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Special
Participants:
Getting Other People Involved
By
Megan Mercer
Last Update:
October 16, 2005
After selecting your
wedding party, you are bound to have a number of other
special people you wish to incorporate
in the wedding!
Below are several ideas of how to honor
all of these close friends and family members, get them
involved in your wedding, and make them feel as important
as you think they are!
Tip: Make all of the people that you involve in the
wedding feel extra special by adorning them with a boutonniere
or a corsage. Mention them in your program, if appropriate.
Also, be sure to thank them with a gift no matter how
small their role!
Consider assigning special
people tasks such as:
Program Distributor: Have one or two of your favorite
people hand out programs as your guests arrive for the
ceremony.
Usher: A great way to incorporate teens, family members,
or a few extra friends into the celebration. Also gives
your groomsmen a break before the ceremony.
Honored Elders: Honor your grandmothers and grandfathers
with a corsage/boutonniere and a special walk down the
aisle just before the mother of the bride. If they are
up for it, you could also include them in an honorary
dance at the reception.
Candle Lighter: Typically pre-teen boys or girls, who
light altar candles just before the mother of the bride
is seated, however candle lighters can also be adults
(Remember, choose wisely since you are dealing with fire,
pyromaniacs need not apply!).
Reader: A
nice, easy way to add people to your wedding ceremony
and have them front and center is to have them
perform a reading during the ceremony. If the person
shares the same religious beliefs then they could read
a passage of scripture at the ceremony, otherwise a poem
or passage from literature is always nice.
Soloist: Put
a loved one’s vocal or musical talent
to work. Be sure that the person actually has performance
experience before you agree to have them sing/play
at the ceremony.
Tip: Since
it might be a lot to ask for a friend or relative to
learn a song and perform at your wedding…many
brides and grooms suggest that the song be preformed
as their wedding gift instead of simply as a favor!
License Signatories: While your maid of honor and best
man will sign the legal certificate, commemorate the
presence of very special relatives, friends and the rest
of the wedding party by having them sign a decorative
wedding license.
Rice/Bird Seed/Bubbles
Distributor: Designate
a friend or a couple cute kids to hand out these goodies
to the
guests.
Guest Book Keeper: Have a lighthearted friend or family
member man the guest book table, greet guests and ask
them sign in.
Gift Table and Card Box
Keeper: Place a cheerful, gregarious
friend or family member, who will know most of the crowd,
in charge of greeting the guests and directing them to
the gift table and card box at the reception.
Favor Arranger/Distributor: Ask
someone special to pass out favors as the guests arrive/depart
or to place the favors
on the tables before your reception begins.
