We live in a world where anything is just a click away. This includes becoming an ordained minister through the google. Even our fearless leader, Lori, is ordained and has officiated her fair share of weddings. Whether you decide to get married at a church, or have your grandfather or BFF marry you on the beach, there are many things to consider when creating your ceremony script. If you’re in the trenches of wedding planning, we highly suggest that you sit down with your partner and begin to build your perfect ceremony script. Today, we’re going to break down the creation of the perfect ceremony script - including what to add, what to leave out, and how to make it focused on you, your partner, and your beautiful relationship.
#01: Talk about your Beliefs
First and foremost, this is hands down the most important topic in creating your ceremony script. You and your partner will need to determine what your beliefs are and what kind of ceremony you’d like to have. Do your beliefs require you to get married in a church setting or are you wanting to have a family friend become ordained and marry you. Determining the “how” and “why” you chose your ceremony location and officiant or pastor is the most important part of creating your ceremony. Sort out your mutual beliefs and make the decision on how you will incorporate this into your partnership and wedding day.
#02: Religious and Cultural Traditions
Many couples want to include religious or cultural traditions in their ceremony. Whether you’d like your bridesmaid to read a verse from the Bible, or you have a specific tradition that demonstrates unity from your culture, deciding what traditions are essential will help create the structure of your ceremony script. In addition, many couples like to add some sort of visual or testament to unity. Whether unity sand is your jam, or you’d like to find another visual to show a nod to your unity, decide what you’d like to have included.
#03: Who will Participate?
You and your partner will need to determine who will participate in your ceremony. Will you have your wedding party speak? Or will your wedding party sit down for the duration of the ceremony? You will need to decide who will be participants in your ceremony script and how. This includes ring bearers, flower girls, and even your parents.
#04: What will the Length be?
The length of your script and ceremony will be determined on a few things. First, you’ll want to take account of your location and the weather. If your wanting an outdoor summer wedding at 5 o’clock, it’s probably best to keep your ceremony short and sweet. You want to keep your guests comfortable throughout the duration of the ceremony and that includes the processional, ceremony and recessional. Keep the length appropriate for your venue, time of year, and the beliefs that you have.
#05: Select your Music!
You and your partner will want to select music that speaks to you and your relationship. Find songs that reflect the love you share for one another and determine what parts of the songs you want featured. You don’t have to feature the whole song, you may just select a short segment of the song. Most couples will select songs for the following: processional, introduction of the bride, first kiss, and recessional.
#06: Tailor it to your Relationship!
We’ve saved the best for last. Your perfect ceremony script should reflect who you are as a couple and your bond together. The script you include, the readings you select, the songs and participants, should all be a reflection of who you and your partner are and the love that you share.
Crafting the perfect ceremony script is not as scary as it sounds. You can truly design a script to be whatever you want it to be if you follow our six easy steps. Decide what you and your partner’s beliefs are, who you want to participate, select the songs you’d like during your ceremony and create a ceremony that reflects the heart of your relationship. We love hearing unique ceremonies that highlight the beauty of our couples’ magical relationships!
Lori Losee is the owner of Elegant Affairs, a Seattle Wedding Planner with over 18 years of experience. We create awe-inspiring experiences—Events filled with meaning and refined elegance. Behind the scenes, our experienced team collaborates on each stage of the process, executing your vision and a wedding, celebration, or corporate event that is unique to you.