How to Avoid a Wedding of Errors

When the bride arrived at the church, the pastor met her inside the double front doors. "Do you have the marriage licence?" "Robert has it," the bride (let's call her Vivian) answered. "He'll be here in a few minutes, I'm sure." Ten minutes later, the pastor knocked on the door to the room set aside for the bride and her female attendants. When the maid-of-honor opened the door a crack, he said, "Please let Vivian know that Robert left the licence in his car in her parents' garage. He drove back out to get it." Suggestion number 1: Be sure the marriage licence arrives at the ceremony when the groom, bride, or best man does. The florist arrived with the flowers. Professionally competent, she paired flowers with correct people. She made no errors, no mistakes. Suggestion number 2: Know that the florist has worked with wedding parties often enough that she, or he, is prepared and helpful. The bride and her attendants, after dressing, waited in the room at the back of the sanctuary. The photographer had said he would be there at least an hour before the ceremony to take photographs, but he hadn't arrived. He finally walked in fifteen minutes before the wedding march began. Suggestion number 3: Insist the photographer not only shows examples of his work, but also insist on recommendations and contact them. Discover if he is reliable. Wedding guests started arriving, but the organist hadn't. She had a flat tire, and rather than call for help, she waited until her parents drove by on their way to the wedding. Suggestion number 4: Again be sure the organist, and any other musicians, understand that they are expected to be on site at least thirty minutes before time for the ceremony. The groom's sister and fianc