Symbolic wedding: how and where to celebrate. Photo review

Every year more and more of our compatriots transfer the most important events of their lives abroad. What was once a luxury for a select few has now become available to many, including organizing an official or symbolic wedding abroad. Prices for foreign celebrations have not only caught up with the budget of Russian weddings, but have also dropped below their level.

An official wedding outside our country is more expensive. But if your marriage has already been registered, and you just decided to refresh your feelings or celebrate the anniversary of the holiday, then a symbolic wedding for two would be an excellent option.

It will cost much less. The advantage of this choice is that the ceremony can be held in any corner of the world, without encountering bureaucratic difficulties and without filling out a bunch of documents. You will be able to concentrate on the holiday itself, devote more time and attention to each other and fully enjoy your honeymoon.

Family hearth

This ceremony can already be classified as familiar. Most often, it is held at the end of a festive banquet - it is best to light candles in the evening, so the effect of the ceremony will be bright, and emotions at the end of the holiday will move away from euphoria towards romance and sentimentality.

The lights in the hall are turned off, leaving only two candles burning - in the hands of the parents of the bride and groom. They light the candles of their children: everything is like in life - parents give life to their children, pass on their love and experience. Lovers combine the flames of their candles and light one large candle - a symbol of the family hearth.

As a rule, all this is accompanied by a very touching speech by the host; many guests cannot hold back their tears. For beautiful photos and emotional enhancement of the moment, many hosts hand out small candles to guests in advance and ask them to stand around the bride and groom during the ceremony. When the family hearth is lit, the couple walks around all the guests in a circle and dozens of small lights are lit from their large candle, creating a magical atmosphere. This is a very beautiful and touching wedding ceremony.

Instead of postponing the ceremony until the banquet, you can light the “hearth” immediately after exchanging rings or wedding vows. By the way, candles are traditionally kept in a visible place in the house and lit on every anniversary as a sign of undying love.

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What are the rules for holding symbolic weddings?

It should be remembered that this celebration is still not a full-fledged wedding ceremony. It is intended to remind of feelings, renew marriage vows and take a fresh look at life together.

• Love and mutual understanding are put at the forefront; it is not customary to give gifts for this celebration, unless it is an anniversary or jubilee.
• The guests are less formal than at a traditional wedding. Basically, these are relatives and closest friends.
• There is no provision for the bride to be taken out by the father, because the couple is already married. The newlyweds must either approach the ceremony site together or separately.
• The rings must be either the same wedding rings or different in shape. No other wedding rings can be used.
• The cake is ordered only if there are guests or in case of a planned festive feast. At the same time, it should be more of an anniversary design, rather than a wedding one.

And a few more words about clothes. At a symbolic wedding there are no restrictions on the style or form of clothing. This could be a traditional outfit of the bride and groom, colorful national vestments, a diving suit or a military-style travel set - depending on the conditions in which the special event will be held.

A symbolic wedding is an excellent occasion to strengthen and improve relationships in an existing family. Experience new sensations and celebrate your wedding anniversary with brilliance. Such a ceremony can be held at any age, because love and tenderness do not go away, they remain with us and help us overcome life’s troubles.

Sand ceremony

The sand ceremony came to us from sunny Hawaii. It will fit perfectly into the concept of a summer beach wedding, but it will also suit other themes and styles if you place the right accents and choose the color of the sand.

The essence of the ceremony is as follows: the bride and groom have vessels with sand of different colors in their hands, from which they fill a larger vessel, simultaneously pouring sand into it. The grains of sand mix, creating a bizarre multi-colored pattern.

This is the meaning of the ritual - now sand of different shades cannot be separated from each other, and the lives of lovers are intertwined together thanks to love. The bride and groom choose a beautiful vase or decorative bottle for the ceremony, or maybe even a glass photo frame into which you can pour sand. Subsequently, the vessel with sand is carefully stored in the home of a young family, becoming a decorative element with a beautiful history.

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Official wedding ceremony

Avoiding the dull atmosphere of the Russian registry office and officially tying the knot in another country is not at all difficult, although it is associated with bureaucracy. In a number of countries, an application must be submitted a month in advance and an impressive list of documents must be provided, and in Mexico, for example, for some reason newlyweds must take a blood test!

