Alternative to 'giving away the bride'

Celia- what's the version for two with divorced parents? how does that work>?

When my parents got married, my papaw refused to "give away" my mother. He told my dad she isn't property to be given. (My papaw is the cutest!!) So when that time came, the minister simply said "Who presents this woman for marriage?" To which my papaw responded, "Her mother and I." I'll be using that, too.

Most of my couples are opting for the simple hug from the parent and pass off to the fiance without a declaration of any type.

@Celia,

I'm in kind of the same boat as Emily. I don't like the tradition behind the father giving the bride away, that she was the father's property, and she was being turned over to be "owned" by the new husband, so I don't like the whole wording of that, although my FH is adamant about wanting that left in (just for tradition; not because he views me as his property). I'm enough of a traditionalist, however, to want my dad to walk me down the aisle and to my FH, and maybe kiss me on the cheek, shake his hand, etc., but no "who gives her away" "we do" stuff. Seems stuffy.

I LOVE your method, asking for the blessing of the parents, as it treats us like our own separate people, and it's sweet. However, my FILs have been against us from the start; not me so much as HIM leaving his home and mother... (yeah, I know). So the whole sweet including them won't work. Who knows if they'll even be there.

To compound the problem, I am walking down to "Thousand Years". Playing the song and picturing the day, make both my FH and I teary. But it's a long song (almost 5 mins), and I want the doors to open and my walk to start at the beginning of the first chorus. (Ah, so dramatic!) But I'll reach the platform probably before the chorus is over, then there's the 2nd verse, etc. I don't want this song cut short, faded out, etc. so no one can hear my dad quietly say "her mother and I". I really want my dad to just symbolize the tradition with a kiss and handshake, but my FH doesn't buy that (he's usually very compliant, but if he gets stuck on something...). And then IF I go with the words, as my FH prefers, should my dad stand with us for the rest of the song, so he can make the dreaded statement?

Any advice, or am I in my typical "between a rock and a hard place"?!

Thanks in advance!!

I refuse to have anyone "give" me away - they don't own me and no one is giving me in trade for a cow. My Dad won't be walking me down the aisle or giving or blessing anything because we aren't close but he will be there. My girls 11 & 5 will walk before me down the aisle and they will present me. We plan on a very simple ceremony with no wedding party and this way they can be a small part of our union.

View Quoted Comment Love this ♥️

View Quoted Comment I feel the same way. Maybe I'd be more comfortable if I was in my twenties, but I'm 36 and I've been on my own for a very long time.