How to Honour the Four Elements in an Outdoor Ceremony
There’s something undeniably magical about an outdoor wedding—the fresh air, the open sky, and the natural beauty that surrounds you. And whether it’s just the two of you in the wilds of Glencoe or surrounded by your guests in the garden of your family home, the setting is so romantic.
But what if you could take it a step further and infuse your ceremony with deeper meaning by incorporating the elements of earth, air, fire, and water? These elements symbolise balance, transformation, and connection, making them a perfect addition to your vows.
Whether you want to honour tradition, spirituality, or simply add a unique touch to your special day, embracing the elements can create a wedding experience that feels both grounded and filled with wonder.
In this blog, I’ll explore some of the creative ways to weave the essence of nature into your outdoor ceremony.
Earth
The element of earth symbolises stability, grounding, and connection to the physical world and to nature.
Reciting your vows whilst clasping hands over an oathing stone is perfect. The picture above is the wonderful Carolyn and Damien. The idea is that the stone, representing the earth, grounds your vows, making them as enduring as the land itself and ensures that the promises are strong, solid and lasting. The stone can hold personal significance, whether from the place of your first date, the spot where you were proposed to, or a beloved holiday destination, adding even more depth and meaning to the promises you make.
A sand ceremony symbolises the union of two becoming one. As you each take turns pouring different coloured sands into a shared vessel, the layers begin to blend together, gradually merging into a single, beautiful whole. Once combined, the grains cannot be separated, just as your lives are now intertwined, forever united.
And if you are at home, planting a tree together can represent the blossoming of your relationship, nurturing it to grow strong and enduring.
If you choose a handfasting ritual, consider using a sustainable cord. The wonderful Ceotha Cords offer a beautiful selection, and their blog provides insightful information on the topic. This image above features one of their 100% recycled cotton cords, kindly shared by them.
Fire
Fire symbolises passion, transformation, and the warmth of love, making it a powerful addition to any wedding ceremony.
Incorporating fire into symbolic gestures can be as simple as lighting a unity candle, where the couple firstly light a candle each, to represent themselves and, with the flame from their individual candles, they light the third candle together, to represent their joining together in marriage.
Another beautiful idea is a torch lighting to signify the couple’s shared journey, with the flames symbolizing the strength and intensity of their bond.
Fire can also be used in a more intimate gesture, like a sage cleansing or smudging ritual, often used at the start of a ceremony to remove negative energy and bring peace to the space, so that you begin this new stage in your relationship with positively and harmony.
Water
Water can be used in wedding ceremonies as a powerful symbol of purity, renewal, and the flow of love.
A common gesture is drinking from the Quaich, representing the cup of life, an ancient Scottish tradition symbolising trust, love, and peace. Sharing this cup represents the life you’ll build together, where life’s sweetness is enhanced and its bitterness softened by your unity. This is beautifully illustrated by Carolyn and Damien.
Traditionally, the Quaich should contain whisky, as it is’ Uisge Beatha’ or the ‘water of life’, highlighting the significance of water in this powerful symbol.
If you are having a handfasting ritual, water can be sprinkled over their joined hands by the celebrant or someone significant in your life, thus confirming their union. The water can be taken from a body of water that is significant to you, in the same way as an oathing stone.
If you get married close to a body of water, you could give oathing stones to your guests, and ask them to impart a wish for you or themselves before joining together to throw this into the water If you throw the stones into a river, the following wording can be used:
May the energy that you have poured into your stones combine with the energy of the river as the current brings it to the sea.
And may your wishes follow you through life's currents and tides.
Air
Air is the element of freedom, clarity, and communication and these will sustain your relationship.
You might incorporate the element by including the act of releasing doves or butterflies, symbolising the release of old energies and the beginning of a new chapter.
Getting married outdoors, surrounded by the sights, sounds, and scents of nature—particularly in the fresh Scottish air—invites the openness and lightness that love brings.
Tying Everything Together
My favourite way to tie all these together is to recite ‘Wedding Poem’ by Whitney Hanson, which was chosen by a couple at my very first outdoor ceremony and it’s perfect!
If you would like help planning your ceremony and how to incorporate meaningful symbolic gestures, please contact me annagilchrist@fuzeceremonies.co.uk
Photographs of Carolyn and Damien’s ceremony used with permission of the couple and supplied by Harper Scott Photography.
Handfasting cord image used with the permission of Ceotha. Photography credit to Ariana Cruz Photography.