After wrapping up our portraits, our guests began arriving quickly. We had a table welcoming them to the ceremony with programs, our guest book, escort cards, and yarmulkes for the men to wear if they wanted to.
A heart theme began to emerge toward the end of my planning process. First in our invitations, then when I found these adorable shoes for our engagementpictures, then finally in my last wedding magazine purchase- Martha Stewart Weddings, Summer 2010- I found this simple escort card project. I ran with it, and even found heart embossed yarmulkes.
I just wish I had a sign inviting all the men to wear one! I thought my side of the family would think it was fun and wear the Jewish tradition, no question—-but it turns out they didn’t know they were allowed to! Lesson for interfaith weddings—communicate everything you can so guests know they can participate.
A line quickly formed and we experienced a bit of a delay…
Eep! I had meant for the guest book and escort cards to be out for cocktail hour, not with the ceremony programs…
But hopefully they were able to relax on the other side of the terrace when they entered the ceremony space…
One more cultural miscommunication: Catholics leave the first two rows open for the bridal party to sit during the ceremony, but we had a mostly Jewish ceremony and our friends remained standing. Bummer for pics like this (and the late-comers standing in the back 
). But it was smooth sailing from here.
I probably would have avoided little hiccups like these if I had hired a day of coordinator…or maybe if our site coordinator wasn’t MIA. But fortunately, our DJ/MC helped keep the schedule on track, and once the Rabbi started officiating, he explained the ceremony clearly for our non-Jewish guests.
Did you have a DOC to keep things on track? Interfaith brides: Did you see any cultural differences emerge before the ceremony even started?
Photos by Lorraine Daley Wedding Photography
Previously on the Thimble Recaps:
Oh wow, everything is so gorgeous! I LOVE your heart mini-theme. And that’s so interesting about the cultural miscommunications: I would have never even thought about those details!
Your details are amazing!! I was wondering where you got your guest book??
Love the heart theme that emerged, hearts make everything so cute!
@Emma20130601: I ordered the guest book through Adorama Pix- I liked their thicker, lay-flat pages. http://www.adoramapix.com/app/products/books
those heart yarmulkes are to die for. love the heart theme!
Never stopped to think about it, but now that I think about it, yes it’s tradition not to sit in the front on catholic ceremonies, curious.
Bummer those yarmulkes were not worn by everyone, they’re very cute.
We had a bit of a strange front row situation too — we saved seats for relatives but forgot to tell them so it was kind of bare!
The heart yarmulkes are awesome.
I saw your first pictures of the escort cards, and what a strange coincidence! We had those same escort cards and my sign said follow your heart to find your seat. Great minds think alike!
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Who was your coordinator? We just signed for our wedding at pearl s. and I’m a little nervous about everything I’ve read about their site managers…
@Berxerxes: We didn’t have a day of coordinator. Our caterer and Larry at OAA said we really wouldn’t need one. But we definitely wish we had one to handle a couple details that fell through the cracks.
Mrs. Thimble, NYC/Philadelphia Age and Occupation: 26, Actress & Costume Designer (+ day job) Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Lawyer & Techie Wiz Engagement Date: August 22, 2008 Wedding Date: October 2010 Venue: The Pearl S. Buck House About Me: I’m an easily inspired over-thinker delighted with the process of designing, building, directing and {dare I say} co-starring in the early-autumn affair I’ve been dreaming up. I’m a sucker for trendied-up comfort foods and old family anecdotes; I have an affinity for adjectives, alliteration, eyelet and earl grey; and I live for quality time with family and friends. I never guessed I’d marry my “high school sweetheart", but when it turned out to be my funny, techie, loyal Mr. Thimble I was committed for life. We’re both mid-career transition and ready to move back to small-townish TBD, PA in a pre-wedding flurry of all-good life changes.
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