Special thanks to Loriann, Brandon, Maddox and the guest of honor - baby  Zane - for inviting me to officiate for Zane's welcoming ceremony. What a great job everyone did! Zane wasn't quite as happy as everyone else but he did a fabulous job of putting up with us all! Maddox made a wonderful greeter and parents and godparents "well versed!"

Welcoming your new baby...

You may choose to celebrate your new baby's arrival with a non-religious naming ceremony. A quick search online will list hundreds of ways to make your ceremony unique. You could write a poem or reading or find one written by another. Choose a song to play or share the story of how you came to choose the baby's name.

You may want to involve siblings, grandparents, "god" parents, friends or others who will be involved in the life of your child. Siblings should have a place of honor in the ceremony - if time allows, have each child create a picture of him/her with the new baby. During the ceremony, ask the child(ren) to share what they drew and explain what it is. Or, frames the pictures and have the child(ren) present the picture to the baby during the ceremony.

Consider asking each guest to bring their favorite "growing up"  or child-related quote to the event which you can then paste into a special "baby" book along with a picture of the author and little bit about who he/she is.

Or, steal an idea from the bride and provide a picture matte and pen for guests to sign as they arrive. Create a collage of the ceremony pictures, frame with the picture matte and hang in your baby's room.

Whatever you decide - have the ceremony you want and the celebration your family deserves!

Blending Lives

If you or your spouse have children, you will most likely want them to be included in your marriage ceremony in a way that celebrates the new family you are becoming. Be sensitive to the children's feelings, though, especially if their other parent is still involved in their lives and someone they love. Ask each child what role her or she would like to play - ring bearer, flower carrier, escort, reader - and respect their wishes if they prefer simply to watch. 

One activity that is simple and beautiful is a sand ceremony. You could go together to a local beach and collect sand for each member of the family then color it at home (here's a link on how to color sand) choosing individual colors for each member (you can also buy sand at the hardware store and color it or purchase different colored sands for each  person at a craft store).  Together, choose a vase or bowl big enough to hold about 1-2 cups of sand for each of you.

At whatever point is appropriate in your ceremony, invite the child(ren) to join you and after a brief explanation of what is to happen, ask each member of the new family to pour his or her sand into the vessel -this can be done individually or all at once. As the sand blends together and fills the vessel, the officiant or someone of your choosing, can  offer a reading, blessing or other words announcing the creation of the new family.

What is your idea of a perfect marriage renewal ceremony? Would it be in a special place, on a specific day important to the two of you? Or would you sneak away without a plan? What role would you see for an officiant, for your children and/or grandchildren?  What would you say to each other during the ceremony?  Renewal vows may be entirely different from those you shared on your wedding day...or they may be exactly as they were that day. Whatever you both decide, be sure to celebrate the moment in a way that is meaningful to you both - celebrate the joys in your life and renew your commitment to one another.