How to Include Guests in Ceremony?

kimandwillie

I'm having a small wedding of only 20 guests. I really think that it will be more intimate if the guests are involved in some way. The idea I like is a ring-warming/blessing, but I'm not completely conviced on that one. I also thought of having the separate unity candle flames being passed through each guest and then finally to us, kind-of signifying how they have influenced our lives. Do you have any suggestions?

StarJay

We are including and affirmation of the assembly in our ceremony.  After FI and I exchange vows the minister will address our guests and ask them if they promise to uphold encourage and support FI and myself in these vows.  Wording below: Will all of you witnessing these vows do everything in your power to uphold and encourage Chris and Jamie in their marriage?  They respond in unison: We will. We also are doing a very similar thing w/ just our parents in place of the presentation/giving away of the bride.  HTH

mizkriz

my friend including in her incitations a separate card and typed on it "We would love to hear your engagement/wedding story and words of wisdom" etc... at the ceremony, instead of the MOH reading a passage, they went through and chose the most beautiful touching stories and she read them...

Arther007

I love all the ideas of how to include your guests in the seremony. I've been to a wedding that did the candle thing. It was very beautiful and touching.

mocha beans

We are doing the ceremony in Hawaii, and will probably have a smaller turnout.  I want to do a Wine, Letter, Box type of thing.  My thought is to have guests write down a memory, bit of advice, or something like that before the ceremony, and to then include those notecards in the box that is then sealed.  Then we can open it up when times are tough and get a boost up from our wedding guests.