“What’s That Mean?” Glossary of Wedding Industry Terms
Diving into wedding planning can be overwhelming, especially with all the industry jargon. It’s easy to get lost in the terminology!
For instance, when someone asks where the "chargers" are, you might think of a phone charger. In the wedding industry, however, a charger refers to a decorative plate beneath your dinnerware.
Also, many terms can have multiple meanings. Take "elopement," for example. Today, it typically describes a small wedding with close friends and family—often fewer than 50 guests—rather than a couple sneaking off to marry in secret. This type of event is also referred to as a micro wedding or an intimate wedding.
Understanding what your vendors mean can be challenging with so many buzzwords and phrases. I've created a glossary of common wedding terms to help you navigate the wedding planning process more easily.
A
Arch
Photography: Madelyn B Photography
Floral: Superior Blooms
An arch is a type of decoration typically behind you during your ceremony. Depending on the feeling you want to accomplish at your wedding, an arch can be decorated with drapes, lights, or flowers.
B
Bach Party
Also known as a Bachelorette Party or Bachelor Party. A time when the wedding party, close friends, and family will gather with the bride(s) or groom(s) to celebrate the "last hurrah" before officially becoming married. Typically, the best man or maid of honor will plan this event for the respective part of the couple. They can theme and plan events that match the interests and personality of the person they are celebrating. A new trend is having a combined bachelor and bachelorette party with both sides of the wedding party. This celebration can be a week-long trip in another state, a weekend in a nearby city, or just a night out to celebrate the end of being single.
BEO
It stands for "Banquet Event Order." A caterer will typically work from this document, which has dates, a timeline, catering needs, and other valuable information.
Booked
While considering vendors, you are not considered "booked" to a vendor unless you have signed and paid a deposit. If you are wondering why you haven't heard from a vendor, ensure you're booked and on their calendar.
Buffet Style Dinner
This type of dinner means guests walk through a buffet line for their food.
C
Centerpiece
This goes in the middle of the guest tables and the head table. Centerpieces can be made up of floral, pillar candles, floating candles, taper candles, colored candles, votives, and/or pictures (of the couple). Chargers, menu cards, place cards, napkins, and table numbers can also be on the table.
Ceremony
This is the part of the day where the couple says, "I do." They walk down the aisle, exchange vows and rings, and become married. The only thing needed in a ceremony is the Declaration of Consent, which means the couple states they're getting married of their own free will. A wedding ceremony can be as short or long as the couple wants. Some wedding ceremonies, like a Catholic one, can take longer. Some ceremonies only last ten minutes. Whatever the couple prefers.
Cocktail Hour
This typically happens right after the ceremony. It allows guests to mingle, snack, drink, and spend time together before dinner. Cocktail hour is the forgotten child of the wedding day! Make sure to tie over some decor from your ceremony or reception into this portion of the day! Have a signature cocktail, a fun program, or an interactive guest book!
Corkage Fee
This is a fee from a venue when you bring in your own liquor. The fee is tallied per bottle you bring in for you and your guests to enjoy. It can be anywhere between $25 and $75 per bottle but could be higher depending on the venue. Sometimes, they will charge a flat fee of $1,000 or $2,000. It just depends on the venue.
Clinking Glasses
The second the couple sits down at dinner time, someone in the room starts clinking their glass for the couple to kiss. Someone will take their fork, spoon, or knife and tap their glass while cheering until more people join in, encouraging the couple to kiss. If you're a couple that doesn't like PDA, you can opt to discourage your guests from doing this by making them pay money. Keep a jar at your head table and have your DJ explain that if guests want you two to kiss, they must add to your honeymoon fund!
Cake Cutting
Photography: Marya Juliann Photography
This is a special moment for couples to enjoy after they have finished their dinner. You'll need a cake, a knife, a server, a plate, a napkin, and two forks. Some couples don't like cake; that's okay! Share a donut, slice of cheesecake, scoop of ice cream, cupcake, or brownie! Couples will typically save either their whole cake or a layer of their cake to eat on their one-year wedding anniversary.
Charger
This is a decorative plate that goes underneath the plate with your food. A charger can be a nice way to bring color or texture to your table.
