The Latin word caeremonia came to Castilian as a ceremony. It is the action that is carried out according to a custom, a regulation or a norm, with the objective of paying tribute or showing respect or adherence to something or someone.
A ceremony can be linked to a ritual or a rite that is based on tradition. The act in question requires the completion of various formal steps that give it solemnity.
For example: “The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games was followed by millions of people through television and the Internet”, “After the religious ceremony, the couple will offer a dinner to their friends and family in an exclusive restaurant in the downtown area ”, “ During the farewell ceremony there were numerous signs of pain ”.
The human being has been performing ceremonies for thousands of years. In its origins, ceremonies were linked to communication with the gods: sacrifices were made, offerings were given, etc. The emergence of religions as institutions formalized this type of action and thus the sacraments and liturgies arose.
Beyond religion, there are other types of ceremonies. The civil marriage, to cite one case, consists of a ceremony that runs a state authority and requiring members of the couple meet certain requirements (such as express consent to the union and sign a document).
The celebration of a birthday, the inauguration of a public work, the commemoration of an anniversary and the celebration of a graduation are other events that involve the development of ceremonies.
Organizing a ceremony is not an easy task, especially when the volume of the event is considerable and has a commercial nature or cannot be repeated if the result is not as desired. Among all the examples mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, the wedding is probably the most frequently celebrated type of ceremony in the world, and the preparations can be really exhausting.
The first point that comes to mind when we think of a wedding ceremony is the number of guests; Not only is it necessary to contact dozens of people with whom many times we have not spoken for years, but we must group them at the tables in such a way that they can spend a pleasant evening and talk with their colleagues.
Each ceremony can be different since its characteristics combine cultural issues, personal preferences and the characteristics of the time in which they are celebrated. In this context, for example, music enters: weddings usually include a musical repertoire meticulously chosen by the bride and groom and this should cover both the songs that are performed at the time of the service (either in a religious temple or in a building of government, among other possibilities) as in the reception that usually comes after.
If the ceremony will have as guests people of various nationalities, who speak different languages, then it becomes necessary to plan each step taking into account that communication will be more complicated and that any mistake could result in some people feeling ignored and uncomfortable. For this reason, to avoid problems, the first thing is to print the invitations in all the necessary languages.
At the time of the ceremony, international guests will need multilingual staff or at least from their own country of origin to guide and assist them with any questions. The food is another aspect that relate in part to the origin of the diners, since cultural or religious issues not everyone can eat the same, and this affects not only the menu but the choice of suppliers and cooks.