How to hold a witness lottery
Traditionally, the best man and chief bridesmaid were witnesses, but a witness lottery can be a lovely way of giving other people a special role in your ceremony.
In Australia, five people are required for a legal marriage to take place: the two of you (the couple getting married), your celebrant and two witnesses. Legally, witnesses both need to be over the age of eighteen and they need to hear all the legal components of the ceremony: the celebrant’s full name, the monitum, and your legal vows.
Traditionally, the best man and chief bridesmaid have acted as witnesses, but as they are already playing an important role on your special day, choosing your witnesses from the list of guests beyond your immediate wedding party can be a lovely way of including additional people in your ceremony and honouring the relationships you have with them. You might consider parents, grandparents, special aunts and uncles, siblings, adult children, people who’ve played an important role in your courtship or perhaps those who initially introduced you.
But how do you choose when there are so many special people you’d like to honour in this way?
Hold a witness lottery.
The beauty of this is that you don’t have to choose; you avoid the risk of offending someone by leaving them out.
How to have a witness lottery
Write your ‘non-participating’ guests’ names down on slips of paper, place them into an attractive container, and draw two names out during the ceremony.
Pop two envelopes, each containing an invitation to be your witness, beneath two chairs.
If you’re having an order of service for your ceremony, mark two with a special sign or symbol.
When we arrive at the appropriate part of the ceremony, I explain that the Marriage Act requires two witnesses, no more, then go on to say that you found it impossible to choose only two from the many people you love and who would all be obvious choices for the role. And then I explain whatever process you’re going to use to select your witnesses. I’m fussy about words, too. I wont use words like ‘raffle’ or ‘lucky door prize’ or even ‘lottery’.
If you’d like to discuss incorporating this idea, or any other ideas, into your wedding ceremony, select the button below. I’d love to chat!