Ceremony

Backup Ceremony Venue: An Important Part of Your Wedding Plans

 in Ceremony / Venue / Weddings  tagged bad weather venue / wedding ceremony / wedding venue / wedding venues by

Selecting a backup ceremony venue in case of bad weather is an important part of your wedding plans. No matter how meticulously you plan each aspect of your wedding day, the weather is out of your control. By selecting an appropriate backup venue you remove a significant unknown and reduce your stress.

If you are planning an outdoor ceremony, having a backup ceremony venue and plan is absolutely essential in Minnesota. Our weather is so variable that you can encounter snow in May, severe storms throughout the summer, and chill winds by September. But if you’ve identified a good backup ceremony venue you can approach your wedding day confident that you’ll have a beautiful, memorable day regardless of the weather.

So what are the characteristics of a good back up ceremony venue? Ideally, it will be in the same location as your outdoor ceremony venue. This allows your guests to arrive at the same location regardless of weather. If this is not possible, you’ll need to have a very detailed communication plan to let your guests know which venue to go to on the wedding day. Make sure that you have other people prepared to execute the communication plan as you and your wedding party will be busy with other activities before the ceremony.

Your backup ceremony venue also needs to be a place that you can envision using for your ceremony. Make sure you know where you will enter from, where the chairs will be set up, what the lighting is like, and if it is air conditioned or heated as needed. Consider accessibility for your guests, and think about what pictures will look like in this space.

With plans in place for your backup ceremony venue, a final consideration will be when you need to make the final decision on an inside or outside ceremony. Some venues require 24 or even 48 hours notice to prepare the ceremony venue, while others are more flexible. Remember, too, that you may need to notify all guests of the location change, so leave time to put your communication plan into effect. A last suggestion – once you make the call to move inside, don’t second guess yourself. Embrace the idea, knowing you selected an indoor venue you can be happy with, and move forward to enjoy your wedding day to the fullest. You’re marrying the love of your life, and everything else is less important.

Personalizing Your Wedding Ceremony

 in Ceremony / Music / Readings / Rituals / Unity Rituals / Wedding Vows / Weddings  tagged ceremony music / ceremony readings / personalized wedding / unity ritual / wedding vows / weddings by

Personalizing your wedding ceremony is a favorite catch phrase these days, but what does it really mean? Wedding ceremonies are full of traditions and can feel formulaic – seen one, you’ve seen them all. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Especially if you are planning a ceremony outside of a religious community the options are nearly endless.

Here are some ideas of ways to personalize your wedding ceremony:

  • Choose music that is meaningful to you. Country music, a single violin, guitar or harp, a movie theme or a classic rock’n’roll song can all be perfect if they are perfect for you.
  • Enter the ceremony space in an authentic way. Perhaps you’ll choose to walk in alone, with your parents, with your children, with your partner, or with your extended family. It all works, as long as they are the people you want to surround you at this moment.
  • Select a reading (poetry or prose) that reflects you as a couple or speaks to you in some way. Adding a reading that doesn’t resonate with you in some way is wasting time.
  • Write your own vows. The promises you make to each other on your wedding day are the most important words of the day, so make sure that reflect what is in your heart.
  • Consider unity ritual options beyond a unity candle or sand ceremony. There are a number of rituals with lovely symbolism, so take the time to explore the possibilities. And as with readings, if it doesn’t speak to you, consider passing on a unity ritual altogether.
  • Especially if you are having a smaller number of guests, look for meaningful ways to include them in your ceremony.
  • Include the important people in your life in your ceremony. Yes, it’s all about the two of you, but having significant people participate will make it special and memorable for you.

Personalizing your wedding ceremony isn’t difficult, but it takes some additional time and effort. An experienced, trained wedding celebrant can help you unpack these ideas, offer options and suggestions of her own and write custom elements and rituals to make your ceremony truly unique. Enjoy the process of personalizing your ceremony and treasure the memories for a lifetime.

Outdoor Wedding Season Arrives

 in Ceremony / Weddings  tagged outdoor wedding ceremony / wedding ceremony / weddings by

Outdoor wedding season arrives once more in Minnesota with the warm weather, green grass, and soft breezes. If you’re planning an outdoor ceremony there are a number of things to consider and plan for.

