Who Should be in the Processional?

I think we need more info, how many people exactly does the groom want to add to the processional?

If your daughter is adding her aunt, I think it makes sense for the groom to be able to add one more honored guest as well. Ultimately it's their decision but maybe he could have a best man? I agree that adding more than 1 or 2 more people may be a bit lopsided and chaotic but ultimately it's really up to the couple!

I don't think that this is a decision that we, or you, should have a say on. Of course it's fair that if the bride has a guest that she's honoring, the groom should have one as well. But that gets into sticky territory; which family members are worth honoring? Could the bride completely get rid of this issue and honor her grandparents in a different way? I don't mean any disrespect, of course, but from an outsiders perspective, it's difficult to understand how having her aunt walk in the processional is honoring her late grandparents.

Please understand, I have no opinion on the situation. I am asking on the bride's behalf.

The groom has an honored guest--his grandmother. The bride has an honored guest--her aunt.

The groom has two friends who are ushering. He doesn't want a Best Man.

I hope this additional information helps clarify the situation.

I mean, it isn’t only the bride’s wedding. I understand what you’re saying about each of them having an honored guest but I don’t think you can really make an argument for an aunt replacing a grandparent in a processional, unless the bride is closer to this aunt (like a grandparent relationship) than the groom is to any of his family members. Also, family members don’t need to be even. H’s parents are both deceased and he only has one living grandparent. I have 3 living grandparents and both my parents are alive. We didn’t have even numbers of guests walking down the aisle because that would have meant more of his extended family even though I’m equally close to my extended family.

Ok, since you clarified who will be honored, it paints a more accurate picture, but then it begs the question: how many more people does groom want in the processional? If he has his parents, his grandmother, and two friends (ushers), then he's got 5. Your daughter has you, her MOH, and her aunt, that's only 4. How is it that groom thinks it's lopsided in bride's favor? Unless, of course, the ushers aren't walking in the processional, which would mean bride has one more in the processional than groom. I don't see that as lopsided, but that's just me. If groom feels this way, it's important for his bride to acknowledge those feelings, and try to come to a compromise. It doesn't sound like one or two more would create "half the guests being part of the processional" as your daughter fears.

Sounds like in the stress of coming down to it, people are making mountains out of molehills.