A candle can be lit by a representative from each family ie the Mothers. The two candles are brought together and a third candle lit by the couple. It signifies the giving of each child by their family in support of this loving union.

Or the couple can each light a candle, and then the central one together symbolising their new life together.

A meaningful symbolic joining of two lives. In this timeless ritual of marriage, the couple ceremoniously pours a different colour of sand from separate containers into one special container, the unity vase, symbolising their coming together as one.

The layers represent their two different personalities, still separate but mixing as one.The top is sealed and you can take this home to display in your home. Some couples have the vase engraved. You could bring sand from a beach near where the couple are each from. Or include members of your family. This is especially touching when either, or both of you, have children.

Simple yet profoundly moving. The couple exchange two roses, symbolising the giving and receiving of their love for each other throughout their entire married life.

The Rose Ceremony also conveys how to use the rose and its symbolism in difficult times in order to forgive each other. In the past, the rose was considered a symbol of love and a single rose always meant only one thing – it meant the words “I love you.” So it is appropriate that for your first gift – as lifelong partners – that gift would be a single rose.

We have all heard the expressions "tied the knot" or "giving one's hand in marriage". It's in reference to the ancient tradition of handfasting.

The term Handfasting is taken from Old Norse "hand-festa" meaning "to strike a bargain by joining hands". Handfasting is the tradition of lightly binding the hands of a couple together using a cord, rope, ribbons, a scarf, tartan or strips of fabric. It is meant to signify a couples coming together as "One". Whatever it's original intention, it has become a popular new tradition for today's couples seeking new and Spiritual ways to honour their love.

The couples rings are tied together with ribbon (or any cord) and passed amongst all your friends and family.

They are passed full circle back to the couple loaded with the good wishes and love of your friends and family. Simple, but touching.

A fun alternative to the traditional Unity Candle Ceremony or Sand Ceremony. The Unity Canvas Painting Ceremony lets the couple celebrate their Wedding or Vow renewal, in an artistic way that truly represents themselves. Depending how artistic the couple is: you can choose to paint an image or you both pick up your pot of paint and pour it over the top of the canvas resulting in an abstract style painting.

I would say a few words about marriage: Every marriage starts out as a blank canvas and every day is a splash of colour. This blank canvas represents the day of the wedding, and a new beginning.

There are two small glasses of wine, with one bigger empty glass in the middle. The bride and groom take a small glass each and hold them, facing each other. Their individual glasses of wine represent who they each are: their ideals, thoughts, passions, their individual life experiences that make them the person they are today.

They each pour their glasses into the large glass to combine the two wines to symbolise the union of their two lives.

Just as these two wines can never be separated and poured back into their own containers so will your marriage be: a moulding of two individual personalities, bonded together forming one heart.

The Quaich is a traditional Scottish two handled drinking cup. The word Quaich comes from the Gaelic word ´cuach´or cup. They can be made of wood, pottery, silver or pewter and come in a range of sizes.

The Quaich is often referred to as ‘the loving cup’ or cup of welcome, or friendship and its´ two handles make it ideal for sharing.

It is unique to Scotland and part of the tradition of Celtic hospitality was that of welcoming guests with a drink from a Quaich. Sharing a cup was also seen as a sign of trust between the people drinking from it – because it is offered and taken with both hands, the drinker could not hold a weapon at the same time and the sharing of the drink was also a guarantee that it hadn’t been poisoned!

During your ceremony you will drink whiskey from the cup (a great way to calm your nerves too!!). I will then read a traditional Scottish poem.

My inspiration came from a wonderful Dutch custom of substituting the guest book with a wedding "wish tree."

Guests write their special wish for the happy couple on their leaves, which the happy couple can then read and hang on the tree. I’ve incorporated this into the Ceremony.

You can choose family members or a selection of guests to write a word each and to walk up, say the word, and hang it on the tree (that I supply). For example: Love, fun, patience, tolerance, understanding, joy, memories.

Any word you or they choose. Or a sentence / wish for the happy couple. You can keep all the ‘leaves’ in your wedding box after the big day. If the couple are from another country or countries you can have some of the words written in different languages.

A very traditional Spanish Ritual where 13 pieces of coins (silver or gold) called arras are placed into the Groom's waiting hands, who in turn drops it into the Bride's hands. The Bride then puts her hand above the Groom's then drops the arras into his hands again. The Groom allows the coins to then be dropped into a plate held by a family member or myself.

The metal tinkling of the coins being passed from one pair of hands to the other, is a distinctive reminder of the groom's promise to take care of his wife materially. The bride in return, by giving back the coins to his hands, conveys that what they both earn becomes part of each other's. The trickling sound also signifies abundance and success in the couple's joint efforts.

These two rituals are based on a Traditional Indian Hindu Wedding Ritual. It may appeal to the more spiritual couples. You can include both, or you may choose to just include one. Totally up to you!

Jai Mala Ritual: During Hindu wedding ceremonies the bride and groom exchange a garland of flowers, which signifies the acceptance of each other and that they enter their marriage freely.

Saptapadi Ritual: This is seven sacred steps, that they will take together as a couple, whist making a promise during each step. The seven promises are: “Together we will live with respect for one another. Together we will develop mental, physical and spiritual balance. Together we will prosper, acquire wealth and share our accomplishments. Together we will acquire happiness, harmony and knowledge through mutual love. Together we will raise strong, virtuous children. Together we will be faithful to one another and exercise self-restraint and longevity. Together we will remain lifelong partners and achieve salvation.”