Ceremony Advice: Order and Duties

Legal & Ceremony

Order of Service:

The order of an average wedding ceremony can usually be broken into six parts:

1. Introductory
2. Processional – entrance of the bride
3. Hymns, marriage vows and prayers
4. Hymn or psalm blessing
5. Signing the register
6. Recessional

Although there is a distinct order of the service, you can now choose for the wedding to be as long or short as you want it, with the discretion of the priest that is. More and more people tend to be leaning to shorter services so that they can start the reception sooner (and possibly for the sake of their guest’s hunger).

*You have a large array of hymns to choose from and if you need any help or feel insecure in making such an important decision for your wedding day, ask your priest or minister for advice. Chances are he will be more than happy to sort through all of them and help you choose.

Roles of the Bridal Party

Groom

  • Say, "I do!"
  • Greets the guests at the reception along with his wife
  • Gives a speech in reply to the bride’s father

Bride

  • Say, "I do!"
  •  Decides who, what, when, where, why and how for the ceremony
  • Greets the guests at the reception along with her husband

Best Man – Organises most of the groom’s responsibilities as well as his own. Including:

  •  Stag Night
  •  Supervising the Ushers
  •  Driving the Groom to the Wedding
  • Standing by the Groom during the ceremony and pass the ring to the clergyman when asked
  • Providing transportation to the reception for anyone who needs a lift.
  • Gives a speech in response to the Groom’s

Maid of Honour

  • Hen Night
  •  Helps the bride get ready and is in charge of any touch-ups or changes throughout the day
  • Organises the bridesmaids
  • Holds the bride’s bouquet during the ceremony
  • Gives a speech in response to the Best Man’s speech (optional)

Ushers

  • Hands our service sheets or mass booklets
  • Escorts guests to their seats

Bride’s Father

  • Accompanies the bride to the ceremony
  • Escorts the bride down the aisle and gives her away
  • Gives the first speech at the Wedding reception

Who Pays For What:

Keep in mind that more and more contemporary brides are more than willing to pay for their own wedding, arrangements and receptions so these rules have become have a bit more leeway nowadays. Sometimes the groom’s parents like to help out more so than usual and possibly pay for the couple’s honeymoon expenses as their wedding gift or with part of the reception etc. No matter how it breaks down, to ensure no awkward tension or embarrassment on the day of the wedding, it is best to decide well in advance who is paying for what.

Bride’s Parents

  •  Engagement and wedding announcements
  • Bride’s dress
  • Bridesmaids’ dresses (optional as many now buy their own)
  • Flowers
  • Photography
  • Transportation (with the exception of the groom’s)
  • Reception
  • Wedding Cake

Groom

  • Engagement and wedding rings (that’s three rings, boys!)
  • Church and license fees
  • Bride’s and bridesmaids’ bouquets
  • Flowers for both mothers
  • Transport for himself and the best man
  • Gifts for bridesmaids and groomsmen
  • Honeymoon