Wedding Forum - Silly Q.. but i have to ask to get it...

I was wondering this also! Most people have told me after, but im having mine walk down before as I have no train to arrange or anthing so dont need to be behind me! x

From what I've read they walk down first and then the older bm/moh walks behind holding your dress dont they?

The English tradition is to walk behind, while the American tradition is for the BM to walk in front

Think in america its usually the bridal party first but heres its the other way round??
Cant remember now BUT i am having my bridal party to go in first so i can make my grand entrance hehehehehe

Also found this for you :-)

One of the grandest part of any wedding ceremony is when the bridal party makes its entrance. The air is full of anticipation, and the groom anxiously awaits his first glimpse of his bride in her wedding dress. But do you know what order your bridal party should walk in? And who escorts the mother of the bride?

Different types of wedding processionals
The order of wedding processionals follows a general pattern, but varies according to religious traditions. For example, here is a Catholic wedding processional:

The priest, groom, and best man enter through a side door and wait at the altar.
The groomsmen and bridesmaids walk down in pairs, starting with the two who will stand farthest from the bride and groom, and ending with the best man and maid of honor.
The ring bearer and/or flower girl
The bride and her father, or other close family member. The bride walks on the left side. If the bride's escort is her father, he leads her to the front of the aisle, then takes his seat next to the bride's mother.


However, for a Jewish wedding processional, the order goes something like this:

The Rabbi and/or cantor
Grandparents of the bride, who are then seated in the first row
Grandparents of the groom, who are then seated in the first row
Groomsmen, walking in pairs
Best man
The groom, who is escorted by his parents.
Bridesmaids
Maid or Matron of Honor
Ring bearer and/or flower girl
The bride, escorted by her parents


And for a Protestant wedding, this is the traditional order of a wedding processional:
The mothers of the bride and groom are seated after all guests are seated, and immediately before the start of the processional music. They are usually escorted to their seats by a brother of the bride or groom, or by another usher.
After they are seated, the officiant, groom and best man enter by a side door and wait at the altar.
Groomsmen may also enter by a side door, or can escort the bridesmaids.
Bridesmaids
Ring bearer and/or flower girl
Maid or Matron of Honor
The bride, escorted by her father or other close male family member or friend. At the front of the aisle, her escort can remain standing with her until the minister asks "Who gives this woman in marriage?" to which he responds "I do," or "Her mother and I do." However, some people feel this tradition is old fashioned and sexist, and choose to forgo it. In such a case, her escort walks with the bride to the front of the aisle, and then takes his seat in the front row.


For a non-denominational ceremony, a secular ceremony, or a non-traditional ceremony, you can either borrow liberally from one of these traditions, or make up your own rules.

In all cases, the bride traditionally stands on the left, and the groom on the right. This dates back to medieval times when the groom might need to defend his bride in the middle of the ceremony, and wanted to leave his right hand, his sword hand, free. While few grooms even carry a sword anymore, the tradition has lasted.

A wedding processional using two aisles
People tackle the problem of two aisles in a variety of ways. You can choose to only use one aisle, but this means that many of your guests will feel far from the action. I often advise couples to do the processional up one aisle, and the recessional down the other. Another alternative is to have bridesmaids walk up one aisle, and groomsmen up the other. The bride and groom can then each choose an aisle to enter through.

A wedding processional with a small bridal party
If you only have a few people in your bridal party, it's a good idea to send them up one by one. For example, if you had a best man, maid of honor, flower girl, and ring bearer this should be the order
Groom takes his place at the front
Best man enters
Maid of Honor walks up aisle
Ring Bearer
Flower Girl
Bride, with escort if she has one.
With such a small wedding party, it's probably not formal enough to warrant a formal seating of the mothers and grandmothers. However, if you still want to do this, let the best man seat the grandmothers and the groom seat the mothers as part of their entrances.

Don't forget to smile! It's a good idea to have either a coordinator, or a friend with a written list helping to line up the bridal party and telling each person when to go. They can stand just beyond where the guests can see them. They should also remind each person to smile when they're walking down the aisle!

Our minister informed us that the way we did it was how they usually expected the procession down the aisle to be although they would change it slightly if requested. Also our minister came down the aisle to meet as at the entrance door and walked in front of us down the aisle.

I think as long as you get down the aisle in one piece it doesnt really matter how its done and defo dont do what I did on the day and ended up having to walk down the aisle for a 2nd time!

Ok then ... they will walk first... and then ill make the GRAND enterance

My fgs and pbs are going down in a bit of a blob formation! Only because I want them to get that bit out of the way! They are all little so they might run, cry, sit down etc!! Anything is possible lol
Gonna wait til they are with their adults ...
Then my male bms are escourting my female bms down the aisle.
All of this to pachabels cannon.

Then to the bridal march its my dad and me! Like Hails said GRAND ENTRANCE! lol
Plus my bms can all face to congregation and watch dad and me and not the back of my head! :0)

i was wondering this! think we better decide which way to do it xx

i have a trne that needs sorting but im wanting my bms and son to go b4 me so they have there moment then il make mine after il teach my dad to sort my trane lol xx

i thought flowergirl etc goes first cos they sprinkle flowers in frount for you to walk on?

i think in uk it is usually tradition for bride to go 1st (been having this discussion with MIL2B and GIL2B) but i would like the "american way" of me last - just like the thought of it that way :) but they both think this is just wring and "not the done thing!" grrr lol but im pretty sure im goin last ;o) xXx

what i have found:Typically, the flower girl walks in front of the bride during an entrance processional. She may spread flower petals on the floor before the bride or carry a bouquet of flowers.

As ours is civil ceremony I'm not sure if the registrar would be too bothered but I'll make sure it's something we ask when we see them in November. I've not found any music as yet but I like the idea of sending my pb (my son who will be 9) first, followed by my bms age 15 and 35 and moh age 43 then me and my mum x

im having my bridesmaid pageboys and flowergirls walking beofre me

Its entirely up to you.. but im walking down the aisle to pachabels cannon and because its a long piece, my bms are going first then i am coming in after them! x

pachabels cannon is lovely, arrival of the queen of sheba is also nice, trumpet voluntary is nice.. i would look on you tube.. there is loads of music on there.. either that or speak to the person who will be playing the music for you on your arrival?X

I always thought the BM's etc (except MOH) went 1st, with MOH holding the brides train?
Isn't that how Kate Middleton did it? I figure, of all the weddings to stick to tradition, that would be the one.. xx

i think i'm going to have to decide based on the size of our ceremony room! if they walk behind me they wont be able to get past me to their seats once i get to the top as the room is small! lol. Although I do like the idea of having the flower girl and the 2 younger bridesmaids walk in front of me, then the two adult bridesmaids walk behind...hmm.....

I agree with solar_powered_lime and if it's good enough for the Royals, it's good enough for any of us!! LOL I don't think I'm having a train as we are going abroad so as I have 2 FGs and my MOH, who is the Mum of the youngest FG I thought they could all go first, then I'll make my grand entrance.

it is the american way to have them go first and british way is behind u. i had my lot go down first and we all walked down staggered to the bridal march. its your day hun have it how ever u wnat xx