1.

The Processional

First off, the processional. This is when members of your immediate family and wedding party head
down the aisle and either find a seat or take their places on either side of the altar. The processional
begins with the grandparents, flows through the parents, groom, officiant, wedding party, flower girl,
and ring bearer, and ends with the bride making her entrance.

The Ultimate Guide to the Wedding Processional Order

2. Words of Welcome

Once everyone is in place, the officiant will say a few words of welcome. He or she may thank guests for
bearing witness to your union, as well as welcome everyone to your venue and your celebration.

3. Opening Remarks and Introduction

Next, the officiant will offer an introduction and some thoughts on marriage. This could be a brief
recounting of your love story, words on what marriage means to you, or a statement about the
ceremony to come and what it represents.

4. Readings

From there, if you are including readings of any sort in your ceremony, readers will be invited up to
share a few words. You could have your officiant introduce each reading and reader or have things flow
more naturally between readers.

5. Exchange Vows

After the readings have been shared, the two of you will exchange vows. This is also the part where
you'll place rings on each other's fingers as symbols of your marriage.

6. The Kiss

Now, the good part! After you've exchanged vows and rings, the two of you get to seal your marriage
with a kiss. You're officially husband and wife!

7. Unity Ceremony
If you're planning on having a unity ceremony, this is a good time to incorporate it. In a unity ritual, the
couple does something that physically symbolizes their new union, such as using two candles to light a
single candle or binding their hands together with ribbon.

8. Final Blessings

If your ceremony is a religious affair, this is the proper time for a final prayer.

9. The Recessional

The officiant introduces the married couple for the first time. Then, the bride and groom lead the
recessional back up the aisle as guests shower you with rice!

01. COCKTAIL HOUR

After the ceremony, the couple, their families, and wedding party head off with the photographer to
pose for pictures. That leaves the rest of the guests standing around awkwardly with nothing to do,
hovering in a weird limbo between ceremony and reception. The solution: get them liquored up. Thus,
the cocktail hour was born.

02. ARRIVALS

The newlyweds, their parents and the wedding party make their grand entrance to the reception. The
bride and groom are introduced for the first time as husband and wife. It feels like something from a
beauty pageant or a variety show from the 1960s—just so you know, you’ll probably feel like that
multiple times throughout the wedding process.

03. DINNER

By this time, guests are probably pretty hungry and thinking, “Hey, where’s the food?” Dinner is served
—it can be anything from fine dining, to an intimate family-style meal, to a catered Chipotle buffet; your
call. More on this in What to Serve and How to Serve It.

04. TOASTS

The Best Man and Maid of Honor make their toasts—followed by the couple, their parents, and whoever
else will be making a speech that night. There’s a certain art to making a toast—an art that has definitely
not been mastered by every reception toast-maker out there. But don’t worry, we’ll help make yours a
hit.
05. FIRST DANCE

Your first dance as a married couple can be nerve-wracking since it’s just the two of you on the dance
floor for the length of an entire song (three minutes go by very slowly when there’s a room full of
people staring at you). Just laser-focus on your new spouse—this will be a really special moment if you
block out the audience.

06. DANCING

Remember: the guests won’t start dancing until you do. After the first dance, it’s the couple,
bridesmaids, and groomsmen’s responsibility to ignite the dance party. Ask your wedding party to get
on the dance floor the moment the first song starts. Shouldn’t be too hard to convince them...

07. BOUQUETS & GARTER TOSSES

Many people include these in their weddings, but they have pretty creepy meanings behind them if you
really think about it (more on that later). Decide what’s best for you, or make up your own traditions.
More on this in Entertainment.

08. CAKE CUTTING

About an hour before the end of the reception (right when guests are probably in need of a snack and
starting to lose some steam on the dance floor) is an excellent time to break out the cake and bring on
the sugar rush.

09. LATE-NIGHT SNACK

Not everyone has a sweet tooth, so a lot of couples like to bring out other late-night snack options for
their guests, keeping their bellies full and the party going. Think about foods that drunk people like—so
basically, the more fried, the better—and ideally things they can eat while on the dance floor (finger
foods, anything on a stick, nothing too saucy).

0. FINAL FAREWELL

Make an exit as grand as your entrance. Have your guests see you off with sparklers, bubbles, rose
petals, beach balls—or depart in a cool vintage car. The possibilities— and photo ops—are endless.