Wedding reception ideas for a Christian marriage are not always that different from any wedding, but you do have an opportunity to honor God and shine the light of Jesus in your reception–just as you did in your wedding.

Wedding receptions are a time-honored tradition for newlywed couples to celebrate their new marriage, enjoy the company of their guests, and show their appreciation to their family and wedding party. 

After the wedding ceremony, wedding vows and the wedding sermons, it’s time for the wedding reception!

Over time, many traditions have evolved for the wedding reception. For a Christian couple, some of these traditions should be done away with, while others can be transformed to have new meaning. And for a Christian couple, there are new traditions to consider adding that will honor Christ and shine his light and love to your guests.

What You’ll Find in This Article About Wedding Reception Ideas

Wedding Reception Ideas to Keep

Wedding Reception Ideas to Transform

Creative Wedding Reception Ideas for Using Scripture

Our Top Ten Favorite Scriptures to Use for Wedding Reception Ideas

Great Songs for Christian Wedding Reception Songs

Wedding Reception Ideas to Keep

Even though wedding reception traditions have evolved over time in their meanings, it is interesting to learn what the original meanings are for wedding reception traditions. A great source for understanding the meaning of traditional wedding reception ideas is at RobertsCentre.com.

We recommend definitely keeping these traditions (among others) because of their meaning.

Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue Wedding Tradition

According to RobertsCentre.com, Something Old represents the ties to the bride’s family and her past. Something New represents a life to come with her husband. Something Borrowed must be an item from someone who is in a successful marriage to pass on the “good luck.” And Something Blue stands for faithfulness, loyalty and purity.

The Wedding Cake Wedding Tradition

Because the wedding cake was a symbol of fertility and prosperity, people used to throw the cake at the bride. Instead, today the bride and groom take turns feeding the first bite of cake to one another. The gesture of feeding cake to each other is a symbol of the commitment the bride and groom are making. Believe it or not, one noted pastor says that he can predict divorce from the way the bride and groom serve the cake. Find out why.

Throwing Rice as the Couple Leaves Wedding Tradition

For some time, people believed that rice was harmful to birds and stopped tossing it at the couple as they left. That has been proven false. The rice actually symbolizes rain which is a sign of prosperity, fertility and good fortune. Letting your wedding guests do something as you leave is a great way for them to end their celebration of your marriage. It is more common today to see people toss birdseed, blow bubbles, or hold sparklers. (Word of caution: Bubbles followed by birdseed are a sticky mess for the couple! Just choose one.)

Wedding Reception Ideas to Transform

Everyone has a different sense of what’s acceptable and what isn’t. However, these are a couple wedding reception ideas I believe need to be transformed.

The Garter Toss Wedding Tradition

At one time, this tradition seemed benign. It originated because the groom wanted to keep people from getting a piece of the bride’s dress for good luck. So the groom tossed out a piece of the bride’s wedding attire. Not that long ago, brides would discreetly have an extra garter on hand for the groom to throw out. Today, however, many couples have thrown discretion out the window and the groom makes a big display of removing the bride’s garter with his teeth.

Christian ladies and gentlemen….removing the garter with the groom’s teeth is one tradition that needs to stop. Save the intimacy for the honeymoon and stop horrifying many of your guests!

In fact, a beautiful tradition to begin would be a ceremony of washing one another’s feet as a commitment to serve one another as Christ served his disciples. Photo by Ryan Ray Photography via Style Me Pretty

Tossing the Bouquet Wedding Tradition

This tradition is supposed to identify who will marry next. As someone who married later in life, this moment when all the single women are singled out and called out to stand in front of everyone was the.worst.moment.of.the.day! In my opinion, this needs to go away or be transformed. Or instead of singling out the singles, invite everyone of all marital statuses to participate. It’s hard enough to be a single adult at a wedding for many people; why make it harder?

Our Top Ten Favorite Scriptures to Use for Wedding Reception Ideas

You can use these Scriptures on signs, wedding favors, reception centerpieces, wedding invitations, and more. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”

1 Corinthians 16:14: “Do everything in love.”

1 Peter 4:8: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

Romans 12:10: “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

Song of Solomon 3:4: “I found the one my heart loves.”

Philippians 1:7: “It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart.”

Colossians 3:14: “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Ruth 1:16: “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9: “Two are better than one.”

John 15:12: “Love each other as I have loved you.”

For more great verses, check out:

Shutterfly.com

Theknot.com

Great Songs for Christian Wedding Reception Songs

Here are 10 great songs for your first dance.

You can find 35 great praise-worthy songs for your reception and ceremony here.

God himself ordained marriage and you are doing a holy thing as you marry. We at churchleaders.com want to say God bless you with many years of happiness as you follow after God in your marriage.