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So the actual wedding ceremony is like 10 minutes... how can I beef it up?

Jacquin27Jacquin27
First Comment
in Wedding Vows & Ceremony Discussions
It just seems so strange to me that I'm having this huge event for a marriage ceremony that will only take 10-15 minutes. How can I expand my wedding ceremony? What are some interesteing or special additions that you are adding for your wedding ceremony or have seen done?

I'm thinking about the pouring of the sand into one larger container or the unity candle idea... I guess that should add 2 minutes at the most. lol
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Re: So the actual wedding ceremony is like 10 minutes... how can I beef it up?

  • artbyallieartbyallie mod
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    You don't need a long ceremony for it to be beautiful and meaningful and adding things just to make it longer will be pointless. And most guests will appreciate a shorter ceremony more anyway.
    image
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  • Jacquin27Jacquin27
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Good point! Thanks!
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  • vineyard12vineyard12
    First Comment
    We are planning for 10-15 minutes. My brothers was just about 10 minutes. This just gives you more time to party, and isn't any less meaningful.
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  • InMyLife1979InMyLife1979
    First Comment
    What about including some friends or family and having them read something?  I know the 'love is patient...' poem is kinda played out, but maybe even some song lyrics?  Just something I've been thinking about.  I wanted to do a unity ceremony, preferably the candle, but since we are outside I don't know if the weather will cooperate.  I know there are tons of suggested readings for weddings out there.  Maybe this is a way you could really personalize your ceremony and include someone who may otherwise feel left out.

    Smile
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  • vexievexie member
    First Comment
    I understand... I felt the same way.  To me the ceremony is the focus of the day so I didn't want it to be over before it was started lol.  We included a few things like a reading, a solo during the signing of the registry and we did the unity candle as well.  Our officiant read a passage from the BIble and then gave a short 'sermon' (not a sermon, but some words for us as we started our new lives together).    I guess these are the typical ways of expanding the ceremony. 
    84image 73image 11image Wedding date: June 11, 2011 :)
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  • aragx6aragx6 member
    5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment
    Ours will only be about 15 minutes long but that doesn't mean it won't be meaningful or special. And believe me, your guests will love it!
    Lizzie
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  • PamelaO86PamelaO86
    First Comment
    I agree with you...I thought it would be weird to have such a short ceremony but like everybody said it will still be meaningful. Something I am doing..and it depends on your budget but I'm doing something called a "Rose Ceremony". Basically your bridal party and close family gets a rose. You have three vases up in the front. One big one and two little ones. In each of the little vases is a single rose. At some time during your ceremony your officient would state the meaning behind a single red rose..which is "I love you". And also that the first gift a bride and groom should give each other is love. So you would exchange each others roses to symbolize that you love each other. Then you would put those two roses in the middle vase. You would then have whoever else has a rose come up and put it in the vase. This would symbolize your family coming together and showing they love you and it would make a beautiful centerpeice in the end. I'm actually mixing white and red roses becuase the meaning behind that is unity and it symbolizes our families uniting. Contact your local florist and they could give you prices..
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  • tenofcups4metenofcups4me member
    5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment
    10-15 minutes is normal in my crowd. Personally I despise weddings that run longer and include filler like multiple readings, songs or, the worst, some sort of sermon. If you find something meaningful, sure go ahead and add it, but I wouldn't add just for the sake of making it longer.
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  • cebrady89cebrady89 member
    First Comment
    I totally understand...I'm having a Catholic mass, and I still think it'll rush by so quickly (it'll probably be just over an hour, haha). 

    I would include any readings that you find meaningful, or maybe a unity ceremony (candle, sand, flowers). Another thing that I've seen done is the bride presents a nosegay/small bouquet to her mother in law, and the groom does the same to his mother in law. That's how you can symbolize any joining of families if you want something a little different, and you don't have to have anyone explain what's going on with that one - pretty self explanatory. 

