Do the groom's parents or bride's parents walk down the aisle first?

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Weddings, the act of celebrating the union of two individuals, come with ceremonies and protocols to make them more romantic, formal and memorable. There are different types of wedding ceremonies, depending on the religious and cultural backgrounds of the bride and groom. Typically, the groom's parents are the first ones to walk the aisle before the bride's, however, some traditions provide variations to this.

1. The Guests' Procession

   • Typical wedding ceremonies send each parent down the aisle separately. Guests come in first, followed by the groom's grandparents, followed by the groom's mother. The groom's father follows the mother and they sit together at the front of the aisle. After seating the groom's parents, the mother of the bride follows. She is the last person to be seated in this first batch of the procession. Once they are seated, the groom and the wedding minister go in front of the altar.

   The Bride's Procession

   • After the guests' procession, the wedding song plays and the bride's father stands at the end of the aisle. He waits for the bride to enter and accompanies her as she walks. The bride's father will then offer her daughter's hand to the groom before the wedding rites begin. The father sits next to the bride's mother.

   Other Traditions

   • There are some wedding traditions where the groom and his parents go down the aisle together, after all the groomsmen and bridesmaids have gone. Then the bride, also accompanied by both parents, follows the groom's procession. The bride's parents offer the hand of their daughter to the groom and the wedding rites begin.

   Other Modifications

   • Some wedding ceremonies prefer to have the bride walk on her own, thus focusing everyone's attention on her. In this style, the bride's father walks together with the bride's mother before the bride enters the room. When the bride comes near the altar, the father approaches her and hands her to the groom before the ceremony begins.

Source: www.ehow.com

Tags: down aisle, groom parents, bride father, wedding ceremonies, aisle first