The Wedding Rehearsal – Definitely have one!

A wedding ceremony is a "one time shot" to get it right. When you start figuring in the Celebrant, a nervous bride/groom, a wedding party that often isn't listening and family and friends with pounding hearts, a wedding ceremony is ripe for imperfection.

One of the best ways to mitigate risks or disasters at the ceremony is to organize a rehearsal a few days before the big day.

It still amazes me how many Celebrants don’t offer rehearsals to their clients, or offer up the line: “I have been a celebrant for 12 years, I don’t need to do a rehearsal.” News Flash Mr Celebrant, the rehearsal is not for you, it is for the very nervous Bride & Groom who have to get through their vows & the “I do’s”, the Brides Father who has to walk her down the aisle, the nervous mothers who will be lighting the unity candles and the brother who will be reciting a poem.

I always insist that my clients have a rehearsal and they are always so grateful that they do, because so many issues are raised during the rehearsal that it would have been terrible to just “wing it” through ceremony.

Here are a few tips when planning your rehearsal:

1. If possible hold the rehearsal at the same place the actual ceremony will take place. That way everyone is familiar with the space and if you discover the sun is shining directly into your eyes, or if you have the bridal party stand in a particular place and you now realize that they will be blocking everyone’s view, you can change the plan right then and there.

2. Hold the rehearsal at the same time of day that the actual ceremony will be taking place – again light or lack thereof may be an issue.

3. Have all the members of your bridal party present – all the people who have a job to do during the ceremony should be there – they are likely to be as nervous as you!

4. Hold the rehearsal about 3-4 days before the wedding, that way it is still fresh in everyone’s mind and if you realize that something has not been taken care of, you still have some time to sort it out.

5. If you are having music played at the ceremony make sure you go through all the timings during the rehearsal too.

If you have to, you can be a bit of a bridezilla and INSIST on having a rehearsal, it will make you that much less of a bridezilla on the wedding day because you will know, (along with everyone else), exactly what you have to do when you hit that aisle.