Wedding Processional
From LoveToKnow Weddings
The wedding processional is one of those things that can be confusing to a couple getting married, no matter how many weddings they have attended.
What is a Wedding Processional?
The wedding processional is the beginning of the wedding when all involved parties enter and take their proper places. This is when all the guests catch a first glimpse of the bride and groom in all of their wedding finery. This can set the tone for the whole special day.
Order
After all of the guests are seated, the groom makes his entrance. The order of the ceremony processional is as follows:
- Grandmothers of the bride and groom escorted to their seats by groomsmen.
- Mother of the groom is escorted to her seat.
- Mother of the bride is escorted to her seat. It’s important to note the mother of the bride is always seated last. Once she is seated, the wedding is to begin.
- Ushers walk down the aisle next, alone and take their places in front.
- The bridesmaids follow the ushers and walk down the aisle:
- The maids of honor follow the bridesmaids and takes their places next to where the bride will stand.
- The ring bearer will follow the maid of honor.
- The flower girls will follow next.
- Finally, the bride, escorted by parent or other special person will walk down the aisle.
Guests
Guests remain seated throughout the processional until the bride enters when they immediately stand. After the bride has reached her destination, the guests can sit once again.
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Comments
Beth - Ideally, the two of you would walk together unless he is the best man and you are a regular bridesmaid; the maid of honor would walk with him in that position, or vice versa if you were maid of honor. If you're just "regular" attendants you should walk together, and you can talk to you brother about his (or his fiance's) reasons for not having you walk together. Some couples choose to have attendants line up by height, for example, which may be the reason for the change. All told, you can ask why but remember the ceremony will last only 20-30 minutes or so and the walking even less; as long as you can be with your husband at the reception and dancing, it may not be worth being upset about the order of the processional. Best wishes!
-- Contributed by: Melissa MayntzMy husband and I are both in my brother's wedding as bridesmaid & groomsman but we are not currently "scheduled" to walk down the aisle to gether. Is there some ettiquette reason for this or what? I'd like to walk down with my husband and not some other guy. Just wondering.
-- Contributed by: BethThe bridesmaids should take whichever arm of the groomsmen is suitable relative to where they will stand during the ceremony, which is on the same side as the bride. A bride is customarily on the groom's left (so his right hand would be free to defend her in medieval times), so the bridesmaids would also be on the left, but if the order is reversed for everyone it's not a grave breach of propriety, so long as it's consistent.
-- Contributed by: Melissa MayntzThis page has been accessed 19,414 times. This page was last modified 19:36, 7 September 2008.
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