The groom, followed by his groomsmen, can walk down the aisle to a song that's just for them. The groom, followed by his groomsmen, can come in from stage left (the guests right) and get into place to a song just for the guys.
However, nowadays, the groomsmen will walk down the aisle individually either after the groom or after the parents (the best man is always last). Then, each bridesmaid would walk down the aisle solo, with the maid of honor at the end.
Groomsmen: The groomsmen enter the ceremony space by walking down the aisle one by one. Groomsmen walk in order of who will be places farthest away from the groom to who will be standing by the best man. Bridesmaids: The bridesmaids walk down the aisle one by one before the maid of honor enters.
The Groom: The groom proceeds to walk down the aisle accompanied by their parents, with his father on the left and his mother on the right. The Bridesmaids: The bridesmaids then proceed in pairs, starting with those standing farthest from the bride. The Maid or Matron of Honor: The bride's right-hand woman walks alone.
The Officiant, Groom, Best Man, and Groomsmen enter first, typically from the side of the ceremony site but sometimes up the aisle depending on preference. Following them are the grandparents, the parents of the Groom, and the Mother of the Bride. Finally, the Bridesmaids, Maid of Honor, and Flower Girl enter.
For a Non-Denominational or Secular Wedding
The groom might opt to escort his mother down the aisle and to her seat in the front row, followed closely behind by the groom's father. This gives the groom an opportunity to give his parents a hug before taking his place at the altar.
How many songs do you need for a wedding ceremony? There are three big moments to pick music for: both of your processionals (one song each) and the recessional. Your partner's processional could also be the song the wedding party walks down the aisle to, or they can have a tune all their own, as you'll have.
From walking down the aisle first to last, the traditional order is: Mother of Bride, Mother of Groom, Grandparents of Bride, Grandparents of Groom, Groom, Officiant, the Wedding Party, Maid of Honor and Best Man, Ring Bearer, Flower Girl and lastly the Bride and her Father.
The groom's parents precede the bride's mother during the processional. Here's a rundown: After the ushers have seated all of the guests, the grandparents start up the aisle, followed by the groom's parents. Then the bride's mother takes her turn.
There is no rule for whether the groom can watch the bride walking down the aisle or not. It's something the couple agree between each other, and it doesn't matter what the registrar or the vicar says. The walk down the aisle is wonderful and will only ever happen once – so don't let the groom miss it!
Admiring the bride in her wedding gown or walking down the aisle. With the bride expected to leave her own family home to the venue of the wedding, the groom only gets to see his wife-to-be minutes before the ceremony begins. This, therefore, leaves the man in suspense as to the appearance of his woman on their d-day.
5 minutes prior to ceremony: The groom's mother is escorted to her seat by the head usher, a son, or the groom. The groom's father follows and sits next to her. The wedding processional follows. Read more about the wedding processional order here.
Wedding recessional songs, better known as wedding exit songs, are played as the couple walk back down the aisle as newlyweds and the guests clap wildly. Happy, celebratory and bursting with love, your wedding recessional song should reflect the excitement you're feeling inside.
Editor's Pick: "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)," Natalie Cole. There's no better way to end the evening than with a song that honors your love story. There won't be a dry eye in the house when you and your spouse depart with this as your wedding exit song.
Music plays as the Bride and Groom walk hand in hand down the aisle, Maid of Honor and Best Man follow when the Bride and Groom have cleared the seating area. Bridesmaids and Groomsmen do the same as above Flower Girl and Ring Bearer follow.
Traditionally, the groom's mother will take care of the rehearsal dinner arrangements and help prepare the guest list for the groom's side of the family. Both tasks should be done with both the bride and the groom's input. Any other responsibilities can be negotiated among the families.
“Well, the tradition comes from an era where women were the property of men,” she says. “Fathers walking their daughter down the aisle and giving their daughter, the bride, away represented a transfer of ownership from her father to her new husband.”
Because the mother of the groom isn't part of the bridal party, she should avoid choosing a dress in the same color as the bridesmaids' attire, the mother of the bride's dress, or the wedding gown.
The best man follows the bridesmaids and groomsmen and can walk down alone or with the maid of honor. He may also be the ring bearer for some weddings, and will stand next to the groom at the altar.
Mix-and-match colors
Whether your groomsmen are each wearing something unique or are all dressed the same, wearing a suit or tuxedo in a different color from the rest of the group will instantly spotlight you as the groom. If the groomsmen are wearing light gray suits, wear a dark gray ensemble instead.
And it's not just bridesmaids who shell out the big bucks-groomsmen also are expected to pay up. But just how much that is in dollar amounts depends on a few factors, like the formality of the wedding, where you live in relation to the wedding venue, and how elaborate the bachelor party is.