Common Mistakes to AVOID during the ceremony

Elke ceremonie heeft zijn charme, just because every couple is different. We at SEP encourage couples to infuse their character into their big day so it wont be a generic event. Back in the day, wedding ceremonies didn’t vary all that much in any capacity other than faith or cultural practice, but nowadays they come in all shapes, sizes and formalities. This gives couples the freedom to make their ceremony their own. The most important person to help you do that except for your wedding planner if you have one, is the wedding officiant (kan een cbb ambtenaar zijn, maar ook dominee, voorganger, pater, etc) and master of ceremony. 

To make sure your wedding ceremony is as special as you’ve always dreamed it would be, here are the most common mistakes we recommend avoiding AT ALL COST!

1. Not encouraging guests to find their seats

Not telling the guest to find their seat, is a big no. Even if mostly all of your guests are present, it’s important to encourage them to actually get seated. The risk is that at the last moment they may notice that their isn't enough seating or you get confusion because people took wrong seats. This small, overlooked detail can cause embarrassment, annoyance and potentially even throw off the positive atmosphere of the moment.

2. Not Reserving seats for important people

Reserve seating for your intimate family and your bridal party is really important when planning your ceremony. Nothing can be as frustrating when the family and bridal party arrive and there is no where for them to sit. 

3. Not asking the guests to turn off their cell phones

Ugh, when that phone rings in the middle of the ceremony!!!! Everyone, including my 10 year old has a phone, it is very normal nowadays.. So make sure it  will be announced to them BEFORE the ceremony starts to silence their phones. A new idea that’s become increasingly popular is to have an ‘unplugged ceremony,’ which involves having a sign at the entrance where guests walk in requesting that all cell phones be silenced... but as history has showed us.. PEOPLE DO NOT READ :) so announce it please.

4.Not rehearsing the ceremony at least once

Not having a wedding rehearsal with everyone involved for the ceremony is a big NO. It's important everyone involved knows each other, knows their roles, place and seat. Nothing is so frustrating when their is chaos among the bridal party, or when the master of ceremony and the officiant give different instructions while your guest are watching everything unfold. I would even encourage you to invite the photographer and the videographer to the ceremony so they get to see the space their working with, they see the lighting, the seating and everything else they need to work on the big day. For them its also important to now where, especially if its a religious place, they can and cannot go. On the rehearsal you can also practice what will happen to the mic and stand and decide how certain parts will flow. For instance will the officiant hold a mic, or will a mic stand be used. This decision will put in place if someone would have to be on standby to assist. This is also very important for the camera crew so they know before hand if they need to mic you as the couple or not... BUT also important for when they have to take their shot. so they will know how to take their shots without being hindered by a mic stand for example

5. Not doing a sound and media check

When it comes to something as special as a wedding ceremony, it’s important to make sure the crowd can hear what’s being said, played or showed. For this reason, doing a sound and media check before the ceremony begins is very important. Same goes for media. Make sure there is enough time for a proper mic check, all the mics not just the one you are using, cus' you don't want to find out when you need to switch to plan B that the other mics have no battery. Make sure all the music is tested before hand so you will know for sure your processional music and other media that will have to play are correct and play well. Tip, rename the wedding tracks to the person or activity that need to happen. For example.. Bride her song is "A thousand years" but as title "bride" so there are no confusions with track titles.

6. Not looking at each other

During the ceremony, it’s very easy to stare at your officiant (after all they are the one doing most of the talking), but try to focus on each other instead. This is one of the greatest days of your lives, when you are making promises that culminate all of those feelings that you’ve built throughout your time together, so looking into one another's eyes should not be awkward. The nerves could be making you feel like mush inside, but you will find the strength in each others eyes to pull through.

We hope these don't will help you plan the perfect ceremony for your big day.

Chronicles of a Wedding Planner

By Valery