5 Very Important Ceremony Details to Consider

While the majority of your wedding planning will focus on the reception, we cannot forget the real star of the show- the ceremony! Here are 5 very important details to consider when planning your ceremony!

1. Your rings

It all started with a ring, so make sure it ends with the rings too! In order for that to happen, you need to have ONE person in charge of bringing/having the rings during the ceremony. Typically this is the duty of the best man. Your photographer will most likely want the rings before the ceremony for detail pictures, so make sure your best man also knows where to get them from when the time comes.

2. Your officiant

Officiants are one of the most important elements of your ceremony, if not the most important. Whether you hire your own officiant, go through your venue, or use a friend, you need to be clear with them about how you want your ceremony to go. Let them know if you are okay with them ‘going off script’ and absolutely make sure they know how to pronounce your new last name! A quick 20 minute convo with your officiant will clear all those little details right up!

3. Your music

If you have the budget for a live ceremony musician- DO IT, I promise it is worth every penny. Live musicians will be able to start/stop/change songs seamlessly throughout your processional and ceremony. The last thing you want is your pre-set playlist running out when you’re halfway down the aisle because the ring bearer decided to have a 3 minute meltdown.

4. Your Timing

One of the first things you need to do when planning is picking your ceremony time, as this will determine the schedule for the rest of the day. If you are getting married in a church, they will likely assign you a ceremony time, due to multiple ceremonies in one day. However, if you have the freedom of choosing your own time, consider a few factors like: how much time you will have before and after to take pictures (do you have to be out of the ceremony venue at a certain time, do you want a lot of family altar pictures?), when the sun will set (if you want sunset pictures with your spouse, make sure your ceremony is finished at least 30-45 minutes before the sun sets), and how long until dinner (add together the ceremony time, travel time, cocktail hour, etc. until guests are served dinner and try to keep it under 2 hours, or guests will get antsy!).

5. Your ‘unplugged’ policies

In the age of social media, “unplugged” ceremonies are becoming more and more popular and couples are asking their guests to refrain from taking pictures or videos during the ceremony. As this is a personal choice, just let your guests know how you feel about the topic before the ceremony. If you are okay with them taking pictures during your ceremony, you can let them know and even put your hashtag on the programs so you can follow along! If not, a fun sign outside the ceremony letting guests know to put away their phones is appropriate.