Having been an authorised Marriage Celebrant since 2013, I’ve found there are a number of questions which regularly come up in conversation with couples in relation to marriage in Australia. “More wedding FAQs answered” addresses five more commonly asked questions:
5 WEDDING FAQs
Q1: What time should I put on my invitations for our wedding ceremony?
A: You have a couple of choices here. The obvious answer is the time you’d like your ceremony to start. Your family and friends know that they are attending a wedding and you’ll be running to a timeline. It’s not as though you’re inviting them to a barbecue!
From 11+ years’ experience as a celebrant, I’ve found that (in almost all cases) people arrive early, some up to 30 minutes early, and enjoy mingling before the ceremony starts.
The alternative is to say something like 2.30pm for a 3pm ceremony. In this way, your guests can arrive 30 minutes early or 5 minutes early and still have time to mingle before the formalities begin.
Most brides arrive on time or 5 or so minutes late (depending on whether they have professional photos taken as they exit the car at the venue.) Taking this into account, your guests will have ample time to be seated ready to celebrate with you.
Q2: How long should my ceremony run for?
A: This really depends on you and the kind of ceremony you’ve chosen. Is it a “legals only” ceremony or one that includes your love story and other special details you’ve shared with your celebrant? Almost all couples exchange rings but there are various other elements which you can choose to add. These include a reading, symbolic ritual and personal vows. Any of these will add one or a few extra minutes to the length of your ceremony.
If you choose the first option (my “Short & Sweet” package), your ceremony will go for around 5 minutes. It includes all the legal elements required for your marriage to be registered in Australia.
If you go with my second option (my “Love Is In the Air” package), I estimate your ceremony will take around 20 minutes from arrival to walking back up the aisle together.
Q3: Will everyone be able to hear the ceremony clearly?
A: Yes. My Roland PA is a high quality sound system that allows those in the front row to way down to the back to hear every word I say. They will, of course, also be able to enjoy your choice of music. My only suggestion, when it comes to music, is to think about where it will be used in the ceremony and what type of music will best suit this part. If you’re planning a beach wedding, with wind and waves in the background, your choice of song should also take this into account.
I’ve found that something more mellow suits both walking down the aisle and when we’re signing the certificates. Something more upbeat suits the part where you’re walking back up the aisle together as a married couple.
Also consider whether you prefer there to be an introduction before the lyrics start for the processional. This is not essential but does create an air of expectation before the bride walks down the aisle.
You will need enough time for any bridesmaids you choose to comfortably walk down the aisle before you. Most songs go for around 3 minutes and this is ample unless you have a vast wedding party to accommodate.
For the recessional, I suggest the lyrics (if there are any) start straight after “play” is pressed so you can both walk back up the aisle confidently and on a high to your particular song choice.
Q4: Should we direct people to a particular “side” when it comes to the seating?
A: These days, there really are no rules. Tradition used to dictate that the bride’s family and friends sat on the left and the groom’s on the right. This does mean, though, that the bride’s family don’t have a full view of the bride and vice versa. Perhaps a more inclusive option is to allow people to sit wherever they choose so they are comfortable and have the best view of their loved one.
Q5: What options does the bride have for walking down the aisle?
A: There are many ways for the bride to walk down the aisle to meet her partner.
Traditionally, she would walk down with her father but, of course, this is not always possible. There may be a stepfather, brother or uncle that could also fill this role.
Alternatively, she could walk down with both parents, or she could walk part way on the arm of one parent and then the rest on the arm of another.
She could also walk down with her children, or she could choose to walk down alone.
Perhaps she’d prefer to mingle with the groom and their guests beforehand and then move over to the ceremony space together when they feel the time is right.
There is no right or wrong answer. Whatever you and your partner choose will be absolutely perfect.
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Here are the links to my earlier blogs on Wedding FAQs:
https://lindycookecelebrant.com.au/your-wedding-faqs-answered/
https://lindycookecelebrant.com.au/wedding-faqs-answered/
https://lindycookecelebrant.com.au/more-wedding-faqs-answered/
Note: Periodically, I will write further on the topic of “More Wedding FAQs”. If you have a specific question which has not been answered, please feel free to contact me. Here’s the link which details how to get in touch with me: http://www.lindycookecelebrant.com.au/contact/
017 ~ 31/10/2024
© Lindy Cooke Celebrant