Our guests will be about seventy in number. Because our wedding will be at home, we must
choreograph the event. In a church things are to a large degree already
laid out. One promenades down the aisle and as there is an
aisle, there is also a recessional. I am not sure how to
make an entrance on to the front porch (Guests will be
assembled in chairs on the front lawn. I also am not sure
what to do at the close of the ceremony.
I understand your concerns about the logistics of the ceremony. Your
wedding guest list is relatively small, but still large enough to
require a certain amount of structure.
Without knowing more about the layout of the yard, parking areas, and
refreshment area, it's hard to give you specific suggestions. However,
don't get yourself too tied up with the whole center-aisle church
set-up. It works in some locations, but not in all. Here is some advice
I gave another bride today about her wedding. The situation is a little
different, but it may give you some perspective on the kinds of issues
you need to consider.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
In outdoor weddings, generally, the bridal party enters the garden from
a building on the grounds (house, chapel, anteroom, etc.) And
generally, this works out okay, because a gazebo usually is set in the
garden so that the entrance faces the buildings, and usually there's
space in between for guests. Hopefully, you have a situation somewhat
like this.
There doesn't have to be a center aisle between guests, if that's not
practical. The procession could take place more in front of guests than
between, if that works better (depending on the angle where the bride
will come from and the number and placement of guest chairs.) Sometimes
it's silly, logistically speaking to have the procession start from the
back of the guests' seating area, just because that's how it works in a
church.
You want to make it so the bridal party doesn't just walk out of the
house and into the gazebo, but you also don't need to route them
awkwardly to make a long processional. You can use your judgment based
on your circumstances to determine the route.
The big thing is that generally the music is cued when the bridal party
is likely to be seen by the guests. Some folks feel odd enough walking
in a bridal processional anyway, without doing it in silence when it's
obvious they are being watched. So the music is something I would try
to work out carefully. All members of the bridal party should have
music most of the time they are in view.
The bride's music, if different for her "entrance", should also start at
the time guests are first able to see her. The music should also last
until she's made it to the place where her father will give her away.
So you will need to walk through the processional routine several times
in advance (to the actual music, if it's recorded) to make sure there
isn't an uncomfortable silence as she gets to the gazebo area-- or that
there's an uncomfortably long time to stand there while the music
finishes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
From what you describe of your situation, it might be that you will want
to make your entrance from the rear/side of the house, and actually walk
in front of the guests and up on the porch, rather than loop around,
since you said the ceremony will be on the front porch of the house.
You'll have to look over the options and think through what will be most logical
As for telling folks where to go, one way to handle that would be to
have a center aisle for guest seating and for your recessional-- then
have a receiving line at the rear of the seating area when you leave.
You could quickly greet each guest, and then whoever is last in the line
could easily direct folks to the reception area. Other members of the
bridal party should also be circulating at that time to help guests find
their way to refreshments, bathrooms, gift area, etc.
But since the guests usually leave from the front of the church to the
back, that means that the first people to leave are the ones closest to
you... and most likely to know where to go next. So other guests can
usually follow the group. : )
Best Wishes
Foreverwed.com expert-- Sara L. Ambarian
author of "A Bride's Touch: A Handbook of Wedding Personality and
Inspiration"/ creative consultant/ custom bridal designer
mailto:sara@www.foreverwed.com
For more wedding information:
http://www.foreverwed.com/~sara
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