However, in a number of countries, marriage registration authorities ask you to appear only two or three days before the wedding or even allow representatives of the company organizing your celebration to submit documents for you. Getting married is easy in Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, Greece, Slovenia, Turkey and Cyprus, South Africa, most states of the USA, Australia and New Zealand. Or you can go to the islands - Cuba, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and the Dominican Republic are waiting for you.

The wedding, as a rule, is performed by an employee of the prefecture, and in some countries, for example in Italy and Cyprus, only in the city hall, but in other cases you can invite a representative of the authorities to any other place.

There are, however, countries where Russians cannot get married officially. In this case, it is possible to get married at the Russian consulate - however, you will have to declare the reasons why you have no other choice but a consular marriage.

Although marriages officially entered into by citizens of the Russian Federation outside Russia have legal force in their homeland, some, of course, are stopped by the potential hassle in the event of the loss of a marriage certificate issued abroad: to restore it, a single visit to the neighboring registry office will not be enough.

List of popular countries where the official ceremony is held

• Australia
• Austria
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Hungary
• Greece
• Dominican Republic
• Italy
• Spain
• Cyprus
• Costa Rica
• Cuba
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• New Zealand
• Seychelles
• Slovenia
• USA
• Fiji
• Tahiti
• Türkiye
• French polynesia
• Czech
• Montenegro
• Sri Lanka
• South Africa
• Jamaica

Hourglass

A variation of the ritual with pouring sand can be a ceremony where the main vessel is an hourglass. This is even more original, and the watch symbolizes not only unity, but also the eternity of feelings. Agree, an hourglass is a wonderful trinket for decorating a living room, a married bedroom or a study.

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Strong knot

Knotting is a very common ritual that is found in many religions. For example, in Christianity it is believed that a family is created not only by a man and a woman, but the third in this union is God. That is why during the wedding the groom holds in his hands a ring with three ropes tied to it: the white one represents the bride, the red one represents the groom, and the gold one represents God. The bride weaves three ropes into one as a sign that the loving man and woman are now one and God has sealed their union.

Feng Shui followers tie a rope six times around the clasped hands of the bride and groom, this is a ritual for family well-being. And another option is to knit a sea knot from two ropes, one of which is held by the groom and the other by the bride. The ceremony symbolizes that love in marriage, like a knot, becomes stronger under pressure and trials.

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Wine ceremony

The logic of the first variation of such a ceremony is simple: like sand in a sand ceremony, the newlyweds pour two different types of wine into one vessel. And then they drink the resulting drink in honor of creating their own family and offer the wine to all guests.

The second variation of the wine ceremony seems to us much more soulful and meaningful. The bride and groom write vows to each other, which are not read out at the wedding, but are placed in a special box along with a bottle of good wine and this box is nailed tightly. The couple announces on which wedding anniversary they will open the box, read their vows, remembering their happy wedding day, and drink wine that, like their marriage, will only get better over the years. Even if this ceremony is more for two, but aren’t husband and wife the most important people at a wedding, for whose sake all the ceremonies and rituals were invented?

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Orthodox weddings

An Orthodox wedding ceremony is a blessing for the spouses for a happy life together. There are active Orthodox churches in a number of foreign countries - Israel, Italy, France, Cyprus, and the Czech Republic. The principle of choosing a direction here is, by and large, the same as in the case of an official wedding, but with documents everything is much simpler. The marrying couple must be believing baptized Orthodox Christians - for this, of course, documentary evidence is not needed - and provide a marriage certificate.

Letter to the Future

This ceremony is similar to a children's game: the bride and groom write about how they see themselves and their family years later. This can be any time period: 3 years, 5 years or 10... The newlyweds decide for themselves how many years later they want to read about their expectations and check whether everything has come true. The couple hides the letter (there can be two - from the bride and groom or one common one) in a box and locks it with a key or buries it in a secret place.

Just imagine how interesting it will be to take out the box on one of your wedding anniversaries and read how you saw your future together when you first decided to be together forever!

Such letters can be written more than once, only at a wedding, but turn this ceremony into one of the family traditions, to which you can later include children and even grandchildren!

