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About Our Services Testimonials from our Clients Questions to Ask an OfficiantMaking Your Ceremony Stand Out
Fees for Our Services Simple Elopement & Wedding Ceremonies Available: Baptisms, Christenings, & Naming Ceremonies Celebration of Life, Memorial Services & Funeral Ceremonies Ottawa Wedding Resources
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Check out any of the thousands of wedding websites and assorted planning checklists available on the web and 99.9% simply suggest that you:
That's all you'll likely find. Not much help really, is it? While for elopements and very small wedding ceremonies, a rehearsal is not usually necessary, for most other ceremonies, a rehearsal of some form is highly desireable if not essential. Ironically in the Ottawa area, very few officiants actually conduct live rehearsals. They simply do a very quick verbal walk-through the ceremony procession and recession and consider this to have been the rehearsal. More frequently, if it happens at all, someone else with little ceremony experience tries to take charge of the rehearsal with the result of lots of confusion about who does what, when, how and why. In contrast, we take wedding rehearsals to a whole new level in terms of approach, content, and options. We deliver peace of mind for everyone involved. With over 28 years of combined experience and many hundreds of ceremonies between us, we have likely performed more wedding rehearsals in the Ottawa area than any other civil officiant! We understand that a proper rehearsal actually takes longer than the wedding ceremony itself for several reasons:
It's all about poise and confidence during in the ceremony: yourselves, your wedding party, flower girls, ring bearers, your parents, and other VIP guests. You want your wedding ceremony to go smoothly. The specific outcome of a great rehearsal is that you and your wedding party will display relaxed confidence throughout the ceremony. This does take some practice to ensure the results you want. We ensure that all wedding party participants and parents know where and how to stand, what will happen, what to do and exactly when to do it. They advise you on how to do the rings exchanges, how bouquets are to be held and transferred, how to get the best results from flower girls and ring bearers, options for positioning during vows, etc. We feel strongly enough about having an effective wedding rehearsal that during the peak wedding season of May to October, all wedding ceremonies we perform during the prime 4:00 to 6:00 PM period include a rehearsal as part of our Gold and Platinum ceremony packages. While it is completely optional, outside of the peak demand 4:00 to 6:00 PM period, as to whether you arrange to have the rehearsal organized by someone you know or alternatively you ask us to lead it, when you consider the value of your collective time spent on this, it clearly suggests that the rather small investment to have us conduct your rehearsal ceremony will produce superior results for your ceremony. As Ottawa's most experienced wedding officiants, we know how to stage the different aspects of your ceremony so that they communicate exactly the right emotional and visual messages to your families and guests. Different wedding party sizes and ceremony venues pose challenges at times and they are experienced in how to maxizimize each specific situation for optimal effect. In a wedding ceremony, performance is everything, and our extensive rehearsal session thoroughly prepares both of you and your bridal party for this most special of events. And then your reheasal party can really be all the more enjoyable for both of you, knowing that everyone will sparkle at the ceremony.
When we help you set-up and then lead your rehearsal, we will talk to you, all the members of the wedding party, and your parents letting everyone know what is expected and when certain events will take place. We assist wedding party members who are not fully confident about being so visible in front of a large audience. Afterwards, everyone can head off to the rehearsal party confident they already have achieved that peace of mind that they needed. Come wedding day, everyone will carry it off to the delight of your guests and photographers! Most officiants charge about $150-300 to attend a rehearsal which often is completed in only 30 minutes or less. Our rehearsal sessions usually take about 60 minutes to conduct which is about 2-3 times the length of most ceremonies. We go over everything at least twice and often three times. We lead their own rehearsals ourselves and we never send a substitute. Frequently both of us will be there to lead the rehearsal giving you the added benefit of two sets of eyes and experience. Our regular fee for leading a rehearsal is $250 however for couples who choose our Gold and Platinum ceremony packages at the time of booking, there is $100 savings as the rehearsal is included in the bundled package price.
Rehearsals can be conducted almost anywhere and do not have to be done at the venue. Often, this will be done in conjuction with a rehearsal BBQ or pot luck dinner held at someone's home. Doing it this way will save time and centralize travel of wedding party members to just one location and possibly avoid charges for doing the rehearsal at the venue. We suggest planning for your rehearal, late in the afternoon or early in the evening usually on the Wednesday or Thursday, about two-three days before your ceremony, or if really necessary, the Friday morning before a weekend ceremony. You'll thank yourselves afterwards for your good judgement by freeing up about five hours of uncommitted time for the night before your ceremony. Contact us (Lynne or Keith) at 613-831-7555 to discuss having us lead your wedding rehearsal and ceremony.
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Rehearsal at the Stonebridge Golf Course
Effective Wedding Rehearsals
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