Etiquette for a bridal procession
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At religious and formal wedding ceremonies, the wedding party enters one or two at a time and walks down the aisle before the ceremony begins. The procession of the wedding party is a dramatic moment that most wedding parties will want to practice in advance. Knowing the rules of etiquette about the procession will ensure the wedding ceremony starts off smoothly.
Order for a Christian Procession
In a Christian ceremony, the bridegroom and best man enter from the side of the church and wait for the rest of the procession. The ushers proceed two at a time, followed by the bridesmaids, who also proceed two at a time. Both ushers and bridesmaids proceed by height, with the shortest going first. The maid of honor comes next, followed by flower girls and the ring bearer. The bride enters last, with her father walking alongside her on her left. When the wedding party arrives at the altar, their positions vary by church.
Order for a Jewish Procession
Jewish wedding processions begin with the rabbi and, if participating, the cantor. The ushers follow, with the best man behind the ushers. The groom follows the best man with his father on his left and mother on the right. The bridesmaids proceed next, followed by the maid of honor. The bride is still the last member of the wedding party to proceed and she also walks between her father on the left and mother on the right. When the wedding party reaches the chuppah, the bride, groom, maid of honor, best man and rabbi all stand under the chuppah. The parents also stand under the chuppah if space permits.
Timing and Guest Etiquette
Wedding guests should arrive a few minutes early so they have time to find their seats before the wedding procession begins. Just prior to the beginning of the procession, an usher escorts the mother of the groom and then the mother of the bride to their seats. Once the mother of the bride has been seated, the processional music begins and the wedding party starts the procession. No guests should be seated after the procession starts. Once the ushers start to walk down the aisle, the mothers of the bride and groom stand. At this point, the rest of the guests stand and remain standing until asked to be seated by the priest or clergyman.
Special Circumstances
Some churches feature two aisles, instead of one main aisle. In this case, the bridal procession takes place in the right aisle. Brides who do not have their father present may choose another male relative to escort them, or may walk down the aisle unescorted. A bride who has been married previously should not be escorted by her father, but should walk down the aisle alone. In very large wedding parties with junior bridesmaids and junior ushers, the junior ushers proceed after the ushers and the junior bridesmaids follow them, followed by the bridesmaids.
Tags: wedding party, down aisle, bridal procession, maid honor, walk downSource: www.ehow.com
