After the “will yous” and “yeses,” the most important words for newly engaged couples are the “I dos.” The ceremony is the foundation that sets the tone for the entire day, and you want everything to be perfect when it comes time to say those two little but powerful words. Here are some tips on how to plan a wedding ceremony that will make organizing your day that much easier.

Picking the Right Wedding Venue

Do you prefer a religious ceremony in a church? Or does a handfast on the beach sound more like your style?

Select a venue that matches your belief system and the day’s theme. Just as a church may best match traditional and religious couples, a beach or garden will enhance a laid-back, modern, or natural tone and give the couple more decorative freedom.

Budget is another factor to consider when deciding on the venue. Sharing vows in the function hall where the reception will be held may cut costs, including transportation fees.

List of Wedding Ceremony Events

The expression of intent, vows and exchange of the rings are the three most popular parts of the ceremony, but you may want to add more substance and traditions. Generally, most couples follow this basic order of events:

• Welcome And Opening Address
• Religious Readings, Poems Or Shared Stories
• Expression Of Intent Followed By Vows
• Exchange Of The Rings
• You May Now Kiss The Bride

It is up to you and your partner to decide which events you want to keep, remove and whether you want to add something different. Some couples light a candle after exchanging rings while others release doves into the world. Kissing the bride before the recessional march is the only part that every wedding has in common.

Choosing Your Wedding Vows

Reference to the ceremony usually refers to the vows. This is the main part when you plan a wedding ceremony, after all.

Selecting your vows will once again depend on your faith, personality and wedding theme. Some couples prefer repeating a script after their priest or wedding officant while creative types write their own script for the uniqueness and personality mixed into their day.

Vows can be serious, silly, designed after the couple’s favorite book or very simple.

Selecting the Right Wedding Music

Not everyone likes the traditional wedding march. The processional and recessional music is yet another way to infuse a bit of each partner’s personality into the ceremony. The song you choose can be an instrumental version of your favorite rock song or even the original version (like The Cure’s Friday I’m In Love)

Decorating Your Wedding Venue

Flowers, tea lights, bales of hay, lanterns and chalkboard signs are only a few examples of popular decorations chosen by couples. Decorations will depend on the venue, however. Churches and functional halls are stricter about what you can include, while outdoor ceremonies let the sky be the limit.

Do you need an extra bit of advice on how to plan a wedding ceremony? Golden Ocala can help you with every part of the day. Contact Julianne Cuomo, Director of Celebrations, to begin planning your special day, today.