    I would add what's meaningful to you, not just filler, but also don't worry that guests will be bored after ten minutes - they're there to celebrate your marriage, after all!
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  • Simply FatedSimply Fated member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Answer Name Dropper
    15 minute weddings are what I'm used to... that's about as long as most Jewish ceremonies. My Catholic friends were jealous of me when I told them id never sat through a long ceremony before lol. Regardless, Quality > Quantity. No matter what your religion or culture is, wouldn't it be better to have a ceremony you love than a ceremony where you just threw in stuff to take up time?
    image
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  • Cortney1982Cortney1982 member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    I went to a wedding once and the cermony just dragged on and on and on a good hour.  Some of the siblings had to go up and talk about how they enjoyed summering in Martha's Vinyard when they were younger.    Was that really necessary?  Somebody sang, bible passages were read, it felt more like a FUNERAL!   I know people want the day to last, but spend it having fun!
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  • cebrady89cebrady89 member
    First Comment
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_actual-wedding-ceremony-like-10-minutes-can-beef-up?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:10Discussion:3c564b48-c10e-408c-bb53-bd42a1b8e88bPost:51110a4b-81ea-4dc1-b451-c376f123454e">Re: So the actual wedding ceremony is like 10 minutes... how can I beef it up?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Short and sweet can't be beat.  <strong>Seriously, I won't even go to a Catholic wedding mass anymore.  </strong>My butt goes numb sitting on a hard pew.
    Posted by LucyHC[/QUOTE]

    <div>I'm going to assume you're joking/exaggerating here...if not, I think that's so selfish of a person to refuse to attend someon'e wedding ceremony because it's too long for your tastes. </div><div>
    </div><div>
    </div>
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  • cebrady89cebrady89 member
    First Comment
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_actual-wedding-ceremony-like-10-minutes-can-beef-up?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:10Discussion:3c564b48-c10e-408c-bb53-bd42a1b8e88bPost:a37ff03c-62d0-49b5-a30d-39eb3eccd845">Re: So the actual wedding ceremony is like 10 minutes... how can I beef it up?</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: So the actual wedding ceremony is like 10 minutes... how can I beef it up? : I have medical issues that make sitting that long on a hard pew very painful, not just for the duration of the ceremony, but for several days afterward.  I also can no longer go to my nephew's football games.  It's not selfishness, it's self-preservation.  It's not that Catholic wedding masses are too long for my tastes , it's that they're too long for my health .  Maybe try being a bit less trigger-happy with the judgmental pronouncements.
    Posted by LucyHC[/QUOTE]

    <div>The original message sounded more like you merely disliked long ceremonies (given the nature of this thread) and I assumed your were being hyperbolic. So sorry for assuming, just misunderstood what you said within the context of the topic at hand.</div>
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  • cebrady89cebrady89 member
    First Comment
    No, of course, now that I reread it I get it...no need to apologize!
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  • PinkRoseAcctPinkRoseAcct
    First Comment
    Mine is about 1/2 an hour long, max.  It will have two songs (one is a solo, one is a congregational hymn), three readings, and a short sermon.  But, I have been to a 1/2 hour wedding that really did feel like a funeral.  Our pastor makes it so no one ever wants to look at their watches, so I'm hoping that it'll be okay.  My parents, and their family, is used to the long masses, but FI's family is not, and they are complaining about the ceremony - too long.  

    InMyLife1979 - the "love is patient" quote is not a poem - it's a passage from Corintians in the Bible.  However, a poem that means more to the OP would be just as meaningful here.
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  • thestoryladythestorylady
    First Comment
    As a wedding minister, I can tell you that most ceremonies only last 15 or 20 minutes.  You can add to them with unification ceremonies such as candlelighting/sand/rose/handfasting and with readings and songs.  You can have a friend sing a song or tell a story.  These extras are not really necessary though.  All you need is your vow exchange, ring exchange and to make it legal, the statement of intent which is the "Do you take" and "I do" part of the ceremony.  But it's YOUR wedding.  YOU can add anything YOU want to make it longer or beef it up.
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