Your guests will get the maximum enjoyment of your wedding ceremony only when they are within a comfortable environment. The more comfortable the audience is the more they will be mentally present for your ceremony.

Clearly the best environment for a wedding ceremony is a location with no audio or visual distraction. An audience will always turn its attention to the most entertaining event within eye sight. When considering a setting for your ceremony always ask yourself what will compete with you at that location? A non-competitive environment will place the audiences' attention completely on your ceremony. Noise remove the focus of your audience, destroy the audio portion of your video taping and create a situation requiring the ceremony to stop.

You should avoid :

• Outdoor ceremonies held too close to large airports, roads or railroad tracks.
• Indoor air-conditioning or heating unit that decides to kick on mid way through your ceremony.
• Outdoor ceremonies when the ground keepers or next door neighbors start up their lawn mowers. The neighbors’ dog can be just as disturbing.
• Auto rewind cameras that your guests have brought and which now begin whirring away as they rewind the film during your vows.
• Babies or small children who begin crying and their parents will not move them to the rear.
• Cell phones.
  
  If you are planning an outdoor ceremony you must have a backup plan for rain. Typically, couples having a large outdoor wedding and reception will have rented tents for that occasion. If it rains, the ceremony is moved under the canvas. Other couples, in the event of rain, will forget the outdoor setting and have the ceremony at the waiting reception site. Whatever your plans might be, if you're having an outdoor wedding ceremony, you must make plans for rain.

Most importantly, ushers escort parents and grandparents to their seats. Even if a mother or grandmother is with her husband, she would be escorted by an usher to her seat and her husband follows her. Do not use your ushers to escort all female guests to their seats unless you are having a small wedding. Ushering takes time

Ushers deploy the aisle runner just before a bride walks down the aisle to accentuate her entrance. Most important of all, ushers tend to unforeseen problems that come up during a ceremony and which require immediate attention such as someone or something creating noise. Ushers assist in exiting your guests at the end of the ceremony by directing them to your reception line in an orderly fashion.

Although it is a nice touch, ushers do not need to be in tux for the ceremony. Ushers should be at your rehearsal session to learn about the many duties required of them.

• Escorted by her father and/or mother.
• Escorted by her father and step father.
• Escorted by her children.
• Escorted by close friend(s) in lieu of absent or deceased family members.
• Escorted by her groom. In other words the couple walks down the aisle together.
• Unescorted.

The bride most protected here entrance by staying out of view all throughout the gathering and seating of her guests. As a bride who intends to really impress her guests, she  is usually expected  to keep out of sight until she makes her glorious entrance. If you have an outdoor wedding you can stay in the limo until the last minute. Most brides will not allow their grooms to see them before they walk down the aisle. This absolutely applies to your guests as well.

Readings
are very effective at developing a sense of contribution from your audience as well as creating a photo opportunity for your wedding album.

Personalized vows that come from the heart can reaffirm the themes of love, joy, fidelity, and respect that are so meaningful to you.

Adding your own views and thoughts of your love and of your future life together, will give a touching intimacy to your ceremony. Your own words can be more meaningful than any other.

 

Writing your own vows

I invite those of you so inclined to write your own vows if you wish. Composing your own vows is a wonderful option available to all of my couples.

Writing your own vows not only gives you the opportunity to share exactly the right words and sentiments with your lover, but also allows you to say them in the narrative. In other words you could tell the story of your love for him/her and conclude it with your vow of fidelity. And don't worry if your not a poet- your guests will score you highest for your sincerity and for the courage of having done this before them.
 

Congregational candles are thin, pencil-like candles, and are placed on each seat before the ceremony begins. A book of matches is placed on every other seat to facilitate lighting.
 

Congregational candles are best used in indoor facilities where no daylight can reach the ceremony area. They can also be used after dusk (if outdoors) and in that application would be used for the entire ceremony.
If using congregational candles tell your photographer that he/she needs to prepare for a low light situation and will probably need to bring high speed film

These ceremonies are unique and a meaningful addition to any wedding ceremony.

One says that of every human being springs a light which goes up to the sky. When two lives are intended for each other, the one for the other these rays of light join to give to the sky a magnificent brightness.

