Blended Family Wedding Ceremony Ideas: Tips for an Inclusive Wedding

Whether you’re getting married at home or having a destination wedding, blended family wedding ceremonies are a beautiful way to bring together couples and their children from their current and previous relationships. These ceremonies can also join people from different backgrounds and cultures, giving families the chance to share their own traditions as well as to create new ones. 

In this article, we’ll talk about blended family wedding ceremony ideas, including how to craft the perfect blended family wedding invitation, ideas for writing blended family wedding vows, and how couples can put together a meaningful blended family wedding ceremony script. With destination weddings coming back in vogue, we’ll also discuss how you can pull off the ultimate destination wedding for your blended family. 

Blended Family Wedding Invitations

There are many ways to create a blended family wedding invitation that uses wording and design to acknowledge the merging of two families. As with all wedding invitations, it’s important to include certain elements such as the name of the couple, the event location details, the dress code, and the date. 

If one or both sets of parents are hosting the wedding, you may consider including their names on the invitation. For example, you might write something like, “Together with their parents, Jane Doe and John Smith request your presence at their wedding celebration.” 

If applicable, you may also choose to include the names of children or other relatives to signify their importance in your blended family. These people can be mentioned in a separate line, or they can be integrated alongside the couple’s name in the invitation.

When crafting a blended wedding invitation, it’s always a good idea to use inclusive language and to choose a design that reflects a theme of unity. If there are specific cultural elements or traditions that are important to both families, the invitation can include these, ideally fitting them together in a cohesive way. Colors and fonts can also be used to represent how the two families are coming together. 

If you’re joining the growing number of couples who are choosing a destination wedding, you’ll want to send your invitations out well ahead of time to give guests a chance to make their travel plans. As a rule, invitations should be sent six to eight weeks in advance for home weddings and ten to twelve weeks in advance for destination weddings. 

Blended Family Wedding Vows 

Wedding vows symbolize the promises a couple is making to each other and their blended family. The act of exchanging vows during a wedding ceremony is an important moment, often including personal anecdotes or promises that resonate deeply with both sides of the family.

When writing blended family wedding vows, couples should take time to reflect on their journey as a blended family, considering both the challenges that have been overcome and the joy that’s been shared. 

As you’re crafting your vows, start by expressing your love and devotion for your partner. Do your best to choose language that expresses both the depth of your feelings and your excitement for the future. Additionally, you may choose to include vows to children as well. Remember that your blended family wedding vows should come from the heart, and don’t be afraid to be vulnerable about your feelings and intentions. 

If you are not sure what to say in your vows, you can choose to share a meaningful quote or poem that resonates with you. Some couples ask children or extended family to help choose these quotes as a way to make everyone feel included in the process. 

Ideas for Blended Family Wedding Ceremony Script 

Similar to blended family wedding vows, creating a blended family wedding ceremony script is a meaningful way to show how your joint families are coming together.

Start by acknowledging the presence of family, friends, and loved ones. If you’ve chosen a resort for your wedding, you can highlight the significance of the location as a place to blend your two families. 

Introduce each member of the blended family, including children, parents, or other significant individuals, and express gratitude for them for being there.

After the welcome comments, consider incorporating a symbolic ritual to represent the blending of your families. The sand ceremony is a popular way to do this, where each family member pours different colored sands into a single vessel. 

When it’s time for the vows, the couple will have a chance to exchange their personalized words and promises. You may also choose to include promises to children or to the new family unit.

Some couples may want to incorporate a reading or blessing that is meaningful to them during the ceremony. Choose a passage from literature, poetry, or religious texts that resonate with the couple. This is also a good opportunity for children or other important individuals to participate in the ceremony with readings, the presentation of gifts, or by lighting candles. 

Additional Blended Family Wedding Ceremony Ideas 

In addition to the above suggestions, here are a few more blended family wedding ceremony ideas to highlight the joining of your two families. 

Blended Family Processional 

Instead of a traditional processional, have both families and their children walk down the aisle together to symbolize their unity. 

Family Tree Ceremony

When considering blended family wedding ceremony ideas, some couples choose to create a symbolic family tree crafted out of paper during the ceremony. Have each member of the blended family add a leaf to the tree to represent their place within the family.

Post-Ceremony Family Portrait 

As you’re coming up with your ideal wedding shot list, look for a unique location to take a family portrait that includes the entire blended family. This photo can serve as a memory of the day and symbolizes the beginning of a new chapter for the whole family.

Learn More About Blended Family Ceremonies with Destify 

At Destify, we create meaningful memories. Our experts specialize in destination weddings at prime travel spots, making it easy to bring your blended family together in paradise. Let us find the perfect venue, navigate travel logistics, and create a seamless experience for everyone.