What Types of Weddings Are There?
Getting married is like drinking champagne: there are countless varieties, and each has its own charm. Whether classic, casual, or exotic – your wedding should suit you. To help you keep track, we’ve summarized the different wedding types for you. And since love knows no boundaries, we’ll also reveal why mixed forms are becoming increasingly popular.
Civil Ceremony
The civil ceremony is the only way to make your marriage legally valid in many countries. No matter how you want to design your wedding – you won’t be able to avoid a trip to the registry office. But don’t worry, it sounds drier than it is. Many registry offices have long since moved away from pure bureaucratic charm and offer stylish venues – from historic town halls to romantic castles. What are the advantages of a purely civil ceremony? Besides being legally binding and the only officially recognized form of marriage, it’s often flexible in design. While it does depend on the registrar, it’s usually no problem to recite personal vows, choose the music, or express other individual wishes. The civil ceremony is perfect for couples who want to marry simply and without complications – or if you want to keep your budget small.
The Free Wedding Ceremony
Want to say “I do” in a place that means something to you? Perhaps on a flower meadow, at the beach, or in grandma’s garden? With a free wedding ceremony, everything is possible. Without legal requirements, a celebrant designs your ceremony entirely according to your wishes and individual needs. With a free ceremony, you therefore have completely free rein – you do what makes you happy. This also means you can independently decide where, when, and how the ceremony should take place. This form of wedding celebration is particularly suitable for couples who want to celebrate their love without conventions and according to their own rules. For the wedding to be legally valid, you must officially marry at the registry office before or after. The free ceremony is therefore more of a symbolic act.
The Church Wedding
For many, the church wedding is an important part of their marriage. It combines classic and religious traditions with a festive atmosphere. Whether Catholic, Protestant, or another faith – in church, your union stands under a special blessing. A church wedding is especially meaningful for religious couples but also for people who love the traditional character. Even with a church wedding, you must first visit the registry office.
The Destination Wedding
Do you dream of turquoise water, sand between your toes, and a fresh sea breeze? Then a destination wedding might be just right. Whether romantic in Italy, exotic in Bali, or crazy in Las Vegas – you decide where your love story continues. Often the wedding is combined with a small vacation for you and your guests. A destination wedding almost always comes with a unique backdrop and truly unforgettable memories – but also with a price tag. Additionally, you often have to think about the bureaucracy in advance: it requires a lot of documents for the wedding abroad to be recognized in your home country. But in return, you often get wedding celebration and honeymoon in one.
Mixed Forms – Why Decide When You Can Have It All?
Sometimes the perfect wedding is a combination of different elements. A popular trend, for example, is the free-civil ceremony. Here, the bureaucratic part of the registry office and the individual possibilities of a free ceremony are combined, as both take place in one ceremony. The celebrant and registrar can, for example, speak alternately, so that the official and unofficial parts can be held in parallel. Or you can move the ceremony to an offsite location of the registry office, such as a lighthouse. You can elegantly tick off the bureaucracy and simultaneously celebrate according to your style.
Which Wedding Form Suits You?
In the end, it’s like the perfect champagne – the best is the one that tastes good to you. Consider what’s important to you: Should it be romantic and intimate? Big and glamorous? Or perhaps completely casual with your feet in the sand?
No matter what form your wedding ultimately takes: As long as you love each other and toast together, it will be an unforgettable day.
