“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.”
Traditionally, fathers walk daughters down the aisle. Once the pair reach the altar, she's then presented to her partner to be wed.
In many cultures, it's traditional to have both the mother and father walk their daughter down the aisle. Some brides may find this more suitable rather than choosing just one parent to do the honor. If you prefer to be escorted by both your mom and dad, Erb says go for it!
If you have an uncle, cousin, pastor, friend, or even a boss, you could choose one of these men to escort you down the aisle and into the arms of your beloved. For some, this is a beautiful option for including someone in your life who has meant a great deal to you and been there for you when your daddy couldn't be.
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 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 flower girl is typically the last one to walk down the aisle before the bride. Finally, the bride walks down the aisle last to her wedding with her father or other escort that will give her away. The father of the bride will lift the bride's veil and kiss her before the bride approaches the groom at the altar.
In some situations, there is the sadness of an absent father, so a bride might choose her mother, a grandfather or grandmother, an uncle or aunt, a brother or sister, her own son or daughter, or any combination of people to walk her up the aisle.
“A lot of brides love the idea of honoring their independence and strength by walking down the aisle on their own, or walking down with their fiancé, symbolizing the two of them heading toward their future as equals,” Ms. Ring said.
When couples are together, you'll tend to view your partners' parents as your own, and if you require a father figure to walk you down the aisle, your father-in-law can be a great choice. Grandparents are also a common choice for some brides, having their grandfather or grandmother walk them down the aisle.
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 traditional roles of the father of the bride include travelling to the wedding with the bride, walking the bride down the aisle, 'giving her away' at the altar and giving a father of the bride speech.
Back when most marriages were arranged for convenience or an exchange of wealth, some weddings had the father-daughter dance at the start of the wedding reception. At the end of the dance, the father of the bride would hand his daughter to her new husband for their first dance – an extension of giving her away.
"The father of the bride typically walks down the right side of the aisle, having the bride on his left arm (facing the altar)," Jones explains.
Don't make the conversation about the reasons you don't want him to walk you down the aisle, but rather the ways you do honor him. You can also explain how you're not following a number of wedding traditions, but customising the wedding to suit your personal wishes.
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.
It's customary to buy gifts for both the father of the bride and groom, but if you're stuck for ideas, don't worry. These thoughtful presents are sure to give Dad all the feels (or impress your future father-in-law!).
In modern society it is becoming more common for the couple to foot the bill for the wedding themselves or for both sets of parents and the couple to divide the cost between them. However, traditionally it is still the father of the bride that pays for the wedding so you will probably need to make some contribution.
Typically, the maid of honor walks down the aisle with the best man, but this "head bridesmaid" could also walk behind the bride. If you have two MOHs and only one best man, you could either have him escort both MOHs down the aisle or tap another VIP (such as one of your brothers) to serve as a second escort.
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.
According to wedding tradition, the bride is typically escorted down the aisle by her father. If the bride's dad is deceased, asking someone else to escort the bride is a powerful tribute. This could be an uncle, family friend, step-parent, sibling, the mother of the bride, or friend.
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.
While it's a common custom for the bride's parents to pay for the wedding ceremony and reception, the groom's parents traditionally pay for the rehearsal dinner. It's the way to go if you're following traditional rehearsal dinner etiquette, and the groom's family is willing to host.