|
|
|
Types of
Weddings
A custom-created
wedding reflects your style, your personalities and
your choices. You may choose to have a traditional wedding, or you may
choose to have a particular type of wedding or incorporate elements
from other types of weddings in yours. As a couple you are combining
your lives and that means combining your individual histories, what you
are bringing into your marriage. So you may wish to incorporate into to
your wedding family or cultural traditions so that your wedding is a
celebration of who you are as well as a celebration of all you mean to
each other. It is up to you and my job is to
make your wishes a reality in a wedding that speaks to your hearts and
to the hearts of everyone present.
Backyard Weddings
A backyard
wedding can be a casual setting for a casual wedding, or it can be as
elegant and sophisticated as you wish - it all depends on the backyard
and your vision for your ceremony. For a couple who want a simple
no-fuss wedding the backyard or deck can be the ideal solution.
Bilingual Weddings
You may choose to
celebrate your marriage using one or more languages other than English.
This can be something as simple as a reading in the language of the
bride or groom's heritage, the bride and groom speaking from the heart
to their parents, or a fully bilingual ceremony in which the various
parts of the ceremony are repeated in the second language, or
translated. If both the bride and groom speak English, but some of the
guests do not, a translator can be used. Where the bride, the groom or
one or both of the official witnesses do not speak English, the law
requires that an official interpreter be used at the ceremony.
Buddhist Weddings
There
is no specific
Buddhist wedding liturgy. Wedding customs differ from country to
country and the type of Buddhism practised. The conscious intention
brought to the ceremony by the bride and groom is of primary importance
and can be enhanced by the choice of rituals. The vows can express
Buddhist principles and the Five Precepts, which offer a framework for
a successful marriage. The Four Blessings can also be included in
the ceremony.
Celtic Weddings
Celtic
weddings
incorporate pre-Christian elements, largely of Scottish or Irish
origin. Common inclusions are handfasting,
the four elements of
air, water, earth, and fire, and jumping the broom.
Chapel Weddings
If your vision
for your wedding is a traditional ceremony, but you do not wish to
marry in a church, you might choose to hold your ceremony in one of the
non-denominational or secular wedding chapels available in south-east
Queensland. While a few chapels are purpose-built, the majority are
small deconsecrated churches with traditional 19th century
architecture, wooden pews, a central aisle and an altar on a raised
dais. A chapel wedding will include a formal processional and a
formal recessional and may also include formal seating of the parents
just before the wedding starts. As an indoor venue a chapel wedding
affords opportunities to include rituals such as the Unity Candle, and
is particular appropriate if you wish to have a military wedding or
include some religious
content in the ceremony.
Photograph
Courtesy of That's
Me Photography
Cultural Weddings
As
long as the minimal
legal requirements are observed your wedding can reflect the traditions
of a particular culture. For some couples this may be the only option
open where a legal religious wedding in a particular tradition is not
available to them in Brisbane. For others incorporating traditions from
their heritage can add immensely to the ceremony. This might be
something as simple as sharing wine in the Chinese tradition, tying the
bride and groom's garments together and taking the seven steps in the
Hindu tradition, or being crowned in the Orthodox tradition, or the
ceremony can follow closely the traditions of wedding ceremonies in
your culture.
Fusion Weddings
As the world grows smaller, fusion
or multicultural wedding ceremonies are becoming more popular. A fusion
wedding is a wedding that includes elements from multiple cultures in a
sensitive and mindful fashion that avoids appropriating rituals that
have no meaning to those attending the ceremony. As your celebrant I
will work with you to find the commonality in various cultural rituals
and ceremony elements and draw those common elements together in a way
is respectful and meaningful.
Handfasting
Handfasting
is a Celtic tradition going back to pre-Christian Pagan
times. It involves the binding together of the couple's hands.
This evolved from the handshake into the joining of all four hands
crossed in the centre to create a sign of infinity. It can be
used as an Engagement or Betrothal ceremony signalling intention, or
incorporated as a ritual in any marriage ceremony before the
vows to signify the couple's agreement to marry, or the whole ceremony
can be based on modern interpretation of the ritual. A handfasting can
also be used as part of a commitment ceremony or a renewal of vows. It
adds a a
spiritual aspect to the ceremony outside of specific religious
tradition. In a Celtic wedding the colours of the ribbon or cords have
individual significance.
Hawaiian Weddings
With its
sub-tropical climate Brisbane is the perfect place to have a Hawaiian
style wedding - on the beach or beside a swimming pool in which
frangipani or orchids are floating. Leis, flowers for the women,
fragrant and green leaves for the men and a sand ceremony (an Hawaiian
innovation) are features of a Hawaiian wedding, as is casual (and
colourful) clothing.
