It is probably safe to assume that the people who will be invited to your wedding are near and dear to your hearts, and have been extremely important in your lives up to this point…except of course for that crazy second cousin, or the pesky coworker who somehow manages to squeeze onto the guest list. In traditional wedding ceremonies, the guests usually witness the service without contributing to it, often catching only a portion of what is being said at the altar. However, many couples today are looking for ways to have their guests participate in the wedding ceremony in order to incorporate the community of their loved ones into their commitment to one another. There are several unique ways of doing this, some of which encourage all of the guests to take part while others require the involvement of only a few. The following ideas are meant to be a springboard for your own imagination; you may want to use them as they are presented, change them to fit your individual style, or disregard them altogether. In any event, they should get you thinking about the shape that you want your ceremony to take, and how much – if at all – you want your guests to be included in the proceedings.
Face your guests
This is a simple way to involve everybody in the ceremony, without changing a thing except the configuration of the wedding party. By turning toward your guests, rather than keeping your backs to them, you physically invite them to share your experience. You can have your wedding party stand beside or behind you, also facing the audience, which allows you two to be surrounded by the people who have come to support your marriage. Because it is important to be able to look at the person who will pronounce you two lovebirds hitched, you may want your officiant to stand directly in front of you with his back toward the other guests; or further removed, within the audience itself. A caution here: Make sure that everyone (including you!) will hear him from his post, since he won’t be facing the assembly (a microphone may become necessary depending on the size of the venue and crowd).
Unity Candle
The Unity Candle Ceremony is a lovely way to symbolize the contribution of each wedding guest to the identities of the Bride and Groom as individuals, and to have everybody participate in the creation of their union. Starting at the back of the room, each guest lights a candle from his neighbor's candle (candles are to be given to guests when they arrive for the ceremony), moving forward until the flame reaches the wedding party. The last candle lit is used to light the Bride’s and Groom's, which are then used to light the Unity Candle in front of them. You might also choose to begin with two candles, one on the Bride’s side and one on the Groom’s (if guests are seated according to this division), which would travel up through the Groomsmen to the Groom, and the Bridesmaids to the Bride, with the same ultimate result.
Audience Readings
Unless there will be a chalkboard and a recess bell where you are getting married, you probably won’t simply call on random guests to read aloud during the ceremony…although this is a great way to make sure everybody is paying attention! Rather, you and your groom should choose passages that you wish to include, and ask individuals well ahead of time if they would read them during the ceremony. This way, a small number of people represent the whole group…I guess this makes them kind of like Congress, so just to be safe you shouldn’t offer the services of Flower Girls or Ring Bearers as interns. Your readers can either come to the front when it is time to read, or stand in the audience if that will work with your crowd size and space.
Rose Petal Shower
After the knot has been officially tied and the old smoocheroo accomplished, have your guests line the center aisle armed with rose petals, bubbles, or another picturesque substance (supplies should be handed out upon entrance to the ceremony) to toss at the two of you as you make your way back down the aisle. This is an easy way to include every guest in this celebratory moment, and it provides great photos. Beware the density and trajectory of the objects you choose, though; marbles, even if they perfectly match your colors, are not recommended.
Wedding Wish Box
This isn’t necessarily incorporated directly into the ceremony, but it is a way for your guests to express their thoughts for you on your wedding day. Make pens and small cards available at the reception, and ask for each person to write a thought or a wish about love, marriage or whatever seems to fit the occasion, and drop it in the “Wedding Wish Box”. You and your Groom can go through these on your honeymoon or at a later time, which will surely bring back the warm fuzzies of the day. Bonus: Guests who wait to write until they’ve had more than their fair share of champagne will probably provide you with some very entertaining reading material.
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