Planning A Wedding: A Template For Your Ceremony

Planning a wedding ceremony can be stressful, but there are many ways to ensure the day runs smoothly. From the moment the guests arrive and take their seats to the exit strategy, a wedding ceremony requires a lot of choreography. There are many traditions and customs to consider, but ultimately, there is no right or wrong order for the processional, as long as it reflects your unique story and sets the stage for your ceremony.

Seating arrangements

At a traditional Christian wedding or a large civil ceremony, the bride's family and friends are seated on the left and the groom's on the right. At a traditional Jewish wedding, the bride's side is on the right and the groom's is on the left. You should also consider marking off the first few rows with flowers or ribbon for immediate family and special guests, such as the flower girl's and ring bearer's parents, someone giving a reading, and close relatives.

If either the bride or groom has divorced parents, it's a good idea to ask them how they would like to be seated. They may choose to sit together in the front row, but if one or both parents are remarried, or the parents are not on good terms, consider asking one to sit in the first row and the other immediately behind them in the second row.

The size of your wedding party, the roles of family members, and any cultural or religious customs you want to honour will also impact your seating plan. Ultimately, there is no right or wrong order, as long as the processional reflects your unique story and sets the stage for your ceremony.

Processional order

The processional order of your wedding ceremony is an important aspect to consider when planning your big day. While there are no hard and fast rules, it's a good idea to blend tradition and personal preference to create a unique and meaningful experience for you and your guests.

At a traditional Christian wedding or a large civil ceremony, the bride's family and friends are seated on the left, while the groom's side takes the right. However, this can vary depending on cultural and religious customs. For instance, at a traditional Jewish wedding, the bride's side is on the right, and the groom's is on the left.

It's essential to mark off the first few rows for immediate family and special guests, such as the flower girl's and ring bearer's parents, someone giving a reading, and close relatives. When it comes to divorced parents, it's best to ask them how they would like to be seated. They may choose to sit together in the front row, or if one or both parents are remarried or not on good terms, consider offering one the first row and the other the second.

The size of your wedding party and the roles of family members will also influence the processional order. For instance, whose parents will walk down the aisle first? While some aspects of the processional order may unfold organically on the day, it's best to plan as much as possible to ensure a smooth and well-choreographed ceremony.

Religious customs

When planning a wedding ceremony, it's important to consider any religious customs you want to include. While there are no hard and fast rules, and you can blend tradition with personal preference, there are some standard practices to be aware of.

For example, at a traditional Christian wedding, the bride's family and friends are seated on the left, and the groom's on the right. However, at a traditional Jewish wedding, the bride's side is on the right, and the groom's is on the left. You should also consider marking off the first few rows with flowers or ribbons for immediate family and special guests, such as the flower girl's and ring bearer's parents, someone giving a reading, and close relatives.

If you have divorced parents, it's a good idea to ask them how they would like to be seated. They may choose to sit together in the front row, but if one or both parents are remarried, or your parents are not on good terms, you could suggest one sits in the first row and the other in the second row immediately behind.

Other details to consider are whose parents will walk down the aisle first and the order of the bridal party. While some of these decisions can be left to the day, it's a good idea to plan as much as possible to ensure a smooth ceremony.

Communication with guests

You should consider the size of your wedding party, the roles of family members, and any cultural or religious customs you want to honour. For example, at a traditional Christian wedding or a large civil ceremony, the bride's family and friends are seated on the left, and the groom's on the right. At a traditional Jewish wedding, the bride's side is on the right and the groom's is on the left.

Mark off the first few rows with flowers or ribbon as seating for immediate family and special guests, such as the flower girl's and ring bearer's parents, someone giving a reading, and close relatives. Ask divorced parents how they would like to be seated during the ceremony. They may choose to sit together in the front row, but if one or both parents are remarried, or your parents are not on good terms, consider asking one to sit in the first row and the other immediately behind them in the second.

You can use stationery designs to communicate with your guests and ensure they know where they should be when it's time to say "I do".

Exit strategy

Planning an exit strategy for your wedding ceremony is an important part of the day. Here are some ideas for a smooth exit:

Firstly, consider the timing of your exit. If you want to make a grand exit from the ceremony venue, you could ask your bridal party to wait and cheer you on as you leave. However, it is generally not recommended to keep your guests waiting, especially if you are taking photos inside the venue. Instead, you could do a receiving line with your partner and parents, and then exit to blow bubbles or wave ribbons with your guests before getting into your transport.

Another option is to do a grand exit at the end of the reception. You could see your guests off and then hang out with the bridal party, or even do a private exit with just the two of you. This way, you can still have a fun and memorable exit without keeping your guests waiting.

If you want to incorporate your heritage into your exit, you could use props or traditions that are meaningful to you. For example, at an Irish wedding, the couple exited under hurley sticks to honour the groom's background.

Finally, don't forget to communicate your exit strategy to your wedding party and guests. This will ensure that everyone knows where to be and when, and will help your exit run smoothly.

Frequently asked questions