Wedding Ceremony Outline

This article is all about your wedding ceremony outline.

Let’s organize your wedding ceremony. Setting up your wedding ceremony is a simple process. But it is the most important part of your wedding celebration. It is where you will finally say “I do” to the love of your life.

You will need a basic outline to follow for your wedding day. Or you may need a basic wedding ceremony outline in order to make your wedding programs. We have outlined a traditional wedding ceremony’s order of events.

In this article you will get a basic wedding ceremony outline to follow for your wedding day. By the end of this post, you will have a better idea of how things will go and transition on your wedding day.

Traditional Wedding Ceremony Outline

So let’s start with the wedding ceremony’s order of events. Here are things that will take place from start to finish.

  • Processional
  • Officiant’s speech
  • Exchange of vows
  • Exchange of rings
  • Pronouncement
  • Closing remarks
  • Recessional

The amount of time each part takes totally depends on the type of way you and your spouse are doing your vows and how big your wedding party is. Other than that, everything could vary when it comes to an actual time limit.

wedding ceremony outline

Here Comes the Bride… (Processional)

This is the great build up. The moment everyone has been waiting for. When the bridal party walks down the aisle with a beautiful song playing in the background. And then the bride. Everyone gawks at how beautiful she is and how stunning she looks in her wedding dress. She is given away by her father or someone of importance.

Dearly Beloved… (Officiant’s Speech)

We’ve heard this a million times. Yes this famous part. Please remember that the officiant will address the crowd first, and then signal to the couple that the vows are about to start. This is usually done by asking the couple to join hands.

Till Death Do Us… (Exchange of Vows)

The couple either reads their own vows or repeats after the officiant. This part is typically hard for the audience to hear because it is deeply emotional and the couple may be nervous.

With this Ring… (Exchange of Rings)

The ring bearer gives the rings to the couple. They take turns saying that the ring is a token of devotion and they place it on each other’s left ring finger.

I Now Pronounce you… (Pronouncement)

This confirms that the marriage is permanent. The officiant will say that you are not husband and wife.

You may Now Kiss… (Kiss)

Yay!! It’s official!! Kiss long enough to get some good photos for your photographer.

Thank you for witnessing… (Closing Remarks)

The officiant says some closing remarks. This could be a thank you message, a poem, or a prayer.

Let’s Go Party… (Recessional)

The couple exits first then the wedding party (in order).

The Party… (Reception)

After the recessional your guests should be led to your reception. This is separate from the wedding ceremony. See a wedding reception timeline HERE.

Conclusion

Noticed how the descriptions of each got less and less as we went through. That is the same way it will be during the actual ceremony. When outlining your wedding ceremony, know that the things taking place in the beginning will be a little longer. By the time you get to the pronouncement, things should go smoothly and may even take a short period of time.

We hope you found this wedding ceremony outline helpful. Are you having a traditional wedding? Please let us know in the comment section below.

Flower photo created by prostooleh – www.freepik.com

{RELATED: 3 Wedding Ceremony Script Ideas}

This article was all about a wedding ceremony outline.

wedding ceremony outline