One of the most important parts of planning your wedding is the actual marriage ceremony. The ceremony can be dependent on your or your future spouse's religious beliefs. This usually means certain traditions of religion and family will be followed, and that can affect the length and flow of the ceremony.

      If no religion is to be followed, however, the ceremony is usually conducted by a judge or justice of the peace or by a person who is ordained or licensed to officiate a wedding. In some cases, a close friend or family member applies and is approved for temporary ordination, just so that they may perform the wedding. This practice hasn't caught on in popularity, yet, but a good number of couples have begun choosing this option.

      If a theme is to be followed, planning your wedding ceremony can cater to the theme as well. For example, the Irish and the Scottish traditions of marching in with the rest of the “clan” can be followed for ceremonial purposes. Like following a religious belief, following a theme can affect the length and flow of the ceremony.

      The venue in which you will hold your ceremony will usually ask for a fee. If the ceremony is to be held in a parish church or religious venue, some fees may be waived for members of the parish. You may want to take this fee into consideration when planning the ceremony. Also, the number of people you invite, and the number of people involved in the ceremony may affect the cost of having it at particular venues. Air-conditioning or heating costs come into play, as well as the needed microphones and speakers for rather large venues.

      Some people like having pictures taken during the ceremony itself. You will have to check with your venue (especially if it is a religious one) if this is okay. Some religious leaders feel the solemnity of the occasion is affected when photographers are running around taking pictures here and there. Remember to respect the rules of your venue. Usually, pictures are allowed to be taken after the ceremony, and these photos are often the traditional bride and groom pictures, pictures with parents, pictures with the entourage, and so on.

Arranging the Entourage

      Most weddings will have an entourage that comes before the bride. This is a symbolic gesture that hails her arrival into the ceremony venue. Depending on the traditions you are following, the order in which the entourage walks in can vary. Here are some entourage arrangements that you can consider for your own wedding:

      ONE: Popularly, the groom waits at the altar or under the arch with his best man or men at his side. The person conducting the ceremony is usually at the altar or arch as well. Then, the flower girl, ring bearer, bridesmaids, and maid of honor walk down the aisle to herald the bride's coming. The bride is usually accompanied by her father as a symbolic gesture of her being “given away”, though some brides choose to walk alone.

      TWO: Another popular arrangement is for every member of the wedding party to walk down the aisle. In this case, the flower girls and ring bearer go first. Next, the groom walks down with his mother, the best men are coupled off with the bridesmaids and maid of honor, and they walk down the aisle in pairs. Finally, the bride comes, again accompanied by her father or on her own.

      THREE: Some brides choose to walk on their own, with their bridesmaids doing a very traditional job of carrying the train of the wedding dress so that it does not drag on the ground. While other brides, choose to walk down the aisle alongside their groom.

The arrangement of your wedding entourage is up to you. As previously mentioned, it can be dependent on your religious beliefs or the theme which you are trying to follow. Remember that your wedding is your day, and the manner in which you choose your entrance is yours. Feel free to make it unique!

Page 2: Planning Your Wedding Ceremony