The unity candle symbolizes this old legend. Two taper candles, representing the couple as individuals, are used to light a single center candle as a visible symbol of their commitment to each other.

Typically, at the very beginning of the ceremony before the bridal party makes its approach, mothers are asked to light the taper candles on behalf of their son and daughter. After having lit the taper candles they embrace each other. This is a wonderful gesture and shows the mothers- and by extension their families- are delighted in the union of the bride and groom.

Unity candles are not indicative of any religion and are used by all faiths. You do not need an "official" unity candle set either. Any candles will do, though usually they are a pillar candle and two taper candles or pillars. Unity Candles may be used outdoors when protected by a hurricane glass.

But most importantly, it is the visual and dramatic opportunities that Unity Candles afford that explain why I strongly endorse them. Every word that has been or will be said in their ceremony is now being visually portrayed for the audience. There are no stronger images in wedding ceremonies than this.

Unity Candle also give you a strong important, proactive role in your wedding.
 

The ceremony of hands bound

Marriage is a commitment of the heart and the body. The wrists of the fiancé will be bound with a beautiful ribbon representing the link of love which will unite them henceforth heart to heart and body to body

These rings mark the beginning of a long journey together. They are the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two loyal hearts in endless love. It is a seal of the vows the groom and the bride have made to one another.

The exchange of the rings is a symbolic gesture that you can personalize by choosing the words that will be said to one another.

If you or your future spouse has an ethnic identity then by all means proudly show it. If you or your families speak a second language, then one or both of the readings used during your ceremony should be in that language. There's no need to provide an interpretation in English or French the beauty of the language will speak for itself.

African American couples used the oldest American wedding tradition 'Jumping the Broom,' while couples having a Scottish background entered, and exited, with a bagpiper preceding them.
Be proud to honor yourselves, your families and your heritage by bringing to your ceremony the beautiful accents of word, song, dress and tradition that have made you who you are

The bride and groom will approach the brides’ parents first. Always take your time when presenting roses, nothing reduces the effect more than quickness. Parents should always rise at the approach of the bride and groom to receive their embrace.

As your lives change on wedding day, so do those of your children. Why not honor them by taking a vow or parental commitment to raise them in a healthy, loving environment? If you wish, you can follow this by giving them a family medallion or similar gift to remind them of this day.

A blessing tree is a sapling no more than shoulder height. At mid ceremony, after the exchange of vows and rings, parents are invited to come up and affix a 'blessing' to the tree. Actually, it needs not be a 'blessing,' it could be poetry, a personal note, a religious passage, a quotation etc. Having affixed their 'blessings' to the tree, the parents embrace the bride and groom.

The blessing tree is planted some time after the honeymoon and is a nice ceremony option for a couple who will be buying a home, perhaps their first, though this needs not be the case. Those who love nature will tell you that planting a tree is always a good thing as long as it in an appropriate place.

When  planted at the newlywed’s home, the tree remains a living memory of their wedding day. As it matures it will shade them and their home, its changing colors marking the seasons as well, and its beauty reminding them of the love and well wishes their of guests once borne on its branches

"That's the first time I have ever been spoken to in a wedding ceremony."

Butterflies offer their own unique advantage. Whereas an audience watches a dove release, an audience participates in a butterfly release. First, the guests are invited to come and gather around the both of you, then the minister or a close friend gives a special reading followed by the instruction to release the butterflies. Imagine the surprise as your guests, open a box to reveal a beautiful butterfly.

Dove and butterfly releases are for daytime ceremonies concluding before dusk.

You could have your guests line the aisle and shower you with roses petals, rice or bird seed.

To give the guests more of an audio participation in the finale of your wedding consider giving everyone a wedding bell with an inscription about the both of you attached to it. As you walk down the aisle, tens to hundreds of these little bells will proclaim the beginning of your married life.

Have your ushers place a bell on every seat before the ceremony begins. Regardless of which accessory you choose (bubbles, petals, bells etc.) theses items should be placed on the seats before the event begins. Distributing them at the end of the ceremony takes time and breaks the tempo of the ceremony.