FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JANUARY 18, 2018 • BRIDAL • THE QUEENS COURIER 53
It’s all about the walk
BY TRESA ERICKSON
With all of the planning you have to do
for your wedding, one of the last things
on your mind may be the order of participants
in the processional.
Sure, everything will start with the
mothers and end with you, the bride, but
as for who should come between, you
don’t know. You’re hoping to work out
all of that at the rehearsal. Meanwhile,
you might want to brush on the traditional
lineup in processionals.
Traditionally, the process begins with
the seating of the groom’s and bride’s
grandparents and parents. Once all of the
guests have arrived and been seated, an
usher, or groomsman if not having separate
ushers, walks each of the groom’s
grandmothers down the aisle, one at a
time, with their husbands following, and
seats them.
Another usher or groomsman then
walks each of the bride’s grandmothers
down the aisle with their husbands following
in the same fashion. Th e ushers or
groomsmen then take turns seating the
parents, starting with the groom’s parents
and ending with the bride’s mother. Th e
seating of the bride’s mother signals that
the wedding has offi cially begun.
Aft er all grandparents and parents have
been seated, the offi ciant and groom enter
the room at the front and stand facing
the guests. Th e best man follows unless
he is escorting the maid of honor down
the aisle.
If the groomsmen are not serving as
ushers, they enter the room as this time
too, following behind the best man. Th e
groom should stand on the right side of
the aisle with the best man and groomsmen
slightly to his left . Th e attendants
are up next. Th ey can walk down the
aisle in a couple of ways. If the groomsmen
are serving as ushers, they may walk
down fi rst, either in pairs or alone, followed
by the bridesmaids, either in pairs
or alone. Th e groomsmen may also escort
the bridesmaids down the aisle.
Once near the altar, the attendants may
either sit in the front pew or stand with
the bride and groom. If standing, the
bridesmaids should line up on the left ,
leaving room for the maid of honor,
and the groomsmen on the right, leaving
room for the best man if he is escorting
the maid of honor. If they have come
down the aisle together, the groomsmen
and bridesmaids may line up in a semicircle
behind the offi ciant and bride and
groom.
It is now the maid of honor’s turn.
She may walk down the aisle alone or
be escorted by the best man. Once at the
altar, the maid of honor should take her
place next to where the bride will stand
and the best man should stand next to
the groom.
Any children in the wedding follow
the maid of honor. Experts disagree as
to whether the ringbearer or fl ower girl
should come fi rst. It is your choice, and
if the children are young and tentative,
you could have them walk together down
the aisle. Children may sit with their parents
or stand at the front. Th e fl ower girl
should stand with the maid of honor, and
the ring-bearer with the best man.
Finally it is the bride’s turn to shine.
Traditionally, the bride’s father escorts
her down the aisle. Th e bride should
stand on her father’s left . Once the father
has given the bride away, he may either
step to the side and remain at the altar or
return to the pew and sit with his family.
Th is is the traditional order of participants
in a wedding processional. Keep in
mind that you do not have to follow it. In
fact, you will probably have to make some
adjustments according to your situation.
You may have to seat all of the grandparents
well ahead of time due to their
declining health and skip the seating of
your mother if she is walking you down
the aisle. You may have only one attendant
each and choose to disband with the
processional altogether.
It is entirely up to you as to who walks
down the aisle and in what order they
do so.
Spring Bridal Guide