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All About Wedding Rehearsals

Written by Wedgewood Weddings & Events | Nov 27, 2022 5:14:00 PM

You’ve planned for your day forever and at last, it’s around the corner! The final step to help prepare for your special day is the wedding rehearsal walkthrough, which usually takes place the night before the wedding.

The rehearsal prepares your wedding party for the ceremony. At this time, the party will run through the ceremony step-by-step to know their key marks, like when and where to walk. The rehearsal dinner is a smaller celebration after the ceremony rehearsal. It’s a pre-wedding celebration that gives the opportunity for both sides of the family to spend some extra time together.


Rehearsal walkthrough process

We block a 60-minute timeslot for all our clients to enjoy a no-rush ceremony walkthrough with their wedding party. The wedding rehearsal generally takes place during the wedding week, so we always tentatively schedule it to accompany the wedding date - that way it's locked in as a must have 😀 The rehearsal date and time are based on our team’s availability as we want to give each client our sole attention and make sure the nearlyweds have all their questions answered before the main event! We ask that clients make sure that their wedding party and family arrive on time.


Rehearsal and ceremony coordination is included in all our wedding packages.

 

 

Top wedding Rehearsal Questions

 

Do I need a ceremony rehearsal?

Yes, walking and standing is harder than you think! On your wedding day, you want to be able to be in the moment and not worry about when and where to walk. The larger your bridal party, the more necessary the rehearsal is. If there are children in the ceremony, the rehearsal is a must.

 

How long is the ceremony rehearsal?

We schedule an hour for your rehearsal walkthrough. Usually, it won’t take a full hour, but they also tend to start late.

 

Who attends the Wedding rehearsal?

The wedding couple, the bridal party and their significant others, child attendants (flower girls and ring bearers) and their parents, the wedding couple’s parents, and any other family members, including grandparents who will be participating in the processional. Unless the minister is a friend of the family, they usually do not attend the rehearsal. They are welcome to, but not always necessary.

 
Does my officiant need to be present at the rehearsal?

Unless the minister, officiant or master of ceremonies is a friend of the family, they usually do not attend the rehearsal. You’re welcome to invite your officiant to participate in your rehearsal, but it’s not necessary. If they do choose to attend, once you and your wedding party have completed the rehearsal with your coordinator, your officiant can use the remaining time to review the ceremony’s formalities with you.

 

Who coordinates the Ceremony rehearsal?

We coordinate the wedding rehearsal walkthrough for all out clients - it's all part of the service! 

 

Do I have to have a Wedding rehearsal dinner?

This is a tradition that we love! It is a chance for both sides of the family to get to know one another before the big day. If you are worried about budget, then we suggest keeping it casual. Family bonding works just as well over pizza in your backyard as it does in a fancy restaurant.
We do not provide rehearsal wedding dinner services at our venues and suggest celebrating at a local restaurant after your walkthrough at our venue. Let us know if you need recommendations!

 

Who's traditionally invited to the rehearsal dinner?

Everyone who attends the rehearsal should also be invited to the rehearsal dinner. You may also choose to include additional family members, ceremony readers, or out-of-town guests who may have traveled a long distance to attend the wedding.