Incorporating Friends In Your Ceremony

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Incorporating Friends In Your Ceremony

Marriage ceremonies are special occasions for family and friends to gather to celebrate a couple’s union. Even though a couple could go to the courthouse to formalize their union, a wedding ceremony provides an opportunity for friends to join with you and participate in related events such as the rehearsal dinner, reception and more. For a bride or groom, a sibling or bestie is often an easy choice for a maid of honor or best man. But for someone with many close friends, having all of them in your wedding party might not be feasible. Here are some other ways to formally involve your dearest friends.

Friends As Formal Witnesses

In Canada, two formal witnesses are required to make things official. Consider asking friends to serve as the official witnesses to your marriage. They can be acknowledged in the program. You can also include them in document signing as a part of the ceremony. It’s impossible to get married without completing this step, so think about this idea for two of your most special loved ones.

Ushers

Traditionally, once all groomsmen roles are filled, additional male loved ones may be asked to serve as ushers for the ceremony. Ushers do more than just pass out programs and show celebrants to their seats. They can be made a formal part of the program by assigning them the responsibility of seating VIPs such as the mothers of the bride and groom. There’s no rule that says the ushers have to be men or that they have to be affiliated with the groom.

Ceremony Readers

Perhaps you know someone who is really good at public speaking. Maybe one of your friends has a beautiful voice and would be honored to sing. Adding these loved ones to the wedding program to read scripture, offer a speech, or perform a selection is a great way to include them in the ceremony, especially when your wedding party is full.

Reception Emcee

Do you know someone who has the gift of gab? Suppose you or your partner has a close friend who is completely comfortable with a microphone and knows how to connect with audiences. This loved one could be a great emcee for your reception. They can keep the event moving while knowing how and when to inject humor with quick wit and clever anecdotal asides about you and your partner. Emceeing a reception ceremony is no small task, so this person would be fulfilling an important role.

Miscellaneous Roles

Wedding events contain many moving parts, and there are other roles that special people can be asked or invited to fulfill on your big day:

  • Wedding Planner: If one of your dear friends is an event planner or offers vendor services such as catering, patronizing their business is a great way to include them in the festivities.
  • DJ Services: Do you want the reception to have a party vibe? Hiring a friend to be the reception deejay is a good way to have that person contribute.
  • Photographer: There’s a good chance that you have a friend who does photography. Consider hiring them to document the day with official photos as well as candid shots during the ceremony and reception.

If you’re contracting with friends to provide services for your nuptials, it’s important that you formally acknowledge them in some way. This not only shows appreciation for their contributions, but it also advertises their services.

Celebrating with family and friends is one of the things that a couple-to-be can anticipate about a wedding. Inviting loved ones to be an official part of the ceremony and other events is one way to express your love and appreciation. Everyone can’t be in the wedding party, so consider these tips for involving your nearest and dearest.

Incorporating Friends In Your Ceremony

Marriage ceremonies are special occasions for family and friends to gather to celebrate a couple’s union. Even though a couple could go to the courthouse to formalize their union, a wedding ceremony provides an opportunity for friends to join with you and participate in related events such as the rehearsal dinner, reception and more. For a bride or groom, a sibling or bestie is often an easy choice for a maid of honor or best man. But for someone with many close friends, having all of them in your wedding party might not be feasible. Here are some other ways to formally involve your dearest friends.

Friends As Formal Witnesses

In Canada, two formal witnesses are required to make things official. Consider asking friends to serve as the official witnesses to your marriage. They can be acknowledged in the program. You can also include them in document signing as a part of the ceremony. It’s impossible to get married without completing this step, so think about this idea for two of your most special loved ones.

Ushers

Traditionally, once all groomsmen roles are filled, additional male loved ones may be asked to serve as ushers for the ceremony. Ushers do more than just pass out programs and show celebrants to their seats. They can be made a formal part of the program by assigning them the responsibility of seating VIPs such as the mothers of the bride and groom. There’s no rule that says the ushers have to be men or that they have to be affiliated with the groom.

Ceremony Readers

Perhaps you know someone who is really good at public speaking. Maybe one of your friends has a beautiful voice and would be honored to sing. Adding these loved ones to the wedding program to read scripture, offer a speech, or perform a selection is a great way to include them in the ceremony, especially when your wedding party is full.

Reception Emcee

Do you know someone who has the gift of gab? Suppose you or your partner has a close friend who is completely comfortable with a microphone and knows how to connect with audiences. This loved one could be a great emcee for your reception. They can keep the event moving while knowing how and when to inject humor with quick wit and clever anecdotal asides about you and your partner. Emceeing a reception ceremony is no small task, so this person would be fulfilling an important role.

Miscellaneous Roles

Wedding events contain many moving parts, and there are other roles that special people can be asked or invited to fulfill on your big day:

  • Wedding Planner: If one of your dear friends is an event planner or offers vendor services such as catering, patronizing their business is a great way to include them in the festivities.
  • DJ Services: Do you want the reception to have a party vibe? Hiring a friend to be the reception deejay is a good way to have that person contribute.
  • Photographer: There’s a good chance that you have a friend who does photography. Consider hiring them to document the day with official photos as well as candid shots during the ceremony and reception.

If you’re contracting with friends to provide services for your nuptials, it’s important that you formally acknowledge them in some way. This not only shows appreciation for their contributions, but it also advertises their services.

Celebrating with family and friends is one of the things that a couple-to-be can anticipate about a wedding. Inviting loved ones to be an official part of the ceremony and other events is one way to express your love and appreciation. Everyone can’t be in the wedding party, so consider these tips for involving your nearest and dearest.

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