As wedding pros, we’ve noticed that couples spend most of their creative juices planning the details of their wedding reception, and as a result, they tend to forget to personalize the details of their ceremony. We get it – Everyone wants to focus on the fun. Well, here are eight easy ways to make your wedding ceremony as fun and as unique as you are.  For tips and recommendations on planning your wedding ceremony, check out our guidebook for planning a wedding ceremony.

1. Mix Up the Ceremony Set-Up. Instead of setting up your wedding ceremony in the typical theater seating format, consider setting the chairs in one of the following formats –

• Chevron. The ceremony chairs are facing forward, but they are set to look like a “V.”
• Ceremony in the Round. The ceremony chairs are set in a circle with the couple and the officiant standing in the center.
• Mixed Seating. The ceremony chairs can include a mix of chiavari chairs, couches, and chairs at tables. If the space and budget allow it, it is completely up to the couple.
• Runway Style. Instead of the chairs facing forward, they can face the aisle similar to the set-up for a fashion show.

2. Infuse Something Different into Your Cocktail Reception. If your ceremony and reception are scheduled to take place in the same ballroom, your wedding planner and vendors will more than likely need 90 minutes to “turnover” the set-up from a ceremony to a dinner reception. While your guests wait, consider entertaining your guests or give them something fun to do while they wait. Here are a few ideas –

• Throw A Dance Party. Hire a band and set up a dance floor so that your guests can dance while they wait. It’s a fun way to get the party started!
• Book A Comedian. Hire a family friendly comedian to perform during the last 30 minutes of your cocktail reception. It’s a fun change, and your guests will enjoy the opportunity to sit down for 30 minutes.
• Schedule a Tour. If your wedding is taking place in a museum, hire docents to give your guests a guided tour during cocktails. It’s even more fun if you add an “Instagram Scavenger Hunt.”
• Hire an Aerialist.  There is a certain “wow” fact to these performers that never gets old.
• Hire Character Actors. Bring your wedding design to life with a town crier or a cigarette girls (serving hors d’ oeuvres instead of cigarettes of course).  The possibilities are endless!

3. Offer Pre-Ceremony Sips. If your wedding is taking place outdoors or in a venue other than a place of worship, consider offering your wedding guests champagne, infused water or lemonade prior to the start of the wedding ceremony. If the wedding is taking place in the winter, offer hot chocolate or hot apple cider. It’s a nice way to welcome your guests before the festivities begin.

4. Pick Someone Other Than Your Pastor to Officiate Your Wedding. If you would love for a family member or friend to officiate your wedding, ask him or her to get ordained so that they can officiate your wedding. But, be sure to check the rules of our local marriage bureau to ensure that your decision is legal in your area. And, some couples have even chosen to officiate their wedding ceremony themselves when they wanted to provide an intimate and personal experience.

5. Mix Up the Roles. Here are some ways where couples have mixed up the roles in their wedding party to give it a more personal feel –

• Best Woman or Man-of-Honor. Some grooms have asked their best female friends to be their best woman or their grooms woman and some brides have asked their best male friends to be their man-of-honor or a member of their bridal party.
• Your Grandmother is the Flower Girl. Some couples have asked their grandmothers to serve as their flower girls.
• Your Dog is the Ring Bearer. Some couples have used their well-behaved dogs to serve as their ring bearers.

6. Choose Your Favorite Music Genre. Not a fan of classical music? That’s okay! Consider selecting music that is more befitting of your culture, your preferred genre and/or your personal style. If you are getting married in a place of worship, check with the officiant first because there may be some music restrictions.

7. Choose an Uncommon Combination of Colors. Just because it is a wedding, it doesn’t mean you have to select blush and gold or red and white or pink and purple. Consider using the colors of your favorite outfit or the color of the favorite room in your home. It may present a fresh new look that doesn’t feel like everyone else’s wedding ceremony.

8. Write your own wedding vows. Nothing is more romantic than a couple who proclaims their love to each other in their own words.

Love & Soul Always, Kawania