Wedding Ceremony Customs - Including The Father of The Bride and The Father of The Groom In The Wedding Ceremony

June 21st 2009 – Happy Father’s Day – Including Dad In the Wedding Ceremony – The Clergy Network of Southern California - Example - Multicultural Wedding in Los Angeles, California

Wedding Tradition should include the father of the bride and the father of the groom. If the relationship between the bride and her father, and that of the groom and his father are favourable, there a many ways in which to provide a more active role to the same. As a wedding ceremony officiator I have often included the fathers in the wedding ceremony, either during the writing of the ceremony, or in the ceremony itself. Let’s look at one recent Clergy Network ceremony which included Dr. Linda of AskDr.Linda, a TCN wedding officiator presided:

Pre- Wedding Ceremony Scenario- The bride was from the Philippines and the groom was Russian. In this custom written Clergy Network wedding ceremony text, Dr. Linda, in conjunction with the bride and groom, wrote a “Welcome to the Guests” in English, which was then translated into Tagala and Russian.

Wedding Day - On the ceremony day, Dr. Linda, the father of the groom and the father of the bride walked down the ceremony aisle together. Rising to the ceremony area in unison, Dr. Linda “welcomed” the guests in English. Then the groom’s father in Russian, followed by the father of the bride in Tagalla. At the end all shook hands; Dr. Linda remained in her ceremony position. The father of the groom was seated. The father of the bride walked back to join his daughter for her entrance, to be soon after the wedding party’s procession.

Conclusion – Such a simple suggestion is rather profound, as it is not often included in the wedding ceremony. Whether there are several native languages represented through the respective families of the bride and groom, or not, there is no mandatory wedding day tradition for which the father of the groom and/or the father of the bride are to be precluded from verbal participation. If the father of the bride and/or groom is not given to public speech, even these “welcomes” can be pre-recorded and then played by a D.J. at the start of the wedding ceremony.

In short, the fathers’ may write the “welcome” which may be read by the wedding officiator or another, or write and read a “welcome to the guests”. This unexpected personal greeting from the fathers’, at the “start” of the marriage ceremony, sets the right tone of involvement for the guests themselves. In short, someone they know is saying “go ahead, feel invited. Laugh, cry, applaud, and by all means enjoy!” It makes all the difference in this wedding officiant’s vast experience.

"Legally Married With Class, Creativity & Professionalism" (tm)(C)

http://www.legallymarried.com/
www.twitter.com/legallymarried
Bride Name Change - www. namechangemadeeasy.com
www.twitter.com/namechangehelp
www.namechangenews.com - Blog

AskDr.Linda – Dr. Linda is a multi-degree wedding officiator and expert on “all things” ceremony. With thousands of life celebration ceremonies presided, Dr. Linda adds experience to many years of formal training in public speech, and the theory and practice of celebrating life through public ceremony. A former professor and president of an university which academically and experientially equipped life celebration officiators for public service.