Outdoor Wedding Season – Plummer House
  1. Seating is not usually an issue if you are working with golf club or similar venue, but if your ceremony will take place in a park or in your yard for example, you’ll want to make arrangements for seating for your guests. Rental chairs are commonly available, but make sure you understand if delivery, set-up, take down and chair return are included in the quoted costs, or if you’ll need to make arrangements for all those tasks.
  2. An idyllic ceremony setting can be disrupted by pesky bugs. Understand what services the venue provides to control bugs, and what you are allowed to do. Consider having bug repellent and fans available for guests if there is no other way to control the bugs in the area.
  3. Outdoor ceremony venues can be challenging from a sound perspective. First of all, you’ll want to determine if there is electrical service at the ceremony site. You’ll also want to plan for adequate sound equipment for musicians/DJs as well as all ceremony speakers. If your guests have made the effort to be with you on your wedding day you want them to be able to hear all the festivities.
  4. After cold, dark winters we are always happy to see the sun. But it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Consider the placement of the sun at ceremony time. Will your guests or wedding party be looking directly into the sun? Is it possible to rotate the set-up of the ceremony space to remove that problem? And too much sun can also cause heat related health issues for you and your guests. You may want to consider the length of the ceremony, some way to provide shade for everyone, and cold water to keep people hydrated.
  5. We always hope for pleasant, sunny days throughout the outdoor wedding season, but know that Minnesota’s variable weather doesn’t always provide that. So you will need to identify an alternate ceremony venue in case of inclement weather. Rain, storms, strong winds and extreme temperatures can all require a move indoors. If you have a comprehensive bad weather plan established you can approach your wedding day hoping for ideal weather but confident that you’re ready to deal with any weather conditions.

While we welcome the opportunity to step outside for ceremonies, the outdoor wedding season requires thoughtful preparation. With some planning you can ensure that your day is as comfortable as possible for you and your guests. Here’s hoping for many pleasant spring, summer and fall weekends for everyone planning outdoor ceremonies this year.

Handfasting Rituals: What’s Old is New Again

 in Ceremony / Unity Rituals / Weddings  tagged handfasting / unity ritual / wedding / wedding ceremony by

Handfasting rituals have been used to recognize and celebrate couples’ commitments to each other across hundreds of years and thousands of miles. First documented in the 16th century in Scotland and used to mark a betrothal or engagement, handfasting today is used as a unity ritual in a wedding ceremony. It is a visual and physical act the signifies the commitment and union of the couple. The handfasting ritual is the genesis of the phrase “tying the knot” in relation to marriage.

There are a number of ways to perform modern handfasting rituals. In all of them, the couple joins hands which are then gently bound together. Once you clasp hands, though, the actual wrapping and tying of your hands can happen any of the following ways:

  • A single cord or sash can be wrapped and tied around your hands by the celebrant as they explain the significance of the binding.
  • Alternately, you can have one or more people assist with the binding while the celebrant takes a narrators role. Couples often choose their parents or siblings or honor attendants for this special role in their ceremony.
Photo credit: Van Dreel Photography
  • Yet another approach to handfasting rituals is to use multiple ribbons or cords placed across your hands by people of your choosing. These ribbons can be used to signify wishes for your marriage going forward. Once all the ribbons are placed, they are tied together in a single knot, gathering the wishes up together. One couple marrying shortly after marriage equality passed in the US had seven friends use ribbons the color of the Pride rainbow, and individually extended their wishes. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

At the end of handfasting rituals you simply slip your hands out of the cord, sash or ribbons without untying the knot. That knot now symbolizes your marriage which, it is hoped, will be a long and happy one.

No matter which approach you prefer for handfasting rituals, they are wonderful ways to demonstrate your union and to involve important people in your ceremony. Pick the option that speaks to you, and have fun making it unique and representative of your love for each other.

Unsung Heroes of Wedding Ceremonies

 in Ceremony / Weddings  tagged ushers / wedding ceremonies / weddings by

The unsung heroes of wedding ceremonies, in my opinion, are ushers. There are many small tasks that ushers can handle, freeing up the rest of the wedding party and parents to handle other demands on their time.

Photography sessions often run very close to ceremony times, with guests arriving while the wedding party is still busy with photos, or trying to quickly refresh make-up, catch a quick drink of water, or cool off if it’s a warm day. Our unsung heroes can step in to welcome guests, direct them to restrooms, to the ceremony space, and to refreshments if they are being offered at that time.

As ceremony time approaches, ushers can encourage guests who are socializing to move into the ceremony space. Depending on the formality of the ceremony, they can offer programs, formally seat guests, and make sure that family members with reserved seats are escorted to them.

A critical role for ushers is to act as traffic managers as the processional begins. They can quietly greet late arriving guests and have them stay in the back until the processional finishes and the ceremony begins. At that point they can assist those guests to open seats in a discreet manner. Some couples include ushers in the processional, asking them to escort grandparents or parents, but ideally one usher is always available to deal with late arrivals.

During the ceremony itself, ushers who are seated near the back can assist any guests who are feeling ill, need to find a restroom, or even help chase down a runaway child. At the end of the ceremony the wedding party and parents leave the ceremony space, followed by the celebrant. The ushers step forward to release the guests from their seats. They can provide the additional service of reminding guests where they need to go next, and if necessary can even hand out maps or directions to out of town guests.

Your ushers provide a warm welcome to your guests, making them feel appreciated and cared for. They relieve stress for you and the wedding party by handling all kinds of small tasks in those busy moments before, during and after the ceremony. Consider adding these unsung heroes of wedding ceremonies to your wedding party. You’ll be glad you did.