Wedding Ceremony Checklist

The wedding ceremony is the heart of your wedding day, make sure that you do it in a way that suits you and reflects your relationship and reasons for getting married. This checklist highlights some of the important details that make a big difference in organising and creating your perfect ceremony.

1. Choose your celebrant

The first and most important part of your wedding ceremony to consider is who will perform and organise it. Asking a close friend or relative to perform your ceremony is an option, but choosing someone experienced and professional is the best way to ensure that everything goes smoothly and just the way you want it. Find out more advice on how to choose the Celebrant that’s right for you here. 

2. Do your research

Look up wedding ceremony traditions, rituals and alternative symbolic elements you could add in to make sure that you are comfortable and feel in control and that your ceremony reflects you, your relationship and the things that are important to you. You don’t have to do something just because it has always been done that way, if it doesn’t fit with your wedding day, or the tradition does not sit well with you, mix it up and find your own way.

3. Readings

Decide if you want family or friends to perform any readings, or if you want to read something to your love, or have the celebrant read something if you think your friends and family will be too nervous. Will you let them choose the readings, let them be a surprise, or choose some for them to read out? Look to your favourite song lyrics, poems, quotes from films or books for inspiration.

4. Walking down the aisle

How will you walk down the aisle? Will the wedding party (bridesmaids/ushers) walk in before, after, or at all? Do you want to walk down the aisle with a family member, friend, alone or together? Do whatever you feel comfortable with, choosing to go with tradition or change things up can set the tone for the rest of the ceremony and the day in general.

5. Vows

Do you want to write your own vows, a personal speech or sentences that define how you feel and why you want to marry each other? You can use storytelling, funny things that you love about each other and heartfelt promises.

Or, you could choose from existing vows, traditional or more modern styled ones if you are not comfortable with opening up in public, or feel too nervous or emotional.

There is also the choice of how you want to read them out – from a piece of paper, a handkerchief or plaque – the classic ‘repeat-after-me’ format – or question and answers, such as ‘I do’ vows.

You could also decide to share your vows in private if you prefer, whispering in each other’s ears, or passing them a note so that they can read them for themselves. These quiet alternatives can create very powerful, emotional and private moments within a day where you are surrounded by people.

6. Ring Exchange

What does wearing a wedding ring mean to you? There are lots of meanings and symbolism’s to wearing a ring – or maybe you don’t want to wear one at all, that is also an option!

Look up ring exchange wording to find the meaning or the significance that reflects how you feel.

7. Unplugged or as many photos as possible?

Decide whether you want guests to be able to take photos of their own during the ceremony. Often, the photographer wants to get shots of everyone’s reactions throughout, and it can be disappointing to see everyone with photos in front of their faces instead of being fully present with you. However, you may want to have the best pick of hundreds of pictures all from your loved ones, and you can create your own social media hashtag for them to use so that you can find them all after.

8. Contingency plans

If you are getting married on Ibiza, chances are you will be outside in the open air, enjoying the sunshine and beautiful surroundings. Just remember, that although the weather is hot during the summer months, it can sometimes rain! Make sure that it is not something that causes you stress and worry in the weeks and days leading up to the big day, by making sure that you have a backup plan, just in case! Most venues have an indoor area where they can organise the ceremony area instead, so check with them when you book that they have an option for these rare occurrences.

9. Symbolic rituals

There are lots of additions that you can add into your ceremony to make it extra special, as well as giving you a keepsake of your ceremony to take home and cherish. Sand Unity ceremonies are extremely popular on Ibiza, but there are so many lovely rituals that you can use to symbolise your love and commitment to each other. 

For example, Las Arras – or 13 Gold Coins/Unity Coins (a beautiful Spanish wedding tradition), a ring warming ceremony, wine sharing and a salt covenant are all wonderful examples of additions for your wedding ceremony on Ibiza. For more ideas read our previous blog: “4 Alternative Unity Ceremonies“

10. The Exit

Find out from your venue if confetti is allowed, often only real petals or natural confetti can be used, and if you want it to be used, ask your Celebrant to announce it before your exit down the aisle together, so that your guests can shower you with confetti.

A fun, upbeat song is great for the exit as it starts off the celebrations that will follow.