As more people of different backgrounds meet and fall in love, interfaith weddings are growing more common. In spite of this, many couples are especially nervous about planning an interfaith wedding. They want to honor their religion’s traditions while honoring their partners– a difficult balance for many to navigate. Below are some tips on planning an interfaith wedding that will satisfy all involved parties.
Choose the officiant(s) who make you comfortable
The right wedding officiant is crucial to every ceremony, but this is especially true when it comes to interfaith weddings. Your wedding officiant is taking on the delicate process of making both parties feel included and respected, so it is essential you find the professional who makes both of you the most comfortable. If you choose to have two officiants who specialize in your respective faiths, make sure your officiants connect ahead of time to craft the best ceremony possible. Your officiants can explain the symbolism behind certain traditions and blessings so all guests can appreciate what is happening.
Consider a longer engagement
Wedding plans are exciting, but when planning an interfaith wedding, you may want to consider waiting slightly longer. You will want to discuss important questions about your future– such as which holidays to celebrate or how you will raise your children. These decisions shouldn’t be made on a timeline, so give yourself the space to think. Many officiants offer spiritual guidance and counseling, so consider discussing these topics with them.
Educate your guests about traditions
Give your guests more clarity on how the ceremony will progress by educating them on certain religious traditions. You could approach this in a number of ways. Consider including a page about the topic on your wedding website where you can go into detail about the origin and the representation of a certain tradition. Alternatively (or even subsequently), you could include highlighted information in your ceremony program for guests to follow on the day-of.
Have a visual representation of your faiths coming together
There are several fun, symbolic ways to visually represent the coming together of two faiths. One option is to light a unity candle. Another is to combine two different colored sands. Get creative with your options. On top of being a meaningful moment, they will make for beautiful wedding photos.
Fuse traditions into your decor
Combine traditional decor from your two faiths into an unforgettable, totally unique display that represents both of you. This will make for another distinct feature of your wedding guests won’t soon forget. If you need some ideas, ask your officiants how to do this in a tasteful, respectful way.