A Wedding Blessing that includes a Water Ritual

 

It was my privilege recently to officiate at a wedding blessing ceremony for a young couple. I have know Sally, the bride since she was a little girl, now here she was a beautiful young woman.

 

Sally and Tim were married in Santorini, with views of the caldera, the Mediterranean Sea and the setting sun, surrounded by loved ones. On their return the couple held a party for their relatives and many friends.

 

Sally, Tim and I, together created a deeply personal ceremony to bless their recent marriage. The couple share a love of the great outdoors, especially water and dreamt of this ceremony taking place on a beach or beside a river. For practical reasons we gathered in a woodland glade with a hall nearby in case of rain. To symbolise their dream we included a water ritual within the ceremony.

 

Everyone gathered beneath a tree adorned with beautiful decoration made by Sally, with a small, prettily decorated table on which stood  a fish bowl containing water with a bed of sea shells in the bottom and two glasses; one containing yellow coloured water and the other blue.

 

Minister: ‘Sally and Tim will now create a new colour together from the mixing of two other colours symbolising their new union.’

 

Sally holds a container of yellow water.

 

Minister: ‘Yellow is the colour of sunshine. The colour yellow represents joy and happiness. It also stands for wisdom.’

 

Tim holds a container of blue water.

 

Minister: ‘Blue represents confidence and trust. A “true blue” friend is faithful and trustworthy.

 

Sally and Tim, this vessel between you represents your marriage. It is a new beginning in your relationship with each other.

 

Sally, as you pour the yellow water into the container you bring sunshine and wisdom to your marriage. And Tim, as you pour the blue water into the marriage vessel, you bring confidence, trust and loyalty to your marriage.

 

The blending of the yellow and blue water creates green, the colour of the ocean, representing the blending of your lives together as one. The colour green represents stability, endurance, growth and harmony. May your marriage reflect these qualities. May your energies in this marriage blend just as equally as your give freely of yourself while honouring the greatness of each other.’

 

When the ceremony was complete, a cocktail of sparkling wine and blue Curaso was served; the colour of the ceremonial water, in 1/3 pint milk bottles and drunk through straws, with which we toasted the happy couple.

 

For ideas for further unique rituals/ceremonies please contact me.