As a bride, you want to make sure that your guests feel special and that the wedding is one they will enjoy. A great way to do this is by incorporating unique touches that will impress your guests and make them feel like a part of the celebration. This could be something as simple as having a photo booth at the wedding, providing an opportunity for your guests to learn line dancing from a professional dancer or even offering a karaoke station so that everyone can join in and have fun singing their hearts out!
Many couples find that having a guestbook is a wonderful keepsake from your day. Creating an online guestbook where your friends and family can leave their thoughts and wishes for you is a great way to keep those memories close for years to come. You can also choose to have a printed book that you hand out at the end of your ceremony so that people can sign it at your reception.
A lot of planning goes into the wedding venue and ensuring that all of your guests are comfortable in their seats. Adding some interesting lighting or an unusual seating arrangement can make the space seem more welcoming and create a more intimate atmosphere for your ceremony.
Another nice touch is having your guests stand during your ceremony, which will get them involved in the proceedings from the start and help them feel closer to you both emotionally and spiritually as a couple. Having your guests stand during your toasts can also get them moving around and will help to break up the static energy that sometimes comes with sitting through long speeches at a wedding.
Traditionally, the best man and maid of honor are the two people responsible for escorting the bridal party down the aisle. However, this isn’t a rule and some brides elect to have ushers or readers help them on their big day. Ushers are often close friends or preteen relatives that may not have been up for being in the actual bridal party but who are still very much a part of your wedding celebration. These individuals can be given a role in your program and even be given corsages or boutonnieres as a sign of their status at your event. Readers, on the other hand, will recite passages from scripture, meaningful quotations, special poems or other text during your ceremony and are another great attendant alternative for those closest friends and family members that just aren’t up for the task of being an actual bridesmaid or groomsman.
The vows at the core of a marriage ceremony are a public declaration of love and commitment made to each other in front of friends, family and the community at large. These promises will be there for you throughout your journey together and can help to guide you through all of life’s ups and downs. It’s important to really think about your choices when writing your vows and to include anything that is truly special and personal to you as a couple.