Hello, My name is Elizabeth Jones, owner of EJ Events - Wedding Planning & Event Management. The ceremony is an especially important part of wedding day, so we want it to go perfectly as planned...right? The best way to ensure the ceremony goes as smoothly as possible is to execute your wedding ceremony rehearsal like a pro! Practice all of these tips during your rehearsal to be on point for wedding day.
Here are my top 8 tips on how to be certain that you and all of your loved ones know where to be and what to do during the ceremony.
#1 - The Procession
Everyone that is walking down the aisle in the procession should lineup at the beginning of the aisle in the order that they will walk. This will ensure that everyone knows where to be and will save time on wedding day.
This order will be flipped during the recession!
#2 - The Music
Play the ceremony music from a speaker for each person walking in the procession so they know what they should hear when it is there time to walk on wedding day. This will help with any timing issues or music hiccups!
#3 - Pass the bouquet
During your ceremony, you will want to hold your partner's hand and have your hands free to exchange wedding bands. If you have a bridal bouquet, pass it on to the person closest to you. This will usually be a maid of honor, bridesmaid, or family member in the first row.
When you get to the end of the aisle - have this appointed person pass their bouquet to the next closest person, then fluff your dress and adjust your veil. Finally, pass your bouquet to them and they can either hold only yours during the ceremony, or hold both bouquets.
#4 - The Mark
To help all members standing during the ceremony, mark spots on the ground where they should stand. This will help everyone know how far of a distance they should have between each other and ensure symmetry on wedding day!
#5 - The Rings
If you have a wedding band and an engagement ring, you will need to switch your engagement ring to the opposite hand for the ceremony. This way you can have your partner place the wedding band on your ring finger for the exchanging of rings.
After the ceremony, place your engagement ring on top of your wedding band for photos!
#6 - The First Kiss
Have your officiant practice stepping to the side right before he announces the first kiss so you can have that perfect photo of the kiss!
#7 - The Readings
The officiant says more than you may think during a wedding ceremony, and so does the couple! Go over all of the readings and remarks with the officiant during the rehearsal so there aren't any surprises on wedding day!
#8 - The Exit Pose
Photo tip! to get a great photo of the newlyweds with their friends and family in the background, stop midway during the exit down the aisle and do a fun pose! A popular pose for this special moment is the dip. Practice your pose and how you will hold your bouquet during the rehearsal.
Now You Can Execute Your Ceremony Rehearsal Like A Pro!
Practice every detail of your ceremony and make sure everyone involved is present at the rehearsal.