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Walking Down The Aisle

That moment when your song starts playing and you start walking down the aisle is truly magical. You are minutes away from getting married to the person you love and all eyes are on you.

The bride’s entrance is the culmination of the entire wedding procession and one of the key moments of the wedding ceremony. According to tradition, she should be accompanied by her father whose role is to give her away to the groom. Once they reach the altar, the father lifts the veil and kisses his daughter to give his blessing to her, and then takes his seat next to the mother of the bride. If the bride’s father has passed away, then her oldest brother should have the honour to give her hand to the groom. The bride traditionally walks on her escort’s left arm so that there is nobody between her and the groom when she arrives to the altar.

Nowadays, many brides tend to break these traditional rules. You are allowed to choose who will walk you down the aisle. Maybe your mother raised you as your dad has never been in the picture? Then you can skip the tradition. If your mother is the most important person in your life, then don’t hesitate to ask her to escort you, and if there is anyone else in your family you fell close to such as your brother, sister, uncle or auntie, then feel free to assign them for this important role. Brides from divorced parents sometimes choose to be escorted by their biological father and their stepfather, while those who already have children often ask the little ones to give them away.

Perhaps you are not sure who to ask and you are afraid you might upset someone by making the wrong choice? This is sometimes the case when parents are going through a divorce during the wedding preparations, or their relationship is in a crisis. Speak with your groom and try to find a solution that would make everyone happy. If you feel that choosing anyone from your family would cause problems, then perhaps he should be the one who escorts you down the aisle.

Some brides prefer to skip the wedding tradition of the bridal processional altogether and walk down the aisle alone. This is a great option if you feel like an independent woman and you don’t feel the need to be escorted. However, while this may sound like a good decision for you, it might not feel right to some members of your family, so make sure to check how others feel about this.

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