Questionnaire 5.0 | Tim Greathouse

The Basics

Names, emergency contacts, addresses, dates, times and more.

Groom's Name

Please list your first, middle and last name. This information is sometimes required to complete your marriage license.

Groom's Ceremony Name

This is the name by which I'll refer to you during the ceremony. Use the name that your friends and family (and especially your fiancé) actually call you!

Groom's Nickname

The bride's pet name for the groom

Bride's Name

Please list your first, middle and last name. This information is sometimes required to complete your marriage license.

Bride's Ceremony Name

This is the name by which I'll refer to you during the ceremony. Use the name that your friends and family (and especially your fiance) actually call you!

Bride's Nickname

The groom's pet name for the bride

Do you have a best man/maid of honor?

Best Man or Woman's First Name

This is the person I'll call if there's an emergency on your wedding day or an unforeseen delay and I'm unable to reach either of you.

Best Man or Woman's Cell

Maid/Matron/Man of Honor's First Name

This is the next person I'll call if there's an emergency on your wedding day or an unforeseen delay and I'm unable to reach either of you.

Maid/Matron/Man of Honor's Cell

Emergency Contact's First Name

This is the person I'll call if there's an emergency on your wedding day or an unforeseen delay and I'm unable to reach either of you. Please provide at least one contact, preferably two!

Emergency Contact's Cell

Other Emergency Contact's First Name

This is the next person I'll call if there's an emergency on your wedding day or an unforeseen delay and I'm unable to reach either of you.

Other Emergency Contact's Cell

Ceremony Location

The venue name or other location (e.g. the bride's grandparents' farm, our backyard, etc.)

Address

City/Town

State/Province

ZIP/Postal Code

Ceremony Date

Ceremony Start Time

This is the time people actually begin walking down the aisle. This is not when pre-ceremony music or cocktails begin. If your invitations read “Music at 3pm, ceremony at 3:30pm" you'll put 3:30pm here.

Number of Attendees

This doesn't need to be an exact number. Ballpark it for me! Don't include the three of us in the count.

Is the ceremony indoors or outdoors?

What happens in the event of bad weather?

Vendor Vitals

I need to know who some of your other key vendors are, along with their contact information.

Venue Coordinator's/Owner's Name

Venue Phone

I must have a way to reach the venue coordinator or owner if there's an emergency or delay. Their cell or a landline for the actual venue are both acceptable. This information isn't always available online or is sometimes inaccurate, so you're the best people to tell me how to reach them.

Have you hired a professional photographer?

Photographer's Name

Preferred form of Contact

Photographer's Phone

Photographer's Email

Have you hired a professional videographer?

Videographer's Name

Preferred form of Contact

Videographer's Phone

Videographer's Email

Have you hired a wedding planner?

Wedding Planner's Name

Preferred form of Contact

Wedding Planner's Phone

Wedding Planner's Email

Who is handling your processional and recessional music?

DJ's Name

Your Play-Pressing Pal's First Name

Musician or Ensemble's Name

Arrangement

Harp, string trio, full band, etc.

Ceremony Specifics

Do you have any pre-ceremony announcements you'd like me to make?

If your guests need special instructions about where to go or what to do after the ceremony, it's best to tell them before the ceremony begins.

Please specify the pre-ceremony announcement.

I'm most commonly asked to remind people that it's an "unplugged" ceremony. However, if you have any post-ceremony instructions (usually about where cocktail is, the need to leave the room we're in so the staff can rearrange it for the reception, or if specific people need to remain after the ceremony for photos) it's best to share them before the ceremony. It's less disruptive to the flow of the ceremony.

How will the bride walk down the aisle?

Please tell me their first name only and their relation to the bride.

Should I ask the question, "Who gives this bride away?"

Choose your first reading.

Not sure where to start? I've got dozens of favorites for you to choose from and enjoy!

First Reading Title

Please be sure to consult the reading guidelines before submitting your reading.

First Reading Author

Please paste the full copy of the first reading here.

Who would you like to read?

What is the reader's first name?

What is the reader's relation to the couple?

e.g. the bride's uncle, the groom's oldest sister, etc.

Would you like a second reading?

Second readings are purely optional. One reading will do, but there's time for two!

Choose your second reading.

Second Reading Title

Please be sure to consult the reading guidelines before submitting your reading.

Second Reading Author

Please paste the full copy of the second reading here.

