Here are some aspects you need to think through when considering a venue:

• Interest – places you’ve been a guest before or your have special preference
• Accessibility with ample parking
• Religious formality or just hotels will also do
• Capacity to accommodate number of guests (how many tables?) Minimum requirements?
• Restrictions guidelines at especially religious venues – attire, photography, videography, deco, music
• Compare packages
• Secure venue with a deposit.
• If you are using the church as venue, do give a love gift to the church.

1. Musical Introduction

2. Candle lighting (mothers lighting the candle)

3. Entrance of groom and best man

4. Bridal procession:
• Entrance of ring bearer
• Entrance of flower girls
• Entrance of bridesmaid
• Entrance of bride and father
• Handing over of bride to groom

5. Opening prayer

6. Praise & worship

7. Scripture Reading

8. Message by Officiant Pastor

9. Special presentation (if any)

10. Exchange of Vows

11. Marriage Registration

12. Candle lighting

13. Communion

14. Benediction / Prayer of blessing

15. Pronouncement & kiss

16. Recessional (in reverse order of the entrance)

17. Thank you speech

18. Photo session

19. Reception

Groom

• Thank the guests for attending.
• Thank the bride’s parents for allowing him to take their daughter’s hand in marriage
• Give thanks to his own parents, for all the happy years together
• Thank the bridal attendants and helpers
• Thank everybody for the kind wishes, cards and lovely presents
• Say some nice words about the bride (pass mic to her)

Bride – can follow with one that expresses her thanks and appreciation or similar to the groom’s.

• Thank the guests for attending.
• Thank the groom’s parents for raising a man for her
• Give thanks to her own parents, for all the care and grooming of the years
• Thank everybody for the kind wishes, cards and lovely presents

Father of the Bride & Groom

• Thank the guests
• Welcome the groom’s parents, relatives of both families and friends
• Praise the bride’s appearance and relate about her family life
• Welcome the bride/groom into the family
• Give words of wisdom and good wishes to the couple
• Propose a toast to the bride and groom

Best man –The best man’s speech is last. It should be funny, but it should not be an extension of the stag night and it will be better received by the family audience. He should:

• Compliment the bride and groom and give good wishes for their future together
• Thank the groom for asking you to be best man
• Relate funny stories about the groom, nothing too rude and no mention of previous lady friends
• Read out a few cards, probably from absent relatives or close friends
• Propose a toast to the couple.

a. Schedule a wedding rehearsal day for the Holy Matrimony

b. A rehearsal should be held one week before the actual wedding, depending on the availability of the venue and the Officiating Minister and the bridal participants involved.

c. The Groom and Bride should have their March-in and March-out songs ready in time for the wedding rehearsal.

d. It is absolutely necessary for the soundman to be present in order to run the proper timing for the actual day.

e. People to be present at the wedding rehearsal:
• Groom and Bride
• Officiating Minister
• Wedding Coordinator
• Bride’ Father
• Bride & Groom’s Mothers (for candle lighting)
• Best man, Groomsmen
• Maid of Honor, Bridesmaid
• Flower-girls and Page-boy/Ring-bearer
• Soundman
• Master of Ceremony (optional)
• The actual day banquet/sales/technical staff of the venue to be present.

f. Things to bring for the wedding rehearsal:
• Basket and pillow for the procession
• Wedding vow
• order of ceremony with time

g. During rehearsal, start with a word of prayer, inviting God to be present, run through the timing and the processional walk, instructions on how to give away the bride and take note of the timing of the event.

The lighting of the unity candle symbolizes the merging of two lives into one.

In some ceremonies the lighting of the unity candle will also incorporate the families of the bride and groom. There it symbolizes the joining together of two families, as well as the union of the couple, in a marriage. It marks the transfer of commitment from their families to the new commitment in establishing their own family in their life together.

But in Eaglepoint, we will have the two mothers lighting the candles in the beginning of the ceremony signifying the giving of life by the mothers to the child and then after the exchange of vows, the bride and groom will take their own candle and light the candle in the middle signifying that from this forward, they are one and snuff out their individual candles.

The significance of this act is truly meaningful.

• Grooms’s immediate family
• Groom’s immediate family + relatives
• Groom’s + Bride’s immediate family
• Bride’s immediate family
• Bride’s immediate family + relatives
• Groom’s friends
• Bride’s friends
• Groom’s colleagues
• Bride’s colleagues
• church mates