1. Groom waits up front with best man and groomsmen. Bridesmaids enter one by one, unescorted, followed by flower girl/ring-bearer, with Bride entering last. Note: This is the best choice if your numbers of men and women in your bridal party are not equal.
2. Groom wait up front with best man. Groomsmen and bridesmaids enter as couples, followed by children and then Bride.
3. Groom begins processional, either with his best man, or by escorting his mother to her seat. Bridal party to follow as couples, with Bride entering last.
4. Same as #3, except that groom is escorted by both parents.
5. After everyone else is down the aisle, Bride is escorted by her father or both parents.
6. After everyone else is down the aisle, Bride is escorted by her father (or other male escort). Upon arriving at the front row, Bride's mother joins Bride and her father, taking Bride's other arm, and walks the following few steps to meet the groom. (This is a great option if you want to include your mother, but she doesn't want to escort you all the way down the aisle)
7. After the bridal party enters, the Bride and Groom walk in together. Why not start your ceremony as you live your life…together!
8. The bridal party enters. As the Bride begins her entrance, either with one or both parents, she has no flowers. Her father (and mother) hand her a flower and she begins walking down the aisle. At the end of the rows, lining the aisle, the Bride's girlfriends, bridal party, or any family members stand and hand her a flower as she passes by-giving her a hug as they do so. The Bride is gathering her bouquet as she makes her entrance! (Consider having your groom, or your grandmother hand you the last flower.) Once at the front, the maid of honor, who has brought a ribbon just for the occasion, takes the Bride's flowers from her and ties them into a bouquet.
9. Forgo the processional altogether (it's nerve-wracking anyway!). Simply meet and mingle with your guests until the ceremony starts and then have your officiant gather everyone around. It's very informal and intimate.
10. Wow your guests at the start! Dance, skip, ride your bikes, or roller blade in!
Maureen Thomson has been a wedding officiant since 2001 and is the owner of Lyssabeth's Wedding Officiants. This article may be reproduced in its entirety provided that authorship is credited to Maureen Thomson and a link from the recipients website is placed to memorableceremonies.com.
