Teri, you asked for tips regarding wedding/rehearsal over at the rgbp site . . . I haven't actually done a wedding on my own yet, but I was the coordinator at my home church for a couple of years and got married last December, so here's a couple of tips, for what it's worth.
When our h-o-s was officiating, he would begin the rehearsal by having the bride & groom introduce everyone who was there, then he would pray. While of course hopefully reminding everyone that was there what this was really all about, I thought it also served well to get everyone to relax a bit and take a breath. Then, he would begin with everyone standing up at the chancel where they would be at the beginning of ceremony. He would place the bride & groom, then the maid of honor and best man, then the attendants. From there he would walk them through the ceremony. Knowing they would be nervous, he gave the bride & groom very little to remember for the ceremony, as far as where to go when, etc. Then he would do the recessional. With everyone now at the back of the church, he would get the guys behind the closed doors and then rehearse the processional, including the seating of the grandparents & parents, walk through the ceremony again, and then the recessional. It sounds like a lot, but really if everyone was fairly focused (definitely a challenge at rehearsals!), it was done in about an hour.
Regarding our own wedding, the pastor who married us did a really neat thing. He had us stand at the top of the chancel, where the officiant would normally be, and he stood down where we would normally be. His reasoning? "Everyone is there to see you, not me." It was really neat, because then we were able to look out at the congregation of our family and friends. There were some nice moments during the hymns, communion, etc. when we made eye contact, exchanged smiles, etc., with people. We both really liked it, and are considering incorporating it into when we do weddings.
Do you have a wedding coordinator or anyone who can serve in that capacity, even on a volunteer basis? It's just really helpful to have another person there to help, well, coordinate everyone. I serve a small church as a solo pastor and we don't, but I'm already planning on trying to enlist a volunteer.
Again, just for what it's worth! I'll be praying for you!
Teri, you asked for tips regarding wedding/rehearsal over at the rgbp site . . . I haven't actually done a wedding on my own yet, but I was the coordinator at my home church for a couple of years and got married last December, so here's a couple of tips, for what it's worth.
ReplyDeleteWhen our h-o-s was officiating, he would begin the rehearsal by having the bride & groom introduce everyone who was there, then he would pray. While of course hopefully reminding everyone that was there what this was really all about, I thought it also served well to get everyone to relax a bit and take a breath. Then, he would begin with everyone standing up at the chancel where they would be at the beginning of ceremony. He would place the bride & groom, then the maid of honor and best man, then the attendants. From there he would walk them through the ceremony. Knowing they would be nervous, he gave the bride & groom very little to remember for the ceremony, as far as where to go when, etc. Then he would do the recessional. With everyone now at the back of the church, he would get the guys behind the closed doors and then rehearse the processional, including the seating of the grandparents & parents, walk through the ceremony again, and then the recessional. It sounds like a lot, but really if everyone was fairly focused (definitely a challenge at rehearsals!), it was done in about an hour.
Regarding our own wedding, the pastor who married us did a really neat thing. He had us stand at the top of the chancel, where the officiant would normally be, and he stood down where we would normally be. His reasoning? "Everyone is there to see you, not me." It was really neat, because then we were able to look out at the congregation of our family and friends. There were some nice moments during the hymns, communion, etc. when we made eye contact, exchanged smiles, etc., with people. We both really liked it, and are considering incorporating it into when we do weddings.
Do you have a wedding coordinator or anyone who can serve in that capacity, even on a volunteer basis? It's just really helpful to have another person there to help, well, coordinate everyone. I serve a small church as a solo pastor and we don't, but I'm already planning on trying to enlist a volunteer.
Again, just for what it's worth! I'll be praying for you!