Order of Wedding Ceremony: What Comes First? | Shutterfly (2024)

As you gear up for the big day, you’ve probably put a lot of thought into the order of ceremony for your wedding. The most important thing to know is that no two wedding ceremonies are alike. Even though most follow the same generic order, the couple is free to customize their order of ceremony to their own unique style. Whether that means incorporating religious or cultural traditions or throwing a celebratory fist in the air during the kiss, each couple can and should make their ceremony a reflection of their personal relationship.

We’ve compiled a list of the complete order of wedding ceremony to help shape your special day. From the processional to the recessional, we’ve got you covered. Remember to include the elements of the ceremony in your customized wedding program template. Be sure to mention who’s who in the wedding party to properly acknowledge your friends and family who helped to make this day so special.

Order Of Wedding Ceremony

Order of Wedding Ceremony: What Comes First? | Shutterfly (5)

Processional

The processional begins with bridesmaids and groomsmen walking down the aisle, typically paired up. The maid of honor and best man walk down after all other bridesmaids and groomsmen have made their way down the aisle. The ring bearer will then carry the rings to the altar, followed by the flower girl.

In a traditional Christian processional, the bride is walked down the aisle by her father while the groom waits at the altar. In a traditional Jewish processional, the groom’s parents escort him down the aisle, followed by the bride being escorted down the aisle by her parents.

Opening Remarks

Next, come the opening remarks. These include any words of welcome that the officiant may express. Typically, they begin with “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…” or some may just address the crowd as “Friends and family…”.

The officiant may then share the significance of marriage with the crowd or a small antidote of your love story. You can delegate what you would prefer your officiant to open with ahead of time if you wish to do so.

Order of Wedding Ceremony: What Comes First? | Shutterfly (6)

Readings

A few people may be invited up to share or exchange readings at this point in the ceremony. Whether these readings are religious, spiritual, or excerpts from your favorite romance novel, you can tailor the readings to reflect you and your partners idea of love and marriage.

Officiant Addresses the Couple

The officiant will then address the couple, emphasizing the significance of the responsibilities or marriage and vows in which the couple is about to take.

Order of Wedding Ceremony: What Comes First? | Shutterfly (7)

Exchange of Vows

The wedding vows provide the couple with a great opportunity to add a personal touch to the ceremony. Couples may choose to write their own vows to each other, exchange how they first met and reflect on their relationship or use the traditional phrasing guided by the officiant. This is your opportunity to make a special promise to your love, so plan how you wish to express this feeling in advance.

Ring Exchange

Right after the vows comes the ring exchange. The officiant will prompt the ring bearer to present the rings. Typically, you will say “With this ring, I thee wed…”. Remember to place the ring on your partner’s left hand, as this side is closer to the heart. The bride’s wedding band will be placed on the same finger as the engagement ring.

Order of Wedding Ceremony: What Comes First? | Shutterfly (8)

Pronouncement of Marriage

Once the rings have been properly placed, the officiant will pronounce you and your love husband and wife. Now it’s time to officially seal the deal.

The Kiss

Next comes the most anticipated moment of the whole ceremony. The officiant will say “You may now kiss the bride”. Some grooms will choose to dip their bride as they kiss them or lift them off their feet in a warm embrace. No matter what you and your partner choose to do, it will definitely be a magical moment and a must-have wedding photo that you’ll look back on for the rest of your life.

Order of Wedding Ceremony: What Comes First? | Shutterfly (9)

Unity Ceremony

Some couples opt to have a unity ceremony after the first kiss. Some unity ceremony ideas include the mixing of two different colors of sand or water to symbolize two becoming one or a candle lighting.

Closing Remarks

The officiant will end the ceremony with a few closing words. For a religious ceremony, he or she will also include a blessing for the couple to have a long and happy marriage.

Order of Wedding Ceremony: What Comes First? | Shutterfly (10)

The Recessional

The bride and groom are the first to exit during the recessional. They are then followed by the flower girl and the ring bearer. The maid of honor and best man will then make their way down the aisle, followed by the remaining bridesmaids and groomsmen. The bride and groom’s parents will then exit. The guests should be the last to exit and will make their way to the co*cktail hour or reception.

Now that your wedding ceremony has gone off without a hitch, it’s party time! Celebrate your marriage with all of your family and friends at the reception where you’ll pop some bubbly, indulge in a fabulous wedding cake and dance the night away.

