To Rehearse? Or Not to Rehearse?

Do you need a rehearsal to get to this point? Photo by Magical Moments Photography.

This is always a question that has to be answered when planning a wedding:  Will there be a wedding rehearsal?  There are arguments on both sides.

Tradition seems to lean toward the necessity of a wedding rehearsal.  After all, why would you have a rehearsal dinner if there were no rehearsal, right?  As I am a non-traditionalist, on the other hand, I will only say that there are times when a rehearsal makes sense.  For example, if you are having a church ceremony, chances are that your officiant will require it.  A rehearsal for a complicated ceremony (such as a full Catholic mass) makes the ceremony go much more smoothly.

Similarly, if you have a large wedding party, it is probably a good idea to rehearse at least the processional and the recessional, if not the whole ceremony.  A rehearsal, even a brief one, will ensure that every member of the wedding understands her or his duties.

But there are times a rehearsal might not be preferred.  If you are planning a small and/or informal wedding, a rehearsal may be unnecessary.  I also think that a rehearsal can sometimes take away from something special at the wedding itself.  Over-rehearsed ritual can become an empty form.

As I said, there are good arguments on both sides of this question.  Will you have a wedding rehearsal?  That’s up to you.