Do you really need someone at your wedding ceremony? It’s less than an hour, right?
Well, as wedding planners who have seen everything from our South Dakota weather taking over a ceremony, to a bride passing out at the altar at rehearsal, to a couple forgetting their vow books so we ran (more like sprinted) to get them — we think having a wedding planner is a must! Plus, this is most meaningful 30-60 minutes of your entire day. It’s the reason all your friends and family have gathered together — to watch you exchange wedding vows.
Let’s make sure it’s perfect. Let’s make sure YOU are the highlight of the ceremony, not something that may catch you off-guard. Let our wedding planners at Hitch Studio help with ALL of these things!
34 Reasons to have a wedding planner coordinating your ceremony:
- Help you ask the right questions before you book your ceremony location
- Attend your rehearsal to help line up everyone in the processional in the correct order and make sure the wedding day goes smoothly
- Help direct ushers with what to do, when to release rows of people after the ceremony, and when to hand out programs
- Politely relay information to guests about your “technology free” wedding, where the bathrooms are, where to put their card or gift, etc.
- Make sure your processional doesn’t get cut off with late-arriving guests
- Be ready with extra seating options if needed in an outdoor ceremony or full church
- Make sure your aisle decor is looking beautiful, that it isn’t disturbed, and that it gets transported to the reception afterwards
- Politely encourage any guests who are chatting in the entrance to grab a seat “because the ceremony starts in five minutes”.
- Help make sure the wagon full of young flower girls or ring bearers makes it down the aisle (with smiles!)
- Cue the ceremony music when the wedding party is ready
- Design your wedding programs so they follow wedding etiquette when it comes to listing family (see some program designs here)
- Help give tips to the officiant about when to get out of the way of photos (during unity ceremony and the final kiss) so you get the best photographs
- Mention to the best man and maid of honor about waiting to walk down the aisle during the recessional — to give the bride and groom ALLLL the photos they need down the aisle.
- Be present to answer questions from officiant, family, and musicians
- Write your vows and be your officiant (yes, we are all ordained!)
- Tell the flowers girls and ring bearers where to sit (with family) if they are too young to sit up front (and practice it at rehearsal)
- Keep the order of ceremony in line and answer any questions from the wedding party
- Make sure your unity ceremony is ready to go (lighters for the candles, the easel for your unity cord won’t blow over in the wind, your family has their love letters written and ready for your keepsake box, etc.)
- Have an ice pack in case anyone gets light-headed at the altar.
- Remind the officiant about any announcements to make after the ceremony (“If you are family, please stick around after the ceremony for immediate and extended family photos.”)
- Confirm the best man has the rings
- Help with logistics of having a pet in your ceremony (dog handler, extra baggies [just in case! ha!] and an exit plan after photos)
- Make sure the ring bearers and flowers girls can find and are holding whichever item they’re supposed to carry (sign, basket, pillow, etc. beforehand)
- Help with dress and tux malfunctions before the ceremony with our bridal emergency kit
- Fluff your veil and dress before your walk down the aisle
- Keep everyone calm and collected
- Help transition the space from ceremony to reception if getting married in the same location (move the chairs, programs, guest book, altar flowers, arbor, aisle decor, etc.)
- Pick up any extra programs out of the pews/chairs
- Be sure your guest book, programs, In Memory photos, and floral arrangements make it to the reception
- Pick up all the flower girl petals
- Make sure the marriage license is signed
- Help line up your receiving line (if you choose to do one! They are optional)
- Make sure the party bus or transportation is on time and ready to take you to the reception
- Help with a grand exit from your ceremony — like bubbles, wands, lavender packets, balloons, etc.
If these reasons have you shaking your head YES, I think it’s time to chat with our wedding planners at Hitch Studio! The 2-Carat or 3-Carat package includes ceremony coordination and rehearsal coordination and would be the perfect fit for you. Fill out our Contact Us form or give us a call! We can’t wait to hear about YOUR ceremony!
Want more information about our officiating services? Read our FAQs here.
