Let's just get straight into it! Here's my wedding ceremony tips.
Choose suppliers you feel you can trust. Meet or speak to them to make sure they're the right fit for you. You need trusted people around you, so you feel like everything is in hand on your wedding day.
Think about the smaller details.
Some examples:
Ask a member of your bridal party to keep some seats free for your initial family OR get some seat reserve tags for the seats.
Vow cards! Make sure you get some designed & created, this is often a last minute thought for some couples... unless you're planning on remembering them, they're kind of a necessity.
Reading cards! Same as above but for readings, you don't want your readers using a phone. (I include vow and reading cards in my ceremony price)
Have a member of your bridal party check the room is set out the way you like it on the morning of the wedding. If you have symbolic elements, they should check everything is where it should be (if you've hired a celebrant, they will double check this too!)
Speak to everyone involved.
 Photo: Alicia Eden Photography
If you're having your bridal party walk down the aisle, make sure they know the order they're going in and where they're going to sit after they walk down the aisle. You don't want them wandering around.
If any of your family/friends are taking part in symbolic elements, for example handfasting, sand ceremonies, time capsules. Let them know roughly when their part will be happening and, more importantly, what they'll be physically doing.
Tell readers where their card will be so they're not looking lost as they walk to the front. Make sure you give them the reading in plenty of time, before the day, so they can practice if they wish.
Speak to your venue, musicians & other suppliers to make sure they know exactly what you want. (A celebrant will email your venue with a breakdown & approximate timings etc.)
Designate a dress fluffer, bouquet carrier, tissue keeper AND bobble watch.
Your celebrant will speak to everyone involved and be there extra early to solve any issues that may arise.
This is just for you, the happy couple!
Photo: Chloe Gels Photography
ENJOY THE MOMENT!
Don't be afraid to HAVE FUN! It's a celebration after all.
Take in the moment, look around the room before you walk back up the aisle and take everyone in - they're there to celebrate you. Also, have another kiss on the way back up the aisle!
Take time to choose your readings and think outside the box, don't just choose from a list (I do personalised poems, which tells your story).
Give yourself PLENTY of time to write your vows. I'll be doing a post on vow writing very soon.
If you're hiring a celebrant, make sure you choose the right personality for you! Writing and officiating your ceremony is SUCH a personal thing, you want someone you feel comfortable with.
Don't be afraid to be yourselves and have your ceremony reflect your own beliefs/preferences. It's your marriage after all, not anyone else's.
You don't HAVE to do anything... Don't want to read vows? DON'T! Don't want to walk down the aisle seperately? DON'T! The list goes on!
Again, you don't have to stick to tradition, do whatever you want to do. Pick and choose what you like and what you don't. If you hire a celebrant, there are not rules with what to include in your ceremony.
Take some deep breaths and look at eachother.
I have sooooo much more advice and I may even update this post but here you go if you're planning a ceremony!
Meg x
Personalised Poems: https://www.megstaniercelebrant.co.uk/poetry-service
Vow Writing Help: https://www.megstaniercelebrant.co.uk/weddings
Wedding Ceremony Stationery: https://www.megstaniercelebrant.co.uk/inkandfoil
Ceremony ideas, look at real weddings: https://www.megstaniercelebrant.co.uk/blog/categories/wedding-day