If you have a smaller guest list or want a more intimate celebration, check out these inspiring backyard wedding ideas. As the night draws to a close, have your guests participate in a unique wedding send-off idea to match the theme of your wedding. Regardless of how you choose to execute your ceremony and reception, it is sure to be a day that you and your partner cherish for the rest of your lives.

Order of Wedding Ceremony: What Comes First? | Shutterfly (2024)

FAQs

What is the correct order of a wedding ceremony? ›

"There is typically a welcome or introduction by the minister, followed by the exchange of vows. The couple then exchanges rings, and after the couple shares a kiss, the minister announces them for the first time as a married couple," says Miller.

What comes first in a wedding? ›

The Grand Entrance & First Dance

Clearly one of the most hotly anticipated traditional elements of the wedding, the grand entrance sees the wedding party introduced, usually in pairs, before the bride and groom make their first appearance as a married couple.

What do you say before the wedding ceremony starts? ›

Generic. Dear friends and family of the Bride and Groom, we welcome and thank you for being part of this important occasion. We are gathered together on this day to witness and celebrate the marriage of Name Of Bride and Name Of Groom. Every one of us has a deep desire to love and to be loved.

What comes after the wedding ceremony? ›

But what happens after the ceremony is over? The reception! Usually the wedding planner, MC or venue manager is in charge of keeping things in order. For this reason, providing them with a wedding reception timeline is a must.

What are 7 Steps marriage? ›

The couple takes seven full circles, walking clockwise around the agni, representing the seven principles and promises they make to each other; each step is referred to as a 'phere'.

How does a wedding ceremony go step by step? ›

Order Of Wedding Ceremony
  1. Processional. The processional begins with bridesmaids and groomsmen walking down the aisle, typically paired up. ...
  2. Readings. A few people may be invited up to share or exchange readings at this point in the ceremony. ...
  3. Exchange of Vows. ...
  4. Pronouncement of Marriage. ...
  5. Unity Ceremony.
1 May 2018

Who enters first in wedding ceremony? ›

The Officiant, Groom, Best Man, and Groomsmen enter first, typically from the side of the ceremony site but sometimes up the aisle depending on preference. Following them are the grandparents, the parents of the Groom, and the Mother of the Bride. Finally, the Bridesmaids, Maid of Honor, and Flower Girl enter.

Do you say I do before or after the rings? ›

Here's how it usually works: The wedding vows are exchanged first. The vows are the promises of love and devotion you and your partner make to each other, surrounded by friends, family and loved ones. The exchange of wedding rings comes after you've each said your vows.

How do you start off a wedding speech? ›

Wedding Speech Opening Lines: Simple and Sincere Opening Lines. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you (name) for the kind introduction." "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. As (name's friend/relative), I'm delighted to welcome you all here tonight."

What is the flow of a wedding reception? ›

The standard wedding reception is composed of a one-hour co*cktail party and a four-hour reception usually centered around a meal. That said, there's still plenty of flexibility to make it your own–the couple, the cultures, the venue, and the wedding size all play a role in how the night unfolds.

What is the 3 3 3 rule for marriage? ›

The 3x3 Rule! Basically, you and your partner get 3 hours a week of uninterrupted alone time. You can take those 3 hours all at once OR break it up into a half hour here, an hour there, etc. You also get 3 hours of uninterrupted TOGETHER time.

What are the 5 C's of marriage? ›

While much of human history has been invested into the complex and imprecise discover of the mysterious human condition, there are some basic principles that are common to romantic relationships that most people can relate to: The Five C's. Communication, Commitment, Compassion, Compatibility, and Chemistry.

What are the 4 C's of marriage? ›

You need the 4 C's: Communication, Collaboration, Consideration, and Compatibility. Yet as with many things that are simple, they're not always easy! Let's look at how they work to help build a relationship.

What order do you walk down the aisle? ›

Christian Wedding Ceremony Processional Order
  1. Groom's parents. It's optional to honor the groom's parents by having them walk down the aisle. ...
  2. Mother of the bride. ...
  3. Officiant. ...
  4. Groom and best man. ...
  5. Bridesmaids and/or groomsmen. ...
  6. Maid or matron of honor. ...
  7. The bride and father of the bride. ...
  8. Rabbi and cantor.
12 Jan 2021

Who walks out of the ceremony first? ›

The flower girl and the ring bearer (if they remained at the altar during the ceremony) come first (if there's only one or the other, he or she can walk alone), then the maid of honor and the best man, then the bridesmaids and groomsmen.

