An Outline of Your Wedding Ceremony

Most wedding ceremonies follow the same, simple structure: an introduction, readings, declaration of intent, etc. There are many ways to customize your ceremony to make it special and unique, but you’ll need to start with a great foundation.

WEDDING CEREMONY OUTLINE

Prelude and guest seating
Processional
Introduction or welcome
Readings, songs, activities and/or prayers
Questions of intent (“I do’s”)
Readings, songs, activities and/or prayers
Wedding Vows (“ ’til death do us part…”)
Readings, songs, activities and/or prayers
Introduction of the couple and first kiss
Recessional and instructions for receiving line.

IN THE BEGINNING

In the beginning the crowd is without form, and void; and a low murmur is upon the ceremony. And the Minister moves up to the front of the crowd and says, “Let there be quiet”, and it gets quiet. And the Bride hears that it is quiet and the Groom knows that it is good. And the Minister divides bride’s people from groom’s people in two sides and tells them to turn off their cell phones. And they typically do so, with smiles upon their faces. And it is good. And the Minister looks to the bride to see that she is ready and when she nods that she is, the Minister nods at the DJ and the music starts...

PROCESSIONAL

Typically, couples will opt for a processional of important family members and their wedding party. A traditional entrance order: Groom (alone, or with his parents or with minister), bridesmaids and groomsmen (each alone or in couples), flower girls and ring bearers and then the bride (alone, with Dad or with both parents). This will take 2-5 minutes.

TIME TO DECIDE:

Who is in your wedding party?
Who will walk down the aisle with the bride and the groom?
When do the non-escorting parents enter?
What songs will play for the wedding party and for the bride?

WELCOME

"Thanks for coming. You are about to witness a wedding."

The introduction or welcome can be funny, serious, religious, spiritual or infused with personal stories, a way of telling people something about you as a couple. This is a good time to mention "in the sight of God" if that is relevant to you beliefs. This section will take 2-5 minutes.

READINGS ETC.

Your wedding can be like a short theater play. To set the mood to the main part (the vows), you can have a reading read, a song sung, a unity rite or a prayer. This is a great way to include the lovely people in your life, your officiant will introduce the performer and they’ll stand up in front of your and your guests to express their love for the two of you. 3-5 minutes of mood setting.

QUESTIONS OF INTENT

Of course you are here on your own accord but tradition has the officiant asking you two if you do indeed want to get married. Here is a sample:

TO THE BRIDE: “Do you take GROOM to be your wedded husband, to share your life openly, standing with him, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in hardship and in ease, to cherish and to love, so long as you both shall live?"

Answer: I do / I will / Yes / Sure thing / Yah, you betcha

GROOM "Do you take BRIDE to be your wedded wife, to share your life openly, standing with her, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in hardship and in ease, to cherish and to love, so long as you both shall live?”

Answer: I do / I will / Yes / Sure thing / Yah, you betcha

This will take 1-2 minutes.

WEDDING VOWS

Alright, this is the big moment. The vows are the promises you will make to one another. Often they are the same for both bride and groom, but they do not need to be. Find some vows you like and then customize them to be yours. Or write your own! Here’s a sample vow:

“May we have the rings please? GROOM, place the ring on BRIDE's finger, please look at her and repeat after me:

I, GROOM, promise to love and cherish you BRIDE. To give you strength, to help you in good times and in bad. To respect our individuality, to make our home one of love and understanding. I promise to be faithful to you, giving you all of myself, all of my tomorrows, all of my life.

BRIDE as you place this ring on GROOM‘s hand, please repeat after me:

I, BRIDE promise to love and cherish you GROOM. To give you strength, to help you in good times and in bad. To respect our individuality, to make our home one of love and understanding. I promise to be faithful to you, giving you all of myself, all of my tomorrows, all of my life.”

This will take 4-5 minutes.

INTRODUCTION OF THE COUPLE AND FIRST KISS

Finally, the kiss and the the introduction of the couple. Choose how you want to be presented. Here is a sample.

“GROOM, you may kiss your bride.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am honored to present to you, for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Really-Happy-Dudes.”

At this point the recessional music is played and you two would walk down the aisle. The wedding party walks out after you and the officiant thanks folks and instructs them to follow you for the receiving line and anything else you want to communicate to them. This will take 1 minute.

A short ceremony might be 5-10 minutes, a long ceremony an hour. But maybe you don’t want your guests to sit for an hour, tummies rumbling, anxious to congratulate and hug you.

So what next?