Your Wedding Rehearsal
This is a direct copy from OurWeddingDay.com but it was so well written and I think makes so much sense that I wanted to share it with others. I hope you enjoy it. It references church wedding but is really applicable to all situations.
http://www.ourweddingday.com/planningtips/Wedding-Planning/Your-Church-Rehearsal/103.aspx
Your Church Rehearsal
Practicing and Preparing for Your Walk Down the Aisle
If you think about all the things that go wrong at weddings—flubbed vows, tardy ushers, misplaced readings—imagine what your ceremony would be like without a rehearsal. Church rehearsals are vital to weddings plans, and need be taken as seriously as all the other preparations. In many ways, they resemble a dress rehearsal for a play, as come “performance time” your nerves are going to make even the littlest things twice as difficult. Everyone in your wedding party should attend. Mothers need to know who’s taking them down the aisle and where they’ll sit, and bridesmaids and groomsmen need to have their order and partner designated. Depending on how complicated your ceremony is, plan on about two hour’s time (if kids are involved, it might take longer). Do not schedule the rehearsal early in the morning after, say, a huge bachelor or bachelorette party the night before (hung-over guests don’t take direction well!). While you don’t need to wear your wedding clothes, if there’s something you’re concerned about—for instance, that your new shoes are going to slip on the aisle—try them out now.
Performance prep.
Tell everyone to arrive early, locate all the changing rooms (and bathrooms), as well as parking spaces, and have party members practice putting on anything they won’t be dressed in when they arrive. This applies mostly to the men, who often don their tuxes or other formalwear at the church. In addition to fixing any last-minute problems, like finding out someone’s tailored pants are now an inch too short, guys need this time to learn how to properly tie their tie, put on cuff links, even figure out which way the cummerbund goes (the pockets face up; legend has it they were designed to catch falling crumbs!).
Since churches sometimes have more than one ceremony on the same day, or other events planned, find out how much time you’ll actually have to prep, as well as how long you’ll have before you need to head out. Also, this may be the one time where the wedding party puts to test those all-important maps to the church. Guests should time how long it takes them to arrive, to make sure they’re in sync with your estimate. Make sure everyone understood the directions, and if anything’s confusing, write-up last minute changes or plan for someone to personally escort Uncle Joe and Aunt Marge the day of. If you have handicapped guests coming, or anyone who requires a ramp, double check for parking spots as well as location of ramps.
Everything in check.
As for the processional and recessional order, as well as other seemingly complicated matters like where everyone stands “onstage,” relax: This is why you have an officiant. He or she will walk you through all the details, take questions, and repeat confusing steps. Do not hesitate to ask about anything you don’t understand. If your florist or wedding planner never showed you how to properly hold a bouquet, don’t leave without feeling like a flower-holding pro—at least one female will have gone through this experience more than once. If your nine-year-old nephew/ring bearer develops stage fright (the actual scene of the wedding is when it will most likely take place), either work with him so he’s comfortable or hand the duty over to someone else.
If you find the wedding rehearsal monotonous, remember your studies: When you did all that homework for the biggest test of the year, you walked in the next day feeling on top of the world!