Who walks down the aisle?

The weddings I've been to the grandmothers and mom's get ushered to their seats by the groom. My Grandma doesn't want that attention so we are just having one of our ushers walk her to her seat in the front row. I have never seen aunts being escorted separately from the rest of the guests though.

You can have them walk however you want. I wouldn't have had my grandmother walk had it not been for the fact that I don't have anyone else my nephew (usher) could walk. I'm having both my parents walk me so that's why.

I guess it would just depend on "family tradition". There's no hard set rules these days... tho as Ashley O said, typically parents and grandparents are USHERED down the aisle to their seats as the last guests, to be seated before the ceremony begin.

However, in my experience they are not ushered by the groom as he makes his grand appearance as the indication that the ceremony is starting when he steps out from the side after the final seating of the parents/grandparents. (This is his special moment to shine and for the guests to oooo and ahhh over how wonderful he looks)

But then again, in a formal wedding all guests are ushered to their seats. The parents/grandparents are just the last ones seated and then the ushers go up to stand in their places... then the groom and best man come out along with the officiant. :shrugs: again, it all depends on tradition and of course the place the wedding is being held, the religious protocol of how this is orchestrated.

It may be that the last time she was in a wedding, she was actually the Mom or the grandmother being ushered, thus the memory of being "part of the wedding" and needing to be there for rehearsal?? Just a thought as I'm dealing with an elderly family member who has dementia and this sounds just like something she'd say lol.

With all that said... it is proper etteiqute for

ALL out of town guests to be invited to the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner IF they are in town the day that is being done.

If you want your son to walk you down, go for it.

It really is up to you who you want to walk down.

I would love an answer to this as well. My mother seems to think she's walking in on her own and to her own music. She keeps suggesting songs to me. Um, what?

I think parents should definitely be included, but if you don't think yours will be offended by not being asked to be in the procession, then there is no harm in excluding them. I am debating whether to include my FH's grandmother and grandfather. I don't have any living grandparents, and he only has 2, so I feel like it would be nice to include them and make them feel special. But we already have a large wedding party, so I'm still not sure what to do.

This is the order we'll be doing.

If our grandparents walk, it will be before the MoB. Our situation is kinda sticky since all our parents are divorced. We'll probably just have each set of his parents walk down before MOB with his grandma walking with his mom & step-dad.

You can do whatever you want. I'm having my parents, FH parents, my Aunt, GM's, BM's, FG and RB then of course us. FH grandparents were supposed to be in the wedding but decided they didn't want to. They'll just sit in the front with everyone else I guess. I was pretty bummed about that.

It is within tradition to have grandparents and the parents of the Bride and Groom be at the beginning of the processional with or without an escort. The tradition ends there. Best wishes!

At my wedding it was the moms who walked in special before the wedding party. It went my Mom escorted by my brother in law, who was an usher, then my husbands mom, escorted by husbands 15 year old brother, also an usher. Then the bridal party started.

Grandparents and parents are ushered in the beginning of the processional. Then BP. But not aunts and uncles.

We had grandmothers (escorted by grandsons), moms (FH escorted his mom in, my nephew escorted my mom), then bridesmaids, FGs and RBs, then me and my dad. Groomsmen just walked up the side aisle to stand at the front before the processional started.

Aunts and uncles sounds like a bit much to me, and why a stand-in for someone who is deceased?! That seems like an odd replacement thing.

Ashley O, I've been to a wedding where this was the case also. When one my friends got married her now husband made 3 walks, Her mom and his mom (one on each arm) and then both her grandmothers and lastly both his grandmothers before finally claiming his place at the alter. I thought it was sweet. But what Grandma is talking about Im like GIRL!! That's so not happening on my day.

GymRat that's very sweet. I love the idea of both parents walking with you. I'm sure it will be a beautiful, memorable moment.

Ayla B. I have also been to weddings where there were Ushers and the Groom had his Woooooooowwwwww moment with the guest. I wouldn't say we have a family tradition per say, I think it's more like a "Up North vs Southern" thing. This is the first wedding in the south I'm actually going to (There have been many in my family but this is the first time I'm going for a number of reasons). But every niece and nephew she has that has gotten married North of the Mason Dixon Line she was a guest not a part of the wedding as she say it's "supposed" to be.

Brieliz, I'm strongly considering it. My dad was recently diagnosed with Parkinson and we don't know what his condition will be in 3 years. Aside from that we don't have best relationship so I want him there but I am not sure I want him to walk me. My son is our miracle baby. He has been after us to all have the same last name since last year so I think having him take on such an important role will be awesome....... if his dad doesn't make him his best man because he truly is his best friend lol

MrsSki(ToBe) I didn't like the stand in idea either. His mom passed when he was really young and her sister raised him, but she's not walking in our wedding. We will do a remembrance table or seats but not stands ins.

BleuCrayon, your mom sounds like my mom lol.

For my first wedding (FORTY years ago, to date me!) - after the ushers had seated everyone and it was almost time to begin, the ushers escorted in all the grandparents (his and mine). Then someone escorted my FMIL (FFIL walking behind, as they were divorced and neither were remarried), finally, my mother was escorted to her seat. No one was ushered to a seat after that. The groom and groomsmen came out from the side to take their places, as did the Officiant. Then the BM proceeded with the MOH just before me and my dad (I wish now that I would have included my mom here, but, what's done is done).

This time around, we have NO wedding party other than ourselves. His parents are no longer living, my parents are too frail to make the ceremony. I am debating having either my brother or my youngest son walk me down, or just walking down alone. Leaning towards just walking down alone.