Wedding Lightning: Private wedding party vow reading
What is wedding lightning?
Wedding Lightning is a flash of an idea, a trend in weddings, or a joyful happenstance in the taking of a wedding photograph that was unanticipated.
I like to make up words/ expressions. My inspiration for doing so is the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig.
I’m not a trend-forecaster by any means, but I do like to observe and that’s helpful in spotting and naming a unique trend. This is exactly what happened with Jaimie and Colin’s wedding. It wasn’t until I was working on their blog teaser, commenting on the experience of their wedding, that a potential trend emerged. After an Internet search that didn’t yield any results, I self-declared this a trend and made it official here!
Private wedding party vow reading
Think of it as a wedding before the wedding, or a micro-wedding inside a bigger wedding. Your wedding party represents people who are very close to you. You asked them to stand by your side during one of the biggest days of your life, and they agreed to that commitment. This may include a time investment in helping to plan the wedding, a financial investment in a dress/outfit and accessories, organizing pre-wedding activities, waiting patiently while you try on a hundred dresses/ outfits, and taking your late night frantic texts about planning. Why not honour them beyond the traditional gift exchange and give them first audience to your vows?
When Jaimie and Colin were walking to their chosen spot for their first look, I was surprised to see the entire wedding party coming along with them. When I mentioned it would be a good idea to have their entourage wait out of sight so that the first look would be private and personal, Jaimie said that they invited everyone along so that they could do a read-through of their vows after the first look. For practice! They wrote their own vows, and were a little nervous as to how they would sound. As we often do with our closest friends and family, they wanted a sounding board before the main event. A rehearsal.
Private vow readings just between the couple is a thing. Similar to the first look, it’s an opportunity to — while at your best and looking forward to your best day — express your most heartfelt feelings and emotions towards your partner. Unencumbered, you can truly say anything and that’s what can make a private vow reading so special. But when you have a wedding ceremony version ready, why not do the vow exchange for just the group chosen to be your MIP’s - your Most Important People?
Jaimie and Colin’s wedding party gathered around them, and they read their vows. The whole thing was so emotionally charged. It was a still moment - no other guests, no music, no cell phones.
There were tears, and some laugher (I think there was a comment about mac and cheese?). I felt their group deepen their collective connection as they listened to Jaimie and Colin express their love to one another. A shared emotional bond drew them all closer that day. It was very special for me to be there to not only capture the moment, but to feel a part of it too - a trusted person in their mix.
Many of my couples are down-to-earth and prefer to be part of the crowd at their wedding, rather than on display. An intimate celebration with their loved ones that’s relaxed and understated is of key importance; every detail intentional. A great way to express this intimacy and to honour those who said “I do” to being in the wedding party, is to share a private wedding party vow exchange before the ceremony. Bonus that it helps ease the nerves when re-stating the vows in front of a larger group of wedding guests!
Who knows if this will catch on as a trend. Either way, I was witness to a terrific and unique moment and it was such a lovely and unique aspect to a wedding, even if it was originally supposed to be “practice.” Share your thoughts in the comments - wedding lightning?
