Bilingual Ceremony?

Maybe you could include a reading (or a prayer, if a religious ceremony) in Spanish? I would definitely also make sure that the officiant does the opening/welcome part of the ceremony in both languages as well.

I have one wonderful bi-lingual celebrant, and I do many ceremonies where I do the English parts and invite a family member to join us for the Spanish part.

Usually, I start with a reading in both languages (my fave is Sonnet 17 by Pablo Neruda), I continue in English, when we get to the vows, sometimes one partner will say them in Spanish and another in English; sometimes, they will both say them in English and a family member will translate them.

The pronouncement is tricky because when that happens everyone assumes it's done, the music starts and people leave.

I would not have every section done in both languages because first of all it will make the ceremony very long and it really is very hard to follow for both groups. You could ask for a ceremony script and have it translated and passed out for those guests.

Thank you for the advice! That really helps. Yes I definitely didn't want to have every part translated into spanish because I don't want the ceremony to drag on and people to get bored.

I went to a wedding several years ago where she was Christian and he was Jewish. She was converting so they had a Jewish ceremony. The rabbi performed the ceremony in Hebrew and provided an English explanation of what happened in each section. I thought it was a great way to accommodate the bride's family and friends who weren't Jewish. They also had a reading that was in English, and their vows were performed in both languages. The only thing I didn't like: they would speak Hebrew for like 5 minutes then give a 1 sentence English explanation.

I'm having the same issue. I don't want a bilingual mass because it's way too long! But, I'm incorporating Spanish traditions like the Lasso and Arras and I'm planning on providing programs in Spanish. Hopefully our priest can guide my family with just a few things in Spanish.

We've been trying to figure out how to do a bilingual ceremony as well! There's a family member who always does the translating in our family, but I feel weird having her up there "working" the ceremony?

@Gonefishes- We're doing the Lasso too! I'm not sure how to incorporate it because (due to a very long and complex story) we're not able to have a full blown Catholic service and my family has only seen it at the Catholic Spanish weddings so I'm at a total loss lolz.

@JessRSJ is your officiant bilingual then? What languages are you guys saying your vows in? We were thinking FH doing his in spanish and then I would do mine in english.

We are having a bilingual ceremony in English and Spanish. The opening/greeting will be done in both languages. Then we have chosen certain scriptures and poems in Spanish. Our officiant will be doing alot of "spanglish" speaking. We will do our vows in English.

@Nicole, you can still include it in your ceremony. If you're not doing it in a church, you can always use a white cord without the Rosary. It's usually wrapped around after you take your vows and you wear it until the end of the ceremony.

@Gone; when I do the lasso, I usually do it right before the vows, leave it on for the vows, and then have it removed before the rings.

@Gonefishes- That's awesome! Is it wrong to have it with the rosary if it's not in a church? I found a few on Etsy that my FI and I really love but I'd hate to do something wrong.

Thanks for all the info ladies! This really helped!

The Lasso right before the vows could be a nice touch too.

Nicole, its best to feel it out with your family if they are O.k. with it. The older folks or the super religious might get offended since its not a religious ceremony, they might see it as you using it because it's pretty and not because you believe in it.

Okay, I'll double check. My Mom did suggest not having one that depicted Christ because it might be offensive to my FH's family (they're Presbyterian, I don't know if it is or not but it's fine by me either way), so I'll check if the rosary would be offensive outside of a church just to be sure.

Thanks again!

What the others have said^^

Our ceremony will probably be mostly in English but readings and petitions in Spanish.

I've also attended a wedding where they translated every thing and it was so long!

We will be printing off programs in Spanish and also use traditions from my culture. Since we both speak English and live here we will be doing it mostly in English. Our pastor will ask my father to give me away in Spanish which is pretty cool. Edited because spelling sucks.

I'm having a bilingual ceremony thanks to my Spanish speaking officiant and it includes some of my traditions like lasso and arras he says my ceremony won't be longer than :30 minutes and he translates all the major important parts! He's awesome he will work win is to perfect our ceremony

You might want to think about having programs with the English on one side and the Spanish on the other. That way, both sets of relatives can follow along, even on the parts of the ceremony that are not in their language.

We are having a tri-lingual ceremony. FH and I will say our vows in Portuguese (which we speak together) and the ceremony will be in English (which most guests speak but not FH) and Spanish (which FH and I speak conversationally). We picked a Spanish-English ceremony because we couldn't find an officiant who spoke Portuguese. We'll have parts in English and parts in Spanish. We'll also provide translations of the Spanish parts and of our vows.