Helpful Tips

Ceremony Overview

Guests of the Bride are seated on the left of the aisle and the Groom's on the right. The Minister, the Groom and his Groomsmen may take their places before or after the seating of the Mothers and Grandmothers. The Bride's Mother is seated first followed by the Groom's. Optional at this time is for the Mother's to light one side of the Unity Candle Trio before taking their seat.

The Processional

The Bride's attendants walk down the aisle first followed by the ring-bearer and flower girl. The Best Man and the Maid of Honor should hold the wedding rings. Please never tie the REAL rings onto the pillow. When the Bridal March begins, the Bride will enter and the guests will be asked to rise. The Bride walks down the aisle to the Minister and Groom. The music should now fade to off. The Minister will ask, "Who gives this Woman to be married to this Man?" The person giving the Bride's hand in marriage will respond with whatever answer is appropriate. (I do, We do, Her Mother and I do, Her Family and I do, etc.) The Minister will instruct everyone to be seated. The Minister will now perform the ceremony accordingly:

Program Guide

The Invocation and Address
The Declaration of Intent
(Insert 1 Optional)
The Exchanging of Vows and Wedding Rings
Blessing of the Wedding Rings
(Insert 2 Optional)
The Unity Candle (Optional)
(Insert 3 Optional)
The Prayer
The Pronouncement of Marriage
The Kiss
The Benediction and Introduction
The Recessional

Once the ceremony is completed; the Bride and Groom will walk up the aisle with the flower girl and ring-bearer behind them. Next the Best Man will escort the Maid of Honor up the aisle, followed by the Groomsmen escorting the Bride Maids. Then the Minister will recess up the aisle followed by the parents of the Bride and Groom. The Bride and Groom with their wedding attendants should immediately circle back and return to the front for photographs taken with the Minister. The Minister will leave after having photographs taken with the Wedding Party. The Bride and Groom are now ready to form a Receiving Line to greet their guests.

Unity Sand Candle Ceremony


We allow Photographers to take flash pictures and encourage them to capture all the special moments of your ceremony.

Special Note of Courtesy: It is an act of respect to your guests for your wedding to begin on time, as well as to the couples whose wedding may be scheduled after yours.
 

Being late is not fashionable - it's poor manners!

 

Wedding Myths & Tips from the Pulpit
 

As a Wedding Officiant I see what goes on behind the scenes before the ceremony, what happens during and following the ceremony. Here are some things I have witnessed and want to share so your wedding day is everything you dreamed it would be!

Myth: Weddings Never Start On Time & Are Always Stressful
    Yes, they do start on time and should! And no, they should not be stressful especially if you have hired a Wedding Coordinator or Event Planner. These professionals work with a schedule and see to it that every thing happens when and how it should making the most important day of your life truly special. Being nervous on your wedding day is expected, but being totally stressed out from being late is not. The major cause for stress is being late and the surest cure is being on time! Yep, it’s that simple!

Two simple rules for every Bride and Wedding Professional:
        #1 Have a Schedule
        #2 Be on Time
Remember your wedding should be the most wonderful day of your life!

Myth: A Butterfly Release is so Romantic - But Not Always
   A Butterfly Release sounds so lovely but that often isn’t how it works out. Butterflies are sent to you as larva and must be cared for in a very specific and delicate manner. They have not been trained and they are not the beautiful seasoned butterflies you see in the park. They are released immediately after just being born. A wedding is not a natural environment for these precious little winged friends to begin their life’s journey. I have seen butterflies that did not fly away but stick on the Bride’s dress and although they are butterflies, they still feel like bugs when they stick to you and your dress.

TIP: Dove Releases are the way to go!
    They are trained and they are released by their Trainer. The Trainer sees to it that there is no mess for others to clean up. It is truly a beautiful experience to watch the Doves released and to circle over above before heading to their known destination. Also Doves can be released indoors!

TIP: Timing is Everything! Avoid the Domino Effect!
    Don’t set yourself up for disappointment and your wedding professionals for failure. A wedding that does not start on time has a domino effect from beginning to end and none of it is good. The photographer may lose the light needed for photos. The caterer’s food will be dried out by having to be warmed over. And your Dee Jay doesn’t get to play for the time you’ve paid to have entertainment. You rob yourself of the best your professionals have to offer to make your day truly special.

