Skip to main content

The Parts of a Wedding- Part 2 - The Ceremony

It's time for WhereBridesGo.com's second installment of our "Parts of a Wedding" series to honor National Weddings Month.  Earlier this February we featured a timeline and tips for planning a wedding, and today will focus on the first big wedding day event - the ceremony. This includes getting ready, guiding your guests, deciding what you will say and do, and more.



Getting ready.

The day will begin with you and the rest of the wedding party getting all dressed up for the day's festivities. Plan to start early enough that you don't feel the need to rush. Generally, the guys and girls separate for this part. Stock each of the rooms that you will be getting ready in with healthy snacks to keep everyone's energy high, lots of water, and maybe even a few celebratory cocktails to get the party started.  


The ladies will most likely be getting their hair and makeup done. Be sure that everyone has something to wear during this process that does not have to be pulled over the head when you get dressed, such as a beautiful monogrammed robe. These make excellent bridesmaid gifts that can be used by your girls for many years to come.  




Welcoming the guests.

When guests begin arriving for the ceremony, you will want to make sure that they have some sort of direction as to the flow of the day's events. Programs are perfect for this, and can even offer additional fun information about your wedding party and possibly even the story of how the two of you became engaged. 

A guest book is also an important item to have available for your guests to sign as they arrive. It can be as simple as a book for everyone to sign with well wishes, or you can get creative and ask your guests to sign something that can later be displayed in your home, like the matte to frame a wedding photo or a memorable piece of art. 






Time to cue the music.

When ceremony time finally arrives, the processional will begin. Often the groom will walk with his parents down the aisle, or he may choose to enter with the officiant and his groomsmen instead. Parents and grandparents are seated before the bridesmaids make their walk down the aisle. You may also want to set aside a special spot for framed photos of loved ones that have passed away. 

Following the bridesmaids' entrance, it is time to roll out the aisle runner and send the flower girl on her way down, showering the bride's way with petals. If you are having a ring bearer, he may enter alone before the aisle runner is unrolled or alongside the sweet flower girl. 

Finally, the music changes and here comes the bride! 



The actual ceremony.



The officiant will take charge of everything from this point. He or she will lead the two of you through the words that you have chosen. Within the ceremony you may have close friends or family members read a poem or verse, or you may wish to have someone perform a song with special meaning. 

There are a variety of traditions that can be included during your wedding ceremony. Lighting a unity candle from flames that have been lit by each side of your family is a lovely gesture. Unity sand ceremonies have become extremely popular too. Each of you uses a different color of sand and the it is combined to create a beautiful keepsake for your home.


Leaving as the new Mr. & Mrs.

After your romantic first kiss as husband and wife, it's time to head back up the aisle and towards your wedding reception. A couple of decisions that you will need to make is whether or not you will be having a receiving line to greet all of your guests, and if you want to leave the ceremony site being showered in confetti, bubbles, flower petals, etc... or if you will save that moment for when you leave the reception.  




Once you make it through the ceremony portion of your wedding day, it's time to party! We will finish our "Parts of a Wedding" series with reception details. There are quite a few areas to plan for during a wedding reception, especially if you add a cocktail hour. The majority of your wedding decorations will be displayed there, many of which you can find at WhereBridesGo.com. Fortunately, all of your worries for the day should be out of the way and now it's time to let your hair down and get the fun started!    



Where Brides Go®
...for What Brides Love!



~ The WhereBridesGo.com Team
Post by Deanna Powell, Certified Bridal Consultant

Connect with WhereBridesGo.com online!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist

There's no need to be  overwhelmed with the thought of planning your big day. Sit down, take a deep breath, grab a cup of tea or a glass of wine and look over our popular 12-month planning guide. Planning a wedding is simply a matter of getting organized. 11-12 Months Before the Wedding Officially announce your engagement online and in your local paper. Bride's Planning Tote Decide on a time and date for the wedding. Decide style of ceremony (size, setting, formality, etc.). Contact a wedding officiate. Arrange for your families to meet if they haven't met before. Develop a budget and decide who will pay for what. Begin compiling your guest list. Visit and reserve your reception venue. 9-10 Months Before the Wedding Order your wedding gown and determine who will make any necessary alterations. Choose your wedding party. Decide on a color scheme (consider the recepti

The Ultimate Wedding Party Responsibilities Checklist

Planning a wedding and participating in a wedding can be a daunting task. Traditionally, wedding party members all have very distinct roles to help with the process and make life easier on the bride and groom. This wedding party responsibilities checklist can serve as a guideline to help you get a grip on who does what. Customize this list to meet the unique needs for your wedding party. Bride and Groom : Together Decide on your budget. Consult with your parents, if they are paying for or contributing to the wedding. Decide on and set the style, wedding theme , date, time, and the place of ceremony and reception. Make the reservations and deposits. Meet with your wedding officiate and participate in any premarital counseling required. Order your Save-the-

10 Ways to Get the Groom Involved

Planning the wedding is no longer the sole responsibility of the bride and her mother. If your fiance is happily going about his life while you are out talking to the florist, caterer, wedding cake baker, and  DJ,  it's time to get him involved in the planning. After all, planning your wedding will probably be the first major project of your life together. It's important for both of you to feel connected to this process. 10 Ways to Get the Groom Involved Request His Help. This may sound like a "no-brainer," but often the groom doesn't get involved because he has been under the mistaken impression that his help wasn't desired. Sit down with your fiance and ask him what he would like to have at the wedding/reception. Tell him what you would like and develop a plan together. Give Him The Knowledge. The fact that almost every bridal magazine is directed at brides