What is the POINT of a Rehearsal!?!

NOLAbridealmost

Hi Knotties, 

I am getting married in an outdoor, civil ceremony. This week I booked the officiant and my ceremony musicians.  Surprisingly to me, when I asked them if they would attend the rehearsal the answer from both of the was no.

(I, of course, didn't expect the musicians to show up, set up, and rehearse the songs, but I figured at least someone would show up to get the details on where to set up and stuff). 

The officiant and the musicians both came very highly recommended and frequently do weddings, but I still feel a little weird about this. What would the point of having a rehearsal even be?    

Also, slightly off-topic, but another question: if your officiant is basically a justice of the peace do they still get invited to the reception?  I know that people usually invite their priest, rabbi, or minister, but I will literally be meeting the officiant for the first time when I go to her office to pay for the marriage license.  It would just seem weird to invite her, but I will invite her anyway if that is what's customary. 

janicejab

  We are having our ceremony at a small concert house. We aren't sure how everyone is going to fit on the stage, and which door we will have the WP walk through. The rehearsal will allow us to set up the stage how we want and to make sure everyone will fit comfortably. As well, we'll fiure out the order of when everyone will walk. It may not be necessary for you to have a rehearsal though.

jamiesontobe

I just got an email from my officiant today saying that he wouldn't be attending the rehearsal dinner. I immediately thought about why even having one then. We're still going to do it just as a social event but all the officiant wants to do is give me a "run-down" the day of. We're not having a complicated ceremony either. It will be very short. I figure that I've never been married before and he does this all the time so I trust it even though I'm nervous!

AllAboutTheBenjamin

Our pianist came to our rehearsal.  I think our coordinator wanted her to be there so we could practice "walking slow" to the music or something.

If they feel like they don't need to be there though, your musicians don't need to be.  They'll figure it out.

StephieBow

We are having a rehearsal but it is a requirement of the church we're getting married at. 

If you still want to go through things with your WP then you can, just don't have the officiant.   I'm not sure if you need to invite the officiant to the wedidng but from the sounds of it, she's just acting sort of like hired help and that's about it so, it's your call.