Major Libation Rituals for Weddings


At your wedding, wine isn’t just something you serve to happy guests. Libation rituals play an important part in many ceremonies, and in different faiths. Whether the two of you decide to drink up is a matter of choice. Here, are a few of the more prominent libation rituals.

Although these libation rites are from various faiths, they all have one thing in common, according to Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway, officiant and author of Wedding Goddess. “The wine rituals are about togetherness and becoming a family,” she says. “The cup or glass is marriage, while the liquid represents the couple joining together.”

The Jewish faith often incorporates the Blessing of the Wine as part of the Seven Blessings ritual. Traditionally recited in Hebrew, the blessings are of happiness and thanking God, and the couple takes a sip of wine afterward.  Next, a wineglass is placed on the floor—it can be protected by a napkin or bag—and the groom stomps on it with his right foot. Some versions of this ritual involve members of the wedding party reciting the blessings.

African-American weddings are often accompanied by the Libation Ceremony, in which wine is used to honor the ancestral spirits. In this ritual, which can also be done with water (or even coconut milk), the priest or minister sticks his finger in the cup and then points it in the four directions—north, west, east, south—to acknowledge where the spirits are. It’s common to then drop some of the wine on the altar table or on the ground. By acknowledging the spirits, it’s believed that you are inviting relatives to your ceremony.

Christian weddings often include Holy Communion, which occurs immediately after the ceremony. Everyone is invited to participate in the wine and bread ritual, which is a remembrance of Christ and all that he has given. The Catholic faith commonly practices this rite. Should you be considering adding communion to your wedding, discuss it with your clergyman.

The Loving Cup wine ritual emerged from Roman times, and has since been interspersed into weddings of different faiths. A simple rite, the couple drinks wine from a chalice (or traditional wineglass), to symbolize the joining of their lives and their families. The clergyman says a few words (you can ask to have them changed—and, in some ceremonies, guests drink from the cup as well). Non-denominational and inter-faith weddings frequently incorporate this ritual, simply referring to it as a wine ceremony.

For a variety of reasons, couples often change certain elements of these rites.  “Anything can be altered,” says Brockway. Should either one of you not drink alcohol, it’s common to serve white grape juice instead of wine. Although red wine is the traditional libation for all ceremonies, couples often ask for white wine, to protect the wedding dress. Should you wish to change any element of the wine rituals, speak to your clergyman as soon as possible to make sure he’s comfortable with your choices. Then drink to life!

-David Toussaint

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