The Ultimate Bride & Groom Wedding Planner

Your Ceremony

Do you want a traditional or non-traditional wedding ceremony? Your wedding ceremony is the main event.

Imagine how and where you want your ceremony. Visualize the procession, the flowers, and the colors you desire to decorate your wedding.

Will you have a religious or non-religious ceremony, or spiritual, with prayers or a blessing?

The location and officiant are the first considerations to assure your wedding success. Once you decide on the setting for your wedding, arrange to meet your officiant and review their policies. It is a priority to coordinate schedules with the most important people involved in your ceremony.

Wedding Vows
The vows you choose are the heart of your wedding ceremony and speak about the special love between the two of you. Your vows express the commitment you are making to each other. You can write your own vows or choose a time-honored vow already written. If you are going to be writing your own vows, decide if you want separate vows that you read to each other, or one that you will repeat in turn.

Some ideas: Write about how your love for each other makes you feel. Focus on your values. Include the dreams you both have for your life together. You can acknowledge family members. If you are welcoming children into this marriage, name them and talk about the love you have for them. Discuss your vows with your officiant so your feelings can be expressed during your ceremony.

Recommended Books-
Weddings: The Magic of Creating Your Own ceremony; By Henry Basayne and Linda Janowitz (Bookpartners, 1999)

Words For The Wedding: Creative Ideas for Choosing and Using Hundreds of Quotations to Personalize Your Vows, Toasts and Invitations & More; By Wendy Paris and Andrew Chester (Perigee 2001)

"Promises to Keep": Crafting Your Wedding Ceremony; By Ann Keeler Eans (Emerald Earth Publishing)

Officiant
Discuss with your partner who you would like your officiant to be, you may want a Clergyman, Priest, Minister, Pastor, Chaplain, Rabbi, Judge, or Justice of the peace. Traditional , contemporary or interfaith marriages can express the variations of religious beliefs as conveyed to the officiant you choose. Civil ceremonies are an option for those not religious.

Attendants
Your attendants assist your wedding by managing different responsibilities, so you can enjoy your wedding day and be with your guests. You may assign different attendants to assist; out of town guests, children, ceremony and reception parking, guest book supervision, or any other duties your need attended. Other wedding attendants are Groomsmen, Ushers, Ringbearers, and Trainbearers. Attendants are not generally tipped, though you may if you wish. They are usually given a small gift from the Bride & Groom.