Wedding Books and Magazines often give suggestions as to wedding events, activities, and time-tables. The following is customized information for weddings in the Capital Region ( Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady, Troy, Lake George, Hudson, Amsterdam, and surrounding areas)
Bride and Attendants and Family should be ready 1½ to 2 hours before the ceremony for pictures. Being ready will avoid you being rushed, last minute oversights, and, give your professional photographer time to create beautiful pictures that will be treasured for a life-time.
Groom and Attendants and Family should arrive at the ceremony location 30 minutes before ceremony
When the Bride and Attendants exit the limousine, while still being seated at the exit door, swing your legs out and stand up. Do not try to climb head-first out of the limousine. It is physical awkward, and, it could create an un-useable picture especially depending on a lower dress-cut of the neck-line.
Parents and/or primary family members are seated just before the Processional. Let the photographer and videographer be in position before parents are seated so as to record the entrance.
If you are using an aisle runner, it is un-rolled after the parent seating, but before the processional. On occasion, the runner is un-rolled after the attendants processional but before the brides entrance.
During the Processional, attendants should be at least 10 pews apart to allow for even spacing and pacing. This will avoid attendants being crunched to close together.
Ceremony Vows and Ring Exchange are extremely important. The Bride and Groom need to absolutely positively turn and face each other. (Face to face, shoulder to shoulder, toes to toes). This will allow your parents, families, relatives, and guest to actually see you and your faces. This will also allow your photographer and videographer to properly record this event. Otherwise, if you do not turn and face each other, all anyone will see is “backs’n’butts”.
Lighting a Unity Candle is very popular. Please remember to go around to the back-side of the altar area and face out toward the guests so that they can see you. This also creates for better pictures and video.
At the end of the ceremony, when you are coming back down the center aisle, do not rush, take your time, take in the moment, hear the music, hear the applause, and see all the smiling faces.
If you are doing a receiving line, we would suggest including the bride, groom and parents. This will allow a smooth, evenly paced guest flow.
Please plan for your once-in-a-lifetime professional formal pictures. If you give your photographer one hour of your time, they will create beautiful pictures that will be cherished for years and generations to come. Be sure to have your Bridal Party and Family Members stay after the ceremony for pictures.
The usual event schedule at a reception include Cocktail Hour, Introductions, First Dance, Blessing, Toasts, Dinner, Parent Dances, Cake Cutting, and Garter-Bouquet (if any)
The First Dance occurs right after the Introductions. Usually, half-way through the First Dance, the Bridal Party join in. Other variations include a Bride and Groom First Dance, then a Second dance that includes the Bridal Party.
During the Toasts, the Maid of Honor and Best Man stand behind the seated Bride and Groom to allow all families and guests a better view. It is also common for the Maid of Honor to also offer a Toast.