These days, families are more blended than ever. Brides or grooms may already have children from a past relationship, and these children should be an important part of the wedding ceremony. Here are a few wonderful ideas for including these children during the ceremony.
Vows for the Step Child
A loving step parent is making a vow to his or her spouse’s children when they get married as well – of loving and accepting the child as one of his or her own. So, why not write actual vows? Write vows to your stepchild and include all the promises you have for them. Read them to the child after you and your spouse read your vows to each other.
Rings
Some families love the idea of including rings for the stepchildren as a sign of love and commitment from the parent.
Special Jewelry
If you don’t want to do rings, purchase a special piece of jewelry for your child as a sign of commitment and love.
Ask Them to Participate
One of the greatest honors you can bestow upon a stepchild is asking them to participate in your wedding. Ask a stepson to be your best man or a stepdaughter to be your maid of honor.
Ask for Ideas
Include the stepchildren in the planning phases of the wedding, so they feel that they are a big part of the celebration. Value their ideas and have a great time together! This is a great way to make sure the children understand how loved they are.
These ideas are perfect for including existing children in the wedding ceremony and making sure they feel secure and special.
My heart sunk with this: “Marriage made you my family, Love made you my daughter.” I have a strongly-bonded family and I’ve never experienced having a step mom/dad. If this thing (god forbid) ever happens to me, I am sure to include my step child in our wedding plans. And maybe, I’ll include a special message for them in the wedding reception to let them know that I will accept and love them as my own.
Awesome post.