Wedding Tips | Benefits of Doing a Day of Rehearsal
Photo by: Jeannine Marie Photography
As wedding coordinators, we are all about making everything related to your wedding as seamless and stress-free as possible. This includes the ceremony rehearsal! We love doing a day of rehearsal with our couples. This usually takes place an hour before the ceremony and only takes 15-20 minutes. This is also beneficial because many venues don’t allow a rehearsal the night before the wedding due to other events. A day of rehearsal allows you to practice in the exact spot it will be taking place, enables all the logistics to be worked out with the officiant and DJ (which includes the music and microphones), and will be fresh in the wedding party’s mind.
Photo by: Jeannine Marie Photography
Your wedding vendors will also appreciate practicing right before the actual ceremony to work out the logistics beforehand. Your officiant will be able to test the mic and to go through cues/gestures that need to take place during the ceremony. One of the most important being the exchange of the rings. We will run through what the officiant will say when the rings are needed, how the ring holder will present them, and if they will hand both rings at once or individually. If there are readers, we will practice their cue and have them say a few words to make sure they can be heard and are comfortable speaking into the mic. If you are having a unity symbol, this is also an important piece to practice. We will decide where it is taking place and if any of the wedding party needs to move out of the way so it can be seen. Plus we can locate the most efficient way for your officiant to step aside while you and your partner share your sweet kiss after the I Do’s!
Photo by: Krista Esterling Photography
Photo by: Krista Esterling Photography
Most importantly, we will be able to coordinate with your DJ/ceremony musicians to get all of their details finalized (and there’s a lot)! We will make sure our team is standing where the DJ can see us, cue the DJ when to start the music (and change songs), and in some cases even time the walking to the song so we can dismiss the wedding party accordingly. We will also make sure that the DJ knows the last thing your officiant will be saying so they can start the recessional song without an extended pause. Microphones are another component that we need to practice that includes the DJ. We’ll need to find out if it will be on a stand, hand held, or hands free and attached to the officiant’s outfit. The couple will also need to decide if they want the officiant to hold the mic when they’re saying their vows, or if they want to hold it themselves. Weather will impact all of these decisions because if it is windy adjustments might need to be made.
NOTE: When doing a day of rehearsal, be sure to let your officiant and DJ know in advance as they will need to be ready a bit early.
Photo by: Ben Konfrst Photography
Your wedding vendors aren’t the only ones who will find the day of rehearsal helpful. Your wedding party will also gain benefits from it. By not having to gather your entire wedding party the night before the wedding, everyone gets a chance to get some proper rest the night before the big day. During the day of rehearsal, we will talk about who's walking with who for the processional and we will get the wedding party lined up in the correct order. If you have grandparents included in the processional, it gives them a chance to test out the walk and see where they are sitting when they reach the end of the aisle. If you have kids in your processional, it can be a scary moment! This gives them a chance to go through the process in advance so they feel more comfortable, can find out where their parents will be located, and where they will be taking a seat or standing when they reach the end. If you have dogs in your processional, this provides a great opportunity to do a trial run in the exact location the ceremony will be happening in (so your pup is a little less likely to get distracted on the way down).
Photo by: Ashley Dahl Photography
Once everyone has made it down the aisle and into their places, we will take a look at how the wedding party is spaced out and make adjustments accordingly so they know where to stand. We will give the ladies and guys tips like keeping their bouquets low and ensuring the guys hold their hands in a uniform way.
Photo by: KMP Photography
The bride doesn’t normally partake in the day of rehearsal so that she can keep her walk down the aisle for the main event. Typically the bride will watch from the chairs or take a moment to herself in the bridal suite, but if she wants to join in we certainly won’t object! Whether the bride is present or not, we will do a run-through with whoever is walking her down the aisle. When they get to the front we remind them that they will hug the bride, hug/shake hands with the groom, and then take their seat (unless otherwise discussed prior to the wedding day).
Photo by: The North Photography
Above all, we love day of rehearsals because it leaves all of the details fresh in everyone's minds and works out all the logistics and details to ensure a seamless ceremony! If you are looking for help to coordinate your wedding (including the day of rehearsal) in Minnesota, you can contact us HERE.
Creatively written by: Hope Konkol