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The Wedding Processional and Several Alternatives
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The following is the traditional order of a Christian Wedding Processional.

  1. The guests are seated.
  2. The groom, best man and Officiant enter by using a side door. They all stand facing the guests.
  3. An usher escorts the grandmother(s) of the bride to their seats.
  4. An usher escorts the grandmother(s) of the groom to their seats.
  5. An usher escorts the mother and father of the groom to their seats.
  6. An usher escorts the mother of the bride to her seat. Her father is also seated, if he is not walking her down the aisle.
  7. Processional music begins.
  8. The bride's mother (and father) stand(s).
  9. All the guests stand.
  10. The ushers walk down the aisle (or escort the bridesmaids) and stand next the groom and best man and then face the guests.
  11. The bridesmaids walk down the aisle.
  12. The maid and/or matron of honor walk(s) down the aisle.
  13. The ring bearer walks down the aisle.
  14. The flower girl walks down the aisle or the flower girl and ring bearer walk down together.
  15. Processional music changes and/or the volume increases.
  16. The father of the bride escorts the bride down aisle.
The recessional is the processional in reverse, except that the ushers always escort the bridesmaids out. If the number of bridesmaids is uneven, ushers may escort more than one bridesmaid.

What follows are several suggestions which are variations from the traditional wedding processional. Of course, they may incorporate at will, "mixed and matched" as the bride and groom see fit.
Traditional:
The bride walks down the aisle with her father.
Alternative:
Both parents walk down the aisle with the bride. (This has always been the traditional in Jewish weddings.)
Alternative:
The bride walks down the aisle escorted by her son.

Traditional:
The flower girl walks down the aisle, throwing petals as she goes.
Alternative:
The flower girl carries single stems (i.e., individual flowers) and gives them to people as she goes down the aisle.
The flower girl carries a floral hoop or a pomander ball on a ribbon.

Traditional:
The groom and best man wait at the altar/canopy.
Alternative:
The groom, ushers and/or best man enter with the clergy person or officiant.
Alternative: The groom walks down the aisle with his parents.
Alternative:
The groom walks down the aisle escorted by his daughter.

Traditional:
Bridesmaids walk down the aisle single file.
Alternative:
Bridesmaids walk down the aisle two by two or each with an usher.

Traditional:
Ring bearers, trainbearers and pages walk in pairs.
Alternative:
One ring bearer can carry two rings, or for a double ring ceremony, use two children (male or female).

Other Alternatives:
Involve grandparents, stepparents and/or godparents.
The bride and groom enter as a couple, preceded by the wedding party, who enter as couples.

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