Here we share with you, all you need to know about Wedding Ceremonies in Spain. We work with a wonderful selection of highly talented Celebrants, Christian Pastors and Ministers, all with different styles and personalities! We can recommend a selection of Ceremony Celebrants for you to choose from, who will suit your personalities, your style of wedding and your ceremony requirements perfectly.
A Blessing Ceremony
Your Blessing Ceremony is just like a Civil Wedding Ceremony (but without the legal part!) Surrounded by all of your closest Friends and family you will take your wedding vows, exchange your rings, listen to readings, partake in a symbolic wedding rituals and celebrate your love for each other! It will be a very special, meaningful and an unforgettable time!
I love Blessings as they are so flexible, they can be held anywhere you wish, a beautiful venue of your choosing, whether it be a hotel, a Private Villa, on a Boat, a Restaurant, a Beach, an Olive Grove, a Mountain Top…so really anywhere you have dreamed of getting married! You can choose any style of ceremony you like, be it Religious, Non- religious, Spiritual Contemporary or Traditional! By writing your own Vows and having 100% input, you can create a ceremony that is all about you two as a couple!
The Different Types of Wedding Ceremonies in Spain
Humanist and Non Religious Blessings
A Humanist Blessing will be carried out by an officiant registered with the Humanist society. A Humanist ceremony is simply put ‘a meaningful, unique ceremony incorporating your personalities’. It encapsulates your relationship and how it is seen by yourselves and through the eyes of your closest family and friends. It is an opportunity for you to declare your love for eachother publicly and your aspirations for your future life together! This ceremony celebrates your union and enables you to incorporate intimate and personal vows, readings and wedding rituals of your choosing.
A non-Religious Blessing or a Humanist ceremony offers you the opportunity to take real ownership of everything that is said and done throughout your ceremony. Writing personal and meaningful Vows can be an important part of this. Don’t worry your chosen Wedding Celebrant will be able to help you with this. Whether you decide upon a formal or totally informal approach. Saying your own words to each other during your ceremony truly expresses how you feel about each other. It is a perfect way to make your ceremony unique and personal to you both.
As with a traditional ceremony, your wedding celebrant can help you choose your vows, readings, songs and music. They will then help you plan and rehearse your wedding in Spain, leaving you ready to enjoy your special wedding day.
A Religious Blessing
Should you wish to have a Religious Blessing Ceremony, this can be easily arranged. We would recommend booking a long way in advance to guarantee availability of the few Ordained Ministers and Christian Pastors available here who speak English. One of our Ministers is able to incorporate traditions and customs from most faiths! Your Blessing Ceremony would be very similar to the Non-Religious option we have described above, however incorporating the important Religious elements. You would work closely with your Minister to make decisions about the elements you wish to include and also work on your personal Vows. The result will be a highly personal, deeply spiritual and uplifting Religious Blessing Ceremony!
Rituals Available for Wedding Ceremonies in Spain
During your Blessing Ceremony prior to the exchanging of Rings, some couples choose to hold a symbolic bonding ritual a selection of which are mentioned below.
The Wish Tree- you can incorporate a wish tree in to your Ceremony, where chosen members of the congregation can read out their wish for you both and then hang their wish for you on to the Tree.
Rose Ceremony- This symbolic ritual is extremely powerful. The couple exchange two red roses, symbolising giving and receiving love to each other for the entirety of their marriage and life together!
Handfasting Ceremony- Handfasting is the ancient tradition of lightly binding the hands of the couple with a cord, rope, ribbons, scarf or strips of fabric. It signifies the couples coming together at one!
Passing of the Ring Ceremony- The couples wedding rings are tied together and passed in a full circle around the family and friends, each member of the group loading the rings with their personal good wishes.
Unity Candle Ceremony- One representative from each family will light a candle, these candles are placed together with a third candle lit by the couple. This signifies the giving of the bride and the groom and the support of their loving union.
Wine Ceremony- The bride and groom each hold a glass of wine. It represents each of them, their beliefs, their passions, their ambitions, their values and their individual life experiences. They each pour their glasses in to a large glass, symbolising their union, bonding them together for life.
Arras / The Spanish Coin Ceremony- 13 Coins ‘Arras’ are placed in the Groom’s hands, he pours the Coins into the Bride’s hands. The Bride holds her hands above the Grooms head, then pours the Coins ‘Arras’ back into his hands. Finally the Grooms pours the Arras into a plate held by a family member. This traditional Spanish Ritual is representative of the Bride and grooms promise to care and support each other financially throughout their lives. It signifies success and abundance in their lives together!
Unity Sand Ceremony- Symbolising the coming together of two individual lives. The Bride and Groom each pour a glass containing different coloured sand into a ‘Unity Vase’. The layers of sand represent their different personalities, mixing together as one.
Live Butterfly Release- A live butterfly release promises to create an enchanting and unique experience, one that you and your guests will remember for a long while.
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