Leading a Wedding Rehearsal can be a little intimidating, right? I remember when Matt and I drove to my first DSE wedding rehearsal last year and I was SO NERVOUS … my palms were sweating, I had butterflies in my stomach and I was SO AFRAID I was going to say something completely ridiculous!!!!

But leading a wedding rehearsal is a big part of being a wedding coordinator… brides are looking to YOU to LEAD the way!! Chances are they’ve never done this before, and they’ve hired you for your expertise on the subject!! I want to share a few tips for how to lead a wedding rehearsal …

– Know the Order of the Ceremony BEFORE the Rehearsal. Whether the Bride sends you a PDF of the Ceremony Program, or breaks it down via email, make sure you know what is going on and when! You don’t wan to feel surprised the day of the rehearsal, so understanding the ends & outs of the program will make you feel more confident and allow you to be in control.

– Discuss the Order of the Processional BEFORE the Rehearsal. You don’t want to spend 10 minutes discussing the family processional with the bride when everyone is standing around waiting for you to begin. You don’t want to have to spend another 10 minutes ironing out where the bridesmaids should stand and in what order. Talk with your bride prior to the Rehearsal so that you walk in knowing all the ins & outs & she can sit back and enjoy herself!!

– Have a list of NAMES prior to the Rehearsal. When you sit down with the Bride to discuss the Processional & Recessional, make sure you grab first names of everyone involved!! It’s so much easier to say “Betty” or “Bob” rather than MOH and BM. Having a list of names of the family processing in, bridal party, officiant and anyone else planning an active role in the wedding ceremony will make the rehearsal go smoother!! Plus, I think it’s more professional and all around nicer for you to call them by their given name instead of “hey you, bridesmaid”:)

– Schedule the Rehearsal for 1 hour. I ask for a 1 hour time-slot because it’s nice to have cushion! The actual rehearsal only takes about 30 minutes, but you NEVER know what could happen (someone running late, lots of questions, etc.). Since you should already have the info you need before the rehearsal, all you need to do is orchestrate it!! I like to do a short & sweet welcome & introduce myself to everyone before digging in!

– Start Backwards to Forwards. This part is CRUCIAL, friends!! Rather than starting with the Processional, have the bridal party stand at the front of the alter (church, field, etc.) FIRST. Talk to them about how to stand, how to hold their hands, where to look, etc.. It helps people when they know what the end result will be, so practicing backwards to forwards allows everyone to see where they will end up!! After you get everyone situation at the alter, practice the Recessional. THEN have them do it all from the top!! Now when they walk in, they’ll already know where to stand, how to stand and where to look!

– Make a Mini-Timeline. I create a mini-timeline for all guests of the Rehearsal. It gives them information on a NEED TO KNOW basis!! For example: bridesmaids & groomsmen don’t need to know when the DJ is arriving for set-up, but they DO need to know when pre-ceremony pictures begin!! I cut out the unnecessary timeline info and give everyone a short & sweet version!! I also provide my cell phone # so that I can be reached for any reason that night or the day-of!

– Remember that you are the expert!! The bride has hired YOU because she trusts you and your expertise. YOU run this:) You know the best places for them to stand, the flow the Ceremony should have and what order the family should be ushered in under. Don’t let a bossy Bridesmaid or rowdy Groomsmen throw you off!! You can nicely but forcibly take control and remind them of that when they get a little crazy:) Here’s the thing: they probably DON’T want to be there & are ready for drinks at the rehearsal dinner!! Remind them that the better they listen, the faster it will go:)

xo!! kat

(( Picture by Michael & Carina Photography from my very first DSE Wedding:) Love you Joy & Brian!!! ))