Your ceremony is the most important part of your wedding day. However, for every couple the length of the ceremony looks a little different. It totally depends on your relationship and the style of your officiant. Here are some items that will determine how long should your wedding ceremony be.
wedding party entrance
A wedding party entrance typically takes 5-10 minutes. This depends a lot on the size of your wedding party and how quickly they move down the aisle. It you have ten or more pairs in your wedding party, and they are entering to a slow traditional wedding song, this part of your wedding ceremony will lean closer to 10 minutes.
welcome & readings
Once everybody has made it to the end of the aisle, the ceremony officially begins and it is time for a welcome and readings! This usually the welcome and reading last 5-10 minutes. In the beginning your officiant will make a few remarking welcoming your guests and expressing excitement for your wedding day. Then they will more than likely share words of wisdom and readings. You should let your officiant know about how long you are wanting your ceremony to last before hand.
your vows
The highlight of your wedding ceremony will be your wedding vows. These can last 5-15 minutes, it all depends on how much you share. Most of our couples opt for writing their own vows, giving a very sentimental atmosphere for their ceremony.
ring exchange
A ring exchange can be anywhere from 2-10 minutes. This is determined by your officiant. Some officiants are quick to having your put on those rings as soon as you are finished with your vows. While others will share a few more words on the sacred bond of marriage.
final pronouncement & first kiss
This is the shortest part of any wedding ceremony, typically taking only 2 minutes. Your officiant will pronounce you wed, you’ll dip into a kiss and exit from your ceremony! It is by far our favorite part of the ceremony as it is the most exciting for everyone.
How long should your wedding really depend on you and your officiant. Speak with them beforehand to let them know your preference and go from there. Most wedding ceremonies at our luxury California wedding venue are 20-30 minutes. However, they can be as long or as short as you want. After all, this is your wedding! You deserve to have everything according to your plan.
Planning a Bay Area wedding? Reach out and let’s talk about our all-inclusive experience.
