Tea Ceremony Traditions Are A Wonderful Tradition

Tea ceremonies are ritual ways of preparing and drinking tea, and the custom itself is one which has been strongly influenced by Zen Buddhism. Today, tea ceremonies are quite popular, and there are actually several different tea ceremony traditions that take place around the world. Still, one of the most well-known and respected is the traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

Japanese Tea Ceremony

The ceremony itself takes place in a room that is designed and designated for tea, and it is better known as the chashitsu. This room is typically located within the tea house, away from the residence, in the garden area. In terms of guests, the preferred number is four, although this may vary depending on the particular tea ceremony.

One of the guests is chosen to be the main guest, and they are then led, with the main guest in front, to a water sprinkled garden that is devoid of any flowers. Here the guests rid themselves of the dust of the world, and then seat themselves on the waiting bench, or koshikake machiai, awaiting the approach of the host who has the official title of being the house master.

Once inside the tea house, each guest is served a meal known as chakaiseki, which is served on a tray with fresh cedar chopsticks. There are three different courses, and once these have been consumed and the guests are finished, the host removes the scroll and replaces it with flowers. This Japanese Tea ceremony is definitely one of complexity and detail, and one that has been revered since ancient times.

Chinese Tea Ceremony

This is another well known and incredibly respected ceremony, as the art of drinking and serving tea plays a major cultural role in China. The Chinese Tea ceremony is one which emphasizes the tea rather than the ceremony itself, and each step in the ceremony is meant to be a sensory exploration and appreciation.

The teas that are typically used in this ceremony are particularly refined, such as oolong and red teas, and the style of tea drinking uses small cups to match the small, unglazed clay teapots that are used. These tiny cups are particularly popular in Fujian and Chiujao, in southern coastal China above Canton.

All tea ceremonies are significant and respected, and each represents a different culture, a different part of the world. Each is just as important as the next, even though the traditions carried out within are very different from each other.

Chris Jonas is a chef working in Soho, New York. Check out these great Cooking articles and resources or more specific Tea guides and resources.

How Wedding Poetry Brighten Up The Ceremony

It's always lovely to have the traditional best man and matron of honor speeches, as well as listening to the father's of the bride and groom tell a few funny tales. To really set the romantic mood and remind your guests what love is all about, why not select some beautiful wedding poetry to brighten up the ceremony and reception? Poetry is a lovely way to express what the union of marriage means to you as well as talk about love, commitment and happiness.

Poets such as Robert Graves, Stuart Macfarlane, William Cartwright and Dallas Fisher know how to capture the essence of love with words. It can be difficult for someone who is not a literary expert to come up with something romantic and poetic themselves, but what you need to say is likely to have already been written for you by another poet. Don’t let your wedding go without that special romantic touch because you can't think of anything to say; use wedding poetry instead so your partner knows how you really feel.

Your wedding day is a time to tell the world how you feel and why you are making a life long commitment to someone you love. There are so many wedding poems to suit countless situations and couples you are bound to find one that is right for you. Traditionally, poetry was always included in wedding ceremonies but over time the tradition has been somewhat lost and along with it some of the romance of ceremonies has been lost too. It isn’t too late, and you can make yours have that extra loving touch. You can buy a book of love poems or look on the internet where there are literally thousands of databases for love and wedding poetry.

If your wedding is in a church, don't be afraid to ask if you can customize the ceremony. While it is a lovely thing to be married by the same catholic priest who wed your parents and your cousins, you don’t have to have the exact same scripting. Find your favored poems first then approach the priest to let him know where you would like them added and who you would like to read them. In most cases, there will be no problem with putting pretty wedding poetry into the proceedings.

It is the flow and pace of poetry along with the tempting way the outcomes aren’t revealed until the end that can make them so pleasurable to listen to. Try not to pick wedding poems that are too complex or difficult for the average person to understand because you want everyone to enjoy them, and make sure the reader is well practiced and slow paced. It's a nice balance to have a poem at the beginning, one or two in the middle and one at the end of the ceremony, as a guide.

Whether poetry is your favorite thing or not isn’t the point, it's the mood created by reading wedding poetry that makes the concept so attractive. What better opportunity could there be in life to appreciate the flowing beauty of poetic words than on a wedding day? If you or someone you know is planning a wedding, spend some time getting lost in the words of some love poems and you will be sure to agree that wedding poems are a must for every ceremony.

