He asked you
to marry him and you said yes!
Congratulations! If you know that
you will be married in a church ceremony, as soon as you have shared the good
news with close family members, it is time to think about when and where you
will be married.
Once you
have determined when, lock in the ceremony site and the reception venue. Then other plans can fall into place. As soon as possible, meet with the officiant
and/or his/her representative to determine the “rules” guiding ceremonies in
that church or synagogue. With that
information in hand, you can begin to formulate your own personal touches with
the goal of creating a beautiful setting that helps to establish the mood for
your ceremony to come.
As guests
arrive, the setting – candles, lights, flowers and music can create a lovely
atmosphere.
Instruct
ushers to make friendly small talk with guests as they arrive and as they are
escorted to their seats.
This is truly
welcoming and helps guests to feel at ease.
If yours is a small wedding, ushers can present a single flower to
female guests along with a note from you welcoming them to the wedding. A welcome flower can also be presented along
with the programs.
Consider
having ceremony hosts welcome guests at the entrance doors. Choose one from each family – someone who is
likely to recognize the majority of the guests as they arrive. Your parents may be mingling with guests at
this point or may be needed with the wedding party.
If you have
music playing as guests arrive and are seated, be sure someone is ready to cue
the music to change tempo or volume or both so that special music plays as the
parents of the bride and groom are seated.
More and more couples are choosing to have a card or note from them
along with a single flower or small wrapped gift waiting in the pew for parents
as they are seated.
Consider
having the music change again as the groom and his best man take their
places. Then as the processional begins,
the music should change again for the bridesmaids and flower girls.
The bride
should make an entrance cued by more dramatic “announcement” music. If the church or facility can manage it,
consider dimming the house lights and turn on pre placed lighting aimed at the
aisle just before the bride begins her walk to the altar.
Above all remember
that the ceremony is the cornerstone of the day and the reason the guests have
gathered. The reception celebrates what
has happened in that church.
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