Is your mother standing up with you after you walk down the aisle?

Would it look weird to have your mother stand with you at the altar? No. It's done in Jewish weddings all the time, and frankly, I think it's a beautiful visual. However, with Jewish weddings, both sets of parents stand next to their children. Are your FH's parents willing to do the same?

On another post, you commented that your mom is super invested and excited about your wedding (that's a great thing, btw). Perhaps she worrying too much? I've never seen a MOH mess up while holding a bridal bouquet and giving the bride a ring. Is the issue that the MOH may not show up, or is the issue that these simple tasks are too much for her? If the concern is that the MOH isn't going to show up, you need to deal with that. There's nothing wrong with your mother being your honor attendant, but that is quite different than the tradition I just mentioned.

In my cousins wedding his dad stood up there as his best man I have seen it before I don't see a problem. I would wait it out a bit maybe till the rehearsal and see if your cousin shows up I don't see why she wouldn't and then if she doesn't then let your mom stand up with you. I don't know who is walking you down the aisle I will guess your dad so I would not involve your mom in the walking and just have her stand up as you make your way down the aisle.

My cousin has a serious drinking problem that the family will not "address" I guess is the proper term here. The last major family event we were involved in was her grandmother's funeral (my uncle's mother).

My cousin drank VERY heavily the night before and was puking every 20 minutes the entire morning of the viewing and into the funeral (this was not a situation where she was "so lost in grief" - she went out with friends and got so drunk she blacked out). If she is like this on the morning of the wedding, for obvious reasons my aunt will need to be baby sitting her somewhere (she is almost 30 btw) and she will not be in any state to stand with me. FH's parents wished this wedding was not even happening so they will not be standing anywhere. If my cousin cannot handle herself my mom will be the only one on my side who will be able to stand with me. FH will have 4-6 groomsmen.

Nope. We didn't have any bridal party. FH held the rings, and I set my bouquet on a table we had at the altar.

In case your cousin doesn't show up, your mom could still do those things from her seat in the front row-- there's nothing that says someone *has* to stand up front with you. . .If you don't want it to look strange, you could have FH's groomsmen sitting in the front row on his side.

I'm sorry your best friend won't be there. I think it'll look fine no matter how you do it.

Wow, shitty situation with your so-called "best friend". I'm not sure I would trust an alcoholic to be my lone BM either. I would definitely have a groomsmen hold the rings (this is common) and just have her hold my bouquet. I wouldn't fight your mom on this, if she wants to get up and help you (adjust your dress, hold your bouquet, whatever) I don't think it will look odd considering you only have one BM.

So we had our mom's hold our rings and bring them to us at the ring exchange time...which was nice to include them (they just walked up from where they had been sitting)...I pulled out a flower from my bouquet to give each of them and they gave us each a hug. It was very touching.

I see nothing wrong with having your mom stand with you....That's actually really sweet!

Certainly, you can have your mom stand up with you.

Or have some of the groomsmen stand on your side.

How can your "best friend" have "excuses" to not make it this far in advance? Seems shady to me.

I don't think there would be anything wrong with having your mom stand with you, but you don't seem overly thrilled about it. Rather than do something you're not 100% on board with, is there someone else you could ask to stand with you? If not, I'd just go without.

I agree with what @Barbara said. I think it might even be a really neat addition just to give those duties to your mom. You walk up (with or without your cousin there) and your mom takes your bouquet from you (and returns to her seat) so you can hold FH's hand during the ceremony. When its time, she can give you the ring and return to her seat. I think it would be very symbolic of your parents "giving you away".

When I got married, my dad walked me down the aisle and my mom said she didn't want us to "just walk past her" to the alter where my dad would pass me off to DH. I stopped at the end of the aisle where she was standing and hugged her before my dad and I took that last few steps to DH. Maybe you could do something similar and that is where you could hand her the bouquet? Just a thought

I would rather have my mom there than anyone (despite the fact I know she will cry the entire time), The situation with my friend is one of those things were I knew this was going to happen.

She lives in Hawaii with her army husband and their son. I have not seen her in person since she moved two years ago but we keep in touch via Facebook/texts/letters/etc. I know (and no, she will not come out and say it) that her son has issues - as in issues where she probably cannot take him on a plane without a major fit being thrown and she will not leave him with her husband. I was pissed that my mother called her out on the situation but I was equally pissed on how my friend replied to my mom. My friend claimed to not know the wedding date, the colors, or any other details - I have told her in detail every aspect of the wedding over the last year of planning. Furthermore, my friend did not tell me my mom had contacted her about the wedding. In addition - the reason my mom contacted her was because we offered to pay for her and her son's plane ticket so she could be at the wedding...