Countdown to I Do

The night before...

sleep, sleep, sleep-you have the biggest day of your life ahead of you. You want to
look and feel your best. Make sure to make time with family, especially parents to
share memories of times gone by and to say thank you take photos of your last
hours at home as a single person. Take some time for yourself to be quiet. Close
your eyes and visualize every step of the coming day. This will relax you and help
prevent unforeseen incidents.

The morning of...

have a small meal before leaving for the church don't bring too many personal
items to the church..less to worry about MOST IMPORTANT!!!! Stay Calm...if you run
behind schedule-take a deep breath and remember that the ceremony will wait for
you!!! Your family and friends want to see you shine-not be frazzled because you are
running late-so relax -looking, feeling and radiating your happiness is what counts.

2 hours till "I Do"... Groom, bestman and groomsmenget together begin
dressing.

45 minutes... ushers arrive at the wedding sight, pick up boutonnieres
and programs, go over seating plans, wait at the entrance to the church
for the guests to arrive.

30 minutes... organ or some type of music begins,final check of
marriage license, mother and attendants leave for the wedding site,
ushers seating guests.

20 minutes... groom and best man arrive, father (or brides escort) and
bride leave for the ceremony site.

10 minutes... bridal party and parents wait in the back of church while
other relatives are seated.

5 minutes... mother of the groom is escorted to her seat (unless a
Jewish ceremony) with grooms father walking right behind the usher,
then taking his seat beside his wife...mother of the groom in the pew
first with the father sitting on the aisle, bride and father arrive at
ceremony site, mother of the bride is escorted down the aisle.

* 1 minute... if there is an aisle runner, two ushers walk in step to the
front of the church and unroll the runner and walk in step to the back of
the church, unrolling runner as they go... they then take their place in
the procession. And now the moment you have waited for......the
minister, priest or rabbi takes his/her place along with the groom and
best man. (In Christian tradition, the groom and best man enter from
chancel door and stand facing the congregation-at an angle-the groom
standing nearest the minister, the best man one step behind the
groom. In Jewish tradition, the groom and best man are part of the
wedding procession. As the ceremony begins, the guests will rise to
watch the bride make her entrance. Smile... this is your moment!!!