Roles to Fill at Your Wedding Ceremony
You may only think an officiant is necessary for your ceremony.. However, there are many other roles that you should consider filling. We’ve listed them below.
Guest Book Attendant
Black Dog Photo Co.
Guest book attendants do more than just stand by the guest book. They can give directions and answer questions. They can even act as the go-between for the bride and groom or relay instructions or best wishes to the bride. And, of course, they’ll ask your guests to sign the guest book. Many guests may forget or plan to sign it later, but never do. This means a lot of your guests won’t have signed your guest book. A guest book attendant will avoid all that. Plus, if you have a more interactive guest book, it may require some instructions or resources This could include taking a polaroid picture, highlighting their favorite bible verse, or writing a date idea on a notecard. Your guest book attendant can explain what to do, serve as the photo taker, provide wipes for any messier projects, and more.
Ushers
A lot of modern couples think ushers aren’t necessary. That is, until they get to the wedding day. Maybe you reserved the front row or two for your family. However, there is no one to tell them that unless you have an usher. Even if you tell them in advance, aunts, uncles, and cousins may question whether they’re included. This could result in them sitting elsewhere, leaving empty seats in the front row. It’s no secret that most people will sit on the aisle rather than the center. They’ll probably leave a seat in between them and another guest. If you’re renting chairs, you may have just enough for each guest. Having ushers means that you’ll have someone who can fill in those gaps or ask guests to move to the center. Like guest book attendants, they can give directions to the restroom or gift table or answer questions. If you don’t have any friends or family to ask to do this, simply assign the groomsmen to take it on before the ceremony.
Musician
too much awesomeness
Aside from your reception entertainment, you’ll also need ceremony music. While your entertainment company may be able to provide this service, consider your other options, too. You could hire a pianist, harpist, string quartet, violinist, flutist, or singer. They can play as your guests arrive, setting the mood and getting them in a romantic spirit. Then, they’ll of course play as you walk down the aisle and after you’re declared married. You could have a musical interlude where a singer sings “your song” or a song that has beautiful lyrics, or have someone play during a unity ceremony. Finally, consider having their services continue through the cocktail hour if your ceremony and reception are at the same location. They’ll provide atmosphere and a bit of entertainment as your guests wait for your entrance.
Reader
Regardless of where you marry – a church or a garden, rooftop or gazebo – you’ll probably want to have a reader. A ceremony mainly consists of an introduction, the vows, and the pronouncement of marriage. But sticking to just those main parts would result in a quite boring – and quick – ceremony. The ceremony is the reason for the wedding, so give it the attention it deserves! Add a musical interlude, unity custom, and a reading or two. These readings could be from a religious book, your favorite book, lyrics from a song, a quote from a movie, or poetry. If you have more than one reading, you can ask the same person to read them all, or ask someone different for each one. Aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and friends who aren’t part of the wedding party are good choices. Just be sure they’re comfortable with public speaking, enunciate when they read, and speak at a slow pace. And don’t forget to ask your DJ or band to provide a microphone!
Babysitter/Pet-sitter
Danielle Harris Photography
If you’re inviting children to your wedding, they may disrupt your ceremony. While no one can blame a tired or hungry child for being upset, you don’t really want a screaming or crying child interrupting your vows. Asking a family member, friend, or hiring someone to be a babysitter will ensure that your ceremony goes off without a hitch. They can take the child to the bathroom, play games in the bridal suite, and share snacks so the child’s parents don’t have to miss the ceremony. Similarly, including your pets in your wedding ceremony is a huge trend. After they walk down the aisle, have you thought about where they’ll go? Will they calmly sit by your side or are they more likely to run to each guest for belly rubs? Having someone assigned to care for your pet throughout the ceremony once their duties are over, as well as during the photos, means one less thing you’ll have to worry about. After the ceremony and the photos, your sitter can take them back to your place while you celebrate the reception.
Even though the ceremony gives you a reason to celebrate, it often gets the short end of the stick. There aren’t as many moving parts when it comes to the ceremony, and it doesn’t last as long as the reception. However, there are plenty of details to consider. Remember to think about each role that needs to be filled, and discuss with your fiancé to figure out who you should ask to do what.
