October  Wedding Blog

Wedding Ceremony Writing With Your Officiant:  The Do's & Don't" s

2020 has become the year of the intimate wedding ceremony as couples have been changing their plans, scaling down their weddings and looking for ways to celebrate in style, even it it's smaller.  Backyard weddings and tiny weddings and dinners have become an elegant, classy way to celebrate your big day and still have all the trimmings, right?  What about your wedding ceremony?  Just because you're deciding to do things a little differently and smaller, doesn't meant you have to skimp on the most important part of the day, your ceremony.  Let's talk about what makes a great wedding ceremony and some do's and don'ts of creating the perfect intimate ceremony script.

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Your officiant, reverend, minister, priest or rabbi will ask you different questions and offer options for readings, prayers, blessings, vows and more.  From this information, they'll help create your wedding ceremony.

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When working with a wedding officiant like Magical Ceremonies, we will even write a bit about your romance and how you realized you had met the one you want to spend your life with to create a custom written ceremony that is uniquely yours.  Here's some of those Do's & Don'ts:

The Do's 

• Do tell your officiant how long you'd like the ceremony to be, and if you would like something religious or for the ceremony to be more about your love story. 

• Do be sure to read the ceremony script and approve what you love; ask for any changes or edits or even a different reading if what has been written isn't what you had in mind.  We're here to create for you.

• Do ask family to participate by performing a reading if you like.  Be sure to approve the readings or feel free to select one for your friend, aunt or sister or brother to read.  This is a biggie:  Limit readers and readings to two, three or more are too many.  If there are more than two friends or family involved in the ceremony, it can make for a long ceremony and one that loses its focus on you as the Bride and Groom.  Consider asking other friends and family to write something special for the dinner or intimate reception - they're still a part of the day, and you're still focusing the ceremony on your love.

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The Don'ts

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• Don't ask your readers to choose or write readings for you as they may not be familiar with the length, structure, timing or theme of your ceremony.  Be sure to select the reading for them or ask your officiant to assist so the flow of your ceremony is what you had in mind.

• Don't skimp on the length of the ceremony.  Remember there a elements needed that make it a wedding ceremony, and 15 - 20 minutes is a good length when the ceremony is not in a church or temple; from beginning to end, it's not too long, not too short.  You may even be thinking that you only want it to be10 minutes in length, but then you would like to have a hand-fasting, or unity sand or even a memory box and more.  Keep in mind, the more you add to the ceremony, the longer the ceremony will be.  Ask your wedding officiant for guidance and they can help you add the elements you want and make it beautiful.

• Don't feel that you have to please anyone but yourselves.  In the end, it's your wedding day and your wedding ceremony, and whatever you choose to do, it will be perfect because it's about you!

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Congratulations on your engagement!  XO, Rev. Elaine

Photo credi:  Julia Morrell of Stamp and Co. Photography / Sam & Ryan, Seoptember 12, 2020 / Collaboration with Curate Love Pop Up Weddings

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