Wedding Resources - Wedding ceremony HELP!!?

Wedding ceremony HELP!!?

I have never been to a wedding ceremony only to a few receptions. I have no idea what is done. Can someone please tell me? What happens start to finish? I was thinking it takes only 15-20 min then someone told me it was almost a hour. I do NOT want that long of a ceremony 30 min max! I really don't know anything but what I see on T.V. (do you take this women thing.) THANKS EVERYONE IN ADVANCE!

Public Comments

it depends, I've been to weddings in Baptist churches that were less than 15 mins, and Catholic weddings that included communion and were 90 mins. if you're having a civil ceremony where you pretty much write your own vows and determine how long it is, you can incorporate a few readings into the program by picking family members not in the wedding party to get up and read a Bible verse or poem or something. some people light a unity candle which I think is stupid. or you could have someone sing with a pianist or guitar or something.
It is close to an hour. If you want it shorter you can always have a justice of the peace do your ceremony and ask that they not include long speeches and such. If you want it even shorter you could get someone close to you to become ordained and they can be the one to marry. It wouldn't be in a church though. Anyone can become an ordained minister online for a little over 20 dollars.
Why dont you go online and look at some possible scenarios or scripts to follow? I'm getting married in October and my ceremony will probably last 15 minutes tops. (Outside by a judge) I think these days anything over 25 minutes is just redundant!
I have only been to one that was long, it was about 35 min. Usually it's under 30 min, and all the others I have been to they are about 20 mins. Usually (unless you've got extra sutff, or religious stuff to add) it goes like so.... Once everyone is seated and it's time to start the wedding party walks....Groom is usually already there or walks up the side, or walks with his mother or alone down the aisle. Then the wedding party with the bridesmaids/groomsmen walk. Then if you have them, the ring bearer and then the flower girl walks. Then, tada, dramatic music starts, lol and here comes the bride. Once everyone is at the alter, the pastor or officiant starts, you can keep this real short if you want "We are gathered here to celebrate blah blah blah" sometimes they say a verse fromt he bible or a prayer, or a quote or something. Then the exchange of vows, rings on the fingers, smoochy smoochy and tada.... Some couples are announced and walk out at that point, some people will sign the marriage certificate right there (when I have seen the Maid of Honor and Best Man sign as witnesses) and viola!!!! It seems like a lot but it's really not, unless you have people giving speeches or a bunch of stuff being read then it doesnt take very long. I am keeping mine short and sweet too! Good Luck!
Basically just depends on what you want. I'm hoping that mine is only 20 minutes. At the most 30 mins and that includes the procession and recessionals. I think this can be accomplished because I don't need anyone singing solos in the middle of the ceremony or reading any love poems. Were are taking communion and lighting the candles. Just talk it over with the person who will be officiating your ceremony and you all will be able to work it out. I'll be finalizing my ceremony on Saturday.
A wedding can vary from very short to over an hour. Even church weddings vary a lot. Depends on if you want just the ceremony or a mass, too. We had the ceremony and mass and it was over an hour...WAY too long! But even if you want both, talk to the officiant to have him help you make it short and sweet. So..what type of wedding do you want? Church? Courthouse? JoP? On the beach or outside? This will be a determining factor to the length of your ceremony.
It depends on your religion.What do you mean you don't want that long of a ceremony? You only get married once.
This all depends.... I had a Catholic mass and ceremony, which was about 45 minutes long...some are a lot longer. A lot of church weddings run about 45 minutes long. You can opt to be married by a judge or a JOP--a ceremony like that will take about 20 minutes.
