How to Arrange a Wedding Ceremony
Entrance music, vendor arrival times, reading printouts, chair arrangements -- the little details of a seemingly short wedding ceremony add up. Whether you have imagined your big day your entirely life or haven't yet figured out your vision, approaching ceremony planning like any other step-by-step project you'd complete at work or at home ensures no details are overlooked and everything goes smoothly.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Decide upon a budget for the ceremony with your fiance. Set a range for the total expenses, with your ideal spending amount and the most you are willing to spend. Make a list of all applicable ceremony expenses -- venue rental, officiant, musician, flowers and programs -- and allot an expected amount to each.
-
2
Call or email prospective ceremony locations and ask if they have availability for the date and time of your ceremony. Request a price list or quote if the venue is available. Visit the venues that fit into your price range. Sign a contract with the best-suited venue and give its event manager a deposit.
-
-
3
Send your ceremony guests information about the date, time and location of the event through a save the date or email. Include a reply card, email address or phone number so you can give the venue a head count before the event. Tell guests to reply no less than two weeks before the ceremony so you have time to track down non-respondents.
-
4
Meet potential ceremony officiants. If your ceremony will be held in a church, you may have or may not have options for different ministers or priests, as they may not all be available for your ceremony date. Discuss the content and style of the ceremony with prospective officiants and choose the one who seems most in tune with your vision.
-
5
Check with your venue to see if you can have music during the ceremony. Certain outdoor venues do not allow amplified music or music at all, while other venues have preferred vendor lists and will not work with artists outside the list. Discuss music styles with your fiance and research related area musicians if you are able to have music during your ceremony. Contact musicians and ask for samples, date availability and price range. Sign a contract with the artist that best meets your needs and schedule.
-
6
Work with your officiant to create the text of your ceremony. Request the standard framework they typically use and any suggested readings. Tweak the ceremony working to best reflect you and your fiance as a couple. Select the readings that best fit your relationship.
-
7
Order decorations for the venue space if allowed. State and national parks and beaches typically do not allow these items to be set up. Discuss what flowers, ribbons and other decorations work best in the venue with its event coordinator and whether there are any preferred or mandatory vendors.
-
8
Create a wedding program or compile the text for a graphic designer to layout and print. Include your names, the location and date on the front cover. Fill the inner pages with information about your and your fiance, the ceremony text and readings or photos as desired. Place a thank you section on the back cover thanking your guests for attending, important individuals who supported you and anyone who contributed to organizing or financing the wedding.
-
9
Contact the venue one week before the ceremony to confirm the event timing and give the event coordinator a final head count. Discuss who will set up the chairs, programs and any podiums in the ceremony area. Confirm arrival times with the officiant, musician and florist.
-
10
Rehearse the order and choreography of the ceremony with your fiance, parents, bridesmaids, groomsman and the officiant and musician if possible.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
When one ceremony expense costs more than you planned, tweak other items on your list to compensate.
Many people schedule the rehearsal the day before the wedding, but doing it an hour before the wedding makes it easier to include the officiant and musician.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Buccina Studios/Photodisc/Getty Images
