Is seating mothers and grandmothers part of the processional?

Question

Also, in what order does the wedding party walk down the aisle?

Thank you!

Answer 1

Generally yes. Here is the traditional order, but you can change it up to suit your wedding party.

After all the guests have been seated, music begins and the grandparents are escorted in (the grandmother on the arm of an usher, the grandfather right behind them, unescorted). Then the parents of the groom are seated in the same way. The mother of the bride is the last of this group, she is escorted by an usher.

The groom (along with his best man and groomsmen, if he desires) enters at the altar of the church.

The bridal party begins to enter, in the following order. If the groomsmen are escorting bridesmaids, then they walk in together. If the groomsmen are already at the altar with the groom, the women enter alone (no ushers):

Junior Bridesmaids (if any)

Bridesmaids, one at a time

Maid of honor

Flower girl and ring bearer (either together or separately; if separate, the ring bearer should walk first and the flower girl second)

Bride and her father (or other escort, if she has one)

The bride's father is seated with his wife after he "gives the bride away."

When the party recesses out of the church, the order is reversed - bride and groom first, maid of honor and best man, pairs of bridesmaids and groomsmen (one pair should take responsibility for the flower girl and ring bearer, if they are very young and haven't sat down with their families), important family members.

Answer 2

It's my knowledge that this part of the ceremony completely depends on personal taste. Traditionally the MOTB and the MOTG are seated by ushers (on separate sides of the aisle) right before the processional is about to walk down. If you wanted to include grandmothers then they would be seated before the mothers.

Processional order traditionally goes:

1. Maid of Honor and Best Man

2. Bridesmaids and Groomsmen (in whatever order you'd like)

3. Jr. Bridesmaids/Jr. Groomsmen if you have any

4. Flowergirl(s)/Ring Bearer(s)

5. Father of the Bride and Bride

Answer 3

Technically NO.  The mothers and other special family members are seated during the PRELUDE.  The prelude is a separate song chosen especially for these special family members.

The most common song choice for this is Ave Maria since typically the moms are seated.  In recent years other special family members like godmothers, aunts etc are also seated at this time.  The mother of the bride is always seated last, the mother of the groom is always second to last.  The order of the other special people is up to you.

Once the prelude is complete, the processional will start and the order can go a few ways.

Traditionally flower girls would go right before the bride to spread flower petals for only the bride to walk on.  The flower girl and ring bearer could also go first, then bridesmaids, maid of honor and finally bride.

You recess out of the church in the exact opposite order, the bridesmaids and MOH would be escorted by the groomsmen and best man.

Good luck!

Answer 4

We are having:

Grandmother and Groomsman

Father of Groom and Stepmother of Groom

Mother of Groom and Stepmother of Groom

Mother of Bride and Groomsman

Than me and my dad

I think traditionally grandparents go first, then groom's parents, then bride's mother, then bridal party.

Answer 5

my husband and groomsmen entered the front of the church with the minister.  The bridesmaids and matron of honor entered first with the processional music.  then followed by the flower girl and then my father and I.  we did not seat the mothers and grandmothers during the processional.   that was the last thing prior to the processional.  

But really it is all up to you and your fiancee and your minister.

Answer 6

In what tradition is this wedding being held? The processional order changes. For example, many Protestant traditions have the bride walking with her father (i.e. her mother is not part of the processional at all). Were you given a liturgical guide for planning your sevice? It will likely have hints on the processional.

Answer 7

Yes, it's part of the procession.

Here's how it all goes.

In true tradition, the groomsmen enter first, led by the groom and the minister, usually from a side entrance.

Then change the song being played.

My husband escorted the following people, but the usher may too:

Grandparents (his then mine), then his step mother, his mother, my mother.  --The escort (ushers or groom) walks the woman down, and if she's married, her husband follows.

The ushers can then quietly seat late-comers.

Change the music again:

Then goes the bridesmaid that will stand farthest from the bride, and so on to the maid of honor. Then the ushers pull out the aisle runner. Then the flower girl and ring-bearer enter.  

Change the music one more time.

Finally, the bride escorted by her father or other significant man.

The way out is opposite, with the men escorting the ladies. Bride and groom first, then Maid of Honor with Best man, etc.  

Hope that helps.  I was once at a wedding where the groom recited the Corinthians "Love (Love is not boastful, love is not proud..)" verses while the family was escorted in by the ushers, and I thought it was very moving.

Quick note because I see this go poorly at many weddings:

If you aren't letting people out of the church row by row in leiu of a receiving line, make sure your ushers know to let people out of the sanctuary.

Answer 8

Your mothers and grandmothers can be part of the processional. Traditionally it's family members first, then the bridesmaids, maid of honor, flower girl, then the bride.

Obviously you can do it however you want!

Answer 9

We are having the groom's mother, followed by the bridesmaid and groomsmen, then the ring bearer and flower girl, and finally the bride.  I was told that there should never be anybody between the flower girl and the bride since the flower petals are supposed to still be clean and fresh when the bride walks down the aisle.

Answer 10

the grandparents first, after all the quests are seated then the moms are walked down ,then the flower girls ring bearer then the bridesmaids and then the maid of honor then the bride and all the guys are already in place kc