We all know for a wedding to take place, there is a legal section of the ceremony that must happen. But ceremonies are also a way to set the scene and get everyone up and about before the party begins. In this article you’ll find some of the tips and tricks I’ve learnt in over 300+ ceremonies in ten simple steps: 

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1. Where possible, consider having your ceremony at the same venue as the reception. It makes it easier for you, your guests and the vendors. 

2. On your invitations, I always recommend putting an earlier time for arrival before the ceremony, e.g. a 3.45pm arrival for a 4pm ceremony. That way guests will be ready and settled before the official start time. Be mindful not to make it too early as some venues are putting together the final touches and aren’t ready for guests who arrive too early.  

3. In the Welcome section of your ceremony, it’s lovely to include a little one-liner about each of your wedding party, especially if not everyone knows who they are. It’s also cute for your party to give a little wave when their name is called. 

4. If you’ve got a wedding party, delegate some jobs to them. They’re there to support you in the lead up to your big day, let them do something to free up your time. 

5. Talk to your celebrant about different ways to up the fun. I offer couples a host of different ways and it’s about finding what will work for each couple. You might look at taking a shot with your witnesses straight after the signing as a way to ‘seal the deal’. Perhaps you could include a guests’ vow; this can sound corny but it works really well early on in the ceremony, especially if you’ve got guests who don’t know each other. It’s always worth a conversation to find out what might work for you. 

6. Some couples love to do a first-look with their photographer for a number of reasons. It can ward off nerves and is worth discussing with your photographer  

7. And that’s a good segway to my next point … I know weddings are expensive but a professional photographer capturing your most exciting moments when you’re looking a zillion dollars is sooooo worth it! Perhaps cut back on bonbonnieres or the cake or whatever you can, I highly recommend getting a good professional photographer. If budget is a concern, perhaps find one that will just attend specific parts of the day, not the whole shebang. 

8. I know it’s boring and you don’t want to think about bad weather, but please consider having a plan B. Victoria is renowned for changes in weather and I’m not just talking heavy downpours, it could very easily be forty degrees too! Remember your guests are waiting there in the elements for longer than you are. 

9. Talk to your venue about recommended vendors. They will refer you to vendors they know are reliable, professional and familiar with the venue. If you can get suppliers who’ve worked together before, it’s magic and makes for a relaxed environment with everything fitting together like clockwork. 

10. Start planning and booking your vendors asap, the good ones book out early. And if making that initial payment is what’s holding you back, talk to them about a payment plan that works for both of you.