In the whirlwind of planning the perfect wedding, it’s easy for couples to get swept up in the cascade of decisions, pressures, and expectations. But what if there was a way to not just survive, but truly thrive and find joy in the journey to the altar? Enter the art of mindfulness – a practice centered around being present and embracing each moment with intention. Infusing your wedding preparations and celebrations with mindfulness can transform the experience, offering couples a unique opportunity to connect deeper with each other, reduce stress, and craft a ceremony that’s not just picturesque but also profoundly personal and meaningful.
For this article, we reached out to Sydney Westra – a recent bride and TikTok Bridal Influencer (you might recognize her as Squid on TikTok!) to share some tips on how she was able to incorporate mindfulness into her wedding day.
From Sydney, “I am an over-stresser by nature so as a bride planning her own wedding, I was worried I’d be overwhelmed with thoughts and logistics even while standing at the altar. Being fully present can be a challenge on any normal day – add the stress, excitement and emotions of a wedding day, and it can go by in the blink of an eye.
So when writing our wedding script with our officiant (one of our best friends, Gabe) my husband, Ryan, and I prioritized mindfulness in a few different ways to create the best environment for soaking it all in.”
Ideas to Prioritize Mindfulness in Your Wedding Ceremony
Here are a few ideas we incorporated and our personal wedding script excerpts that featured these concepts in action.
1. Unplugged Ceremony and Social Media Moment
I know what you’re thinking. Unplugged ceremony in 2023? Groundbreaking. But this was just step one in creating a distraction-free zone. Instead of having an “unplugged ceremony” sign on display while guests are trickling in, we opted to have our officiant make the request at the top of the ceremony, but with a caveat. Before asking everyone to silence and put away their phones, our officiant called for a ‘social media moment’ where Ryan and I posed for photos and videos taken by our guests. This helped the rest of the ceremony remain unplugged and distraction-free because everyone had gotten that itch out of the way early! And it helped break the ice for us to get comfortable with some laughs and smiles after Ryan and I were sobbing our way down the aisle. Win-win.
Did this tactic stop my dad from recording the entire ceremony on his phone from the front row? No, but it was a solid try. Dads will be dads.
Officiant: Thank you all for being here today to witness these two beautiful humans and their union together. We’re gonna begin this with a few orders of business.
First I’d like to call for an insta moment. If you’d like to have a photo on your phone of this wonderful couple on the brink of marriage please do so now. Because after this moment I’d like us to refrain from having our phones out and instead focus on us being here, with all these lovely people around us.
Don’t worry we’ll make sure they do a little pose for you.
*After posing for a few seconds and giving time for guests to get photos*
Ok great I think we nailed it. Anyone here need a take two?
No? Great. Now we can put our phones away and be present with each other.
2. Mindful Moment
Simple, yet underutilized: a mindful moment. As a society, we tend to rush from one thing to the next, so it’s not a surprise weddings can be a blur. It can be as easy as taking just 30 seconds to slow down, take deep breaths and look around in silence. Not only will this reduce any stress or nerves, but the simple act of looking intentionally at your partner, your friends, your bridal party, your family, your venue, and everything that has gone into that day sets such a beautiful, meaningful tone for the ceremony.
You’re not up there for long, so take it all in while you can!
Officiant: As some of you are aware, I’m a sound guy. And after every scene we do something called room tone. It’s a moment of pure silence where everyone has to stop what they’re doing for 30 seconds to capture the sound of the room. This is done for editing purposes, but it’s also a beautiful moment of mindfulness where everyone stays still and takes in their surroundings.
So I’d like to start this off with something similar, for our sake we’ll call it GROOM TONE. There’s a lot of planning and running around that goes into a wedding and with all that hussle it can be easy to forget where you are. Here at a wedding!
So let’s all take in this moment. Please stand with me now, take a relaxed breath and be still for the next 30 seconds as we all take in the fact that we are here, surrounded by people we love, to celebrate these two amazing individuals.
*20-30 seconds*
And cut on groom tone. Wow, thank you all.
3. Group Vow
Our ‘group vow’ was one of the most complimented moments of the night! When writing our ceremony script and searching for inspiration, we stumbled across this ‘group vow’ script. We were instantly drawn to the way it transformed the experience for our loved ones: they were no longer just watching a ceremony, they were a part of it.
Although a small, simple gesture – I have no doubt it contributed to the overall feeling of the night. There was so much love and vulnerability in that room from everyone – not just us!
Officiant: Two people in love do not live in isolation. Their love is a source of strength with which they may nourish not only each other but also the world around them. And in turn, WE, their community of friends and family, have a responsibility to this couple. By our steadfast care, respect, and love, we can support their marriage and the new family they are creating today.
Will everyone please rise. Will you who are present here today, surround Ryan and Sydney in love, offer them the joys of your friendship, and support them in their marriage?
All: [“We will”]
Officiant: You may be seated.
As the final echoes of wedding bells fade and the last piece of confetti settles, it’s not just the beautiful decor or the carefully chosen music that lingers but the emotions, connections, and memories that were mindfully forged. By incorporating mindfulness into your wedding journey, couples are gifting themselves not just a day, but a foundation of presence and intentionality for the journey ahead.
As life unfolds with its inevitable ups and downs, let your mindfully curated wedding day serve as a gentle reminder of the power of staying present, cherishing every moment, and prioritizing connection over perfection. After all, at the heart of every wedding is not just the spectacle, but the love, commitment, and understanding shared by two souls.