Are you and your other half from different countries? Perhaps your in-laws don't speak English? Or maybe you're bringing guests from different parts of the world together for your wedding? Planning a bilingual wedding takes thought and effort, but it's actually more achievable than you think!

We get asked a lot about our tips for making non-English speaking guests feel welcome at a wedding, as well as ideas for how to plan a bilingual wedding, so here, we've put them together in one handy guide.

Image by Paula Gillespie via One Fab Day

How to Plan a Bilingual Wedding

The logistics of planning a bilingual wedding depend on a number of factors, so get started by asking yourselves the following questions:

• Which languages you want to include in your day?
• What is the primary language you and your partner communicate in?
• What is the primary language of the country you're getting married in?
• What is the primary language of most of your guests?
• Which guests is it most important that cater for in the 'second' language, eg; parents, or grandparents?

Once you've established that having a bilingual wedding is a priority, and worked out how many people and who exactly you're catering for, you can get a plan in place. There are no set rules, again it's about making your day as personal and accessible as possible for yourself, and for all of your guests.

Image by Livia Figueiredo Photography via One Fab Day

Planning a Bilingual Wedding Ceremony & Speeches

Obviously how to prepare for a bilingual wedding depends on the specifics of your situation, but generally,  the two key moments in your wedding that will be impeded by a language barrier are the ceremony and the speeches.

Many couples opt for a ceremony to be led in two languages, with either a bilingual celebrant, or two celebrants. Alternatively, some couples will hire a professional translator to sit next to the guests who speak the 'second' language to fill them in on what's being said.

Image by Wonder & Magic via One Fab Day

The couple themselves may choose to read their vows in their own languages or the same language, though reciting vows in each others' languages is a particularly romantic gesture!

Do note though, any legal parts of the ceremony may have to be conducted in the language of the country you're in, unless you have an approved translator present.

Image by Katie Kav Photography via One Fab Day

Even if your ceremony is monolingual, ask your officiant to translate key moments into both languages such as "Welcome", “With this ring” and “You may now kiss the bride.”

For speeches, many bilingual people will go in and out of both languages, essentially covering the entire speech twice, or a couple may choose to have different speakers from each language say a few words.

Image by Jude Browne Photography via One Fab Day

If all your speakers will be speaking one language, it's a nice idea to sit either a translator or a bilingual person next to those who won't be able to understand what is being said.

Image by Maja Tsolo Photography via One Fab Day

Try to seat your guests next to other people who speak their language so they don't feel isolated. Of course it's still a great idea to encourage guests who don't speak the same language to mingle at the drinks reception or on the dancefloor, and we've got lots of ideas for that below!

Image by Maison Pestea via One Fab Day

Ideas for Making Your Bilingual Wedding More Inclusive

To make all of your guests feel welcome, regardless of what language they speak, we've put together some easy, but impactful ways to make your bilingual wedding more inclusive, and a lot of fun.

1. Send the invitations in both languages.
2. Print the ceremony program in both languages.
3. Include all the details of your big day in both languages on your wedding website.
4. Have songs and readings in both languages.
5. Serve dishes or desserts from both countries.
6. Include traditions or rituals from both countries.
7. Create a cheat sheet for the other language, which phrases like "Cheers!", "My name is", "Would you like to dance?"
8. Include lawn games or dinner games that don’t require language.
9. Choose speech givers to cover both languages.
10. Place bilingual guests around the room to help translate.
11. Have signage in both languages.
12. Include signage with recognisable symbols that don’t require language.
13. Print the menus in both languages.
14. Ask your celebrant to say a few words in the second language or invite someone else to speak.
15. Plan non-verbal activities that will get guests mingling regardless of the language barrier.
16. Organise dancing that will get guests moving together, ceilís are a great way to enforce socialising!

Get your essential wedding ceremony checklist here!