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Wedding abroad: how to make your wedding an exciting adventure

Wedding abroad: a fashionable whim or a reasonable decision?

September, Friday. It’s a warm sunny day outside, perhaps one of the last warm days of this autumn. Today, as always on Friday, there are many wedding processions in the city - long limousines, ribbons, balloons, flowers... Photo sessions in city parks are an obligatory part of the program. A crowd of festively dressed people in front of the entrance to every restaurant...

Well, someone was lucky with the weather, I think, watching another photo shoot: yesterday it rained like buckets all day, and today it’s sunny and warm! As per order. The photos will turn out good...

Generally speaking, the fashion for wedding ceremonies “abroad” is gradually replacing our traditional tour of monuments and the boring bride price. Slowly but surely our newlyweds are beginning to understand that a wedding is, first and foremost, THEIR HOLIDAY!

Therefore, it should be carried out in such a way that, first of all, the couple themselves, and not the numerous guests, are satisfied.

Yes, yes, I myself once so wanted a simple wedding ceremony, only for close people, and from there I immediately boarded a plane and flew to a beautiful, distant country. It’s hard to believe now, but just 12 years ago, when I got married for the first time, there was not a single full-fledged wedding agency in Ufa that would take care of all these limousines, restaurants, photo shoots, travel and other wedding chores, not to mention a wedding ceremony abroad...

AND I SO WANTED a ceremony like in a Hollywood movie - an elegant green lawn, chairs covered in white tulle for guests, garlands of white flowers, white tables for a gala dinner set under white tents and a white limousine taking us to the airport after the traditional catching of the bride’s bouquet... Alas, NO ONE OFFERED THIS 12 years ago.

Today's brides and grooms are luckier - they have the chance to make their wedding EXACTLY WHAT THEY WISH. Although, to be honest, the task of understanding WHAT IT IS – THE WEDDING OF YOUR DREAMS – is also not an easy task.

Wedding organizers offer a lot of scenarios: retro wedding, gangster style wedding, folk style wedding, noble wedding, masquerade wedding, etc.

And for those who want something fundamentally new, travel companies offer to organize
a wedding abroad . And it seems that this idea is finding more and more supporters. And this is not surprising. Why? There are several reasons.

So, what are the benefits and interests of getting married abroad?

Firstly, by planning a wedding in a country where there are 360 ​​days of sunshine a year, you can practically not worry about the weather getting worse, and all your grandiose plans for gorgeous plein air photography or riding in an open horse-drawn landau will go ahead downhill

Secondly, it is originality. Any place that you choose for a wedding abroad will certainly look more advantageous than long-familiar, albeit beloved, native places where the weddings of your friends or relatives have already taken place. A new country with original architecture or unforgettable snow-white beaches is an excellent natural backdrop for your celebration.

Thirdly, this wedding option guarantees your privacy. You will be able to share your holiday only with your closest people, or perhaps celebrate it in a completely intimate setting - just the two of you. It’s worth having a wedding abroad if you don’t want to invite many guests and want to celebrate an important sacrament in a secluded atmosphere.

Well, and no matter how strange it may sound, getting married abroad means saving money and time. Many wedding and travel agencies provide discounts and gifts to their clients when ordering a ceremony and a vacation package at once. You do not, as in the standard case, spend time and money on organizing a wedding in your country, after which you may no longer have funds left for your honeymoon. If you fly in a small group or as a couple, you can save on a wedding compared to a magnificent celebration in your city.

So, the advantages are obvious. And the options for a “destination” wedding are more tempting than the other: from a wedding in an ancient European castle to a ceremony on the ocean. If this is your option, pick up a world atlas and choose a country!

You just need to decide what exactly you want to do abroad: an official wedding

or
a symbolic wedding ceremony.
Because there is a significant difference between the first and second option.

Official wedding abroad.

Caesar's Palace Hotel. Remember “The Hangover”?

Here many people will have a thought - is this legal? There is no need to worry about this issue. Weddings abroad are completely legal as long as you follow all the necessary rules. Paragraph 1 of Article 158 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation states that marriages between citizens of the Russian Federation and marriages between citizens of the Russian Federation and foreign citizens concluded outside the Russian Federation in compliance with the legislation of the state in whose territory they were concluded are recognized as valid in the Russian Federation if there are no obstacles to the conclusion marriages provided for by law (bigamy, marriages between close relatives, incapacitated persons). Thus, the main rule of weddings abroad is that they should not contradict the laws of either the country where the bride and groom are from, or the one where registration takes place.

