“I Wish I Had Done This On My Wedding Day…”
A bride recently asked me, “what are some things couples do on their wedding day that you wish could have been done differently?”
A loaded question. So, I answered from the “wedding ceremony” perspective and it went something like this…
Ditch The Aisle Runner on Hardwood or Grass. Simply, ditch the aisle runner, especially on a slippy floor and especially on grass or uneven ground. A bride may think this enhances her ceremony aisle and all it does is create potential chaos – it gets ripped, people trip, heels get caught, etc. And inviting a bride to do away with her aisle runner is often a hard sell as it is ingrained in a lot of wedding images and conversation!
Get Real About Time. I’m a big advocate for getting real about time on a wedding day. What this means is:
For an easy/elegant rehearsal, offer a start time of 15 to 30 minutes before your actual “formal rehearsal start time.” This is especially important on a Thursday afternoon/evening or Friday afternoon. This creates less stress for a couple, especially if they have a dinner reservation to keep and especially if there is driving time involved.
For a ceremony to start on time, put a earlier “guest arrival time” on your invitation. I work with couples to insure a prompt start time to their ceremony, which is comforting in so many ways and keeps a wedding timeline on track.
Build in ‘Alone Time’ on a Wedding Day: Working together, carve out “just us time” on a wedding day. I often suggest that a couple take 10-20 minutes alone together immediately after ceremony, which provides an intimate buffer of connection before a party or reception. Or “kidnap” each other during your celebration and go find 5 minutes to reflect, enjoy or watch your festivities from afar.
I really like what you suggest about taking time together after the ceremony for just US. I am really going going to try and put this into play on my big day exactly one month from today!