When you are in the middle of organising your wedding, you will often find people talking about the wedding order of service. It’s just one of those things that you feel as though you ought to know what it is. But unless you have arranged a wedding before (and fingers crossed you haven’t) then, there is no reason why you would know what a wedding order of service is.
Basically, this document is a step by step guide as to how the wedding ceremony will run. It is designed to help your guests and particularly the ushers and bridesmaids, to know exactly what they are meant to be doing and when.
The wedding order of service will tell guests when all of the important moments are going to happen, so you can avoid that awkward moment when your mother in law tries to sneak to the toilet just as the vows are about to begin.
Your wedding order of service can be as detailed as you wish it to be and can even contain all the words of the vows. Or you can opt for a more basic wedding order of service.
Either way, you should simply see it as a guide to the ceremony and as a helpful document which will explain to guests exactly how the ceremony will run.
Your big day has got to be perfect. You have probably spent months and months organising it and ensuring that everything can go smoothly so when that special morning arrives, it can be a little daunting and worrying wondering if everything is going to go to plan.
One way to limit this stress is by arranging an order of service. This not only helps you to feel relaxed but it also lets your guests know what’s happening. After all, you want everyone to relax on your big day and not worry about what’s going on and when.
The wedding order of service will run through exactly what will happen during and after the service. So for example, it will state the exact order of the service, listing any hymns, prayers, and when the vows will take place.
The wedding order of service will also state what the guests need to do after the ceremony. It might ask the immediate family to stay behind at the ceremony for photographs or it might ask the entire congregation to gather somewhere for a group shot. It would also list details of the reception, telling guests where they should be going and informing them that there will be food and drink for them to enjoy.
The wedding order of service not only ensures that the day runs smoothly, but it also puts your mind at rest that everyone knows where they should be throughout the day.
One of the biggest fears of the bride and groom is that their wedding day will turn into absolute chaos with no structure and nobody seeming to know where they are meant to be and what they are supposed to be doing.
For this very reason, a wedding order of service is often used in order to give some sort of structure to the day.
A wedding order of service will usually focus upon the wedding ceremony itself and it will tell the guests how the service will run. If hymns are included in the ceremony, these will be listed in the wedding order of service and this document will also help close family members know when they are required for official photographs.
The order of the reception is something that you will need to plan carefully. There are some people who will want to make speeches and there are special moments such as the cutting of the cake to fit in.
At the reception, the best man usually gives the first toast. But in the modern day wedding, the maid of honour often makes a speech too. Before the speeches begin, ensure that all guests have a drink so that they can make a toast. And once the speeches are over, it’s time to celebrate!
