Adding unique wedding traditions to your wedding ceremony is a great way to put an extra special touch to the day. Your wedding day is going to be unique no matter what because it is the only one with the two of you in it! However, a ritual or traditional ceremony can add depth to your wedding day. From deciding whether to do a first look to adding more symbolic rituals, incorporating special details chosen by the two of you will make the day truly remarkable. Below is a list of unique wedding traditions and practices that you can include to commemorate your union.

An ancient Celtic ceremony practiced for centuries, hand fasting involves tying the hands of the bride and groom together. This symbolizes the couple’s unity and commitment to one another. Using a pretty ribbon or braided cord, the ceremony is an easy one to add that speaks volumes.

Similar to handfasting but something that the couple does together instead of having done to them, is a knot tying ritual. A fisherman’s knot is a good choice for this ceremony because it is strong and dependable, able to weather any storms. In fact, the fisherman’s knot only gets more sturdy when put under pressure, which is a great symbol for a marriage. During the ceremony, the couple will collaborate on tying the knot. Using a braided cord ‘knot’ only will make for good photos and videos, but you have a memento to display in your home.

A traditional Native American ritual, sage smudging is used to purify and cleanse participants and spaces, such as homes or other buildings. A tightly bound sage stick is lit and when it is smoking, the stick is then waved around the participant to bathe them in the aromatic smoke. A couple can take turns smudging each other or having another wedding goer smudge the two together. The smoke is considered helpful in clearing negative energy and freeing the couple up to move on in their life together.

If you’ve spent any time at music or art festivals or in the yoga community, you have seen henna tattoos. Originally, the intricate designs and patterns of henna tattoos were part of the pre-wedding preparations in India. Brides in India would gather with their girlfriends and have a henna tattoo spa day. The art will typically last for 2 weeks. If you have Indian heritage or are dedicated yogis, this can be a great visual to add to your ceremony whether done before or as part of the ceremony itself.

In this case, this is the opposite of taking a nap. A unique wedding tradition in Germany called Baumstamm Sägen is performed after the wedding vows. The newly married couple uses a two handed saw and proceeds to saw the log in half! The symbolism of this ceremony is to give the couple their first obstacle to overcome as a team, and giving them confidence in being able to face life difficulties together.

A hand washing ceremony is used within Buddhist, Native American and many other cultures. The ceremony focuses on leaving the past behind and entering into a new phase of life cleansed of past mistakes and shortcomings. Hand washing is an easy yet memorable symbol to incorporate into a ceremony.

However, if you have your wedding next to a stream or a gorgeous mountain cradled lake, adding a foot washing ceremony is a great symbolic ritual to include. Foot washing has been used by many cultures, but is predominately viewed as a Christian ritual symbolizing humility and a willingness to serve one another.

Also related to trees, but on a more environmental note, the couple can plant a tree to symbolize their relationship growing over time. Some couples choose to pot a tree together at the ceremony and then transplant it into their yard once they return home. It could also be an option to plant a tree at your ceremony site depending on the land management regulations. If you choose this route, make sure you are selecting a tree or plant that is indigenous and plant it in a location where trees are naturally occurring.

This one is particularly beautiful! A traditional Mexican ritual, a garland of flowers and rosary beads is looped over and around the couples shoulders in a figure eight. The figure eight formation is also known as an infinity symbol. The garland lasso or lazo symbolizes the couple’s union being for eternity!

A time capsule is a fun tradition for marking a milestone day. You can have guests include things as well! However, a cool variation on this idea is a wine box ceremony. The couple selects a special bottle of wine, perhaps a bottle of the same vintage that they drank on a day that held significance to them. The couple write love letters to each other and place them in a decorative box with the bottle of wine. They can select an anniversary to open the box and read the letters.

From the day you get engaged, your loved ones can be part of the planning. They can be part of choosing your wedding attire just like with a traditional wedding. There are some special things to take into account when shopping for an elopement wedding dress. Talk to your family about their weddings and find out if there are any special traditions or tokens that meant something special to them.

While you might not have cell signal at the ceremony location, with WiFi and cell signal virtually everywhere, you can include your family by having a video chat with them. To have that connection on the day of, to perhaps to share a toast and warm wishes, will mean so much for you and them! It’s almost like you were eloping with your family there!

With COVID around, this isn’t a viable option. However, once it is safe, throwing an engagement party before or a reception party afterward is a great way to include your family. In a traditional wedding, a reception is typically when most loved ones interact with the couple, from sharing a toast and cake to dancing the night away.

Knowing why you want to elope and being certain that this is what you want is critical for the conversation with loved ones. Being able to provide concise reasons for your decision will show your family that you have put a lot of consideration into making the choice. Here’s a link to a post we did on reasons why couples choose to elope. It may help you as you begin putting words together for telling your family.

Just because they won’t be there on the big day, doesn’t mean there aren’t ways for them to be involved before and after the ceremony. From helping to pick out wedding day attire to throwing a party to celebrate with loved ones, there are tons of ways to include them in the process along the way. This can help ease the blow when you tell them that you are eloping. Oh, having a video of the ceremony doesn’t hurt either.

Traditionally, an elopement referred to running off, spur of the moment, to get married without telling anyone. Perhaps the reason to elope was because of a lack of family support. But that is not how elopements are defined today! Today, the definition of an elopement wedding has shifted to mean a small intimate ceremony, often coupled with a destination location such as Colorado, Hawaii or Iceland. There are many reasons a couple may choose to elope. Check out some of the most popular reasons below!

Many couples cite the desire to mark their milestone in a way that feels authentic to their love story. Instead of feeling like they have to check a bunch of boxes for relatives or because “that’s the way we do things”, the couple can craft their experience that reflects their values. From bespoke traditions to holding the ceremony in a location that holds personal significance, you and your beloved can select exactly what you want the day to look like.

With an elopement, you have more control over what you spend. The average cost for a wedding is over $30,000! An elopement can minimize the typical costs of a wedding, from removing the need for typical costs like, invitations or catered dinners. That doesn’t mean that you can’t have a private chef or cake and bubbly. It’s just a smaller scale, so you can splurge a little and get a more luxe bottle. Another popular option is combining your wedding with your honeymoon destination. For some couples, they only hire a single vendor for their elopement. What would that vendor be?!? A photographer and videographer to capture the day, of course!

Like everything, weddings during COVID are just a touch more complicated. However, having an outdoor venue nearby is key. Here is a list of the best unique outdoor Denver wedding venues. From venues for small, intimate elopements or larger weddings, there’s a Denver wedding venue perfect for you!