D
Day-of-Coordinator
A Day-of-Coordinator (DOC) is a person whose job is to make sure your wedding day runs smoothly. A DOC will contact you throughout the process, answering your questions, guiding you to vendors, and helping you with conflicts. Our planners do a Final Stretch meeting with clients 6 weeks out to start getting a handle on your wedding day. Planners then have a Final Details meeting 2 weeks before the wedding to take over communication with vendors. We run the rehearsal and are on-site all day of the wedding.
* Every company's Day-of-Coordinator package has its differences.
DJ
Your DJ or Master of Ceremony (MC) is responsible for introducing events and people, such as speeches and first dances, and playing music during the reception and ceremony.
Destination Wedding
A destination wedding is a wedding that takes place outside of a couple's hometown and requires travel for most guests and the wedding party. Both a wedding in the same state and a wedding in a different country could be considered a destination wedding.
E
Elopement
Photography: Hannah Nicole Photography
Floral: Superior Blooms
Elopements traditionally mean a rushed marriage, secretly in a courthouse. Nowadays, elopements typically mean a small, intimate wedding, with the guest count at or around 40. This is also known as an intimate wedding and a micro wedding.
Emergency Kit
An essential on your wedding day, your wedding emergency kit should include bandaids, pain relievers, tape of any kind, zip ties, lighters, a first aid kit, sunscreen, bug spray, and so much more!
Engagement Photos
Consider your engagement photos a trial run for your pictures on your wedding day! Find a photographer that you would consider shooting your wedding. You can also learn what style of photography you like: light and airy, dark and moody, etc. Engagement photos are becoming more and more common. Use these photos for invites, posting, and so much more!
Photography: Laura Muus Photography
F
First Look
A first look is a moment between the couple before the ceremony when they see each other for the first time on their wedding day. This is typically photographed by the photographer or captured by a videographer. A first look is very popular! Having a first look before the ceremony allows you to take all couple portraits, joint wedding party photos, and full family photos all before the ceremony! The first look is also a great time to share personal vows or read letters to each other.
Photography: Lydia Swedberg
* Note: Getting all the photos done before the ceremony leaves the rest of the night for you and your partner to enjoy!
First Touch
If you don’t want to see your partner until the ceremony, a first touch is a great way to interact without doing a first look. This is most easily done at the corner of a building with connecting hands on the corner. This is when you can still read personal vows and letters or just talk to your partner while waiting to see each other at the ceremony.
Floor Plan
This is also called your “layout”. Consider these aspects: sweetheart table, head table, guest tables, DJ placement, dance floor, dessert tables, cards and gifts table, and memory table. Leave enough space around guest tables to account for people walking and moving chairs in and out. Put the DJ as close to the dance floor as you can with the best position being the middle front of the dance floor.
Florist
Your florist is the person making your flowers! If it’s within your budget, have your florist do all the florals: bouquets, bouquets, boutineers, corsages, centerpieces, and accent pieces (if applicable). If you decide to DIY some of the florals, they can tend to look incohesive.
Full-Service Planner
A full-service planner helps you bring the vision of your wedding day to life. With a full-service package, they hand-select the vendors for you and help you choose centerpieces, colors, etc. This type of package is for the couple who has limited time in their personal lives to plan a wedding, wants professional support, and has grand visions but doesn’t quite know how to bring them to life. They still manage the wedding day but aren't involved in the process at an earlier time.
* Every company’s full-service planning package is different.
G
Golden Hour
Golden hour is one hour before sunset. This is perfect for you and your partner to slip away for 30 minutes after dinner to take more photos!
Photography: Marissa Murdy Photography
Grand Entrance
To get the reception going, the couple and their wedding party will be introduced to the guests. There are a couple of different ways to do this: no wedding party being introduced, groomsmen and bridesmaids being introduced in pairs (typically how they walked down the aisle), or all groomsmen are introduced as a group, then all bridesmaids are introduced as a group.
Guestbook
Guestbooks are traditionally a book laid out for all wedding guests to sign and leave a note for the couple. Now, guestbooks have a creative edge to them. Guestbooks could include a Polaroid camera for guests to take a photo of themselves, a phone to record a message to the happy couple, sign a book filled with pictures of the couple, and so many more! Feel free to get creative and do something out of the box!
H
Hard-stop
When talking to a venue or DJ, they might say, “We have a hard stop at 11 pm.” For a DJ, all music must be cut off and done by 11 pm. For a venue, all guests should be making their way, if not already, out of the facility by the specified time.
Head Table
The head table seats the wedding party and is typically a more extravagant version of a guest table. If the centerpiece on a guest table includes three candles, flowers, and some votives, the head table will have twice the amount.