The most favorable countries by law for registering marriages are Australia, Austria, Greece, Dominican Republic, Iceland, Italy, Cyprus, Cuba, Mauritius, Seychelles, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Sri Lanka, Jamaica and the USA. Although each country, of course, has its own nuances.

After the official wedding ceremony, local authorities will issue you an official marriage certificate, which will need to be legalized in Russia. You need to know about this and be prepared for the fact that recognition of a marriage certificate as valid in the Russian Federation will take some time.

OPTION 2. Symbolic wedding ceremonies or symbolic wedding abroad.

This is an excellent option for those who have already formalized their relationship and just want a beautiful ceremony, just for themselves, where there is no fuss, excitement, but only beauty and love, and the feeling that the whole world is just for you two... Or for those who is already celebrating another wedding anniversary, and wants again, purely symbolically, to remember those magical days when everything just began...

This option differs from traditional marriage in that it is not officially registered. You are simply immersed in a dream!

IN SPAIN, for example, a symbolic wedding will cause an incredible surge of emotions! A bright ceremony with fiery music and dancing will not allow anyone to sit still. Another option for a symbolic wedding is in THAILAND! These are gilded clothes and headdresses made of lotuses. To the sounds of an amazing melody, the newlyweds give each other luxurious garlands and light flickering candles of love. At the very end of this exotic magic, the couple tastes the sacred drink.

Crystal - snow-white beaches, coral reefs, clear warm waters with a variety of marine life - all this is the MALDIVES. A symbolic wedding will turn into a real romantic journey if you decide on a Polynesian ceremony...In a beautifully decorated boat, decorated with snow-white flowers and palm leaves, a sacrament will take place: you will say the oath of allegiance to the light sound of blue waves...And the enchanting finale will be an unforgettable wedding dinner - on stunning Maldivian sands!

Symbolic registration is arranged only “for beauty” and has no legal consequences.

So, choose your option - and go ahead! DREAMS COME TRUE, believe me.

My wedding abroad.

By the way, my second wedding took place just abroad, namely in the USA - in LAS VEGAS. I never would have thought that it would be so easy and fast! We went to the wedding chapel closest to our hotel, where they told us the options for the ceremony and their cost, signed us up for a certain time and sent our forms via the Internet to the mayor's office.

My wedding in Vegas: fast, not crowded, but at the same time sweet and touching!

After that, we went to this very city hall, paid the fee for registering a marriage and received a marriage license from the city hall. All that was left was to buy rings. It was also not difficult - there are a huge number of stores in Vegas. And considering that crowds of people come to Las Vegas precisely in order to quickly get married, all wedding attributes are presented in abundance in stores.

That evening our American wedding took place. She was exactly what WE wanted. Followed by a walk through the most beautiful places in Las Vegas and its famous casinos and bars... And the next day we went on a honeymoon - to the Grand Canyon!

The most interesting thing in this story is that we, in fact, did not initially plan this scenario... Each of us already had one marriage behind us that ended in divorce. It’s just that, having seen stunning Las Vegas and looking into each other’s eyes, we understood - either HERE and RIGHT NOW, or, perhaps, never again...

Therefore, I want to emphasize once again: a wedding abroad is not as expensive and difficult as it seems.

Happiness to you, my dears, and mutual love!

Tree of Love

Planting a tree that symbolizes love, and then caring for it together, growing it year after year - this is the essence of this wedding tradition, which exists among many peoples of the world. It is best to plant a tree near your home or in your own garden, but if this is not possible, then a large tub or floor pot will do for the plant to grow in the house.

Such a symbolic ceremony will fit very organically into a country wedding in the fresh air; in style it is suitable for a rustic wedding, eco-style or boho. But a classic ceremony can also be completed by planting a tree of love. To make this gesture even more symbolic, you can collect potting soil from your parents' property or take a handful from potted plants living in their homes.

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Where can you hold a symbolic wedding?

