Why have a wedding altar?
Well you don’t have to – you don’t have to do anything! Traditionally, in western cultures, couples were often married at the church altar. An altar is a structure on which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes, and by extension the ‘Holy table’ of post-reformation Anglican churches. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship. And they are very often an important part of a #wedding ceremony. In a wedding ceremony, you are creating a sacred space in which to declare you love and commitment.
Nowadays, couples have an altar to create a central point or ceremony space. An altar can be done in a variety of ways. Some couples create a structure that provides a backdrop for the ceremony, and creates the focal area from the couple and celebrant to stand and the ceremony to take place.
If a structure and backdrop seems like a little too much, you can create beautiful table space. I like this, because the ceremony itself is a #ritual, and having a ritual altar allows you and your celebrant to bring the details of your ceremony into being. You may even want to mix up your altar space and signing table, combining the two.
When you create your altar table, it should be geared toward your personal beliefs. This is an important #ceremonial altar and you’ll want to honour your beliefs and the energies that you want present on your special day.
You can also, create a structure to provide a background and set an altar table up – why not have both!
I’ve collected together some examples of altar tables to inspire you to create your own. Let me know what you think and add your own photo.