Humanist Weddings
In the very
deepest sense all weddings are humanist expressions of the intentions
of two people to enter a covenantal relationship based on mutual
respect and mutual love. A Humanist
wedding is non-religious. It celebrates human
values and natural human spirituality based on a human sense of
integrity without
reference to any supreme being, but it is not anti-religion. A Humanist
wedding ceremony has meaningful secular or non-religious content with a
very personal focus, which makes the ceremony relaxed and comfortable
and allows for light-hearted moments as well as solemn and serious
ones. Because it is an inclusive ceremony, emphasising those things
that are common to humanity, whatever the beliefs of your guests might
be
no-one present will feel excluded.
Inter-Cultural or
Multi-Cultural Weddings
Where
a couple comes from
two different cultural or religious backgrounds both can be celebrated
and incorporated. With careful planning the traditions and customs of
both cultures can be seamlessly integrated to create a meaningful and
thrilling experience forging a powerful bond that will resonate ever
after in the lives of the couple and their families. I've
performed numbers of ceremonies celebrating
various combinations of Australian, English, Welsh, Scottish, Irish,
American, French, German, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, African,
Jewish, Buddhist, Zoroastrian, Maori, Pacific Islander, Hindu and
Muslim heritage, to
name just a few. The ceremony can be entirely secular, spiritual or
include elements of the religious traditions of either or both families.
Inter-faith Weddings
Specifically blends
the bride and groom's religious traditions. In all other aspects
similar to an Inter-Cultural Wedding.
Irish Weddings
An
Irish wedding
incorporates Irish customs and symbols. Common symbols are the
shamrock, the celtic cross, the Tara brooch, Claddagh rings. The
ceremony might include Irish music played by fiddlers and/or pipers,
traditionally worded Irish blessings, special coins, an oathing stone,
and the Celtic loving cup.
Mediaeval Weddings /
Medieval Weddings
A
Mediaeval
Wedding is a theme wedding that revolves around a particular historical
period. While sourcing appropriate clothing is relatively easy, finding
a suitable location can be more difficult. You may have to resort to
using decorations and props to create a mediaeval ambience. Careful
choice of music and musicians is important. The ceremony will be
formal, using language reminiscent of the time. While Australian law
requires
a certain form of words to be included in the vows, those
words are not out of place in a Mediaeval Wedding.
Military
Weddings
A
military wedding simply
involves military participation in a traditional and very formal
marriage ceremony. The
distinguishing mark of a military wedding is that the groom and members
of the wedding party who are serving members of the armed forces
(Officers or NCO rank) wear their uniforms and the bride and groom exit
under an arch of swords or sabres. The type of uniform depends on the
time of day
and the formality of the wedding. If a serving member, the bride may
also wear her uniform but most opt for the traditional wedding gown.
Boutonnieres are never worn with uniforms, but decorations are.
Scottish Weddings
(also known as Tartan
Weddings)
 Celebrating your
Scottish
heritage in your wedding can be both romantic and soul-stirring, a
feast for the eyes (the tartan) and the ears (the skirl of the
bagpipes). Wonderful traditions that celebrate your heritage
include a piper leading the bride in and the newly married couple out,
touches of tartan and heather and thistles in bouquets, age-old
rituals such as the sashing of the bride, the use of a quaich,
handfasting, jumping the besom, and suitable readings in Scots dialect
or from Scottish authors. I wear either a
sash in my McDonald clan tartan or the more generic Flower of Scotland
tartan with an elegant black outfit.
more
information about Bluebonnet Tartan
Weddings
...
Spiritual Weddings
A spiritual wedding is rich in symbolism and
tradition, evoking a
sacred or divine feeling within the context of the marriage ceremony.
Because spirituality is
based on individual experience what it means is highly personal to you.
Your spiritual ceremony may therefore express a universal
understanding, incorporate your
personal earth-centred spiritual beliefs or be a non-denomational
ceremony with non-specific references to the divine. Inspiring and
beautiful readings that are universal and not necessarily connected
with any particular
religion can be included.
Surprise Weddings
A
surprise wedding is a family-oriented
alternative to an elopement. You minimise the stress of the wedding but
have your family and friends present at the ceremony. Generally the
wedding is held in conjunction with another celebration - your child's
naming, a housewarming, or some other festive occasion or family
gathering. The Australian Marriage Act requires that both parties must
give real
consent to the marriage both in the process leading up to the ceremony
and in the ceremony itself. While it is legal to surprise your guests
it is not legally possible to surprise either the bride or the groom.