A symbolic wedding for two is a dream come true. You can put your whole soul into it, visit those places that you have dreamed about since childhood, or have a costume party, stylized as antique. Spouses who have lived in peace and harmony can refresh their feelings. And those whose wedding did not live up to expectations - do it all over again, fill their lives with adventures or romance, revealing the full depth of mutual love.

Wedding ceremonies abroad

There are many places in the world where you can spend unforgettable days and arrange a holiday for loving hearts. In hot countries, on the tops of mountains, by the warm gentle sea or among the majestic monuments of antiquity - there is something special for every couple.

• Greece has not only a wonderful holiday on the beaches of the Mediterranean Sea, but also many mysterious mysteries left over from ancient times. A symbolic wedding in an antique style against the background of architectural structures of ancient times or on golden sand surrounded by olive and orange trees will leave the most positive emotions. You can visit the famous Olympus or just take a photo in front of the Abode of the Gods.
• Thailand is full of its own charm. The purest waterfalls flowing from the mountains are framed by greenery and blooming southern plants. Here you can arrange a wedding ceremony according to the traditions of the Buddhist faith, with jasmine wreaths, a parade procession on leisurely elephants and a festive meal of exotic fruits.
• On the Caribbean islands, called paradise on earth, you can relax for a month without obtaining a visa. Guests will find a gentle azure sea, snow-white sand and coffee plantations on the slopes of volcanoes. Cuba, Dominica and Jamaica have many opportunities for active and tourist recreation. The abundance of sunny days makes the Caribbean islands a year-round resort.
• The Maldives provides a unique opportunity for newlyweds to hold an underwater ceremony, against the backdrop of picturesque coral thickets and colorful tropical fish. You can rent a bungalow for two on the shore, in the depths of the jungle, or right on the water surface, on platforms. So that no one interferes with enjoying each other’s company, the gentle waters of the Indian Ocean and beautiful sunsets. When planning a symbolic ceremony in the Maldives, you should remember that the Muslim faith is accepted in the republic. Drinking and importing alcoholic beverages is prohibited, and overly revealing outfits are also not encouraged.
• Indian exoticism also provides a lot of opportunities for organizing a magnificent, unique wedding ceremony. The resorts of Goa are especially popular. One of their advantages is their low cost. It is best to go there in winter - from November to May. The peak of the season occurs in December-February, and the ceremony can be combined with the winter holidays.
• In Europe there is also where to go and what to see. Prague is famous not only for its breweries, but also for its developed wedding industry. No wonder the capital of the Czech Republic is known as the city of lovers. You can rent here not only a restaurant hall. Most of the country's lovingly restored cultural heritage sites are rented out for wedding ceremonies. If you are planning an antique themed ritual, then there is no better place than an ancient knight’s castle or mansion.

Any country in the world has its own traditions and historical heritage, which are interesting and will become an excellent backdrop for a symbolic wedding.

Magnificent celebrations in Russia

Our country has a rich history, whose secrets are still not fully understood. Many picturesque corners of wild, untouched nature and all climatic zones, from the Arctic to the subtropics, give everyone the opportunity to choose the scenery to their taste. There are many advantages to organizing celebrations in your home country: saving time and money on obtaining a visa, the opportunity to invite all your family and friends, the absence of a language barrier and problems at customs. Many historical architectural monuments of Russia are open for rent - these are royal and princely palaces and estates, ancient mansions. There are also modern wooden towers, stylized as antique with one hundred percent authenticity.

