You've chosen that perfect wedding gown, the shoes and the ring.
Now it's time to sit down and plan the biggest event of your lifetime - your own wedding ceremony.
Where to get married? Your ceremony can take place within your family church and by the pastor you all know well; but if that's not the case, there are other wonderful venues where your ceremony can be held.
Many historic sites, museums, formal gardens and public parks welcome the opportunity to rent their facilities for weddings.
Most reception halls are already prepared to hold wedding ceremonies on site.
When planning your ceremony, take a close look at where your guests will be seated in relation to where you and your fiance will be standing.
If seating is set up too far away from the officiant of the services, chances are, they will not hear the beautiful words of the ceremony.
Expect a few problems if guests and your wedding party are exposed directly to the hot sun on a mid-July day.
If your ceremony will take place outdoors, stand in the actual location and check for excessive noise.
Is that lovely gazebo near the compressor of an air conditioning unit? Is that set-up of white chairs on a sprawling lawn too close to a busy highway? Above all, the location of your ceremony should be serene enough so that everyone will enjoy the event.
Special Things - It's exciting to think about that long, white runner - but will this store-bought item really contribute to your beautiful wedding ceremony? If your ceremony is held indoors, and two people have been adequately trained in how to pull out the runner, this will most likely work out fine.
Many times, not enough instruction has been given to those in charge of this job; and at the last moment, they're trying to figure out how to get the runner from the front to the back of the ceremony aisle.
Using white runners outdoors can be challenging; as they tend to blow around in the slightest wind.
On a grassy area, expect high heels to puncture the runner.
As guests enter the ceremony site, it's a wonderful idea to hand out wedding programs.
Programs will help your guests to follow along during the ceremony, and should also give instructions of where to proceed afterward.
A wedding program should include the names of the bride and groom, everyone in the wedding party, parents and grandparents, musicians and the wedding officiant.
The program might also express the sentiment of those relatives who are dearly departed and missed.
A printed program will also serve as a small remembrance of your wedding day.
As an added special touch, a small table might be set up for guests to view as they enter the ceremony site.
The table could be covered with an heirloom tablecloth and perhaps include one or two candles.
A table set-up such as this often becomes a gathering place for families to remember other special people and events.
Sample of items on the table: Wedding photos of parents and grandparents, photos of family members who are no longer with us, photos of the bride and groom as children, and of course, flower arrangements.
Flowers - Flowers for your ceremony should coordinate with the season, style and taste of your wedding.
If formal arrangements from a florist are too expensive, here are two suggestions: For Fall weddings, purchase Chrysanthemums at your local garden center.
Place them in bushel baskets, which can be spray painted gold or white.
For simple decoration, tie a wide ribbon around the baskets.
For Winter weddings, gather branches and spray paint gold or silver.
Gather together and place in tall vases.
Down the Aisle - Getting back to the ceremony itself, it's not a good idea to give the responsibility of presenting your actual wedding rings to a little boy who will be serving as ringbearer.
On the delicate pillow he will be carrying, it's better to tie on artificial rings.
Your expensive wedding rings should then be given to the Best Man, who should keep the rings on one of his fingers.
No ring boxes at the ceremony, please! Can your best friend come to the wedding? Absolutely, except your dog will be sure to steal away some of the limelight.
At some weddings, dogs have successfully served as ring bearers.
Bridesmaids have walked canine friends down the aisle, where they obediently sat and waited throughout the ceremony.
If you're planning on including your best friend, consider the animal's temperament around crowds; then have someone "walk" the dog before the ceremony takes place.
Wedding Business - Try to take care of all of the "business" of the ceremony beforehand.
This would include paying limo drivers, musicians, clergy and any other hired services.
Your marriage license should already be in the hands of your officiant.
When the recessional music is finally played and you exit the ceremony site, you will be free to receive all of the loving hugs, kisses and congratulations from family and friends.
Now it's time to sit down and plan the biggest event of your lifetime - your own wedding ceremony.
Where to get married? Your ceremony can take place within your family church and by the pastor you all know well; but if that's not the case, there are other wonderful venues where your ceremony can be held.
Many historic sites, museums, formal gardens and public parks welcome the opportunity to rent their facilities for weddings.
Most reception halls are already prepared to hold wedding ceremonies on site.
When planning your ceremony, take a close look at where your guests will be seated in relation to where you and your fiance will be standing.
If seating is set up too far away from the officiant of the services, chances are, they will not hear the beautiful words of the ceremony.
Expect a few problems if guests and your wedding party are exposed directly to the hot sun on a mid-July day.
If your ceremony will take place outdoors, stand in the actual location and check for excessive noise.
Is that lovely gazebo near the compressor of an air conditioning unit? Is that set-up of white chairs on a sprawling lawn too close to a busy highway? Above all, the location of your ceremony should be serene enough so that everyone will enjoy the event.
Special Things - It's exciting to think about that long, white runner - but will this store-bought item really contribute to your beautiful wedding ceremony? If your ceremony is held indoors, and two people have been adequately trained in how to pull out the runner, this will most likely work out fine.
Many times, not enough instruction has been given to those in charge of this job; and at the last moment, they're trying to figure out how to get the runner from the front to the back of the ceremony aisle.
Using white runners outdoors can be challenging; as they tend to blow around in the slightest wind.
On a grassy area, expect high heels to puncture the runner.
As guests enter the ceremony site, it's a wonderful idea to hand out wedding programs.
Programs will help your guests to follow along during the ceremony, and should also give instructions of where to proceed afterward.
A wedding program should include the names of the bride and groom, everyone in the wedding party, parents and grandparents, musicians and the wedding officiant.
The program might also express the sentiment of those relatives who are dearly departed and missed.
A printed program will also serve as a small remembrance of your wedding day.
As an added special touch, a small table might be set up for guests to view as they enter the ceremony site.
The table could be covered with an heirloom tablecloth and perhaps include one or two candles.
A table set-up such as this often becomes a gathering place for families to remember other special people and events.
Sample of items on the table: Wedding photos of parents and grandparents, photos of family members who are no longer with us, photos of the bride and groom as children, and of course, flower arrangements.
Flowers - Flowers for your ceremony should coordinate with the season, style and taste of your wedding.
If formal arrangements from a florist are too expensive, here are two suggestions: For Fall weddings, purchase Chrysanthemums at your local garden center.
Place them in bushel baskets, which can be spray painted gold or white.
For simple decoration, tie a wide ribbon around the baskets.
For Winter weddings, gather branches and spray paint gold or silver.
Gather together and place in tall vases.
Down the Aisle - Getting back to the ceremony itself, it's not a good idea to give the responsibility of presenting your actual wedding rings to a little boy who will be serving as ringbearer.
On the delicate pillow he will be carrying, it's better to tie on artificial rings.
Your expensive wedding rings should then be given to the Best Man, who should keep the rings on one of his fingers.
No ring boxes at the ceremony, please! Can your best friend come to the wedding? Absolutely, except your dog will be sure to steal away some of the limelight.
At some weddings, dogs have successfully served as ring bearers.
Bridesmaids have walked canine friends down the aisle, where they obediently sat and waited throughout the ceremony.
If you're planning on including your best friend, consider the animal's temperament around crowds; then have someone "walk" the dog before the ceremony takes place.
Wedding Business - Try to take care of all of the "business" of the ceremony beforehand.
This would include paying limo drivers, musicians, clergy and any other hired services.
Your marriage license should already be in the hands of your officiant.
When the recessional music is finally played and you exit the ceremony site, you will be free to receive all of the loving hugs, kisses and congratulations from family and friends.
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