A traditional wedding will have roles for the people closest to the bride and groom. A position such as a bridesmaid, best man, or groomsman provides someone you care about with certain responsibilities during your big day, and it is a huge honour for most individuals. However, you care about everyone that you have invited to your wedding but there are only so many roles to go around.
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So, how do you go about including everyone in your wedding celebrations? It doesn’t take a lot, but you’ll have to read on to find out more.
Readings
The wedding readings are a special part of any wedding ceremony, and there are usually two readings per ceremony. Getting up and speaking in front of a large crowd may not be everybody’s cup of tea but reading out a romantic passage or poem is a great way to include key family members in your ceremony.
You can also take this responsibility one step further by asking your readers to research and select their own passages. This gesture can help them find something truly special, a reading that reflects you as a couple rather than something generic. These readings will need to be submitted to the local registrar for legal reasons so they cannot surprise you with their choices at the ceremony; however, it is always nice to give someone you care about another role during the service.
Performing The Ceremony
Appointing someone to perform your wedding ceremony is a fairly new concept, but it is growing in popularity. You can appoint someone to act as registrar at your own wedding, and these individuals can carry out the duties necessary during your vow exchange.
There are varying levels of responsibilities for someone that is performing the ceremony. Again, you can have them stand up and speak for only the vow exchange, or you can ask someone to perform during the entire ceremony. In either case, it is important that you research the legalities of such a procedure so that your chosen ceremony giver undergoes all the legal requirements to make this happen.
Greeting Guests
A common concern for some wedding guests is that they will not know anyone when they arrive at the ceremony. They will of course be familiar with the person that they arrive with, but it can be nerve-wracking to navigate a sea of faces you do not recognise. Relatives that have come from overseas or childhood friends you have moved away from are the most likely candidates to experience this discomfort, which is why it is important to post a friendly face at the door of the venue.
Appointing a greeter is a great way to include one of your more-outgoing family members or friends in the service, while also providing your guests with a friendly face the second they arrive at your wedding. A greeter is a big part of your wedding, and it can take a lot of pressure off the groom and his best man.
Witnesses
A wedding license is a legally binding document, one that links the two of you together in the eyes of the government. As such, you will need to select two people to witness the legal signing of your wedding license. This signing is usually performed immediately after the vow exchange, and so is still considered part of the ceremony, and you can select any two people to act as a witness to this moment.
As such, it is always nice to appoint someone close to you that hasn’t yet been involved in your big day. What’s more, this is a rather subdued role, one that does not require them to speak in front of a large crowd. Perhaps witnessing the signing of the wedding license is a role that you can appoint to two of your less-confident guests.
Entertainment
Once the ceremony has ended, there will be a gap of time to fill before the main meal of the day. Therefore, you are going to need to include some entertainment for your guests during this period. While there are some extremely unique and wonderful entertainment options to consider, you may also want to ask some of your talented friends to participate in this part of your special day.
You will need to search wedding venues to ensure that they are equipped to accommodate your choice of entertainment. Wedding venues in Hertfordshire can vary, after all. However, asking someone to play the guitar, host a whiskey bar, or light fireworks can include them in your wedding while also fulfilling a secondary need.
Wedding Toasts
Another big part of your wedding day is the wedding speeches. Traditionally, it is only the father of the bride, the best man, and the groom who prepare a speech for this section of the day, and they usually end with everyone toasting the happy couple. However, you may also find that there are some individuals left in your wedding party that are yet to do something. Asking if they’d like to perform a quick toast or say a few words include them in your day and it doesn’t take a lot of effort to arrange.
The Ones That Can’t Be There
Sadly, there will be loved ones that you wish could be part of your wedding, but they have passed on. This does not mean that they aren’t there in spirit, and there are several ways to subtly acknowledge these individuals.
Some brides choose to get the initials of those who have passed sewn into their veil, while other couples can station a table of photos of those they miss somewhere in the room. The key here is acknowledging your lost loved ones in a way that is personal to you.
Conclusion
You are probably surprised by just how many roles and responsibilities there are to fill during the average wedding ceremony. While it may seem daunting, at least you have a lot of ways to include people in your big day. Each role requires something unique, too, so you can tailor them to the individuals that you choose to make you wedding day truly special.
