Planning Your Ceremony
When planning your ceremony, there is a certain flow of events that will need to be followed. If you chose an officiant from a company then you need not worry, they have this timeline down! However, if you are planning everything on your own and having a friend/close family member conduct the ceremony, then you may want to confirm that they are following the rough timeline below. Remember to keep the ceremony to about 20-25 minutes long. You want to give your guests a worthy declaration of your love, but you don’t want to make it too long and have them zone out!
Timeline of Ceremony Events
Processional: This is the part where everyone heads down the aisle. Typically, you want the guests of honor (i.e. grandparents, parents of the groom, mother of the bride) to walk down first, followed by the wedding party, and then, of course, the Bride!
Welcome Introduction: After the officiant instructs everyone to sit down (as he or she should have instructed them to rise before the bride walks down the aisle), they will open the ceremony up with some remarks about the union of marriage as well as the couple’s relationship prior the wedding day.
Readings: These come next, but only if you desire them to be a part of your wedding. They are not required. If you choose to include it, pick someone close to your family to read a favorite poem or passage from a book regarding love, wedding, and/or relationships.
Vow Exchange: The vow exchange comes next. Couples can choose to either pick standard vows to repeat to each other or they can write their own. Personally, we’re a sucker for handwritten vows here at Moonbeam and you can read about how to write your own here. One word of advice, write down your vows versus using a phone! It’s much more romantic.
Ring Exchange: This is pretty self-explanatory but a very exciting part! You are nearing the end when you will finally be married. The rings will be exchanged along with some more “repeat after me’s.”
Unity Ceremony: Again, while unity ceremonies are not required, if you choose to include them, then they will go here. You can choose to perform a hand fasting, do a candle lighting, sand ceremony, tying a knot, etc. While you perform the ceremony, your officiant will explain what is taking place to your guests and what it represents.
Final Remarks & First Kiss: Finally, in closing, your officiant will remark on your journey forward as your relationship moves into marriage, into another chapter, into the future. You will end and seal the ceremony with your first kiss as husband and wife (or husbands, wives)!
Recessional: In closing, the newly married couple will walk down the aisle first followed by the wedding party. (Although, word of advice to the wedding party, allow the married couple some time to get to the end of the aisle before following. You want them to be able to get those sweet celebratory kisses down the aisle photos without you right behind them!) The guests of honor will rise next to be followed by your remaining guests.