Hosted Drinks
Photography: Janine Leigh
Rentals: The Vault
At many weddings, it’s normal for the couple to pay for some portion of alcohol; this is called “hosted drinks.” This expense can add up very fast. There are a few different ways to do this: host beer and wine only, host a signature cocktail or drink that is hosted, host all drinks (aka open bar) during cocktail hour, have a completely open bar all night, or have an open bar until you hit a specific number.
Honeymoon
A honeymoon is a trip a newly married couple takes to celebrate their marriage. Traditionally, the honeymoon happens immediately after the wedding day. However, it’s also become common to wait a year to celebrate a one-year anniversary and honeymoon in one trip or take a minimoon.
I
Invite
This is what you send to your guests 8 weeks before the wedding. It’s recommended to close your RSVPs a little bit over a month from your wedding. This allows you enough time to let your caterer, venue, and other vendors know your final guest count.
Intimate Wedding
A small, intimate wedding with a guest count of around 40. This is also known as a micro wedding or elopement.
L
Late-Night Snack
A late-night snack is typically served at 9 pm, and it is a way for guests to get some food in before the night is over and they have to go home. The most common and easy option is pizza. You can also have pretzels, wings, chips, or even a Taco Bell delivery!
Linens
These are the cloths that cover all the tables in your venue. Get floor-length linens! They make all the difference in the world!
M
Marriage License
Photography: Marissa Murdy Photography
A legal document that you need to get from the state you’re in to make your marriage legal and legally binding. There are different requirements in your country, state, and county, so it’s important to research what you need to bring with you.
Memory Table
A memory table or display recognizes passed loved ones who could not be at your wedding. Some do tables or shelves with pictures of their family members.
Micro Wedding
A small, intimate wedding with a guest count of around 40. Also known as an elopement or intimate wedding.
Minimoon
A minimoon is a small honeymoon. You might not be able to go on a honeymoon right after your wedding, but you can take a little weekend trip somewhere!
Photography: Taylor Lauren Photography
Mood Board
A mood board is a presentation to organize the design wants, plan, feel, color scheme, inspiration, and more. This is separated into different sections of the day: ceremony, cocktail, and reception. Other aspects, such as floral, centerpieces, accent decor, signage, layout, attire, etc., are also part of this. This is where clients put all their inspiration and then pick out commonalities, deleting what doesn’t fit until there’s a cohesive vision. This allows the clients to have a starting point when going to vendors.
O
Officiant
This person performs the ceremony. They could be a pastor, priest, or ordained through their state.
Open Bar
An open bar is when all alcohol is paid for by the couple, this can get expensive quickly, so it’s an option to have an open bar until you hit a certain dollar amount or for some time, such as cocktail hour.
P
Place Cards
This is a little folded piece of paper with the guest’s name and meal choice. Guests use these to locate their seats, and caterers deliver the correct meal to each table. Place cards are used for plated meals.
Processional
The processional is when the wedding party walks down the aisle at the beginning of the ceremony. Here is the typical order for a processional: grandparents, groom, parents, wedding party with the maid of honor/best man last, flower girl, then bride and parents. Every processional is different because each family and wedding is unique!
Photography: Angela Jo Photography
Floral: Superior Blooms
Program
Programs are slips of paper handed out right before the ceremony to inform guests about what’s happening. They usually contain the processional list, order of events, and readers.
Plated Meal
A plated meal is when the caterers bring food to guests with a set meal. Guests must pick a meal for the wedding day on their invites. Place cards are required to help caterers determine where to bring each type of meal.
Q
Quiet Moment
I offer this to my clients at some point in their day, typically after the ceremony. It’s usually 20 minutes for you and your partner to breathe deeply and speak freelyIt'sd enjoy each other’s company after a busy morning.
R
Rain Plan
If you are having an outdoor ceremony or reception, you must have a rain plan! Weather can be tricky to predict a year out when you pick your wedding date. If any portion of your wedding is outside, come up with a plan for if it rains. Do you move the ceremony location inside? Do you put the sides down on a tent? Etc. Making this plan four or two weeks out allows you to not stress about changing things on the day.
Recessional
Photography: J Olson Weddings
Floral: Ergo Floral
The recessional is walking back down the aisle at the end of the ceremony. Here’s the typical order: the couple, the wedding party with the maid of honor/best man first, then the rest of the wedding party, the family in the first couple of rows, then the guests.
