A wedding rehearsal is essential to a smooth ceremony. And what better way to show nervous participants what is expected of them than to perform an actual run-through of the ceremony? Plus, this is your chance to scope out the landscape one last time and get your bearings. Whether you are planning a formal wedding for 500 or a simple ceremony for 50, it is a good idea to take a few steps to ensure your rehearsal lays the foundation for a successful wedding day.

Get The Word Out. Unless your rehearsal is extremely informal, you might want to send out separate invitations for this event, including the time, direction, parking instructions and location of the rehearsal and dinner; or create your Wedding Website, including your Wedding Logistics page, with all the essential details, and save some money on invitations and postage. Be specific; if your ceremony is going to be held in a church, specify where in the church, i.e. the main sanctuary, the rose garden, or the chapel. (And if the dinner afterwards is to be held in a hotel or club, specify which dining room.)

Give Good Directions. The last thing you want is your wedding party to get so lost on the way to the wedding location that you have no time to rehearse. Keep directions clear and concise, and include a map if possible; your Wedding Logistics page will create one for you automatically. Otherwise, ask a friend to fax or telephone members of the wedding party with the proper instructions on how to get there.

Parking. Be familiar with the parking situation at your rehearsal and let your party know what to expect. Is a validation necessary for parking? Do they have valet parking? If no parking is provided, where is the closest lot?

Arrange Transportation. If you have out-of-town guests in your wedding party, consider arranging to have a car, limousine or shuttle bus take them to the rehearsal and dinner.

The Line Up. With any luck, everyone will arrive on time and your wedding coordinator or officiant will be ready to "direct" the rehearsal. Those present should include the bride and groom, their parents, and the wedding party, including any children who are in the ceremony, along with their parents, and any other ceremony participants (i.e. readers). The bride and groom may want to be the first to arrive, in order to greet the participants; if you plan to instead make a casual arrival, ask someone who knows most of the other participants (perhaps the Maid of Honor and/or Best Man) to get there a few minutes early and welcome people as they arrive. Other relatives and out-of-town guests may be invited to the rehearsal dinner, but it’s best to keep the rehearsal itself as simple as possible. If the wedding is formal, you may invite the musicians (but you’ll probably have to pay for their time), or at least play a recording of the processional music. Rehearsing to the music helps attendants and the bride pace themselves on their way down the aisle.

Introductions. It is a good idea to introduce the wedding party to each other at the beginning of the rehearsal to avoid confusion. How can the flower girl follow Lynn down the aisle if she doesn't know who Lynn is?

At The Rehearsal. The coordinator should let each member of the wedding know exactly what to do and when. He or she will also be able to tell ushers where to seat parents and grandparents, and where the flower girl will sit or stand during the ceremony. If you have any questions, now is the time to ask. Most importantly, make sure everyone knows what time they should be at the ceremony, and where they should meet. Everyone should practice his or her role at least once (children, at least twice). While the rehearsal ceremony needn’t contain every detail, it should at least be rehearsed in chronological order. If you are planning something special, such as a Family Medallion Ceremony, make sure you include it in your rehearsal. Rehearsals can be tedious with all the waiting and walking the aisles; however, they can also be very amusing, so bring a camera as there are sure to be plenty of photo ops.

Kid Stuff. While young children should attend the rehearsal to practice their roles, consider taking them home immediately afterwards so that they can get a good night’s rest. Each child should know where a parent or other familiar adult will be seated among the guests in case the child becomes frightened, confused or (God forbid) ill. That adult should know that if he or she is given a pre-determined cue during the ceremony, he or she should step forward and take the child. This is particularly important if the child’s parents are in the ceremony themselves; it would be awkward for them to have to step away during the proceedings.

Backstage Logistics. Know the location of the nearest restrooms and drinking fountain. You don’t want to have to stop the rehearsal because Aunt Sally can’t find the powder room. Tell her (and everyone) where it is before you begin, so they’ll know where it is on the big day. Also, make sure the bride’s party and the groom's party know where they are to gather before the ceremony, and where they should park. If you haven’t scouted it out already, take time now to decide at which entrance the bride should arrive, and make a note of the street name or some other visual marker, so you can properly direct the driver on the day of the wedding. Be familiar with the nearest telephone in the church, synagogue or hall, in case you need to track down lost people or make a last minute call -- at the rehearsal or on your wedding day. Give your wedding party members the phone number in advance, so that they can call in the event they are lost or late. If no phone is available, bring a cell phone. If anyone in your wedding party is handicapped, let them know ahead of time where to find handicapped parking, and which entrance has wheelchair access. Also, make sure the aisles and entrances are wide enough to accommodate the wheelchair; if not, plan an alternate route to that guest’s seat.

Foul Weather Plan. If your wedding is to be a garden ceremony (or anyplace outdoors), let your wedding party know where to meet in the event of bad weather. Prepare to rehearse indoors, if necessary.

Consider Locations. If possible, plan to have your rehearsal dinner close to the wedding location so that rehearsal participants don’t have to drive far from the rehearsal to the dinner. Alternatively, choose a restaurant or home that everyone knows well, to keep them from getting lost.

No matter how much you rehearse, be prepared to troubleshoot at your wedding. It is not uncommon to become nervous at the ceremony and forget something. Try not to worry, though -- you will be among those who love you.