Christian Wedding Traditions to Incorporate on Your Big Day
A bride and groom holding hands at the alter in front of a priest. Image by Wedding Photography.
Your wedding day is an amazing celebration of your love with your partner. So it’s only natural you would want to incorporate your faith into every aspect of your big day.
Christian wedding ceremonies often occur in a church, usually the one the couple attends or one grew up in. This makes it easy to honor your faith as you take your vows.
Even if you choose a destination wedding or a venue outside of your church, you can incorporate Christian wedding practices into every facet of your journey to the altar and even into the reception.
Here are some of the most meaningful Christian wedding traditions you can include before, during, and after your wedding ceremony.
Christian Wedding Traditions Before the Wedding
Two people holding hands over a table with cups of coffee nearby. Image by Frederick Medina.
The White Dress and Bridal Veil
The bride’s dress and veil are big symbols for a Christian wedding, so it’s important to consider this as you prepare for your wedding.
Wearing a white dress is a common Christian wedding tradition. The color white represents purity and security, as brides in the past only wore white if they could afford it. However, a white dress also has a connection to a passage in the Bible:
“Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” - Revelation 19:6-8
Whatever the reason, a white dress is a traditional choice for a church wedding. Additionally, wearing a veil is another custom that plays a large role in the wedding ceremony.
The groom will lift the veil at the end of the ceremony, signifying their connection. It’s also a reference to veils worn in Biblical times, making it an important staple in Christian weddings.
Bridal Shower Devotionals
Bridal showers are common pre-wedding celebrations that allow women to come together and honor the bride-to-be. They are also a good opportunity for those with marriage experience to offer guidance and advice that will help the future bride.
Bridal shower devotionals are short speeches, often referencing scripture, given during the shower. They are a great way to impart knowledge and remind the bride-to-be how her Christian faith will help guide her marriage journey.
When planning the bridal shower, ask someone who plays an important role in the future bride’s life to plan and deliver these devotionals. Suggest Bible passages that relate to marriage and offer important advice that will resonate with her and bring her comfort as she plans for her special day.
Pre-Marriage Counseling with a Christian Leader
Another pre-wedding Christian tradition is pre-wedding counseling. This is often done with a clergy member, deacon, or person who offers spiritual guidance.
Some churches offer courses and require that couples complete them before they can be married in the church. Others offer these meetings as an option for couples looking to strengthen the foundation of their union.
These lessons often touch on conflict resolution, how to include faith in your marriage, and other important topics that are helpful to young couples.
They also allow a platform for the couple to vent any frustrations and resolve any issues that may be on their minds before they say their vows.
Traditions During a Christian Wedding Ceremony
A zoomed-in view of church pews with decorations on the end and guests nearby. Image by Jamie Coupaud.
Reading Meaningful Verses from Scripture and Singing Hymns
Since Christian wedding ceremonies often take place within a church, it’s traditional for the couple to choose important scripture verses and special hymns to include in the ceremony.
They will often choose passages that are most meaningful to their union and select special family members to read them during the ceremony. You can have them practice these readings during the rehearsal to ensure they are comfortable on the big day.
Additionally, they will pick hymns for the guests to sing. The words can be printed within the wedding program so everyone can participate. There’s nothing quite like hearing the voices of your loved ones sing your favorite hymns!
The Offering of Communion
Another Christian wedding tradition that occurs during the ceremony is communion. No matter what your denomination, you can ask the religious leader officiating your ceremony to offer it.
You can limit the offering of communion to just the couple or offer it to all of your guests. Since communication represents Christ’s sacrifice, it shows the commitment between the husband and wife to honor the Lord and each other.
It’s a great way to bring Christ into the wedding ceremony and demonstrate how important faith will be in your marriage.
The Sand Ceremony or Lighting of the Unity Candle
Many Christian couples incorporate the unity candle into their wedding ceremony. This involves three candles and can occur during the ceremony or at the start of the reception.
There are three candles: one representing the bride, another for the groom, and one at the center that will represent their union. The couple will each light their own candle and then use those flames to light the center candle, signifying their union as man and wife.
This symbolism is similar to another Christian tradition: the cord of three strands. With the cord of three strands, each cord also represents the bride, the groom, and God at the center of their union.
Alternatively, couples can perform a sand ceremony. This is great for blending families or if there are children involved. Each person in the ceremony will receive a vial of colored sand. They take turns layering the sand in a glass vase or jar. This signifies that their families are now one.
Many couples will display their sand ceremony piece or unity candle in their homes as a reminder of their faith and union. This is a great memento from the wedding day and a symbolic symbol that lends a stunning visual that locks in your vows to each other.
Christian Wedding Reception Traditions
A bride and groom celebrating at their wedding reception with guests outdoors. Image by Omar Lopez.
Saying Grace and Blessing the Food
The reception is a time for families to come together and celebrate the new couple. After the bridal party enters and the couple has been introduced, someone will lead a prayer and bless the food. This can be a pastor, an important family member, or an important person in the couple’s life.
You can outline what you’d like them to touch on as they speak or request a specific prayer that is meaningful to you. They can also bless the food, especially if you are providing a wedding buffet or charcuterie spread.
If there are family members who have passed on, one Christian wedding tradition you can incorporate is the moment of silence into this prayer. It’s a great way to infuse your faith into the wedding reception and take a moment to recognize all that God has provided for you.
Cutting the Cake
Christian wedding traditions are all about demonstrating the new union between husband and wife. So cutting the wedding cake and feeding each other the first bite is a quintessential way to show togetherness and devotion.
This also symbolizes the couple's now shared life and that they will care for each other. So couples should do this with joy and without aggression to ensure they are honoring the covenant of marriage.
The Wedding Send-Off
Believe it or not, the wedding send-off is a Christian wedding tradition! In the past, wedding guests would throw seeds at the couple to represent fertility and growth within the family. Typically, the ritual is to throw rice as the bride and groom leave for their post-wedding union.
Nowadays, there are many different wedding send-off methods that honor this tradition. Since rice can be harmful to local birds, couples are opting for bubbles, ribbons, or even sparkler send-offs.
These approaches do not harm the environment but still represent the hopes of a bright, full life for the happy couple.
The wedding send-off is also a beautiful way to close your ceremony surrounded by those you treasure the most. And the photo op is one you will want to frame!
Conclusion
From the engagement to the post-reception send-off, a wedding is a celebration of your wedding vows and promises to always honor each other.
Christian wedding traditions are a great way to incorporate your faith into your special day and show your guests just how much God means to you and your spouse.
By including Christian wedding customs in your celebration, you will ensure your union gets off on the right foot and will be built on a foundation of faith and love.