Notations
CEREMONY IDEAS FOR YOUR SPECIAL DAY
Once you have secured the site for your ceremony and have met with the officiant and/or his or her representative, you should have a good idea about the ceremony requirements and guidelines. Working within those guidelines, you should be able to add your own personal touches with the goal of creating a beautiful setting that helps to create the mood for your ceremony to come. As guests arrive, the setting- candles, lights, flowers and music can create an impressive atmosphere. Instruct ushers to make friendly small talk with guests as they arrive and as they are escorted to their seats. This will help to put guests at ease. If yours is a small wedding, ushers can present a single flower to female guests along with a note from you welcoming them to the wedding. This welcome flower can also be presented with the programs. Consider having ceremony hosts greet guests at the entrance doors. Choose one from each family who is likely to recognize many of the guests as they arrive. Choose host couples to welcome your guests. Your parents may be mingling with guests at this point or may be needed with the wedding party. Guest hosts can welcome people in their name. If you have music playing as guests arrive and are seated, change that music-- tempo or volume or both, so that special music plays as the parents of the bride and groom are seated.
More and more couples are choosing to have a card or note from them along with a single flower or small wrapped gift waiting in the pews for the parents as they are seated. Consider having a special song played as the groom and his best man take their places.
As the processional begins, the music should change again for bridesmaids and flower girls. Some weddings have bridesmaids scatter rose petals as they come down the aisle--instead of, or in addition to, those dropped by the flower girl.
Consider making an entrance-- cued by more dramatic "announcement" music.
If your Church or facility can manage it, dim the house lights and turn on pre-placed lighting aimed at the aisle just before the bride begins her walk to the altar-- either with her escorts or alone.
REMEMBER THE CEREMONY IS THE CORNERSTONE OF THE DAY.
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