Theme Weddings
Theme
weddings
add originality and excitment to your wedding and are a hot trend at
the moment. While all weddings are,
in a sense thematic because the theme is the wedding, adding a unique
subject matter will tie it together. A theme wedding can add flair,
originality, fun and excitement to your special day, and will actively
involve your guests in creating the atmosphere. You can use a theme to
link to your romantic history as a couple. Your venue may suggest
the theme, for example a wine theme for a wedding held in a vineyard,
or you may draw inspiration from your wedding date, a
historical period, personal interests, hobbies, favourite movies,
novels, even a storybook
fantasy, a particular culture or your honeymoon destination, anything
that you feel will stamp your wedding with your combined
personality as a new couple.
True-Blue Aussie
Weddings
Koalas
or kangaroos at your wedding, didgeridoo music or bush ballads, bush
poetry, an outdoor setting surrounded by gum trees or rainforest, and a
laid-back
ceremony. Any or all of these ingredients can make for a very memorable
occasion.
Visa Weddings
Where
either the bride or
groom is a foreign national entering Australia on a Prospective Spouse
Visa (Fiance Visa) the wedding is required to take place within 9
months of his/her arrival. Such weddings may be conducted in very
simple English or with the assistance of an Interpreter if required.
As celebrant
I can provide the required letter and other documentation regarding the
arrangements for the wedding that authorities require as part of the
visa application process. There is a small extra charge for this
service.
Green
Weddings
An eco-friendly
wedding is all about the choices you make to ensure that start your
married life without damaging the environment or contributing to global
warming. Making socially conscious choices can save you
money too. You could choose a local ceremony site, such as a park
or garden, that is complete in itself, thus minimising carbon emissions
and have the ceremony and the reception at the same place or in easy
walking distance from each other. You also can express your commitment
to the environment in the wording of the ceremony, by choosing recycled
rings (perhaps purchased as estate items or passed on down your
family), and by skipping the ceremony program.
Pink Weddings
Couples of the
same sex cannot legally be married in Australia. A Pink Wedding is a
term commonly used for a formal commitment ceremony for a same-gender
couple. While not a legal
ceremony it is a heartfelt and moving expression of loving commitment.
Reaffirmation (Renewal
of Vows)
Legally
married or
formally committed couples can reaffirm their vows on significant
anniversaries or other occasions. Couples who have eloped or who have
had a very small ceremony frequently reaffirm their vows as part of the
larger celebration soon after the wedding. The ceremony follows the
structure of a wedding but is less formal and is focussed on
celebrating the success of the relationship. Under Australian law
couples already married may not have a repeat ceremony, so the
vows are reaffirmed not merely repeated.
100% Secular or a
Touch of Religion?
As a secular humanist civil celebrant I do
not include religious references in your ceremony unless you
specifically ask me to do so.
Most of the 60% of
civil weddings solemnised in Australia every year to
not include any religious references. If you wish, your ceremony can be
spiritual in
nature, evoking a sense of the sacred without resorting to religion.
And if you wish you may include religious references, prayers, readings
and music
in your civil ceremony. Where you yourselves are not religious
but
someone important to you is, this can be accomplished in a number of
ways that are not intrusively obvious to guests who are not religious
but which lend an air of familiarity to the ceremony for those who are.
This is also a way to acknowledge dual religious heritages within a
secular (non-religious) ceremony.
.
Your Privacy |
Mission
Statement
| Contact Me
Jennifer
Cram is a
secular humanist celebrant
in Brisbane
Queensland
Australia
Serving all of Brisbane, Redlands, Redcliffe, Pine Rivers,
Logan and Ipswich
Ceremonies
performed
in private homes, parks, gardens, hotels, clubs, restaurants, chapels,
function
centres, reception centres, wedding venues.
Day or evening
ceremonies 365 days a year
Her Celebrant
Services include:
Wedding
Ceremonies including Contemporary,
Traditional, Spiritual, Intimate, Cultural, Inter-cultural,
Buddhist, Celtic, Fusion, Handfasting, Humanist, Irish, Mediaeval,
Military,
Scottish,
Celtic, Chinese, Buddhist, Mediaeval; Surprise, Theme, True-Blue
Aussie, Visa, Green, and Pink Weddings;
Renewal of
Vows; Commitment
Ceremonies for gay, lesbian,
and straight couples; Naming Ceremonies;
House Warming;
Launching; Divorce
and Separation (End-of-Relationship) Ceremonies
Contact
Details
Phone: (07) 3378 3005
International: + 61
7 3378 3005
Email:
Mail: P O Box 20,
Indooroopilly QLD 4068, Australia
|
