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.
In most traditional Christian heterosexual weddings, the bride's parents sit in the first row on the left side of the aisle, while the groom's parents fill in the first row on the right side.
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. She is the last to be seated before the bridal party procession begins.
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.
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.
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.
Seating married parents
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.
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.
Walk Down the Aisle
Chief among father of the groom duties is walking the groom's mother down the aisle. If the groom's parents are divorced and the father is remarried, they should, instead, escort their new spouse down the aisle and to their seat.
As the wedding begins, the groom's mother will be escorted down the aisle, to the first pew, right-hand side, by the head usher or a groomsman who is a family member. A nice touch includes the groom escorting his mother down the aisle. As the groom's mother is escorted to her seat, her husband will follow along behind.
Who Pays for the Mother-of-the-Bride and Groom's Beauty Team? As with most beauty questions, there is no hard-and-fast rule. Some brides may offer to cover hair and makeup services in order to thank the wedding party for being a part of their special day.
As a guide, here's a list of the expenses traditionally covered by the parents of the groom: the wedding rings, officiant's fee, marriage license, the bride's bouquet, boutonnieres and corsages for the immediate family, music (band/DJ), liquor at the reception and the honeymoon.
When it comes to involvement in wedding planning, it's usually at the discretion of the couple. There's no expectation that the mother of the groom should be more involved, and they shouldn't take on any additional responsibilities unless the couple asks them to.
Traditionally, the groom's mother stays with her son on the morning of the wedding, and there's nothing wrong with maintaining the custom. She may feel more comfortable being surrounded by her own family members, and she'll certainly want to be there for photos with her son anyway.
Traditionally, the parents all sit at the same reception table, along with siblings not in the wedding party, the officiant and his or her spouse (if they attend the reception) and any grandparents.
Groom's parents
It's optional to honor the groom's parents by having them walk down the aisle. They can be seated after all of the guests and before the mother of the bride.
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.
The married couple go first! If the officiant has any announcements to make, the couple can walk down the aisle, the officiant can make the announcement, then the bridal party can start making their way back down the aisle. Here is a quick suggestion for a recessional order: Bride & Groom.
The best man or woman and the maid or man of honor usually will be placed right next to the couple, and the rest of the party will take the other seats.
While table one most frequently includes the couple, their wedding party and the wedding party plus one's, "a head table can really be constructed in whatever way makes the most sense for the couple and who they want to sit with," says Jamie Chang of Passport to Joy.
The Best Colors for a Mother of the Groom
"Wear a flattering color that compliments the color palette of the wedding," advises Valiente. For example, jewel tones and earthy hues are perfect for fall nuptials, while formal gowns in navy or silver would be ideal for black-tie weddings.
The mother-son dance is a popular tradition for the groom during wedding reception celebrations. The groom will take his mother out on the dance floor for a special dance together for this tradition. It is a time for the groom to focus on his mother and create a special moment together one-on-one.
Tell him you love him
If you find a few moments alone with your son on the big day, express how proud you are of him; how thrilled you are that he found someone special to share his life with; and how much you love him.