Registry
A registry is a gift wish list you send out to your guests. You and your partner can visit different stores or online to make a registry. Guests choose what gifts they’d like to give you from your list and then mark it as purchased online. This registry includes home decor, new luggage, towels, and anything that might need an update in your home: cookware, plates, small kitchen appliances such as a toaster, coffee maker, blender, and Tupperware. It’s also becoming common to request money through activities such as date night, It'sing classes, honeymoon funds, etc. There isn’t a wrong answer for what to put on a registry.
Rehearsal
A rehearsal happens the day before the wedding with everyone walking down the aisle or involved in the ceremony. This is a time to walk through the order of events, get comfortable walking down the aisle, and practice the flow of the ceremony. I encourage my couples to practice their vows during this time as well. A rehearsal would ideally happen in the ceremony space of the wedding. That can’t always be the case because of events or weddings the day before. A rehearsal can be done anywhere. I’ve done them on grass patches, outside the venue, at a different building, and many more places.
Reception
This portion of the day is for eating, dancing, and speeches. This happens after the ceremony and cocktail hour. The reception is the party part of the night.
Room Flip
There must be a room flip when your ceremony and reception are in the same spot. Your ceremony chairs will be put off to the side to make way for the guest tables for dinner. This typically happens during cocktail hour while you and your guests mingle, drink, and eat a few appetizers in a different room. When you come back, the space has been transformed to fit the needs of the rest of the night.
Photography: Lydia Swenberg
S
Seating Chart
A display to let guests know where they’ll be sitting for dinner. This can be one big chart organized alphabetically by last name or organized by table number.
Shot List
This is a list of all the photo combinations you’d like your photographer to take on your wedding day. List all the variations of family photos, individual shots with family members, wedding parties, and friends!
T
Timeline
This is the foundation of your wedding. The timeline shows vendors' and guests' start and arrival times, the timing needed for pictures, set up, flip, tear down, speeches, dancing, and end times.
U
Unity Ceremony
Photography: Angela Jo Photography
A part of the ceremony is when the couple symbolically joins their lives together. This can be done by lighting a candle, adding soil and water to a tree, adding two kinds of sand to a jar, and much more.
Unplugged Ceremony
This ceremony is when the couple requests that guests not take out their phones for photos or videos. Everyone has probably seen someone stick their phone up above their head to set a picture; don’t be that person at a wedding.
V
Vows
Photography: Taylor Lauren Photography
Promises are made between a couple on their wedding day. “I, _____, take you, _____, to be my (wife/husband), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until parted by death,” is the most common and well-known wedding vow. While this is classic, timeless, and famous, you can write your own vows if this doesn’t resonate with you. It’s become popular with couples to write personal vows and share them privately, typically right after their first look.
Venue
Your venue is the building where your wedding is happening, sometimes specifically referring to your reception. Most of your time is spent in your venue. Cocktail hour, entrances, dinner, speeches, and dances happen in this space. Your ceremony can also occur in this space, depending on your religious beliefs. A room flip will be necessary if your ceremony and reception occur in the same room.
W
Wedding Party
Make it stand out
The wedding party is the people you’ve asked to stand beside you on your wedding day. Bridesmaids, groomsmen, maid of honor, and best man are all members of this group. It’s becoming more popular to have a smaller wedding party.
Photography: Simple Escape Photography
Floral: Superior Blooms
Wedding Website
I recommend that every couple has a wedding website! This is an excellent place for guests to RSVP online, get information about your wedding day, view your registry, and book their hotel. If you have a hotel block, this is a great place to put that information. Other fun things to have on your website are your wedding party, a timeline, a page on how you two met/your relationship, and some of your favorite spots in town! If any of your guests are traveling or spending the weekend in the city for your wedding, consider adding a page listing places you and your partner like to frequent. List local breweries, bars, restaurants, attractions, shops, parks, etc.!
And there you have it! Wedding planning can feel a bit like learning a new language, but with this glossary in your back pocket, you’re ready to tackle those vendor conversations like a pro. Knowing the jargon helps you make sense of all the details, big and small, so you can focus on what really matters—making your big day special! Remember to come back to this guide whenever you need a little refresher.
Happy planning, and enjoy every moment of this exciting journey!
Talk to you soon!
Caitlin Peters
Cover photo: Hannah Nicole Photography
