In this fourth post in the series on Second Weddings, we’ll focus on The Ceremony. The first was about Planning a Second Wedding, the second on Announcing the Engagement, and the third about The Invitations.

Although the person conducting the ceremony will play an important role in putting the ceremony together you will be able to put your own personal spin on it. Perhaps you do not want a traditional wedding but want to make a few subtle changes. It is often refreshing to change things a bit. It will keep your guests interested and prevent them from becoming bored.

These are some things you will have to think about regarding The Ceremony:

1. Music

2. Literature, poetry or readings from the Bible

3. The processional or entrance of the bride and groom or bridal party

4. Wedding vows (more about this in the next post)

5. Exchanging of rings or gifts

6. Attendants to sign the marriage register

7. Lighting the unity candle or similar ceremony

8. That first kiss

9. The recessional or leaving the church

Remember that this is only a guide. You can mix things up and add your personal touch. It is your wedding and you certainly do not have to repeat what has been done before. Collect etiquette and ideas for second weddings from different sources to provide more options.

This is the third post in this series about Second Weddings. The first was about Planning a Second Wedding and the second about Announcing Your Engagement..

Firstly you have to decide who will be invited to the wedding. Of course you can invite anybody you want but the deciding factor will probably be your budget.

I would advise against inviting ex-spouses or former out-laws (just kidding!) even if you are on good terms. Because of your previous ties they may get melancholy and make other guests uncomfortable which may spoil your special day.

Etiquette for announcing a second wedding is pretty much the same as for the first. It is commonly done by the couple nowadays but the parents can make the announcement if they wish.

The norm is to use heavy card stock for formal weddings, verbal invitations for informal events and any of an enormous array of invitations for semi-formal occasions. The same etiquette applies to second weddings.

You can find samples of wording for second wedding invitations hosted by the couple at http://www.idotaketwo.com/invitation_1.html

or if it is hosted by the parents at http://www.idotaketwo.com/invitation_2.html

and if it is hosted by the couple’s children at http://www.idotaketwo.com/invitation_3.html.

Even if you do not want gifts please do not say that on the invitation. This implies that you were expecting gifts. This is not considered correct etiquette but you can convey the message by word of mouth or by mentioning it on your wedding website if you have one. These can be created easily and is a great way to share your whole happy story with others.

As you can see there definitely are some differences between the etiquette for planning the first and second weddings.

There are certain subtle differences between the etiquette and ideas for the second wedding compared to the first wedding. This post is the second in a series on planning a second wedding. The first was about announcing your marriage to all children, grandparents and ex-partners involved.

Next you will want to break the news to all friends and family. You can do this via newspaper, email, by phone or by having an engagement party.

Although this is generally the rule with a first marriage, the parents will probably not be hosting the second engagement party but you may have some friends and family who would like to do it.

It is not etiquette for the couple to be hosting an engagement party but you can have a party and then announce that you are engaged. There is a difference and this will not be a gift-giving event.

Gift registry is quite acceptable for a second marriage. Even though you may not need a lot for your household, many people will feel like celebrating with you by giving you something and they would appreciate the guidance.

The upcoming wedding should be a celebration of your love for each other. Your family and true friends will be happy for you and will certainly be delighted to help you discover new ideas and the correct etiquette for planning your second wedding.

]]> http://www.ideasforweddingplanning.com/ideas-for-planning-a-second-wedding-announcing-the-engagement/feed/ 0 http://www.ideasforweddingplanning.com/planning-a-second-wedding/ http://www.ideasforweddingplanning.com/planning-a-second-wedding/#comments Fri, 29 May 2009 23:15:23 +0000 Francina http://www.ideasforweddingplanning.com/?p=138 If you are busy planning a second wedding you are indeed a lucky person to have found a person to love a second time. We all know how hard it can be to find a mate, not to mention doing it twice!

As with any wedding there will be a lot of planning. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing a small private wedding or a big one for everybody you know, there will still be a lot of details to take care of. If you or your partner has children from you previous marriages, the very first step to take will be to announce to children on both sides about your decision.

This can be a tricky situation and should be handled with care. Children can easily feel threatened when joining a household with other kids they may not even know or know very well. They need to be assured of their place and importance in the new family.

It may be a good idea to ask favorite grandparents or even the exes to help with the announcement if the child or children are close to them and trusts them. The way you handle breaking this news will determine with what attitude children enter the new set-up and if they will be willing to cooperate.

Girls at wedding

Honesty goes a long way and you should build your new relationship on that. Children are very perceptive and will certainly know if you’re not being up front with them. So don’t beat about the bush.

This should be a very joyous occasion to celebrate your love for each other. Including the children in the details will help them feel part of all the happenings and should smooth the way for you to really enjoy planning a second wedding. Stay tuned since this post will be the first of several on second wedding planning.

Whole family in wedding

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