You have been planing your wedding day for so long now and in your mind it plays out perfectly every time. But have you shared your plans with your bridal party? Do they know what is expected of them? Have you given them an opportunity to rehearse? To meet the person they will be strutting down the aisle with?
Luckily most churches/ceremony venues offer you the chance to have a rehearsal a couple of days before the wedding. Take advantage of this as having a wedding rehearsal will increase the chances that things will go smoothly and your bridal party will gain a clear understanding of what it is you want for your day.
The following individuals generally attend the wedding rehearsal: the couple, their parents, the officiant, bridesmaids, ushers, wedding planner, wedding photographer/videographer. This is the perfect opportunity to put into action all of the ideas which have be whizzing around your head for the last few months.
It’s important for the ushers to be familiar with the church/ceremony room as they will be responsible for directing guests and ensuring a smooth transition from one location to another.
Before the wedding rehearsal plan out your ideas, so you don’t get overwhelmed or end up agreeing something you don’t actually want just because you are not able to articulate your vision in a meaningful manner. Decide how you want to pair your bridal party, what song you want them to walk to? What order will they exit? Bring along a copy of any music you will play on the day, so that everyone gets to hear your selection; the more exposure your bridal party have to the things you want and the order the more likely they are going to be able to deliver with out disappointment.
Do you have little people involved in the ceremony? It is especially important that they are given an opportunity to practice what they are required to do. You can’t be upset that little Jayden runs off in the wrong direction with the wedding rings in floods of tears screaming for his mummy if the wedding day is the first time he has stepped foot in the church.
The wedding rehearsal is the perfect intro to a rehearsal meal. The rehearsal meal kicks off the festivities after all the hard work and planning that has gone into organising the wedding. It’s a great time to give thank you gifts and to personally thank your friends and relatives for their efforts & support.
In your private time before the wedding, you should definitely practice walking & kneeling in your wedding dress. There is an art to getting up and down gracefully and you wouldn’t want to stumble or worse even fall over in front of your guests!
As we all know practice makes perfect and you want your day to be perfect so lets get on with the practicing!