For more information, check out Wedding Poetry site. Visit WeddingQuickGuide.com for comprehensive information on Wedding Planning

Wedding Ceremony Checklist - 31 Questions to Ask Ceremony Locations

A wedding ceremony is the most important aspect of your wedding day. You may already know the location where you will be married, or you may be considering several locations for the ceremony. Whatever the situation, you will need to ask the wedding location official some important questions before you book your wedding ceremony. Here is a list of questions you should ask. Not all questions may apply to you, or you may want to add additional questions to suit your needs.

Name and Location of Ceremony Site:

Name and Phone Number of Contact Person:

1. What dates and times are available?
2. How many guests can the location accommodate?
3. (If applicable) What is the denomination of the facility? Are their any restrictions?
4. Is an officiant available? And at what cost?
5. Are outside officiants allowed?
6. What type of ceremony will it be?
7. How long will the ceremony be?
8. Will there be special readings or passages?
9. Can we select the readings or passages?
10. Can we select the readers for the ceremony?
11. Can we write our own vows?
12. Are their any restrictions on our own vows or special wording needed?
13. Do vows need to be approved?
14. Are their any pre-wedding classes or counseling we will need to attend?
15. Are their any musical instruments available for use?
16. If yes, is there a fee to use them?
17. Are ceremony musicians included in the site fee or is there an additional fee?
18. Are their any music restrictions?
19. Are their any photography restrictions?
20. Are their any videography restrictions?
21. Are candle lighting ceremonies allowed (such as unity candle ceremonies)?
22. Are their any restrictions regarding rice, birdseed, confetti, bubbles or rose petal tossing?
23. What floral decorations will be available? Are flowers allowed?
24. When will the rehearsal be scheduled?
25. How many parking spaces are available?
26. Where is the parking located?
27. Is their handicap accessibility?
28. What rental items are necessary?
29. What is the ceremony site fee?
30. What is the payment policy?
31. What is the cancellation policy?

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Wedding Ceremony Etiquette - Do's and Dont's of the Wedding Ceremony

Despite their abundance in society, wedding ceremonies are of paramount importance. Care should be taken so that every single detail is observed to the effect that the wedding ceremony is carried out smoothly, properly and without any hindrance. Despite the number of unconventional wedding ceremonies occurring nowadays, most wedding ceremonies are still carried out traditionally. Also, different nationalities have different traditions and conventions for wedding ceremonies. Despite so many differences, there always exist a number of similarities among wedding ceremonies in different societies. Although the wedding ceremony etiquette tends to differ, it also remains largely similar between different communities.

Wedding ceremony etiquette is a term that covers several classes conventions at once. It basically denotes the set of decorum to be observed during a wedding ceremony, and does not necessarily imply a set of rites or rituals to be carried out. A set of what to do and what not to, largely constitute what are collectively referred to as ceremony etiquette. It is always advisable that the hosts of any wedding ceremony follow these norms – from organizing it to seeing it carried out till the end.

A synoptic perspective of the wedding ceremony is a set of dos and don’ts. As in most cases of the similar sort, the don’ts generally outnumber the dos. It is generally considered rude to ask directly not to bring children to the wedding ceremony. This can be taken care of by mentioning specifically the names of the adults who have been invited.

It is also considered against the etiquette to make direct references to wedding gifts in the body of the invitation letter. Moreover, gifts should not be opened during the ceremony itself. On the occasion of a cancellation or postponement, every guest has to be individually notified and the gifts (saving the personalized ones) have to be sent back.

It is not required for a bride marrying for the second time to have a train attached to her wedding dress, to carry flowers, and to don a veil. Gloves, on the other hand, should be worn except while putting on the wedding ring or while eating at the Wedding Breakfast.

Guests have to observe a plethora of wedding ceremony etiquette. It is not mandatory for guests belonging to a different faith to participate in the ceremony, but it is not prohibited, either. In case of lateness, a guest should not make a noisy entrance that might disturb the ceremony.

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Tips For Your Unity Ceremony

The Unity Candle Ceremony symbolic part of the wedding ceremony. The lighting of the candles symbolizes the union of husband, wife and their families.

The unity candle set is two taper candles and a large candle. The candles are usually placed in a candelabra. The larger of the three which is called the unity candle is placed where the ceremony will be taken place. Then the couple will take one of the taper candles each and they will light the large unity candle together which will symbolize the unity of their new lives together.

Here are some tips and ideas to help you customize your unity ceremony.

Before you begin your ceremony it is a good idea to make sure your candles light.

Have your best man and bridesmaid take part in the ceremony to symbolize the joining of new friendships and family.