Who walks aisle first? ›

Once your guests have been seated, your officiant will find their place at the altar, the groom (usually accompanied by his best man) will make his entrance (usually from the side), and the music will begin to play. This signifies the beginning of your processional.

Who enters before the bride? ›

The bride's walk down the aisle is always one of the highlights of a wedding day – however, she's not the only one to take that walk during the ceremony. A few other important people, such as the officiant, groomsmen, bridesmaids and groom all make an appearance on the aisle before the bride makes her grand entrance.

Do I wear my engagement ring on my wedding day? ›

The truth is, like most wedding customs, what you do with your engagement ring on your wedding day is entirely up to you. You can wear it all day, take it off during the ceremony or leave it at home altogether. There is no right or wrong way to go about this, and the decision is entirely up to you.

When in the ceremony do you say I do? ›

In the movies, the big crescendo always comes moments before the bride and groom say, “I do.” In reality, this important phrase comes at the wedding vows part of your ceremony. You can recite traditional vows or write your own. In a traditional wedding ceremony order, the vows are followed by the ring exchange.

Do you exchange rings after you say I do? ›

While you can customize your wedding ceremony timeline, the ring exchange typically takes place after your wedding vows and before the pronouncement. That's where the officiant pronounces you as the newly married couple.

What is a good wedding speech? ›

Recount the time you met him, or how you remember talking about him with the bride in the beginning stages of their relationship. If you don't know the groom all that well, talk about how good they are as a couple and about how happy he makes her.

What should you not say in a wedding speech? ›

15 Things Not to Do During a Wedding Toast
  • Don't make an embarrassing joke about the bride or groom. ...
  • Don't bring up bride or groom's exes. ...
  • Don't make more than three jokes at the bride or groom's expense. ...
  • Don't hate on anyone. ...
  • Don't riff. ...
  • Don't just talk about the person you're friends with.
4 Oct 2015

What's in a good wedding speech? ›

You are going to need several positive qualities and one or two funny stories. Start your speech with your relationship with the couple. Don't forget to thank all the guests for being here. Praise the couple, and share several stories, that show their best qualities.

What comes first toast or cake cutting? ›

Toasts can be before or after the cutting of the cake, depending when you cut the cake. At Craig y Nos Castle, toasts are normally done at some point during the Wedding Breakfast, not at the Evening Party. If however you were only having an evening wedding function, then Toasts would be done before the first dance.

What is the usual timeline of a wedding? ›

A Traditional Wedding Weekend Timeline: Rehearsal Dinner, Wedding and Brunch. A Friday evening rehearsal dinner, a Saturday evening wedding with an early evening start time, and a morning-after Sunday brunch is one of the most common timelines for a wedding.

What are the four or 5 parts of a traditional ceremony? ›

Exchange of Rings: Ceremonial giving of the sign of love and loyalty. Blessing or Closing Remarks: Final words from the officiant. Pronouncement: Official declaration of marriage. Recessional: The exit of the bride, groom, and bridal party.

Who Walks mother of bride down aisle? ›

Traditionally, a groomsman should walk the mother of the bride down the aisle. However, as with most details of a modern ceremony, the couple getting married is free to make any adjustments or choices they would like when wedding planning.

Who walks mother of groom down aisle? ›

The groom might opt to escort his mother down the aisle and to her seat in the front row, followed closely behind by the groom's father. This gives the groom an opportunity to give his parents a hug before taking his place at the altar.

Do you do your first dance before or after dinner? ›

Typically, most couples save the first dance until after the sit-down dinner has finished, however some prefer to head straight to the dance floor at the start of the reception, which is quite often referred to as the grand entrance.

Who walks down the aisle first? ›

The Grandparents of the Bride: The bride's grandparents walk down the aisle first. Once they reach the front, they are then seated in the first row, on the right side. In Jewish ceremonies, the bride's family and guests sit on the right and the groom's family and friends sit on the left.

Do you say I do before or after rings? ›

Here's how it usually works: The wedding vows are exchanged first. The vows are the promises of love and devotion you and your partner make to each other, surrounded by friends, family and loved ones. The exchange of wedding rings comes after you've each said your vows.

What is the most important part of a wedding ceremony? ›

The most important part of your wedding ceremony is the homily or the message from the one officiating your wedding. It will bless not only your marriage but also provide guidance in whatever trials that may come along your new journey together.

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