Wedding Rehearsal Make Your Own

Question: How important is it to have your officiant at your wedding rehearsal?

(Posted by: DigitalDiva on 2009-09-13 14:08:09)

I am hiring a celebrant to officiate our ceremony, however they charge based on packages. One of the packages is around $300 for a personalized ceremony, and the other package is $500 for the personalized ceremony, plus they will attend the rehearsal. I was thinking it was rather important to rehearse with the officiant, but I'm not sure that it's worth $200 to me. Can we rehearse without them there? Or will we regret it the next day? I don't know if we need them there to help us to rehearse. I should add that it's going to be a simple and short outdoor ceremony. We may have a reading or two, if anything. No unity candles or sand ceremony or anything like that. Just a simple ceremony with normal vows. I disagree that it would be pointless to have a rehearsal without the officiant there. Maybe I'm missing something here, but doesn't the officiant just get you to repeat your vows? We would still have to rehearse on our own for the bridal party walking down the aisle and where everyone is standing and seated. I figured it would be a given that the officiant is standing at the front and we end up standing in front of them to repeat our vows.

Posted by: ~~Wishing~~~ on 2009-09-13, 14:15:47

That does seem a little wasteful; however, my only concern is that different officiants might have different ways of doing things. You don't want the officiant to show up on the wedding day and say that everything needs to be done X, Y and Z and you practiced A, B and C. Maybe ask him for a copy of the ceremony timeline and the ways he suggests you do your processional, etc.

Posted by: Soon to be Mrs. Moulthrop on 2009-09-13, 14:21:44

Eh I don't know. I wouldn't want to look confused during the ceremony, but we are having a Catholic wedding so it's important that everyone knows what's going on before the day.. However you say you are having a short outdoor ceremony. I would just talk to them and see how they do things. Is it the standard "We are gathered here today... " or is it going to be something different? If you think you can run through the rehearsal without him I would. I wouldn't pay anything extra to have him/ her there. I mean you tell your bridesmaids where to stand, you tell the groomsmen where to stand, you come in and the guy says yadda yadda yadda you may now kiss the bride. Do you plan on having some other things going on like a unity candle or some readings?

Posted by: nova_queen_28 on 2009-09-13, 14:48:41

I would pay the $200 to have the officiant there unless you have a wedding planner that can take everyone through the rehearsal itself. If you don't have a planner, I would think that you would need the officiant to lead the rehearsal.

Posted by: CamM on 2009-09-13, 16:14:10

Who is conducting the Ceremony? The Officiant. Who has experience with Wedding Ceremonies? The Officiant. Who has experience with the way YOUR officiant does things? The Officiant. On the day he/ she goes one way, you go the other and look like you don't know what you are doing. Not a good look. If your dress cost $200 more would you be wondering - should we/ shouldn't we? You NEED your Officiant at your rehearsal to give you tips and tell you how things will go.

Posted by: Natalie on 2009-09-13, 17:08:27

I would either have the officiant there or skip the rehearsal altogether. The whole point of a rehearsal is to give the officiant a chance to go over what they will need from everybody. It would be pretty pointless to have a rehearsal without an officiant there.