Again, the couple's parents may or may not walk down the aisle (they can also just take their seats as the procession begins). Traditionally, the groom's parents will go first, followed by the mother of the bride, but the couple may choose to be escorted down the aisle by one or both of their parents.
Traditionally, the groom would say his vows first, followed by the bride, according to Nathan. However, there are no rules for that wedding tradition, and many couples now choose other ways to determine who goes first, particularly at LGBTQIA+ and nondenominational weddings.
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 priest and the ministers walk to the altar first. Only then do the rest of the members of the processional enter, in the following order: groom, best man, groomsmen, maids of honor, bridesmaids, ring bearer, flower girl, and the bride and her father.
Tradition dictates that the bride's name always comes first, whether on save the date cards, wedding invitations or anything else. This is because the bride's parents are usually the hosts, paying a greater share of the expenses.
Mother of the bride
The mother of the bride is the last person seated before the officiant, groom and best man take their places at the altar. She can walk alone or be escorted by her son, son-in-law or another relative. She is seated on the left side in the first row.
Who walks down the aisle first? You guessed it—there are no rules! Usually, the 'maids walk down first, followed by the MOH with the bride last. If you're just having one maid or matron of honor, it's a simple line-up.
The mother of the bride is traditionally escorted by her son if she has one. Otherwise, any close male relative, the best man, or a groomsman walks with the mother of the bride during the procession.
In a traditional wedding ceremony order, the vows are followed by the ring exchange. The groom usually goes first, though we invite you to be progressive. He puts the wedding band on the bride's finger while repeating a phrase like, “I give this ring as a sign of my love.” Then, it's the bride's turn.
Traditionally, the bride's family pays for the wedding, but that custom is rapidly changing. Couples are increasingly choosing to handle at least half of the wedding expenses on their own. Early planning and a written budget can help avoid miscommunication when deciding who pays for what.
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.
Long story short, the groom typically says his wedding vows first in the vow exchange. As is customary, the officiant will give him the floor to speak his piece before giving it to the bride. It's a custom that's carried over from older times in which the husband was more of a focus.
The maid of honour is traditionally seated to the left of the groom's father, with the bride's mother to his right. The groom is then seated between his bride and her father, with the groom's mother on his right and the best man next to her.
The Bride. If you're still following tradition, then the bride is only responsible for paying for the groom's wedding band and wedding gifts for her bridesmaids. However, there are many wedding costs (everything from a coordinator to flowers and décor) that are often shared between the bride and her family.
This leaves many wondering which finger their new ring should go on or if they should even be wearing their engagement ring to the ceremony. It's perfectly normal, however, to wear both the engagement ring and the wedding ring during your wedding ceremony – how you wear them is up to you.
Traditionally, the Best Man holds the rings at a wedding. The Best Man will keep them safe before and during the ceremony until the couple exchanges the rings.
The parents of the bride always sit in the first pew or row on the left, facing where the ceremony will be held; the groom's parents sit in the first row on the right. At same-sex marriage ceremonies, the couple might assign each family a side, and seat guests on "Bill's side" or "Kevin's side" accordingly.
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.
The maid of honor, along with the rest of the bridal party, is expected to cover all wedding attire costs. This includes the dress (plus any necessary alterations), shoes, and any jewelry you'll be wearing the day of. Occasionally, the bride will gift her bridesmaids with whatever accessories she wants them to wear.
Can I have my married friend as a bridesmaid in the wedding? Yes, absolutely! The idea that a bride needs to be surrounded by unmarried women is ancient history, and unless all your closest friends do happen to be unwed, it might as well stay that way. There's no reason you can't ask a married friend to be a maid.
Generally speaking, bridesmaids are expected to pay for their own dresses and accessories as well as potentially hair and makeup appointments and transportation to the wedding. According to Gottsman, bridesmaids should be prepared to cover the costs for these expenses once they accept the offer.
The mother of the bride plays the role of hostess, meaning you should spend some time greeting guests during the reception. Although there are exceptions, other wedding-day duties may include sitting at the parents' table and dancing with the father of the bride to help warm up the dance floor.
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.