• The capital offers its residents and guests a range of services for organizing romantic holidays in various styles. You can enjoy horseback riding or rent a luxury carriage drawn by snow-white horses. The newest hotel complexes in the Moscow region provide premises and areas for banquets and weddings of any theme, including knightly tournaments.
• Karelia is a wonderful land of crystal lakes, unique natural monuments and forests. A wedding ceremony on the lake surface of the Ladoga skerries or under the canopy of giant trees will leave a truly unforgettable experience. Here you can hold celebrations in the national style, ride a reindeer or dog sled.
• You can tell your children and grandchildren about a wedding on the shores of sacred Baikal. The beauty of nature, the mysteries of antiquity and the vastness of the great lake will certainly appeal to people tired of the bustle of the big city. If the ceremony falls in winter, it should be held at the Ice Palace. A fairy tale temple made of ice, shining in the sun, is located on the frozen surface of the lake.
• In the Northern capital, most of the monuments of ancient architecture and history of the Russian State have undergone restoration work. Their doors are open to guests who want to celebrate a new stage in the life of their family in the solemn atmosphere of the imperial palaces. Prices here are significantly lower than similar services in Moscow, but there is more choice. Palaces and estates of Tsarskoe Selo, Peterhof and St. Petersburg itself are at the newlyweds' disposal. You can admire the famous white nights from board a ship slowly sailing along the Neva.
• Crimea is famous for its health resorts and pioneer camps. Now they have been put in order and have begun to receive guests, including providing services for wedding ceremonies. Also, museums and ancient mansions underwent restoration. The hot sun, warm water of the Black Sea and an abundance of fruits make the peninsula a wonderful place for a romantic trip.
• For lovers of Russian antiquity, ritual weddings and melodic ritual songs, the Golden Ring is just right. A solemn celebration in the old Russian style, with troika riding, a traditional Russian bathhouse, jokes and a traditional feast, can be combined with an educational tour of cities and villages with unique monuments of our history.
• The Black Sea coast of Russia is rich in entertainment and a wide variety of tours. Here you can enjoy the warm sea and pebble beaches, or have a romantic holiday at the ski resorts of Krasnaya Polyana and the Caucasus Mountains. Decorate the ceremony in the style of the Kuban Cossacks or rent a snow-white yacht for a short sea voyage. Many magnificent corners of nature are perfect for celebrations in the fresh air, and monuments of forgotten civilizations will not leave people with a spirit of exploration indifferent.
• Extreme lovers can visit the valley of geysers in Kamchatka, have a symbolic wedding with rafting on wild rivers, or go down into mysterious caves.

Russia is a huge country with excellent opportunities and a wide choice of places for holding original holidays.

Options for a symbolic wedding

The most popular options these days are:

• beach-sea, with flower-covered arbors or flower arches;
• on a sea and river vessel, in the presence of the captain and crew, a wedding on board a large cruise ship is especially good in this regard - you can combine the celebration and familiarization excursions to port cities;
• for thrill-seekers, weddings are offered under the water, in the skies with parachutes, on elephants and camels, on skis surrounded by snow-capped mountains or the spiers of high-rise towers;
• costumed role-playing, which recreate the atmosphere of the chosen time and people, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the romance of days gone by.

The only limitation is the imagination and financial capabilities of the organizers.

Water ceremony

This ritual originated in Thailand, where they believe that water understands human speech, has memory and can grant wishes. During the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom whisper their deepest desires into each other's ears, after which they cup their hands and wash them with clean water. You are supposed to dry your hands with a special towel, which becomes a family towel and goes with the lovers to their new home.

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Stone ceremony

The stone is considered a magical material that can store people's emotions and feelings. Having interpreted this legend for a wedding, couples say words of love with their hands on the stone. It can be decorated with an engraving with the names of lovers and the wedding date, and stored in a large box or as an interior decoration, for example, on a shelf or in an aquarium.

You can also distribute many small stones to all guests during the ceremony: let them write their wishes on them, and then put them in a box or glass vase. Such a vase would also be a good decorative element for the home of a young family.

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Eligible countries

Here is a small list of states that are most suitable for romantic action:

• Thailand . The couple dresses up in traditional Thai clothes (white and gold). The newlyweds are showered with flowers and must plant a traditional tree at the end of the ceremony. A very beautiful ceremony.
• Maldives . Tropical paradise with:
• the purest water,

magnificent beaches,

• coral reefs,
• underwater caves.

The ceremony takes place in a boat decorated with palm leaves.

In addition, Spanish beaches are some of the best in Europe.

Almost any country is suitable for a symbolic wedding.

Many young couples prefer to hold an official wedding abroad, because it is immediately followed by a honeymoon in a beautiful country. A wedding celebration in Europe may not cost more than in your own country. Prices for weddings in the Czech Republic link speak for themselves.

