Punk eventually died, Goth survived and became its own subculture. The punk clothing and hairstyles mellowed, and the core 'rejection of society' attitude alone lived on in the gothic subculture. Over time this itself has been modified to be more of a 'no more blind acceptance of society's values' as opposed to rejection because it was there to be rejected (and because you could get away with it!).
Maris, while not a practicing Goth, will design your ceremony so that it is as individual as you are. He undertands your need for a unique Gothic ceremonial experience and will work with you to assure that your ceremony is truely 'your darkest time'
If you are looking for Gothic inspired Wedding Dresses and attire Vale Ceremonies highly recommends
"We all have 'darkess' in our lives from time to time." - Maris
Exploring your 'Poet' within.
If you are
the sort of person who loves writing and creating
your own style then what better way to show your family and friends
who you are than by writing your own wedding ceremony. Your wedding may
be the one time you are at the very 'heart' of your world, so why not
make it 'exclusively you'.Writing your own personalised wedding ceremony is not as hard as it may seem. Here are five simple things to get you started.
1. Make sure that everyone is on the same page. Talk to your future spouse, family and with your celebrant. Make sure everyone is okay with a personalised wedding ceremony.
2. Write down the answer to these simple questions;
What is the single greatest thing about the person you are going to marry?
When did you know that you were in love?
What does marriage mean to you?
What will change/stay the same about your relationship once you are married?
What is your most favorite memory of your partner?
3. Consult the experts. Take some time to read through a variety of wedding vows, as well as passages of poetry, love stories, and famous writing about love. Choose your favourites and include them.
4. Put it all together. Go back to the words you wrote and passages your chose, and highlight what you might want to include in your Ceremony. Then put them together with the legal requirements and refine.
5. Practice, Practice, Practice. Try reading what you've written out loud to a trusted friend or family member. Someone who is a good writer, and who knows your relationship. They may have good suggestions for you, and please don't get upset if they don't like your first attempt. Then run it past Maris for a final check.
Don't worry if you get 'stuck', you'll have Maris to support you in times of 'writers block'
"I'm
here, right by your side, to guide you through the process."- Maris
Let Vale Ceremonies Author of your Special Moment
OK,
lets face it...most people are terrified when it comes to writing something
other than a shopping list. Perhaps the last time you wrote anything 'creative'
was in school, and even then perhaps your teacher told you to not write
anything more complex than a shopping list ever again.
So why not have a Vale Ceremony individually written for you?
Not everyone can write prose or poetry and even writers can get a little scared when they realise that it is one of their own special moments they are writing about. This is when an individually written ceremony can be the correct choice.
A Vale Ceremony written by Maris follows the easy steps outlined in Exploring your 'Poet' within.
Additionally, Maris will work with you to develop the text and tone of elements in your ceremony, such as;
So why not have a Vale Ceremony individually written for you?
Not everyone can write prose or poetry and even writers can get a little scared when they realise that it is one of their own special moments they are writing about. This is when an individually written ceremony can be the correct choice.
A Vale Ceremony written by Maris follows the easy steps outlined in Exploring your 'Poet' within.
Additionally, Maris will work with you to develop the text and tone of elements in your ceremony, such as;
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your
vows (if you are getting married)
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poetry
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including
remembrances that make your ceremony 'exclusively you'
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including
any children you may have already.
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combinations
of traditional
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music
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and
alternative elements
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readings
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You may have found a ceremony on the Internet from a different country that you would like to use. Maris can modify the ceremony so that it becomes a legal Australian Civil Marriage Ceremony.
Send us an email or fill out out contact form and we'll take it from there.
"I'll weave a tapestry of Words of Love that will stay with you forever."- Maris
Your Medieval & Renaissance Ceremonial Experience.
Romantic-beautiful
maidens and knights in shining armour, complete with recollections of
Guinevere and Sir Lancelot.If you have
a thing for the 'traditionally' historic then a Medieval/Renaissance wedding
is the prefect choice.A Few Things to Consider
If you are the bride, you need to let go of the idea of wearing white to a wedding of this type. Medieval brides wore rich colours such as burgundy or hunter green in fabrics such as velvet and lace. The hair is either worn out or in braids with flowers, ivy or herbs as a headpiece.
The Medieval wedding ceremony is actually quite a lengthy one. Traditionally it contains aspects of early Christian liturgy. Usually some of the wording has to be changed to suit modern sensibilities especially for the female. The wording of the ceremony is very traditional by modern day standards. You may also shorten the ceremony as desired. This wedding can also include a handfasting.
The Medieval clothing is usually not just worn by the wedding party, the guests are usually garbed in the clothing of the period also. Medieval clothing can even be handmade to create authenticity. The wearing of traditional garb makes the ceremony into quite an event, which the guests can also feel very much a part of.
If you are looking for Historically inspired Wedding Dresses and attire Vale Ceremonies highly recommends
"A reverence for history can help us see the future." - Maris
If Ruffs and Hose are What You are Looking for.
Flowing
gowns, collar ruffs and the gentlemen in hose and feathered hats. The
'Golden Age' of Queen Elizabeth the First.The Elizabethan Wedding Ceremony
This Civil ceremony is adapted from the Book of Common Prayer of HRM Elizabeth I of England, the Sarum Rite, the York Rite, and various other lesser sources. It is very traditional in its wording and as such could be chosen as the ceremony for a full regalia Elizabethan ceremony or an extremely traditional standard ceremony.
As with the Medieval/Renaissance Ceremony our Elizabethan Ceremony is quite long when fully presented. It can however be shortened to any length you would like.
The Preamble - The Form of Solemnization of Matrimony or 'Publishing the Banns' of all that are to be married together. The text of which is either announced prior to the ceremony or circulated prior via written or electronic means or both.
On the Day - The Introduction - The introduction of the celebrant and the required statements that they need to make under Australian Law. Also an outline of the purpose of marriage.
The Asking - The formal asking of the bridal couple whether they come to be married of their own free will.
The Vows - The promises they will make to each other
The Rings - The Giving of a ring to the wife from the husband.
The Declaration - That you are in fact Man & wife.