Who would you like to read?

What is the reader's first name?

What is the reader's relation to the couple?

e.g. the bride's uncle, the groom's oldest sister, etc.

How do you wish to say your wedding vows?

For an overview of your options, check out the vow guide.

Will there be additional elements to the ceremony?

Many people wish to incorporate standalone "mini-ceremonies" into the broader ceremony, like the lighting of a unity candle, combining of unity sands, a handfasting, etc. The 'less is more' principle applies here - additional elements, when added to excess, tend to water down the symbolism and significance of the rest of the ceremony. Another common request is to say remembrances for loved ones - if requested, please provide the first name and relation of each of your loved ones.

Any other additional ceremony elements should be noted here.

Do you wish to have a loved one conclude the ceremony with a prayer?

Please give the first name of the person praying and their relation to you.

How do you wish to be introduced?

It's a brief moment, but it's an immense and memorable one. Click here for a quick overview of your introduction options

Your Backstory

Paint me a picture. Spare no detail! Remember, I'll never tell the gang anything that will embarrass either of you.

How did you first meet?

Describe to me, in as much detail as you can, the circumstances surrounding your first meeting.

Where did you meet?

Bad answers: at school, at work, at a bar. Good answers: in our freshman year biology class at Ohio University, at a Starbucks in Akron where we were both baristas, at a bar in Manchester called the Temple of Convenience

When did you meet?

I at least need to know the year. Narrow it down to the season or the month of that year if you can. If you know the exact date, awesome!

List at least five important ways in which you are the same.

Examples: “We both love nature and astronomy.” “We share a dream of one day building our own home.” “We are both vegan.”

List at least five ways in which you are different.

Examples: “He's always hot. She's always cold.” “He's a PC gamer. She plays Xbox.” “She loves to swim and boat. He almost drowned as a kid so stays on shore.”

Hey groom! Why do you want to marry your bride?

Hey bride! Promise not to read this later.

Hey bride! Why do you want to marry your groom?

Hey groom! No peeking.

List three people, places or things that you believe are overrated.

Examples: Dana Carvey, TV dance shows, the city of Branson, Missouri

List three people, places or things that you believe are underrated.

Examples: Mel Brooks movies, block parties, spontaneous singalongs

List three highlights of your time together, not counting today.

Examples: We bought our first home in 2011, we restored a 1958 Buick Skylark together, we ran the Boston Marathon together

List three lowlights of your time together, but only if you can laugh about them now that they're behind you.

Examples: That time we tried to paint the house ourselves, our South Carolina vacation during Hurricane Hugo, the Thanksgiving where we burned the turducken

Where do you see yourselves in 50 years?

Assume everything went your way!

Do you have children? List their first names and ages.

If any of your children are from previous marriages or relationships, I don't make reference to this during the ceremony.

Do you have pets? Tell me their names and breeds.

Maybe I'll give 'em a little shout out!

Describe to me, in as much detail as you can, your favorite inside joke.

I don't reference this during the ceremony, but it gives me a good glimpse into your senses of humor, or (more rarely) it gives me a potential icebreaker to whisper to you during the ceremony if needed.

Describe to me, in as much detail as you can, a joyful moment or experience you shared that became a turning point or defining moment in your relationship.

If your romance was a movie, this would be the Oscar scene.

Favorites

If your tastes in popular culture converge, tell me about your mutual favorites. These questions are purely optional, but they often allow me to add vibrant personal touches for the ceremony. Think of them as extra credit!

Our favorite author, book or book series

It's Superfudge, right?

Our favorite film, show or actor

Caddyshack?

Band or musician

Hanson?

Type/nationality of food, restaurant or dish to prepare together

Anchovy pizza?

City, country or attraction to visit

Monaco? No, Kennywood!

Wildcard – you name it!

Our favorite hockey team, our favorite musical, our favorite place to BASE jump

Miscellaneous

The junk drawer of the questionnaire, where the cords and the paperclips live.

Is there a marriage license that requires my signature?

All of your marriage license questions are answered here.

What is your mailing address?

In case I need to send any follow-up correspondence or documentation, please provide your mailing address.

Address

City/Town

State/Province

ZIP/Postal Code

Can I make decisions regarding microphone use without you?

Please review my Microfesto for details. I'm shockingly audible in all but the noisiest circumstances, so I endeavor to avoid using a microphone whenever possible.