Happy Thanksgiving week, everyone!
This week I am so excited for all the festive family fun (#alliteration)! This year I am responsible for making green bean casserole for 30 people, which means yesterday I bought 15 cans of green beans. It was cray. I am also doing the turkey for Friendsgiving, which is kind of like my rehearsal for real family Thanksgivings in the future. Speaking of rehearsals (I know, cheesey segway), below I have listed 5 common rehearsal mistakes and how to avoid them. Having a great rehearsal is key to having a great wedding, so I hope these tips help your rehearsal run as smoothly as possible!
- Not having a rehearsal. No matter how simple your ceremony is, you need a rehearsal. There are always logistics that need to be practiced in advance, and if this is neglected it can add stress and confusion on a wedding day. Plus, we need to make sure that what we have planned in advance, ie. songs, order of entrance etc., will work with the layout. The worst time to realize that the song for the bridesmaid’s entrance is too short is during the actual ceremony.
- Having it at a location other than your ceremony venue. As I mentioned in the previous tip, there are logistics that must be reviewed at your rehearsal that are venue-specific. Is the aisle wide enough for three people because both the bride’s parents are walking her down the aisle? Are there uneven surfaces that the less-mobile need to be aware of? These are questions that can only be answered at the actual venue. If your venue has an event the night before your wedding, try a non-traditional time like the morning for your rehearsal. Have a rehearsal breakfast instead!
- Not asking all ceremony participants to attend. You should invite every single person to your rehearsal who is being specially seated in the ceremony. This includes grandparents and additional ushers if needed. I once helped with a wedding where the grandparents walked down the wrong aisle because the venue was confusing and they were not at the rehearsal. I ended up running to catch them and course correct lol. (Please note that all I did at this wedding was show up as a second set of hands for the venue coordinator because it was my cousin’s wedding. I did NOT plan this lol.) For this reason and more, it is safer to invite everyone involved in the ceremony to the rehearsal.
- Not inviting your officiant or DJ. Your officiant should be at your rehearsal specifically for the bride and groom. The minutia of a ceremony is more complex than people realize, and practicing is necessary to know what to do on the day of. For example, “how does it work when the father of the bride has to greet the groom?” “when does the bride give her maid of honor her bouquet?,” “When does the couple face each other?.” These are all questions that should be addressed by your officiant so you are all on the same page. (I know all about how this process normally works, but every officiant is different, so it is better that he/she is present.) Your DJ should also be there to practice with music. Timing is key with many ceremonies, and timing won’t be right if you do not practice with music.
- Not allowing enough time to actually rehearse. I recommend that you have at least an hour and a half between the start of your rehearsal and then the beginning of the rehearsal dinner. If possible, I suggest 2 hours. This takes into consideration the “get lost” factor when people do not know where to go, and it allows for people to be late. Additionally, everyone is talking last-minute logistics at the rehearsal, which does inevitably take time as well. Nobody wants to be late for their own rehearsal dinner!
Please keep in mind that sometimes circumstances will not allow you to rehearse at your venue, your grandparents may not be able to make it, and neither your officiant nor DJ can come. When these things happen, everything will be just fine. Especially if you have me as a coordinator, I can make everything work (as long and you actually have a rehearsal!). I will go to the venue to understand the layout beforehand, and I will bring the music for everyone to practice with. Don’t forget, I will always take care of you!
I love you all. Happy Thanksgiving!
HALIE LEWIS WEDDINGS 