TIP: The Ring Bearer & The Ring Pillow
    Never tie the REAL rings on the Ring Pillow and never give a child your wedding rings. Would you give a child your wedding set on any other day? Do not do it on your Wedding Day! Have the Ring Bearer carry a pillow with fake rings attached. The child does not need to know they are not real wedding rings.

TIP: Aisle Runners
    Sometimes adding a plastic runner for the Bride to walk on does not add a touch of elegance to the ceremony and it can be dangerous! Outdoors, it gives the appearance that the ground is level when it is not and may cause someone to fall or if the high heel of a shoe goes through it, it’s definitely not elegant to watch a lady in formal wear to try to kick it off or worse drag it with them up the aisle. Indoors, they may be slippery even when it’s a soft fabric.

TIP: Professional Photographers
    Professional Photographers know not to cause a ceremony to start late and that the first photograph taken after the ceremony should be with the couple and the Minister. If you are using a friend or family member for your photographer make sure they know about this procedure.

TIP: Professional Dee Jay’s
    Professional Dee Jay’s know to fade the Processional music down when the Bride reaches the Minister & the Groom. Also not start the Recessional music until the Minister introduces the couple as Husband & Wife (not right after the kiss). If you are not using a professional Dee Jay, make sure the person who will be your Dee Jay knows these professional methods.

TIP: Like a Candle in the Wind – Outdoor Unity Candles
    Lighting a Unity Candle during an Outdoor Ceremony can be very tricky. It is difficult to light a candle and keep it lit when there is a breeze blowing. Should you get them lit and they blow out, it is not a bad omen – it is just the laws of nature. Use a glass globe to cover each candle.

TIP: Children in the Wedding Ceremony
    Remember they are children not small adults. Children two to four years of age do not have any perception of what a wedding is. They may be mature for their age but they’re still just children. And they can surprise even their parents about what they are or are not willing to do when it comes ceremony time. They may do well during the Rehearsal but there are not all those strange guests there who will be attending the ceremony. Some may think it’s cute to watch a small child cry all the way down the aisle but the child can feel traumatized. They pick up on the tension or special energy from the adults that this is a very special occasion. It can be overwhelming to them. Children from the age of five and up tend to be more comfortable participating and the older the child the more “special” they feel about their role in the ceremony.

TIP: Contact Numbers
    Often locations do not answer their phone on a day of the wedding and calls may to go to voice mail. Have a cell phone number that someone will answer on the day of the wedding in case one of your professionals or guest gets lost, needs directions or there is an emergency.

TIP: Invitations & Ceremony Time
    What time to put on your invitation? The real time along with SHARP! The first order of business is to be on time because timing is everything! Perhaps you have family or friends who are never on time. In this case you should call or email them that the ceremony will be starting 30 minutes earlier. But remember, your Wedding Professionals will be working on “Real” time because they work with and on schedule. It is extremely difficult to determine how to factor in “tardiness”. Will they be a little late or real late? Neither you nor your Wedding Professionals have a crystal ball to make such determination so stick to a schedule.

Tips from the Pulpit – Writing Your Own Vows
    Writing your Personal Vows is a very personal part of the ceremony because you as a Bride write your personal vows as a Bride to your Groom. And he writes his personal vows as a Groom to you – the two of you write them to one another expressing your love you have for each other.
    Writing your personal vows is one thing, writing the ceremony is quite another. Your Wedding Officiate should provide you with a copy of the ceremony they will be performing. It should allow you places and opportunities to make additions or allow you to delete any verbiage you do not desire. You should know the content of the ceremony but asking a Wedding Officiant to perform a pieced together ceremony will come across as just that – a patch work ceremony.
Ministers can be as specialized as doctors. Some Minister’s specialty is giving sermons for Saturday or Sunday’s church services. Some specialize in bereavement services for funerals or baptisms, not all Ministers are proficient as Wedding Officiants although all these services are performed by a Minister.

An Outdoor Texas Wedding
    Unless your location has outdoor air conditioners and fans, the Texas heat can be a force to be reckoned with! Sometimes it makes a wedding more of an endurance test. So remember your guest sitting out in the beautiful Texas sunshine and heat. Keep the ceremony short; you don’t want people remembering your wedding as an event they had to suffer through. Not only should your wedding be the most wonderful day of your life it should also be a wonderful experience for your guests.