Some couples will already have the taper candles burning before the start of the ceremony to reflect the bride and groom as individuals.

Have your parents take part in the ceremony with you. Have each one of your parents light the unity candles with you to symbolize the new union of families.

The groom can also light one of the tapers before the ceremony, and after the bride is escorted in, her and her father can light the other taper to symbolize her fathers approval of the union.

If you have children it is a nice idea to have them help light the unity candle.

When lighting the unity candle you should let your photographer and videographer know where and when that way you can get the best pictures possible of the unity ceremony.

Have one of your favorite love songs played while lighting the unity candles.

Exchange poems while your partner is lighting the unity candle.

Check with the pastor and make sure it is ok to have a unity ceremony.

Most of all remember it is your wedding and you can customize your unity ceremony any way that you like.

Yolanda is the owner of Yolandas wedding favors and wedding planner. She enjoys seeing all the different table decorations and wedding guest books that go along with the reception.

Wedding Ceremony - How to Save Money on Your Outdoor Ceremony

You can save a great deal of money by hosting an outdoor wedding ceremony in a beautiful park, at the beach, on a hilltop, or even in your backyard. The only downside to hosting an outdoor ceremony is the potential for poor weather conditions.

Following are tips for saving money on your outdoor wedding ceremony:

• Have the service in your backyard.
• Choose an open public forum that does not generally have a great deal of people trying to access it (get the necessary permits beforehand).
• Opt for an ordained minister rather than a priest, which is less expensive. Just be sure to check that whoever you choose can legally perform wedding ceremonies in your area.
• Forego the chairs and have the guests stand as long as you host a short ceremony. A nice white or themed linen on the ground for guests to stand on is an elegant touch.
• Opt for a portable arch because it is easy to transport and very elegant.
• Think of a fun wedding theme. Outdoor ceremonies open the door to many themes that can greatly reduce the cost of your wedding and reception. Hawaiian themes and beach themes can help you save money on formal wear, for example, because people having an outdoor wedding are often dressed casually.
• Save on travel. Outdoor ceremonies can immediately switch from ceremony to reception which saves money on travel fees, such as limos.

If you decide to plan an outdoor wedding ceremony, be sure to have a contingency plan in the event of poor weather conditions, such as the ability to set up a weather tent or to move the event indoors.

Hilary Basile is a writer for MyGuidesUSA.com. At MyGuidesUSA.com (http://www.myguidesusa.com), you will find valuable tips and resources for handling life’s major events. Whether you’re planning a wedding, buying your first home, anxiously awaiting the birth of a child, contending with a divorce, searching for a new job, or planning for your retirement, you’ll find answers to your questions at MyGuidesUSA.com. Find wedding planning tips and resources at http://www.myguidesusa.com/weddings

Wedding Ceremony Program Wording

Wedding ceremony is a special event in each individual's life and is the time of joy and merry making. The occasion will be a grand success only in the presence of the near and dear and kith and kin. The guests who are invited also will find a time to enjoy and have a diversion from the regular way of life. In such an occasion the wedding ceremony program plays an important role to make them feel comfortable and keep them informed regarding the schedule of events. Wedding ceremony program wording selection should be done with care so that it conveys the idea clearly.

The wedding ceremony program wording is of great significance since it will be beneficial to many. It will be mainly useful for the guests who belong to some other culture or religion to understand the procedures of the wedding that takes place. Since the complete list of program is available to the guests they will know about the sequence of happenings that is to take place. It will also keep the guests prepared to wait till the events get over since they already know the agenda. The wedding ceremony program with proper wordings is really a souvenir that can be saved.

Wedding program ceremony wording used should clearly explain to the guests about all the details of the marriage. It should cover a brief introduction, which consists of the full names of the bride and groom, the when and where details of the wedding and also closure or special notes. It will also throw light on the sequence of the wedding ceremony. It will give details on prelude, solo, lighting of the candles, seating, procession, invocation, wedding message, exchange of vows, exchange of rings, announcement of marriage, presentation of the bride and groom, recession etc. It is not a must that all these details should be included but it may be modified accordingly.

The next important aspect that is explained through a wedding program ceremony wording is details regarding the wedding party. The preferable order is giving details on bride's parents, groom's parents, bride's grand parents, groom's grand parents, bridesmaids, flower girl, groomsmen, ring bearer, pianist, soloist etc.

Last but not least in the wedding program ceremony, wording should also mention the words of thanks to the guests, hosts of the wedding, dedication to the deceased family members and concluding poem. Some may also incorporate the instructions regarding reception.

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