Planning The Ceremony
June 12, 2008 by Katie
Filed under Ceremonies, Resources & Checklists, Wedding Planning
Let’s be honest, the wedding ceremony is THE reason for the event, right? Do it up right! Here are some steps to help you get going.
Fabulous picture from Verbena Designs.
The Ceremony: What kind would you like to have? Religious or civil? Long and sentimental or short and sweet? Fancy and frill or modern and minimalistic?
*Note: If you’re tying in different religions into your ceremony, make sure you take them into consideration for ever step of the ceremony planning!
The Location: In a church or synagogue or in a secular place? Inside or outside? At a different place from your reception location or at a different venue?
The Guests: You don’t necessarily have to invite everyone to the ceremony just because you’re inviting them to the reception (although those invited to the ceremony should definitely be invited to the reception!). Will you include everyone or just close family and friends?
The Wedding Party: How many people do you and your soon-to-be-spouse want to stand up with you? Remember: If you are going to have, say, fifty guests and ten individuals in you wedding party, the guest-to-wedding-attendant ratio will seem a little funny (twenty percent of the people in the room will be standing up with you)!
The Rituals: Write down all of the things you want to include in the ceremony. They might include an exchange of vows and rings, unity rituals, marriage contract, readings, a moment of silence, offerings to ancestors, and wine-sharing rituals. More might be the ketubah, b’deken (veiling of the bride), sheva brachot (seven blessings) and the breaking of the glass. And if you have children, you might want to think about including them in a ritual as well, like a family vow exchange or exchange of different items.
WeddingFanatic tip: when all is said and done and you’re about to walk down the aisle , take a deep breath and let what’s going to happen, happen! Share a special moment with your father (or whomever is walking you down the aisle), look into your groom’s eyes all the way down the aisle, or, mouth the words “I love you” to your mom, grandparents, and or siblings.
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Diane Castro - your wedding reception planning guide on Fri, 13th Jun 2008 3:48 pm
I agree with you that it is interesting that the ceremony part of the wedding usually does not get as much attention as it should. After all, it is the reason for all the festivities.
I still remember my own wedding day and how absolutely calm I was during it. I thought for sure that I would feel as though I was going to faint, but I did share those special moments with my Dad before going down the aisle on his arm and it is something I will never forget.
I also agree that not every one of your guests has to be invited to the ceremony. This is especially true if you have chosen a very small space to have your ceremony in which not all of your guests will fit.
Ashely on Wed, 18th Jun 2008 4:29 pm
Have any of you considered yourself or know someone who has considered becoming ordained online in order to officiate a wedding ceremony? If so, I am interested in talking with you to see how you went about the whole process. Please e-mail me at fashionfox83@yahoo.com