Theme Wedding Ceremonies

Theme weddings wear many faces. Couples that share an interest, often opt to make that interest the theme of their wedding. I had the privilege to officiate the wedding ceremony of a man and woman who met because both worked in the gaming industry. Both dressed in their casino outfits, as did other members of the wedding party, including yours truly, the minister. Figuring out ways to bring gambling language – ante up, raise the stakes, you’re looking flush, double down, etc — into all parts of the ceremony (yes, even the blessing!) was fun and delighted all present.

The most common theme is Halloween. At these October 31st affairs, everyone is in costume. You can make a theme of anything you like. At a Hawaii theme wedding, I was told in advance to wear a Hawaiian shirt but only upon arrival to take my shoes off because all in the wedding party were to be barefoot. The bride’s parents, in whose yard the ceremony took place, made sure all the guests, groomsmen and bridesmaids had leis.

At a western theme wedding, the groom and I wore jeans, cowboy boots and ten (well maybe eight) gallon hats. The bride’s father led her down the aisle on horseback. I incorporated terms like roundup, brand, straight shooter, good grub (a reference to the reception to follow) into the ceremony. Because the couple already had a child and the bride was pregnant with twins, I gave thanks for the couple’s having one calf in the corral and two in the chute.

I thought nothing unusual about a couple who were wearing long-sleeved, collared shirts when they visited me to talk about their wedding ceremony. Ah but on wedding night the bride’s ample back was bare – and covered with tattoos. Same for the groom’s muscular arms. Turned out they owned a tattoo parlor, and their guests were tattoo customers, tattoo artists, or other tattoo parlor owners – all richly adorned with body art. It was an unintended tattoo theme wedding. The only people not so decorated were the bride’s parents and the wedding minister, who, though suitably attired, felt undressed.

There are theme weddings I long hoped to be part of but have yet to. A scuba wedding would be a kick. Yes, it’s been done, probably lots of times. Miming the vows, or even writing them in shorthand on a slate, watching the coupe share air on the ascent – what fun. If a good location is too far away, a pool wedding has possibilities, assuming the main participants can swim. The groom could enter doing a crawl, the bride a backstroke. They might later exit doing side strokes that kept them facing each other.

If you and your intended are rock climbers, consider that activity as a theme for your wedding. Climb the rock of your choice, rappel part way down, stop and hold the service. A free rappel of 120’, like that afforded by the Maiden between Boulder and Eldorado Springs, would be ideal for excitement. But even the gentle pitch of the Third Flatiron on the west side of Boulder would be a scenic and lofty spot to tie the knot.

I can’t leave this subject without mention of what I think would be a dog lover’s ideal theme wedding. Everyone who attends is asked to bring a dog, even if they have to borrow one. The frolicking of the dogs creates a playful ambiance. The wholehearted commitment of the canines to their play might serve as an example of the wholehearted commitment to each other of the bride and groom, as well as married couples in attendance. No need to ask who the ring bearer would be.

One couple ordered Santa for their wedding and it was captured by the Rocky Mountain News. You can see here that as a wedding officiant, I do whatever couples ask to customize — personalize — their ceremony and make it special.

Whether your shared passion is skiing or square dancing, sailing or sledding, consider making it the theme of your wedding ceremony.