Carolyn Burke STL Blog

Wedding Ceremony Rehearsal Guide I have performed over 1,000 wedding ceremonies in the last 15+ years. One of my packages includes coordinating the wedding rehearsal . While I do offer rehearsal coordination, it is not necessary to have me there. I require a Phone Rehearsal for all wedding ceremonies, but I am happy to supervise the rehearsal for an additional fee.  The majority of my couples choose to do the rehearsal themselves without me being present. Running Your Own Wedding Rehearsal Below is an extensive guide as a way to help you run your own wedding ceremony rehearsal, saving you time and money, as well as helping the ceremony run more smoothly on your wedding day. It is important to note that there are many possible variations to the ceremony order, and this guide was created focusing on a straight, non-denominational wedding ceremony. Please see the “Variations” section of the guide for options for our LGBT couples, as well as common cultural, religious, and r...

Things You Should Know for Your Ceremony Rehearsal Who Should Attend: The Couple Getting Married 💓 All Members of the Wedding Party (including ring bearer and flower girl) Individuals with Special Roles During the Ceremony (readers, lighting candles, etc.) Ushers Musicians or Soloists (optional) Officiant(s) Parents of the Bride and Groom Grandparents (optional) Wedding Liaison (That's me!) At the Rehearsal Practice What is to be Choreographed Where and When The rehearsal is usually held at the ceremony location the night or two before the wedding. However, if the ceremony location is unavailable, the rehearsal can be held at an alternative location. Tips for Your Rehearsal Make sure everyone in the rehearsal knows the time and directions to the location. Some brides send out invitations for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner along with directions for those that may be unfamiliar with the location. The goal is to get everyone there on time! Let your Of...

Although I specialize in short, sweet and simple ceremonies in the St Louis MO and Metro East IL area, that does not mean that the WEDDING PARTY is simple too.  I agree to perform at a large wedding as long as the couple agrees that the ceremony remains SIMPLE (less than 15 minutes). Many times the number of guests is small even though there is a large wedding party (grandparents, parents, groomsmen, bridesmaids, ring bearer, flower girl, even a train bearer) There is no way to make "simple" out of a large wedding party of 6+ bridesmaids and 6+ groomsmen, two ring bearers and a baby in a stroller as the flower girl! Couples who decide to have a large wedding party need to have in place the order they want to have their bridesmaids and groomsmen to walk down the aisle. When the ceremony is about to begin and the bride and groom are still deciding is NOT the time. Getting 16+ people to stop talking and listen is no easy task. Having a rehearsal is helpful, but it...