I thought after watching the wedding rehearsal. Do we really need an attendant during the rehearsal...?

2023.06.14 published

I Participated in a Wedding Rehearsal ♡

Hello, I’m Nagisa from Marry.

The other day, I had the opportunity to participate in a friend’s wedding rehearsal!

Normally, I don’t think friends can attend the rehearsal, but since it was just a rehearsal for the ceremony, the bride kindly invited me by saying that if I arrived early, I could see the rehearsal. I was grateful to participate ♡

Since there are other guests at the ceremony, I thought it would be hard to take photos up close, so I eagerly headed there thinking that I might be able to take pictures closely at the rehearsal... ♡

At the Ceremony Rehearsal, Is It Better to Keep the Attendant’s Role Minimal...?

On the wedding day.

After seeing the ceremony rehearsal, I had some thoughts.

That is, it might be better for the attendant to keep their role minimal during the rehearsal...?

The attendant’s job is to ensure the dress looks beautiful by arranging the train and fixing the veil.

So, they basically stay close to the bride.

During the rehearsal, they adjust the train just like at the ceremony, but they end up appearing in many photos because they arrange it every time the bride moves... (There are many photos taken closely to avoid capturing them in the frame. However, I actually wanted to capture the beautiful venue as well....!)

The place where they waited was further back during the actual ceremony, but they were waiting quite close during the rehearsal, which might also be one reason I noticed this.

The rehearsal is necessary to ensure a smooth ceremony, but at the same time, it’s a rare opportunity to take photos from positions (close to the bride and groom and the aisle) that can't be captured during the actual ceremony.

Of course, it’s nice that the attendant neatly adjusts the dress in the rehearsal photos, but since rehearsals are often done with some parts omitted, the time is shorter and there are limits to the photos that can be captured.

(It’s certainly true that rehearsals aren’t for taking photos... Since the wedding time is limited...!)

✅ Photos where the dress's train is beautifully arranged but the attendant is in frame

✅ Photos that are aesthetically pleasing without the attendant despite the train not being perfectly arranged

I suppose there are preferences for each, but I personally wanted to take wonderful pictures of my dear friend more than focusing on the beauty of the dress’s train or skirt... This was a moment to reflect on.

(I wonder if the bride would really be happy to spread the train all the way into the aisle during the actual ceremony...?)

There Have Been Moments in Past Weddings Where I Thought “If Only the Attendant Weren’t There...”

Not just in rehearsals, but in past weddings, there have been many moments where I thought “If only the attendant weren't here right now, it would have been a wonderful photo.”

For example, such moments include:

✅ The moment before re-entering while walking. If there were no attendant, I could have seen the bride’s face and dress, and the video would have turned out beautifully...!

✅ The moment when the bride came to the guest table and was chatting. Strangely, I was laughing next to her like a mother...

✅ Before taking a commemorative photo with the guest after the speech. I think the attendant was adjusting the skirt as she stood up during the speech, but nobody (probably including the bride) would have minded, causing a mysterious wait to fix the train. It felt like a waste of precious reception time...!

✅ I feel like the attendant was adjusting every time she walked in traditional attire...! (Just during moving)

✅ Just before entering as well.

✅ The moment when the train was being adjusted during the ceremony. I was surprised to see the train being adjusted right in the middle of the aisle!

What Should Be Given Priority?

The primary purpose of the ceremony rehearsal is to confirm the progression of the actual event...

But it’s also a timing to capture photos that can’t be taken during the actual ceremony ＊

✅ The skirt or train doesn’t have to be perfectly arranged in advance, so I’d prefer the attendant to stay out of the photos as much as possible.

✅ I don’t mind if the attendant is in the frame; I want them to beautifully adjust the train and veil that I carefully selected!

It might be good to communicate your stance to your planner, photographer, and attendant in advance.

(I think this should also be done for the actual event!)