It used to be that anything but a traditional service with the “Do you take this woman?” vow sequence officiated by anything but a minister and happening anyplace but a church was a radical proposition.  The one option open was the stereotypical “civil ceremony” down at city hall.  Romantic, right?  This made it very tough for people who were not religious to be satisfied with their wedding day.  Just because you’re not a church-goer, doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t want a little pomp and circumstance, right?

Well, luckily, those days are well over.  Nowadays, weddings can and do look like whatever the bride and groom envision and create them to be.  The sky is the limit.  However, sometimes it’s hard to step outside of the “traditional” wedding mind frame if that’s what you’ve been raised with.  So, if you are looking for a non-traditional or non-religious ceremony but are stumped for ideas, here are a few to get you started.

Location – The first thing to consider is the location.  If you’re going for a non-religious service, you clearly don’t want a church.  Weddings can be anywhere – parks, your home, the beach, a hotel, a restaurant.  Sometimes cool architectural spaces like museums will rent out the space.  If you have a space in mind and don’t know if they do weddings, ask them!  Even if they normally don’t, they might be thrilled to help you out, if only for the public relations benefits.

Vows – If you are merely trying to steer clear of religious connotations and not traditionalism, it could be enough for you to edit the traditional vows to omit any reference to religion.  However, if you are looking to go in a whole new direction, you might want to write your own vows.  This can be so beautiful and meaningful.

Ceremonies – Rather than something religious like being served communion, you can replace it with ceremonies like the Unity Candle or Sand Ceremony.  Also, instead of a benediction at the end of the ceremony as a whole, you can have the officiant lead a community pledge to support the couple and the marriage.

Officiant – There are many options for officiants aside from calling around to churches and looking for a minister.  One good place to start is to ask your wedding planner, if you have one, for a list of vendors, and if he or she knows of non-religious officiants specifically.  Also, don’t forget to ask your venue and your other vendors – the wedding industry is a “small town” at heart, and these folks all know each other.  Chances are they could steer you in the right direction.  Lastly, basically anyone can become ordained online.  If you have someone in mind that you would like to perform the ceremony but they are not licensed, this is something to look into.

These are a few ideas to create a ceremony that has no religious connotation.  After all, the wedding ceremony should reflect you as a couple, so if you’re not religious, why should the ceremony be?  It should be all about you and your fiance.  Remember, as far as ideas go – the sky’s the limit!

For many couples, wedding centerpieces created by a florist are way out of their price range. Even a simple arrangement could cost you your first-born child if you have many tables that need a centerpiece.

Luckily, a bit of creativity could save you a small fortune. Check out these twenty creative ideas for wedding centerpieces.

1. Fake flowers. Before you start cringing at the idea of fake flowers, go to a store and check out the fake flowers that are available. The quality has greatly improved in recent years. Using fake flowers will significantly reduce the cost.
2. Floating candles. These look elegant when lit up, providing a romantic atmosphere. Floating candles come in many different shapes and you should be able to find something that matches the theme of your wedding.
3. Small fruit or ice sculptures. Check with local culinary schools. There may be a budding young chef who would be happy to create beautiful sculptures for a modest price.
4. Small cakes. Instead of having one large wedding cake, buy several small ones in different flavors. You can even encourage guests to travel to other tables to sample the flavors. By doing this, you’ll save on both centerpiece and wedding cake costs.
5. Children’s crafts. If your family has a lot of children and children will be welcome at your wedding, have them do a craft to use as your centerpiece. They will be delighted to help out.
6. Mailbox with paper and pens. Ask your guests to write a short piece of advice for the newly married couple. They can put their letters in the mailbox.
7. Games. If your family is not the type to dance wildly into the night, a few travel-sized games may be enough to keep people entertained.
8. Photos of the couple. Have a lot of photos from your many adventures? Now’s the time to show them off. Put pictures of the two of you together on each of the tables.
9. Many candles. Using candles of varying heights can create a dramatic effect. Scented candles may be overbearing and interfere with the taste of the meal, so be sure to use unscented ones.
10. Fruit. A bowl of fresh fruit can be inexpensive and give a “homey” feel to your tables. Plus, guests can eat them later!
11. Lucky bamboo plants. These work best with an Asian themed wedding, but they can look elegant in other settings as well.
12. Baskets. Fill your baskets with whatever you like. Fake flowers, ornaments, or candy all make great choices.
13. Glass beads. A bowl filled with colorful glass beads is simple but stylish. These can be purchased in many craft stores and you can choose colors that match the theme of your wedding.
14. Cupcakes. These are another wedding cake alternative. There are many cupcake trees available that can spruce up your table.
15. Something related to your hobbies. If the two of you are avid bookworms, use a stack of your favorite books as a centerpiece. Wine lovers? How about a bottle of wine with a custom label? Choose something that matches your personality.
16. Photos of other weddings. If you have a lot of older married couples that will be attending your wedding, why not celebrate their love and commitment as well by showing pictures of their weddings?
17. Seasonal items. In spring and summer, you may be able to collect wildflowers. In autumn colorful leaves are plentiful. And in winter, you can dress the table with evergreen.
18. Polaroid cameras and scrapbooking supplies. If your guests are crafty, let them create a special message for you by taking their pictures and creating a scrapbook page.
19. Fortune cookies. A bowl of fortune cookies is fun for everyone…in bed. You can even have fortunes custom made for you wedding.
20. Fishbowls with fish. You can go a step further and put the kissing gourami in the fishbowls. These are fish whose lips are extra puckered for kissing. Just make sure the fish all have a home when the wedding’s over.

Your wedding centerpieces should reflect who you are as a couple. It doesn’t have to be an expensive floral arrangement! These ideas should help you get started in finding the right centerpiece for your wedding.