The Ceremony Situation

 

Your wedding ceremony – it’s the all-important moment, the part where you exchange your heartfelt vows and finally seal the deal with a kiss.

No doubt if you’ve been trawling Ivory Tribe and Instagram, and stalking Pinterest, you will have seen an abundance of ceremony ideas for beautifying your backdrop or sensational locations with views for days.

But is it all it’s cracked up to be and what should you consider when it comes to your ceremony situation?  We explore ceremony locations –  the good, the bad and the health and safety hazards to give you the low down on what works and what doesn’t and things to consider when it comes to making ceremony dreams come true.

 

 

BACK IT UP

A large number of wedding ceremonies, particularly in Victoria, take place outdoors. This is quite amusing, given that we are often known for experiencing four seasons in one day. So, when it comes to the great outdoors you must factor in the weather. And if we can give you one piece of advice – have a back-up plan! Your back up plan will provide a safe haven from the heat, the cold, wind, rain and any other weather woes that might come your way. At a point in the day, (or in the days leading up) make a call as to when the back-up plan will be executed and a plan of action on how guests and suppliers will be notified of any changes.

 

 

PUBLIC PROPERTY

Gardens, beaches, city laneways, they’re all incredible locations to say your ‘I do’s’. Though given that you’re in a public location, keep in mind that you may garner the attention of uninvited guests – the general public. Consider this when planning because if you’re the shy type, you may wish to get married somewhere more private, and also keep in mind that you will not have total control over the naturally curious passers-by. If a guy in budgie smugglers wants to walk behind your incredible floral arbour as your photographer snaps away, there’s little you can do!

 

 

WONDERS OF THE WORLD

You’ve probably seen the photos, sensational ceremonies held under waterfalls, canyons or cliff tops that often have you kicking yourself for not coming up with the idea first. While incredible scenic locations are wondrous to be wed, there are some factors you might like to consider. Often these types of locations are a little tricky to get to, even when you’re in your best active wear, so how will you tackle this when dressed to the nines? Also, if you’ve invited guests, particularly elderly ones, will they be able to access the site with ease? Another consideration is the unpredictable nature of the great outdoors – waterfalls are noisy so will you be able to hear anyone; windy cliff tops present a safety hazard and if you’ve chosen a tourist attraction you may not find yourself alone. By all means, go for the spectacular, but bear all of this in mind and be open to being flexible!

 

 

BLOWING IN THE WIND

Arbours and ceremony back drops these days come in all shapes and sizes. And while they will look a treat, be sure to remember that wind can wreak havoc on a wedding day and turn your beautiful back drop into a health and safety hazard very quickly. Nobody wants to see a wedding party knocked out, so be sure to be able to peg your back drop into the ground, or weigh it down with sandbags. You don’t want your wedding to go viral for all the wrong reasons.

 

 

SITTING PRETTY

What do you do when it comes to the seating situation? It’s wise to always provide some kind of seating at your ceremony, particularly for elderly/pregnant/immobile guests who may struggle to stand for the duration of proceedings. But when it comes to seating, do give thought to a few things.  How practical is your seating? Sure, hay bales look great, but they can also be prickly and catch your guests’ outfits; bench seating can present a safety hazard and also be too low to be comfortable for elderly guests. Guests can also tend to be overly polite when it comes to taking seats when there is clearly not enough for everyone. Minimise this by allocating seats in advance, or have a friend or family member on hand to ensure the right guests are seated and any spare ones are filled in. You celebrant is likely to make an announcement to have all seats filled before the ceremony starts, but keep in mind they’ve also got a lot going on in the lead up to the ceremony, so having a friend assist with this is helpful.

 

 

FASHIONABLY LATE?

Is it fashionable to be late? Times have changed and now, given the tight timelines wedding days have, arriving late to your own wedding day doesn’t really do anything except throw everything off track. It’s important to remember that you set a timeline for a reason and your suppliers will be working to this. If you’re 30 minutes late, this throws the food timing out and suddenly your caterers will be trying to keep your wedding feast cool, or not overcooked. Your suppliers have also only been paid until a certain time, so a late arrival might mean less dancefloor action later in the night as you try and make up the time along the way. A lot of brides and grooms arrive late because they think their guests will be late. To eliminate this happening, tell your guests your ceremony starts 15 minutes earlier than you have scheduled to ensure they arrive in a timely manner also.

 

 

TO PLUG OR UNPLUG

No doubt in your wedding research, you have probably come across the term ‘unplugged wedding’. If you haven’t, this means you will politely ask your guests to refrain from taking photos, and only allow the professional to snap away for the duration of your ceremony. Consider if this is or isn’t something you wish to do, and how you will announce this to your guests. The pros of this are of course that you won’t have aunty Sue’s iPad blocking the photographers view and that your guests will immerse themselves in the joy of your ceremony, rather than spending it behind their camera or phone. And the cons? Often it can take your photographer weeks to get your professional imagery back to you, so you won’t have any moments to view and share, though it will certainly be worth the wait!

 

 

SENSATIONAL CELEBRANTS

Yes you’re having a wedding and a big celebration, but don’t forget you’re actually getting ‘married’ and that is why you’re having the party in the first place! It’s important to remember this and also consider who you would like upfront to officiate your proceedings. An amazing celebrant can truly set the tone for your big day and they’re worth investing in and appreciating for the role they will play in your day. Lucky for you, we have an abundance of celebrants we personally recommend in our directory, alternatively though think back to ceremonies you’ve perhaps attended and loved and get the contact details for the celebrant, or ask family and friends for recommendations.

 

 

TOSS UP

Who doesn’t love the money shot of a newly married couple making their way down the aisle with mile wide smiles and in a sea of rose petals or confetti? To ensure you nail that shot, there’s a few things to keep in mind. Designate someone (be it your event coordinator or a trusted guest) to distribute the petals/confetti during the signing of the marriage certificate so they have them to hand, seems simple, but often in the busyness of setting up a ceremony it can be overlooked. Have your officiant also remind guests as to when to throw them and maybe even a prompt to throw them high as they exit the aisle, as no one wants a face full of confetti as they make their way down. Of course, always ask permission of your venue if you’re allowed to distribute rose petals and confetti, and please keep it environmentally friendly!

 

 

Prepare for your sensational ceremony with an incredible Ivory Tribe celebrant by checking them out here, we promise you won’t regret it!