Why and When to Consider a Wedding Rehearsal?
After months of preparation, the much anticipated day is a few days away. Your dream wedding party is about to be real. This is where a wedding rehearsal comes in.
A wedding rehearsal is a step-by-step run-through of your wedding ceremony before the day comes.
There’s no penalty for not having a wedding rehearsal. However, you should not skip that process in your wedding preparation.
It’s a way to get everyone involved in the ceremony ready for D-Day. Why and when is a wedding rehearsal needed? Find out as you read further.
Why you should consider a wedding rehearsal
A wedding rehearsal makes everything run smoothly on your wedding day. Here are reasons you should have a wedding rehearsal.
To eliminate anxiety
It is not unusual for couples to get anxious on their wedding day. Not just the people getting married that get anxious, the bridal train also gets anxious. But with a wedding rehearsal, the anxieties will be gotten rid of.
If you’re anxious about walking in your new shoes, having your first kiss, or have questions that are bothering your mind, those are all things you can practice or ask during your wedding rehearsal.
To know where to go, stand, or sit
A wedding rehearsal helps you, your bridal train, and other members to know where to go, stand and sit.
It looks easy until the day comes and everywhere looks disorganized. But at the wedding rehearsal, you’ll be able to decide if you would walk the aisle with your partner or separately.
You will also be able to decide where to sign your marriage certificates, the order of procession and recession, where your bridal train will sit, and where and how your relatives will sit.
So the kids can practice
A wedding ceremony doesn’t only feature adults, it also includes kids. Kids need to practice before they can do their roles at the wedding party.
Most kids are not experienced in performing in the presence of crowds. But a wedding rehearsal gives them the chance to practice their roles.
Take Care of any last Minute Reminder
A wedding rehearsal allows you to cross-check everything so far, and be sure that you have not left anything behind. If there’s anything that has been left unattended. You can see to it before the day arrives.
A Wedding Rehearsal gives you the chance to practice your wedding entrance
A wedding rehearsal is a time to figure out how your wedding entrance would look. It can be stressful trying to arrange everyone to their position on the big day without a rehearsal.
But with a rehearsal, you can practice the style and the pace, and no one acts awkward on the wedding day.
When to consider a Wedding Rehearsal
It is no big deal if you decide to skip a wedding rehearsal. If your wedding is small, with few or no wedding attendants, and does not feature any wedding special readings or customs, then you can skip the wedding rehearsal.
But, if your wedding is formal and is a large gathering, especially if you have kids having a role to perform in the ceremony, then you should have a rehearsal. Going through the wedding process with everyone will help the event to run smoothly.
When should a Wedding Rehearsal be held?
A wedding rehearsal is usually conducted a day prior to the wedding day. It is always held in the evening around 4 p.m. or 5 p.m.
But if the wedding is a Sunday wedding, you can choose to have the wedding rehearsal a couple of nights before so that all participants have time to rest and regain energy.
After the wedding rehearsal, a dinner follows, where all the people present will be entertained with a sumptuous meal.
At the dinner, the bride and groom’s parents and friends have a good time together. You can seize that opportunity to give the members of the wedding party gifts; they will appreciate the gift and may even use it on your special day.
You can also use the time to appreciate your parents, relatives and the other people that are present.
Final Words
Even though there is no strict rule that you must have a wedding rehearsal, yet, it is an important event that you should not overlook.
Without proper guidance or direction, your wedding day and the arrangements may look disorganized.
You wouldn’t love that, would you? This is why a wedding rehearsal is there to prepare you for the big day.
At the wedding rehearsal, you will get to put your anxieties under control and relieve yourself of the unnecessary pressure that might have built up in you.
After the wedding rehearsal, you can organize a dinner where you show hospitality to the guests, families, and friends that graced the occasion
FAQs
Who should be at a wedding rehearsal?
- The bride and the groom.
- The bridal train and their significant others.
- Kids who have important roles to play in the wedding ceremony and their parents. E.g the ring bearers, the little bride, and others.
- The wedding couple’s parents
- Other relatives including grandparents
How long does a wedding rehearsal take?
Traditionally, a wedding rehearsal should not exceed sixty minutes. However, it may be longer or shorter but in most cases shorter than sixty minutes.
What does a wedding rehearsal entail?
A wedding rehearsal simply involves a complete run-through of all the activities included in a wedding ceremony.
Should there be an invitation for a wedding rehearsal?
A wedding rehearsal is a casual event that does not require a formal invitation. It shouldn’t be overcrowded, so a personal invitation via phone call or text message is enough.
Where should a wedding rehearsal hold?
A typical wedding rehearsal should be held at the wedding venue so that the people present at the rehearsal can get familiar with the place and the arrangement there. However, if the wedding venue is not available, you can use a restaurant’s private room, a bar, or a family home.
