Who Walks Down The Aisle First?

The UK wedding tradition has the groom and groomsmen leading the guests into the ceremony room or church. The bridal party then arrives, with the flower girl and page boys walking down the aisle first, followed by the bride and her father. The bridesmaids follow, with the maid of honour or chief bridesmaid closest to the bride.

However, it is becoming more common for the bridal party to walk down the aisle before the bride and her father, creating a build-up of excitement for their arrival. The order of the wedding procession is ultimately up to the couple, and they can choose to do something different if they wish.

The UK's traditional wedding procession

The Groom's Entrance

First, the groom, along with the groomsmen, leads the wedding guests into the ceremony room or church. They walk down the aisle and take their places at the altar, with the best man usually standing closest to the groom.

The Bridal Party's Entrance

There is some variation in the order of the bridal party's entrance. In a traditional UK church wedding, the wedding party would walk behind the bride. However, it has become increasingly common for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to go first, followed by the maid of honour, flower girls, and page boys, and then the bride, who is escorted by her father or another loved one.

The Bride's Entrance

The bride is usually the last to walk down the aisle, creating a buildup of excitement and anticipation. The father of the bride "gives her away", lifts her veil, and kisses her, signifying his blessing.

It is worth noting that the order of the procession can vary depending on religious and cultural traditions, and there is no longer a right or wrong way to organise the bridal party's entrance. Couples can choose to be creative and make their entrance unique and personalised.

The modern UK wedding procession

The wedding procession refers to the moment when the couple, their wedding party, and family walk down the aisle in a specific order, marking the beginning of the ceremony. While there is a traditional procession order, modern weddings are increasingly moving away from this.

In the UK, the groom and groomsmen usually lead the wedding guests into the ceremony room or church, and the bridal party arrives last. The order in which the bridal party walks down the aisle varies, but it is now more common for the bride and her father to walk down the aisle last, creating a buildup of excitement for their arrival.

The traditional procession order for a Christian wedding in the UK is as follows:

• The groom walks down the aisle, either alone or followed by the groomsmen.
• The grandparents of the couple walk down the aisle and find their seats in the front row.
• The groom's parents walk down the aisle, followed by the mother of the bride, who is traditionally escorted by another family member.
• The bridesmaids and groomsmen walk down the aisle, either in pairs or individually.
• The maid or matron of honour walks down the aisle.
• The ring bearer and/or flower girl walk down the aisle.
• The bride walks down the aisle with her father or another loved one.

However, modern weddings often switch up the order, with the bridesmaids and groomsmen going first, followed by the maid of honour, flower girls, and page boys, and then the bride and her father.

Ultimately, the procession order is up to the couple, and they can choose to do something different if they wish. For example, the groom could walk down the aisle after the bridal party, or the couple could walk down the aisle together or from different aisles.

The bride's choice of escort

The bride's escort down the aisle is traditionally her father, but modern weddings are seeing a shift towards other family members or loved ones taking on this role. Ultimately, it is the bride's decision who she chooses to walk her down the aisle and there is no right or wrong answer.

In a traditional Christian wedding, the bride is escorted by her father, who stands to her right. After the father gives her away, he lifts her veil, kisses her, and takes his seat beside the bride's mother. However, it is becoming more common for the bride to walk down the aisle with both her parents or another loved one, such as a sibling, grandparent, or child.

In Jewish weddings, the bride is escorted by both her parents, with her father on her left and her mother on her right. During the ceremony, the parents can choose to stand under the chuppah with the couple.

In Hindu weddings, the bride is often escorted by loved ones such as her maternal aunt and uncle or her brothers.

In nondenominational weddings, the bride has the freedom to choose her escort, including both or either of her parents, another family member, or she may decide to walk down the aisle alone.

Ultimately, the choice of escort is a personal decision that the bride can make based on her preferences and the dynamics of her family.

The bridesmaids' role in the procession

The role of the bridesmaids in the wedding procession has evolved over time. In the past, it was believed that evil spirits could enter the body through the soles of the feet, and a bride on her wedding day was thought to be particularly susceptible. Thus, the bridesmaids would walk ahead to cleanse the runway for the bride.

Today, there are several ways to structure the procession. In the UK, the most traditional way is for the flower girl and page boys to walk down the aisle first, scattering petals. This is followed by the bride and her father, and then the bridesmaids, with the maid of honour or chief bridesmaid closest to the bride. The bridesmaids ensure that the bride's dress and veil are in order before taking their seats.

However, it has become more common for the bride and her father to walk down the aisle last, creating a build-up of excitement and anticipation for their arrival. The maid of honour or chief bridesmaid remains standing until the bride has arrived at the bottom of the aisle to straighten out the wedding dress and veil if needed.

Ultimately, there is no longer a right or wrong way to organise the procession. Some brides choose to have their bridesmaids walk in front so that guests can appreciate the bridal party before the bride makes her grand entrance. Others opt for a more modern approach, with the bridesmaids walking in pairs or even having the maid of honour walk in after the other bridesmaids.

Regardless of the specific order, the bridesmaids play a crucial role in supporting the bride and ensuring that her dress, veil, and train are perfectly arranged before and during the ceremony.

The maid of honour's role in the procession

The maid of honour, or chief bridesmaid, is the last of the bridesmaids to walk down the aisle before the bride. She walks either directly before the bride and her father or with the flower girl and/or ring bearer, depending on the age of the child.

The maid of honour's procession down the aisle is the culmination of her duties in preparing the bride and her dress, veil, and train for the ceremony. She may also be holding the groom's ring.

Once the bride reaches the altar, the maid of honour is usually seated near the front. The bride can hand her bouquet to the maid of honour, who will hold it until the register is signed.

In a traditional UK church wedding, the wedding party would walk behind the bride, with the maid of honour directly behind the bride and her father. However, it is becoming more common for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to go first, followed by the flower girls and page boys, and then the bride and her father.

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