Planning a wedding is no easy job, and particularly not when it comes to the ceremony, and you probably haven't arranged one before! While you should be enjoying the moment you'll say "I do" to your spouse, you're sorting through tons of relevant conflicts, like how to seat your divorced spouses or if you can include a man into your side of the wedding party. We collected our best wedding advice to common ceremony questions.
Small Wedding - Large Reception
Your wedding and ideas for your day should be a reflection of you. If you want to keep the "I dos" to a close gathering, absolutely consider it. But before you make the determination, ask yourself: "Will you look back and regret that everyone you love didn't get to see you witness your wedding vows?" If you don't believe so, then go for the more modest ceremony. We do suggest that you take into account the feelings of your guests in that circumstance. Guests generally attend both the ceremony and the reception. Your wedding invitations should make it evident that the recipient is invited to the reception only. If there are inquiries or confusion, respectfully explain to friends and family that you purposely kept the vows small.
Pre-Reception Break
A short break between the wedding ceremony and reception is presumably helpful to you. You will be able to take your formal photos and still make it to your cocktail hour. Yet, your guests may be sitting around waiting if a little break turns into hours. Keep the break to under an hour. A portion of that time may be to travel from the ceremony site to the reception venue. Invite guests to a cocktail hour where you serve light hor'devours and drinks. Guests can chat and mingle while you take a breather.
Wedding Party or Not
While the wedding party is an excellent way to honor your friends and family, it's not an exclusive way. Traditionally, bridesmaids were used as lures for the bride. They would dress up like the bride to throw off wicked spirits or robbers out for the endowment. Since those aren't issues today, the wedding party has become the VIPs of the day who are also asked to help and support the couple as they wed. That can also bring drama, too. Sometimes it's simpler not to choose between your best friends. But remember that you will require two witnesses for your marriage license, usually the maid of honor and best man. So be sure to let two guests know that they have an essential job to do after the recessional.
Man of Honor - Best Woman
We love a man of honor or a best woman! Several couples today have combined the idea of bridesmaids and groomsmen into mixed-gender wedding parties. Contemplate calling them a "bridesman" or a "groomslady" and have them participate in all the same activities if they prefer as their counterparts. Have fun with it!
Junior Bridesmaids
You don't frequently see the addition of a junior bridesmaid these days, but they are a normal part of the bridal party. Usually, a junior bridesmaid is a female too old to be a flower girl and too young to be a bridesmaid between the ages of 9 and 14. The girls would walk down the aisle before the processional of the bridesmaids. We're sure she'll be delighted to be in the "big girl" group.
Heels for a Beach Wedding
Heels do miracles for a dress or stylish pantsuit. They elongate your look and make your posture perfect for photos. But heels and sand, are a prescription for trouble. You can wear the heels for photos on stable ground and then change them for jeweled sandals or stylish flats for your stroll down the aisle. You chose the beach for a purpose. We trust you want to feel the sand in your toes.
Walking Down the Aisle
How you walk down the aisle is entirely up to you. Bud, it would be thoughtful of you to understand everyone's sentiments. There are loads of thoughtful options if you do want to be escorted down the aisle — your mother, your step-father, or even both your father and step-father can walk you down the aisle. You can also choose to walk with a sibling, dear friend, or mentor. Or, if you've considered everything and all individuals involved seem alright with it, go solo, and rock it.
Order of the Processional
While you can change it up—we love a strong groom's entrance with his best man and officiant. The bride's attendants enter, either escorted by a groomsman or alone. The maid and matron of honor would walk down the aisle, followed by the ring bearer and flower girl. At the front, the ring bearer and flower girl can stand with the wedding party. But if they are young and need to, you can have them sit with their parents near the front. And last comes the bride. Same-sex couples can walk down the aisle together, alone or neither walk down the aisle. It depends on what the pair determines suits them best.
Divorced Parents
When deciding the best wedding ceremony seating for divorced parents, you should use good judgment and consider family dynamics. If everyone is friendly, your mother and father can sit in the first row with their particular spouses. If they need a little space, put one set of parents in the front row and the other in the second row. If that doesn't work, another choice is to place them in the front row but with a mutual party, such as a grandparent, in between.
Selecting Readings
There is a wide variety of material to utilize for your readings; Biblical passages, excerpts from the Quran, verses of poems, lines from books, song lyrics, and more. There's no strict rule. You should contemplate a reading that expresses your love story and is suitable for all ages, although some religious organizations may have specific practices. For example, Roman Catholic churches frequently have a list of Biblical passages to choose from for readings. If your ceremony is non-denominational, contemplate works of poetry, books, or music that encourage you or speak to you.