Wedding Ceremony Etiquette
and Planning

DIRECTORY  -  STATIONERY  -  VENUES  -  TRANSPORT  -  GIFTS  -  GOWNS  -  FLOWERS

Money Saving Tips
Wedding Service Suppliers
Wedding planning help
Free wedding budget planner
Free wedding planner

Wedding Ceremony Etiquette FAQ

Q. Which side of the church/venue should wedding guest be seated?
A.Traditionally the bride's family and friends are seated on the left side of the church facing the altar. The groom's family and friends will sit on the right side of the church. If the church has two centre aisles, the bride's side sits on both sides of the left aisle, the groom's on both sides of the right. The parents sit in the centre section; the bride's on the left and groom's on the right.

Q. Which order should the bride and grooms parents be seated?
A. The head usher will escort the groom's mother to her seat.  The groom's father follows a few feet behind the usher, and then takes a seat beside his wife. It lends a nice touch to the wedding for a son to escort his mother down the isle at his brothers wedding whether or not he is the head usher. For a more intimate touch the groom may escort the bride and groom’s parents to their seats.

Q. Which order should the bridal party walk down the isle
A. The wedding party enters, bridesmaids first, the maid of honour follows behind the bridesmaids, and the flower girl and ring bearer behind her.  As everyone takes their places at the front of the church, the organist will change to the music for the bride and her father's entrance.

Q. During the wedding, do I walk down the aisle on my father's right arm or his left?
A. You will take your father's left arm as you walk down the aisle. Your father will then be on your right when your groom joins you from the right at the altar.

Q. My family is much larger than my fiancée's. Do we have to seat people on the 'bride's side' and 'groom's side?'
A. No. Just have your ushers seat people without asking which side. Your mothers and immediate families, however, should be seated on the traditional sides.

Q. What if one of our attendants gets sick and can't come to the wedding?
A. As much as you'd like to have your friend there, the wedding must go on. If there is time and you feel comfortable asking another friend to fill in, you can do that. Or just proceed as you would without that person. Be sure to call your friend the morning of the wedding and let them know how much you will miss them

Wedding Ceremony Planning Chronological:

Planning a timetable for your wedding day can save stress on the day and ensure each guest it treated with the appropriate etiquette.  Each wedding ceremony is unique so customize your own wedding ceremony etiquette plan. The following is just a guideline: -

45 minutes prior to the wedding ceremony
·         The ushers will want to be certain of the seating arrangements and be available in the ceremony venue for early arrivers. 
·         The best man should see to it that the marriage license has been given to the pastor if it was not done so earlier. 

30 minutes prior to the wedding ceremony  
·         The organist begins to play the prelude music as the ushers escort guests to their seats. 
·         Traditionally the bride's family and friends are seated on the left side of the church facing the altar. The groom's family and friends will sit on the right side of the church. If the church has two center aisles, the bride's side sits on both sides of the left aisle, the groom's on both sides of the right. The parents sit in the center section; the bride's on the left and groom's on the right.

5 - 10 minutes prior to the wedding ceremony  
·         The head usher will escort the groom's mother to her seat.  The groom's father follows a few feet behind the usher, and then takes a seat beside his wife. It lends a nice touch to the wedding for a son to escort his mother down the isle at his brothers wedding whether or not he is the head usher. For a more intimate touch the groom may escort the bride and groom’s parents to their seats.
·         Immediately following the seating of the mother of the groom, the bride’s mother is escorted to her seat.  If the ushers are also the groom’s attendants, they will now take their place with the wedding party.

The Wedding Ceremony Begins    
·         Music changes to the "processional" at this point all but attendants should be in their seats
·         The minister, groom and best man step into their places at the front of the church.
·         The wedding party enters, bridesmaids first, the maid of honor follows behind the bridesmaids, and the flower girl and ring bearer behind her.
·         As everyone takes their places at the front of the church, the organist will change to the music for the bride and her
father's entrance.
·         The bride will take her father's left arm as they walk down the aisle. The father or the bride will then be on your right when your groom joins you from the right at the altar.  

More Wedding Etiquette Articles:-

Wedding Etiquette Overview FAQ
Who sits where?  What to do if your parents are divorced.  What is the etiquette with wedding gifts?

Wedding Ceremony Planning and Etiquette
who gets seated when and where?  In which order do the brides attendants walk down the isle?

Wedding Etiquette, Who Pays for What?
Whether you are planning a traditional or modern wedding, the wedding etiquette of who pays for what?

Wedding Invitation Etiquette
Need to know etiquette for your wedding invitations and stationery.

Asking For Money Instead of Gifts
Cute polite ways to ask your wedding guests for money instead of gifts.

Wedding 1st Dance Etiquette

Wedding dance etiquette: Who dances with who, when?  Choose from top 10 wedding ceremony songs and 1^st dance song ideas. 

Wedding Dress Etiquette
How to choose your wedding dress to suit your wedding formality and your figure.  Important questions to ask the bridal boutique.

Maid of Honour Duties Etiquette
A guide to the duties brides may request a maid of honour to perform.