As a planner one of the many tasks you will do is create the order of ceremony for the wedding. It’s important that you have a wedding ceremony questionnaire to send to your couples.

You need a game plan before the rehearsal. You should know who is escorting who, the order the wedding party should be standing according to the couples preferences, etc.

Our wedding ceremony questionnaire prompts couples to think about things they probably never would have even thought of before we send it.

You can get our FREE wedding ceremony questionnaire HERE.

We always meet with couples about a month-two weeks before their wedding at the ceremony venue to go over the order of ceremony and wedding day schedule. It’s very important that we have the order of ceremony prepared before this meeting to ensure a more productive meeting. Once the client completes our processional questionnaire I get started on their order of ceremony. I always email them a copy to look over before we meet (& I bring a copy for everyone attending the meeting). 

At this meeting we always discuss where everyone will stand, sit, who escorts who, etc. We make sure the client is comfortable with the order and where the family is seated. We always tell the couple they are welcome to make any changes at rehearsal and they may want to once they see everyone in place. We go over where the musicians will be seated at, where any scripture readers will sit, and where parents of children in the wedding will sit in case a child acts up or in case the child will be going to sit with them once they walk down the aisle.

Here’s the questions we ask…

List the order you want the Bridesmaids to stand in during the ceremony, starting with the Maid of Honor; who will stand closest to the bride. 

List the order you want the Groomsmen to stand in during the ceremony, starting with the Best Man, who will stand closest to the groom. 

Do you want the Groomsmen to escort the Bridesmaids in? 

Or do you want the Groomsmen to all walk out with the Officiant, Groom, and Best Man? 

Will the Flower Girl(s) stand during the ceremony? 

List the name and age of the Flower Girl(s): 

Will the Ring Bearer(s) stand during the ceremony? 

List the name and age of the Ring Bearer(s): 

Who will escort the Bride down the aisle? 

List their name and relationship to the Bride: 

Who will usher in the Bride’s Parents? 

Who will usher in the Bride’s Maternal Grandparents if they will be in attendance? 

List their names and the name of the Usher: 

Who will usher in the Bride’s Paternal Grandparents if they will be in attendance? 

List their names and the name of the Usher. 

Who will usher in the Groom’s Parents?

Who will usher in the Groom’s Maternal Grandparents if they will be in attendance? List their names and the name of the Usher. 

Who will usher in the Groom’s Paternal Grandparents if they will be in attendance? List their names and the name of the Usher: 

Do you want Grandparents to sit in the row behind Parents or on the same row? 

Do you want to leave the first row or pew empty, or do you want your Parents sitting in the first row? It’s a common practice in church weddings to leave the first row empty and to have the Parents sitting in the second row. 

How many reserved rows will you have/need for extended family? 

If you are having Honorary Bridesmaids and/or Honorary Groomsmen where do you want them to sit? 

Are there any other family members or special people you want escorted in during the processional? 

Do you want the Grandparents escorted out during the Recessional or do you want them to remain seated?

Once the couple has completed our processional questionnaire we can then prepare the order of ceremony that we use for directing purposes.

You can download our free processional questionnaire above which also includes a sample order of ceremony!

Have a question? Email me at info@southernproductions.net and I’ll be happy to help!

xo, Terrica