The rehearsal. Necessary? Yes! Fun? Totally! Well, maybe more necessary than fun, but hear us out. There are lots of reasons why a rehearsal is important, and it’s not just to run through the actual ceremony ‘script’. You need to do that, in some way, at a rehearsal, sure. But it’s also super important to gather your VIPs (wedding party, officiant, parents, readers…)
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Big Takeaways
Religious or cultural ceremonies are sometimes ‘run’ by the church lady, or the priest or rabbi. For these weddings, planners have less to do, technically, but it’s still an opportunity for everyone in your wedding party to get on the same page.
We’re seeing more and more couples resistant to the idea of rehearsals. Smaller wedding parties, less religious ceremonies...busier couples? Some couples think that the rehearsal will take away from the wedding day.
Rehearsals are particularly important if your officiant is not a ‘professional’ - and a lot of weddings these days are in this category.
Rings! Don’t let kids handle the rings. Just don’t. Not at the rehearsal, not at the wedding. Not on a train, not in the rain...
Elements of a rehearsal
- 10 minutes - gather, wrangle, introduce everyone
- 30 minutes - ceremony cue to cue. Beginning with butts-in-seats in the first row or two (have your dad stand where he will sit on the wedding day. The flower girl’s mom needs to be in an aisle seat. Map it out and put people in their places physically. Make a ceremony seating chart. (You should write this down ahead of time.) Then you basically go through the beginnings and endings of the ceremony paragraphs...do NOT read verbatim the whole thing. Anytime there is a physical action - like exchanging rings - you practice it. You rehearse, get it? Practice lining up for the processional and walking in, and then practice the recessional.
- 30 minutes - Powwow. Share information so that everyone is on the same page on the wedding day. Arrival times, ‘getting ready’ plan, who is doing the first toast and when, etc. Remind the bride to eat and drink lots of water! Also, take time to make sure that ushers or greeters know their job.
- 10-30 minutes - STUFF. It’s your wedding, you’ll have stuff! Probably about a trunk-load, give or take. (Including but not limited to - toasting flutes, signage, jars filled w candy, your marriage license in it’s utilitarian manila envelope…)
What if the venue isn’t available for a rehearsal? What if your officiant can’t come to a rehearsal? We still suggest you have a rehearsal - you need some space, and as many VIPs as possible. Have it at the time that the most people can come.
Hint - a rehearsal is smoothest if:
- There are as many people from the VIP category as possible.
- If ‘extra’ people are NOT there. If you have 5 bridesmaids and they have 5 boyfriends that are not in the wedding party...request that the boyfriends don’t attend the actual rehearsal.
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