Rose ceremony

It’s not for nothing that in the popular show about love, the bachelor gives the girls a red rose as a sign of his sympathy. A scarlet rose has long been considered a symbol of love, and by giving such a rose to a girl, a man confesses his feelings to her in the language of flowers.

Having chosen a rose ceremony for their wedding, the couple exchange flowers as the first gift to their beloved husband/wife. Afterwards, if you wish, you can give the rose to your significant other’s mother as a sign of gratitude for the birth of your loved one. You can plant these roses in your garden or even embalm them using a special technology and leave them at home for many years.

You can continue this tradition by giving each other red roses every anniversary (you can according to the number of years you have lived in marriage). And a red rose is a wonderful way to apologize after a quarrel and remind your loved one of your feelings and the day when you became a family.

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Symbolic wedding ceremonies abroad

For couples who want to refresh their feelings or celebrate their wedding anniversary, symbolic ceremonies are organized, that is, ceremonies that do not have any documentary evidence, but simply allow the spouses to relive their wedding day. However, in most cases, the “weds” receive a decorative certificate, usually made very impressively: in Europe it can be stylized as ancient parchment, and somewhere in the Maldives it can be highly artistically executed on a palm leaf.

Since symbolic ceremonies do not carry any “legal burden,” they can be organized in almost any corner of the world, and done as people please. There are countless options for holding such ceremonies - from ceremonies in the air or under water to traditional Buddhist wedding rituals. Unlike official ceremonies, here the flight of fantasy is limited only by the financial capabilities of the couple.

Mosaic of happiness

This ceremony appeared relatively recently. Lovers assemble a puzzle consisting of several pieces on which they can write their names and wedding date. Not only the bride and groom, but also parents, close relatives, or all the guests can participate in the process. If the puzzle is designed for all guests, then each of them can leave a wish for the young family on their piece.

Then this mosaic can be hung at home instead of a painting, so it is better to choose beautiful and high-quality materials for making a puzzle - wood will do just fine.

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Drawing of lovers

There is another way to create something beautiful and non-trivial right at the wedding to decorate the family nest, and at the same time conduct a ceremony of unity. The bride and groom can work together to paint a picture. This format of a symbolic ceremony is more suitable for creative individuals, but people far from art can also create an art object.

It is enough to simply randomly pour paints of different colors on the easel, making sure in advance that they combine with each other and create a harmonious palette.

When the paints dry, the newlyweds will have a work in their hands that is quite capable of ranking among examples of modern art. To connect the composition with the wedding day, you can first glue a monogram of the names or initials of the bride and groom onto the canvas, and after the painting has dried, remove the self-adhesive.

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Symbolic wedding in Europe

The beautiful and ancient cities of Europe are a great place to conclude your, albeit symbolic, but still marriage. The favorites are traditionally European countries such as Italy, Spain, France and Greece. These are amazing and sunny countries, the atmosphere in which is saturated with romance and love.

If you want to celebrate this special day in Italy, a symbolic ceremony held in Rome, Venice or Florence would be wonderful. Romantics can choose the famous city of love - Verona and get married in the Guarienti Palace. Visitors to Venice should pay attention to the Abadessa Palace, the Carmini Palace, or in an original way hold your wedding right in a gondola.

Sunny Greece offers to hold a ceremony in Rhodes, which is filled with elegant cultural and architectural monuments. Great places like Crete, Athens, Peloponnese or Santorini are also good choices. You will not soon forget a wedding celebrated in Greece.

Editor's choice: Wedding day plan, creating a detailed schedule

As for Spain, the best choice would be the capital of Spain Madrid, the Costa Brava and Costa Dorada, as well as the unforgettable Barcelona. Valencia is surprisingly beautiful at the time of year when numerous orange orchards are in bloom, and the island of Fuerteventura seems to be specially created for weddings and honeymoon trips.

Ritual of wish fulfillment

Goldfish are considered the first helpers in making wishes come true. Make wishes and release a couple of fish into a beautiful decorative aquarium after the wedding ceremony, and then take them to your home. According to legend, goldfish bring wealth, prosperity and harmony to their owners in family life.

Whatever symbolic wedding ceremony you choose, take it seriously and believe that the ceremony will bring you happiness. Positive attitudes are much more likely to come true when people truly believe in what they are doing!