Wedding Ceremony Planning Tips
Your wedding ceremony is a crucial part of your celebration, and it’s a wonderful chance for you and your mister to share your beliefs and personalities with your guests. As you begin planning your wedding ceremony there are a few essential questions you need to ask yourself: Where are you going to get married? What type of ceremony are you going to have? Who is going to perform the ceremony? These simple questions will help you get the planning process started.
Where?
The place where you decide to hold the ceremony will determine what type of event it is. Naturally, if you choose a house of worship (church, synagogue, temple) the ceremony will take on a more traditional tone. As you begin planning, be sure to ask if the venue has any limitations: some places of worship might restrict outside decor or musicians. If you’re a less traditional couple, the venue options for your wedding ceremony are literally endless! Pick a friend’s backyard, an art gallery or a cliff overlooking the beach, and let your chosen locale dictate the decor and the tone of the proceedings.
What?
Once you’ve decided on a location for your wedding ceremony, the next crucial question is what will the ceremony look and feel like? Will you recite traditional vows or write your own? Will you ask loved ones to perform meaningful readings? Will the readings be religious (i.e. from the Bible) or secular (i.e. a favourite love poem)? In addition to considering these important questions, you should also decide how long you would like the ceremony to be—typically they range from 15 to 45 minutes. Furthermore, think about whether you would like to incorporate any symbolic rituals into the ceremony (combining two different colours of sand or lighting a unity candle are popular options).
Who?
Above all, the person who performs your wedding ceremony should relate well to you and your partner. Meeting once or twice prior to the event is crucial to establish a connection, which will translate into an effortless ceremony. Perhaps you already have someone in mind—a childhood priest or rabbi—in which case your decision will be easy! If you aren’t religious, start looking for non-denominational officiants in your area. When in doubt, ask for referrals. Your friends, family members and other wedding vendors (photographer, planner, etc.) may have wonderful suggestions for who should perform your wedding ceremony.