Any ideas for including children in ceremony?

[i*heart*villains]

My DF and I have a blended family. We both had children when we met who are now DS17, DD15, DS14 & DS9 and I'm looking for a way to include them in our ceremony. I have heard of family medallions but I don't think the older kids would wear them. We are getting married at sea breeze point in march 07 and there will probably only be us with kids, my future MIL and maybe my sister attending. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[georgiajaimie]

My elder daughter is from a previous relationship and we are going with the medallion presentation (we may find our own necklace) and the blended family vows where Marc also asks her to welcome him into the family.

 

[wendy46001]

Well it you could always just do something they will hold onto forever, but not wear...
For older boys i like the idea of a nice pocket watch, they won’t feel the need to carry it ever day, but will be something nice to add to a suite ...lockets for the girls
Also if you want something other then jewelry...For the kids in our wedding party we did
Disney snow globes....I didn’t want to give them a toy, but something they could put in there room, and then maybe put away for the teen years and take back out when they where older...

I'm sure whatever you decide it will be very special to them

 

[FionaLovesShrek]

DD walked down the isle with me and stood next to me. We did the family vows, my DH promised to love my DD and be the step-dad she needed, and DD promised to accept DH as her step-dad. We also did a unity candle ceremony, with the three of us holding tapers and lighting the unity candle together. I had ordered a special unity candle with all our names and the wedding date on it. The officient then spoke of the symbolizing of the one flame meaning the creating of a family as well as the uniting of DH and I. It was great. We also bought DD a gold ring with a heart in the middle that DH placed on her hand as a symbol of his promise to her and our union as a family. She never takes her ring off. Once she took it off to put on lotion and she called me from school panicked. She said she left her ring on the bathroom counter and she was worried it would get lost. She said she felt naked without it. Just like a wedding ring

 

[Mommy Poppins]

We didn't have blended families, just included our children in our vow renewal ceremony. DD was my maid of honor, DS was the best man, and our youngest DS was the "flower boy".

We also did the family unity candle.

 

[TinkerFairy]

I don't want to hi-jack the thread, but where did you ladies find the wordings for presentations?

I have a five year old from a previous relationship and my mother had mentioned seeing something online about a presentation of a necklace to a daughter during a ceremony, and we think it's a lovely idea.

I just got my package from Rev. Jack Day and I didn't see anything in his ceremonies about it either, unless I missed it.

 

[friendofgusgus]

Just wanted to add that with such a big range of ages, be sure to ask the kids if they want to do it before you plan for it.

My FH has 5 children from his first marriage and they are not a part of the ceremony but his honored guests in the first row. They range in age from 16 (will be 17) to 9 and not all of them are comfortable with being involved in dad's ceremony. That's okay with us since we really don't want them to feel conflicted anymore than they might naturally.

We're not really group-hug type people, either, though - this is just what works for us.

Jennifer
Intimate Wedding 12/11/06

 

[FionaLovesShrek]

I don't want to hi-jack the thread, but where did you ladies find the wordings for presentations?

I have a five year old from a previous relationship and my mother had mentioned seeing something online about a presentation of a necklace to a daughter during a ceremony, and we think it's a lovely idea.

I just got my package from Rev. Jack Day and I didn't see anything in his ceremonies about it either, unless I missed it.

This is one sight I used. http://www.a-weddingday.com/articlekidsvows.html

 

[i*heart*villains]

Thanks so much for all your ideas! I never thought to ask the kids if they wanted to be included in the ceremony. I am so excited about it that I assumed they would be too.

 

[TinkerFairy]

Thanks so much for the link

 

[georgiajaimie]

I don't want to hi-jack the thread, but where did you ladies find the wordings for presentations?

I have a five year old from a previous relationship and my mother had mentioned seeing something online about a presentation of a necklace to a daughter during a ceremony, and we think it's a lovely idea.

I just got my package from Rev. Jack Day and I didn't see anything in his ceremonies about it either, unless I missed it.

We are have Rev. Kevin Knox. Just PM me with your email if you would like me to forward his kit. Some very good ideas in it.

 

[BrideToBe82]

You could do a "sand ceremony" with them. Everyone has a different color of sand and during the ceremony one by one you combind the sand into one jar/vase. You will have the vase forever and put it somewhere in your home to remind you of combining your family.