Wedding Procession: Did Someone Walk You Down the Aisle?

I think this is one of those things where "you do you" actually applies. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable.

With that said, the one person you should talk to is your dad. The walk down the aisle is something that means a lot to many fathers and something they may have always envisioned doing someday. Have a genuine conversation with your father to see how he feels. You still don't need him to walk with you, but you might want to take his feelings into consideration. I know it was something my father desperately wanted to do. He passed away 2 years ago so I decided to walk alone. After I got engaged though I decided to ask my brother. He was so honored because he knew what it would have meant to our father. He almost cried when I asked him. Being escorted doesn't mean much to me on its own, but it means so much to my brother that I'm excited for it now and am glad I could involve him in such a meaningful way.

This is something you should think about, you may regret it later and your dad may feel very hurt. My dad passed away a few yrs so My daughter and Mother will be walking me down the aisle so maybe your mom and dad can both walk you down?

Its 1 3min walk and the rest of the day is about you and your FH.....I say think about it talk to your dad.

Both parents did. I've never thought it should be a male-to-male handoff thing.

I completely agree with you about being uncomfortable with one man "handing you off to another," but I still had my dad walk me down the aisle. We got married in the Catholic church, where they literally have your dad place your hand in your future husband's hand, blech. But I'd always imagined walking down with my dad, and knew it was really important and special to him too. That was more important to me than taking a stand against the outdated meaning behind the "handoff."

My dad & step dad walked me down the aisle one on each side. I dont know if you'll regret it but I will say those moments before the ceremony having them in the room with me really helped me calm my nerves. Also I dont know if I could have made it down the aisle without having them to hold onto, the nerves really took over (at least until I saw my Husband)!!

Like KB said I think this is totally one of those situations where you should do what makes you happy. I do think that since you mentioned having a good relationship with your dad it's something worth talking through with him before you make a decision.

For me, I have little to no relationship with my dad. At first I was going to have him walk me down & do a father daughter dance, throughout our wedding planning process (we've been engaged since April 2014) he has really reaffirmed that he is not worthy of those honors. My Mom will be walking me down the aisle and I will be dancing with her at our reception. She has raised me and my siblings on her own for basically our entire lives, is my best friend and is soo deserving of being recognized for the amazing woman and force she has been in my life. And my dad will be attending our wedding as a regular guest, if he even shows up once he realizes he is not doing those things.

It really needs to be what works for you, I wouldn't let anyone elses opinions influence you on your decision, I think its a totally personal decision and like I said above if you and your dad have a good relationship this is something that you should be able to talk about with him and figure out what works for both of you

I am not close to my father (or anyone in my family), so I walked myself down the aisle. If I did have someone walk me down, I would be uncomfortable and look funny in pictures. But walking myself down made me comfortable and how I've always imagined it. I feel it's becoming more popular to walk yourself down the aisle, with more and more younger people being independent and putting that "being sold for a bag of wheat" connotation with the father giving the bride away.

KB I just teared up at your post. So many feels.

Personally, my dad will be walking me down the aisle. I've always been close to my Dad, and he and my FH get along very well. I can't imagine him not walking with me. You do what makes you comfortable.

My dad and I had a huge falling out 4 years ago and since then have become cordial. He will be invited to the wedding, but my mom and her wife will be walking me down the aisle. I think The only thing I'd regret is if I didn't invite him to the wedding.

My dad passed away last year. Rather than walk alone, I asked my mom to walk me down the aisle. That said, she did not "give me away." We didn't have the officiant say anything, but there are a lot of alternatives to the "who gives this woman..." question.

@JP+AP I'm surprised the Catholic church did that. We were actually given a book by the diocese that explicitly said that the church no longer allows fathers to escort their daughter down the aisle. It said it was both parents or bust and only if the groom is also escorted because they are trying to separate from the idea of "giving the daughter away".

Our priest said that doesn't matter and that he has no problem with the bride being escorted, which was nice. There won't be any "giving away" though. I'm planning to hug my brother and then he'll take his seat.

I agree with your distaste for the one man handing the bride off to another man thing. That's why FH's mom and dad are going to escort him down the aisle, and then my mom and dad are going to escort me. I feels more like two families coming together that way, instead of my ownership rights being passed between men.

What if your dad walked you down the aisle and then sat down and you walked the final 3 to 5 fee by yourself? It might be a good compromise. I know dad's usually dream of that moment - but since I don't know your dad obviously that is a conversation you need to have with him.

I feel the exact same as you. My dad and I weren't close for a good part of my teens and 20s but we worked hard to be at a good point. The last thing I want to do is hurt him. My parents are divorced and I've always been so very close with my mom. They don't talk. I wonder if they both could walk me? My mom said to me recently "You aren't a child anymore you don't need your parents giving you away" I don't think she meant that in the literal "walking down the aisle" way. But it's a lot to consider.

I have a weird family dynamic too. My mom was married to my brother's dad until I was about 5. I've had a relationship off and on more on now, over the years. My mom remarried my step dad when I was 9 until I was about 19. Him and I never got a long growing up. We recently started reconnecting and my kids really do like him.

My mom is a pretty bad alcoholic and our relationship is rocky. So asking her was not an option, I'm just hoping she shows up sober (and stays sober).

So I asked my brother to walk me down. Not to give me away. My brother and I are really close.

It's completely a decision for you to make, but like others have said, talk to you dad about it and maybe considering it more of a walk down, than a giving away.

Good luck on your decision!

I have always imagined my wedding, since I was a little girl, even though for a while I didn't think it would EVER happen.

In all of my ideas and thoughts, I always had my dad walking me down the aisle.

In the last few years, every time I went to a wedding, I cried at the beginning, because my dad is almost 80. I was afraid that I wouldn't get married while he was still alive.

Luckily, DH realized this, and so when we got married (two weeks ago tomorrow!), my dad walked me down the aisle. He didn't "give me away", but the officiant asked "who stands in support of this woman as she joins her partner in life?

I couldn't imagine the day without it, but that's me.

I'd have a talk with your dad about it, to see how he feels.

We weren't going to do a Father Daughter dance, but my dad casually mentioned something about it, and how he was looking forward to it, so I didn't want to disappoint him.

Just have a talk with him. Ultimately, you should do what makes you happy, taking into consideration how your dad might really be looking forward to it...

I walked alone and I don't regret it one bit! I don't have the closest relationship with my dad, but I knew that if I walked with my step-dad things could get tense. It was a destination wedding and I didn't want any drama while we were all on the same resort. I talked to my step dad about it and he supported my decision, I didn't talk to my dad about it. Since you have a close relationship with him I'd also suggest talking to him about it.

Personally, I felt like walking alone made the whole ceremony so much more emotional. I cried happy tears pretty much the whole walk, knowing that my FH was waiting for just me made that walk feel extra special.

My grandpa's walked me down the aisle. I have no relationship with my dad and they are two of the most important men in my life. They were honored, not to "give me away" but to be able to help me get to my now husband. If they hadn't agreed I was going to ask my brother.

How does you dad feel about it? Don't look at it as "being given away" look at it as him escorting you to your soon to be husband.

My dad passed away last year and I was very close to him. If he was around for the wedding, he would have been very hurt if I didn't walk with him down the aisle. I would have given anything to have been able to walk with him on my wedding day.

We both walked alone! I loved it like that.