After your officiant pronounces you wed, you and your wedding party will recede down the aisle in a custom (unsurprisingly) called the recessional. At this time, you will take your first steps as newlyweds and symbolically mark the beginning of your lifelong journey together.
Typically, the wedding party will exit in pairs even if they enter separately, followed by the Flower Girl and Ring Bearer and then the parents and grandparents. It's important to make sure that each couple that exits the ceremony leaves enough room between themselves and the couple in front of them.
At a Christian ceremony, the newlyweds are traditionally followed, in order, by: The flower girl and the ring bearer, if they remained at the altar during the ceremony. The maid of honor and the best man. The bridesmaids and groomsmen.
The wedding recessional, on the other hand, is the exit procession after the ceremony. It is the moment in which the couple introduce itself to their guests as husband and wife ”.
The married couple go first! If the officiant has any announcements to make, the couple can walk down the aisle, the officiant can make the announcement, then the bridal party can start making their way back down the aisle. Here is a quick suggestion for a recessional order: Bride & Groom.
The bride and groom are the first to exit during the recessional. They are then followed by the flower girl and the ring bearer. The maid of honor and best man will then make their way down the aisle, followed by the remaining bridesmaids and groomsmen. The bride and groom's parents will then exit.
A formal exit takes place immediately following the reception. Traditionally, after the last song is played, guests usher the bride & groom off to their getaway car and send them off on their honeymoon.
Grand Exit | 10-15 Minutes
After the last dance, have your DJ/MC usher everyone outside for you to make your grand exit to your getaway car. Then, it's honeymoon time… and we will just leave that timeline up to you.
An after-party is a wedding celebration that takes place after the reception (and all the protocol of the big day) to keep the excitement going and fully let loose. Couples are by no means obligated to host their guests for a wedding after-party, but it's hard to resist.
If you are having a long wedding day or reception, or you really want to see all of your wedding guests in the photos and footage of this important moment, you should definitely consider planning a staged exit!
What Is a Wedding After-Party? A wedding after-party is an optional celebration immediately after the wedding reception. This postwedding get-together can be at a different venue than the reception and stocked with food, drinks and fun entertainment.
Grand Exit
This is the FASTEST and most efficient way to dismiss your guests at your wedding. A grand exit includes your guests blowing bubbles, throwing confetti, etc. in a group as you exit the ceremony. Again, this is VERY fast and really exciting, but you won't get any personal time with your guests.
The wedding recessional is the order in which the newlywed couple and wedding party exit the ceremony. Just like the processional, there's a specific order to follow based on the couple's preference.
The role of a bridesmaid is to support and assist the bride prior, during and just after the wedding. A bridesmaid is the sounding board for any bride to bounce off their ideas, worries and successes. It can be a tough, but rewarding gig. As a bridesmaid, the main responsibility that you have is assisting the bride.
Guests: Your guests are slowly exiting the ceremony and moving their way to the venue or reception location. The cocktail hour is a great time to have your guests mingle, eat some hors d'oeuvres and wind down before the party gets started.
Go Out on The Town
Many wedding parties have the rehearsal dinner the evening before the wedding, so you may all be dressed up, hair and makeup done, and ready for some fun! Going out for drinks or dessert with just the girls is a great way to spend some quality time together before the wedding ceremony.
A Faux Exit, also known as a Controlled Exit or Fake Exit, is when the couple performs their grand exit from the reception early-ish in the evening, then moments later turn right back around and rejoin the party.
It's certainly fine to leave before the end of the reception. If at all possible, stay until after the cutting of the cake. Regardless, simply make sure you get some face time with the couple to visit and offer your best wishes. If you've done this, it's not necessary to say goodbye.
Some reasons like an unexpected illness or a death in the family are valid reasons to cancel, even at the last minute. Nevertheless, it is only appropriate that you are informed. Most guests have the sense to send you a personal note or even a bouquet to show their regret at not attending your wedding.
Mention factual details and share them in a manner that is beneficial to your employer. Avoid getting your feelings involved and instead focus on being a problem-solver. Avoid petty information as well, or mentioning things that are useless to your employer, even if they precipitated your departure.
The tradition of spending the wedding eve apart is when to-be-weds refrain from seeing one another the night before their wedding, often until the ceremony. The superstitious consequences of not abiding include a failed, unlucky, or unhappy marriage.
In a traditional wedding ceremony order, the vows are followed by the ring exchange. The groom usually goes first, though we invite you to be progressive. He puts the wedding band on the bride's finger while repeating a phrase like, “I give this ring as a sign of my love.” Then, it's the bride's turn.