Church Wedding, down the Aisle

I'm Catholic and work for the Church and I can tell you that your situation is actually pretty normal. Lots of our brides walk down the aisle alone or with their Mom. Priests these days are used to all types of family units.

My dad decided he’s not going to my wedding because he doesn’t like my mom and she hates him. So my brother is walking me. My mom is doing our “mother daughter dance”. However, my FHs cousin was mad at her parents and didn’t allow them to participate in her wedding. She didn’t have anyone walk her down the isle and people minded their own business about it. So you definately don’t have to have someone walk you.. unless it means a lot to you. Do you have any good friend that would walk you down? Maybe someone you’ve known your whole life? Or even a dog (you’d need to practice a lot and make sure your dog is comfortable for this to not be a disaster)?

My friend's dad did not attend her wedding because her mother was going to be there. She started to walk down the aisle herself, and the groom met her halfway down to escort her. You don't have to have someone walk you at all if you don't want to - you don't want it to be someone that you aren't close with.

I'm getting married in the Catholic Church too, and I'm having both my mom and dad walk me down, and it was totally okay with the priest. I would suggest making sure whatever you plan to do is okay with your priest, but I don't see why it wouldn't be.

I am also getting married in the Catholic Church. In a very traditional Catholic wedding I have been told that the bride and groom actually walk down together. At a mass the last person to walk in is the presider. At a Catholic wedding the bride and groom are technically the presiders and the priest or deacon is the representative for the community. So if you want to be super traditional you can actually walk in with the groom.

We were encouraged to walk down the aisle together for our Catholic ceremony because it shows you are entering into the sacrament as a choice together, not that you are being “given away”. My FH is not a fan of the idea of walking together since he wants to see me for the first time walking down the aisle. My father passed away 15 years ago and there is no one else I really want to walk with. Our priest suggested meeting halfway down the aisle, so that is what we’re planning.

As other PPs have noted, I was also going to mention that the old Catholic traditional procession was for man and woman to walk in together signifying their willingness to enter the marriage. Being escorted by the Father is a relatively "new" tradition in the church and is acceptable only because the father does not "give away" the bride. The bride in a Catholic ceremony is always there of her own free will.

I had absolutely no family at my wedding so I understand. I'm not close to my family so it wasn't a big deal. I enjoyed the significance of walking down the aisle alone as an independent woman, confident in her choice of partner.

Also walking down the aisle together with fiancé. I think the whole walking down the aisle getting passed like a torch from Father to husband is really disrespectful to me . Just my two cents.