Most weddings I have been to are 15-30 minutes long. Generally, the shorter the better! However, often the pastor/priest/whoever will give a bit of a speech and it can be really beautiful if they do a good job. One wedding I was at the pastor spoke about marriage and everyone was in tears, it was so touching. Here's how my wedding is going to go (roughly): - everyone goes to the church and sits in the pews - the ushers (my cousins) seat the grandparents and parents - the groom and his groomsmen walk in on the side and stand up the front (sometimes the groom picks funny music to walk into, depends on the guy! I have seen one guy walk into the Monty Python music with the coconut sounds) - the music starts and the bridesmaids walk down the aisle - next is the maid of honour, then the flower girl (or vice versa) - last is the bride (with whoever is walking her down the aisle, if anyone is) - the pastor says a few words and maybe a prayer - there may be a bible reading or prayer from a loved one - the vows are said & the rings are exchanged - KISS the bride! - not sure if we will do the signing during the ceremony or not - present Mr & Mrs so-and-so, walk back down the aisle (we will be leaving to the song "I FEEL GOOD!") - some people have a "receiving line" at the end where anyone from just the bride & groom to the entire wedding party and parents stand in a line and greet guests as they leave. We're not having one since we want to try and get pictures taken between the ceremony and reception I think that's everything! :)
IT totally depends on a few things First, is it in a church? If so, what denomination? For instance, Catholics tend to do an entire mass with the wedding so that's going to be an hour for sure. Other denominations skip the mass and just have the wedding ceremony which can take 15 minutes or an hour depending on what all you want included in the ceremony. If you're doing a church wedding, talk to the minister and discuss your options. Actually either way, talk to the officiant - they can usually guide you.
Hi - I'm a civil marriage officiant (like a Justice of the Peace)I usually tell people they can have the "2 subway stop wedding" (8 minutes, if you're between 2 stops in New York), or the 3 stop (15 minutes) or the bus ride (half an hour). Anything longer, and people are starting to get hungry and fidget. A basic civil ceremony is 7 minutes in City Hall, 13-18 minutes with an officiant, and it's the music, prayers, mass, sermon, etc. which add the extra time. A basic ceremony consists of: THE GATHERING (seating the guests, or gathering round on the beach/under a tree, etc.). THE PROCESSION (Bride and Groom and officiant walk to the front, 1 minute) OR the parents and the grandparents and the groom's party and the 15 bridesmaids and the junior bride and the junior bridesmaid and the 3 cute kids and the bride walk into to music - this can take 15-20 minutes). THE WELCOME, STATEMENT OF MARRIAGE (3 minutes) THE FAMILY BLESSING (this used to be "who gives this woman to be married", but now it's usually a short request for the family to bless the wedding, mention of any absent family, lighting of candles or short moment of silence for anyone who has died) (3 minutes, optional) THE READINGS (optional, can be religious or poetry, or a piece of music. This is basically a break/transition and a good time to seat late guests) (2-4 minutes) THE INTENTION ("Is it your intention to take this person as your husband/wife") 1 minute A SHORT SERMON or STATEMENT ON MARRIAGE or the CHARGE TO THE COUPLE (optional, 1-2 minutes). VOWS 1 minute RING VOWS 1 minute BLESSING, 2nd READING, UNITY CANDLE, WINE BLESSING, any one of several optional ceremonies to demonstrate the newly married state of the couple (2-4 minutes) DECLARATION ("In front of us all this couple have pledged their vows...and it is with the authority vested in me, that I declare they are man and wife,...") (30 seconds) KISS (length to be determined) PRESENTATION ("I have the honor to present to you...") 15 seconds. Lots of clapping and excitement, 15 seconds. RECESSIONAL (reverse order, everybody goes out) Add the SIGNING OF THE LICENSE, which can be done before the wedding, during the wedding (4 minutes) or after. TOTAL time: 14-18 minutes. In case you want to see a few examples of how to organize a short civil ceremony, I linked some of our samples below, plus this basic outline. GOOD LUCK! Have the wedding you want, be prepared to discuss your wishes, and enjoy yourself!
Congratulations Mary B and lc_sar have given you perfect wedding order and times. If you want to see ideas and get a visual then go to youtube and type in weddings. You can view lots and lots of weddings. This will give you some ideas of what Mary B and lc_sar are talking about. Best of Luck