Wedding Ceremony Ideas

Big, small, fancy, simple, outdoors, indoors, here or there?

Before you start making phone calls and putting the actual plans in place for your wedding ceremony, you should sit down with your fiance and first determine what ideas you each have for the ceremony. Do you want a traditional wedding? Will it take place in a church, synogogue or a venue that is special to one or both of you? Do you want to get married outdoors? Keep the weather and time of year in mind, if this is an option. If you choose an outdoor wedding, then there is a chance it could rain or that it could be very sunny and warm and if that's the case you may need to rent tents or plan for an alternative indoor location. Another more non-traditional option, that is actually becoming very popular, is a location wedding. If you choose this you need to take your guest list into consideration. Some people will not or cannot travel, so you have to make sure you are both okay with that. If you want to just travel with the wedding party and closest family members to an exotic location you'll have to decide what costs you will cover and what you'll ask of the attendees.

Getting ready for the big day!

Get your invitations out as early as possible so that your guests have plenty of time to RSVP. If you set your wedding day early enough, it might be a good idea to also send out save-the-date cards. Once the date is set and the guest list is made, you should get together an idea of what you want the setting of your ceremony to look like. What colors? What kind of wedding flowers do you prefer? Do you want an archway at the front? Do you have family and friends that you have lost during the past year? If so, you might like the idea of having an “In Memory Of” table at the front with pictures of your loved ones to represent their presence on your special day. If your ceremony is going to take place in a location that does not provide seating, then you may need to contact a chair rental company and others who provide rentals for weddings.

Whether your wedding is simple or extravagent, the most critical person to have present is the one who will be conducting the ceremony itself. You need someone there to say the magic words, "I now pronounce you man and wife." If you are a member of a church, then you might want to ask your preacher, or if you have any family or friends that are ordained. Another option that is gaining popularity is asking a friend to become ordained just for your wedding. You should pick someone that is good with speaking in public and also knows both of you very well and can make it personal. If you choose this option, then make sure you allow them enough time to complete the necessary process to become legally ordained to perform the ceremony. Keep in mind that an individual who is licensed to conduct weddings in one state doesn't make them ordained in another. Be sure to check your state's laws regarding requirements for minsters of weddings, as the paperwork on your big day is integral. (Doesn't sound too romantic, we know.) If you do not have a preacher or personal friend who fits the bill, you can hire a wedding minister or wedding officiant to perform the ceremony. It is not as personal, but is a perfectly acceptable choice, and many brides and grooms go in this direction.

The Wedding March

Music defines the mood of your ceremony. You'll need to decide on the type of music you want, the exact songs and when you want them played. Do you want music playing as the guests enter and are seated? Do you want the flower girl and ring bearer to walk down the aisle to different music than the bridesmaids? Is the bride going to walk down the aisle to the traditional wedding march or a personal song choice? Will the music be live? What kind of live music? If you do choose live music, as many do, then you should start shopping early for the perfect performer. There are many options to go with for live music. Have a violinist or harpist play classical music, or bring in a full ensemble or string quartet. If you have specific songs that you'd like sung, you may want to hire a singer and possibly a pianist or guitarist to accompany them. Bagpipers, steel drum players and other world music can also be popular at weddings, especially if you or your fiance have a strong cultural background or are having a cultural wedding.

Some of the most common wedding ceremony songs include:

• “Air in G” from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D (J.S. Bach)
• “Ode to Joy” from Symphony No. 9(Beethoven)
• “Trumpet Voluntary” or “Prince of Denmark’s March” (J. Clarke)
• “Clair de Lune” (C. Debussy)
• “Hornpipe” from Water Music Suite (G.F. Handel)
• “Wedding March” from A Midsummer Night’s Dream (F. Mendelssohn)
• “Canon in D” (J. Pachelbel)
• “Allegro From Spring”, first movement theme from The Four Seasons (A. Vivaldi)
• “Bridal March” from the opera Lohengrin or “Here Comes the Bride” (R. Wagner)

Here are some other popular wedding ceremony music ideas.

Memories to last a lifetime

Because aspects of your wedding day will be somewhat of a blur, you will want to make certain you capture everything, including the moments you don't see. Hiring the right wedding photographer is a very important task. Spend time looking at different photographers and their portfolios. Find one that fits the style that you are looking for. Do you want the photos to be edgy and creative? Or would you prefer them to be classy and traditional? Color, black and white, or both? These are pictures that you are going to keep forever and show to many people for years and years to come, so make sure you love them! Also, even the best photographers cannot catch every single moment of the wedding, so you should also look at hiring a videographer to capture the whole event. That way you can share your special day with those who cannot attend in person and also with your future children and grandchildren!

There are so many little details to remember when putting together a wedding, so it may be in your best interest to hire a wedding planner to do it for you, or at least help you. If you cannot afford a wedding planner, then recruit your bridesmaids and divide up the responsibilities. And of course GigSalad is also here to help you! We'll be your one-stop shop for all your planning needs to help ensure a successful wedding ceremony!