Although it may require coordinating more schedules and potentially costing more money, it’s essential for your wedding officiant to attend the ceremony rehearsal.
Some couples consider a loved one to marry them while others hire a professional. In either case, it’s important to ask the person you choose to marry you if they are available for your ceremony rehearsal date (usually a day or two before the wedding) and if there is an additional cost to them attending the ceremony rehearsal as some professional officiants create wedding ceremony packages that may or may not include ceremony rehearsal attendance.
So you might be wondering, is it REALLY necessary for a wedding officiant to attend the ceremony rehearsal? The short answer is YES.
For starters, anyone who will be participating in some way during the ceremony (wedding party members, readers, ushers, etc.) should attend the ceremony rehearsal. Besides the couple getting married, no one is participating more in the ceremony than the officiant marrying the couple.
Another reason an officiant should attend is because practice makes perfect. A run-through of the ceremony—from when to walk, where to stand and what to say—will ensure everyone who is helping knows what to expect and be comfortable on the day of. If you hire a wedding planner, (s)he will usually attend the ceremony rehearsal as well, but a planner’s services regarding the rehearsal are limited to going over the processional and recessional, not the entire ceremony. You don’t necessarily need to go over the ceremony line-by-line but reviewing the general order of events will work out any pre-wedding jitters and help everyone who is participating in the ceremony understand when their part is coming up.
Lastly, your wedding officiant is in control of the ceremony. Just as you would have an emcee for your wedding reception to guide guests to the next event, your officiant has the same role in the wedding ceremony. At the rehearsal, your wedding officiant can answer questions and walk through logistics, so you and your group feel confident in knowing what to expect at the ceremony.
If you’re in the process of considering an officiant to marry you and your partner on your wedding day, make sure you pick someone who is available and able to attend and lead your ceremony rehearsal.
Sunday, May 15, 2022
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This content was originally published here.