Where did you sit during the ceremony?

kmt_cas

We're meeting with the priest soon, and I want to talk to him about the seating arrangements during the ceremony.  We sat in on a wedding (we were told to by the wedding coordinator at the church) and the one thing that made me upset was where they sat.  As soon as the bride was walked down the aisle she went and sat on her families side of the church and he sat on his families side.  They didn't even have a second to hold hands or look at each other when she got to the front of the aisle. 

Since we are going through this together, I do not want to be separated for half of the ceremony.  Another option that the wedding coordinator said we had was to kneel throughout the whole mass.  FI had major reconstructive surgery on his knee after it was shattered in a volleyball accident.  He essentially has no knee.  I'm not going to make him suffer to kneel for an at least 30 minutes just so we won't be seated apart.  But I'm looking for other options. 

Did you ladies have a chair that you were able to sit on?  Or a bench?  I want to go in with some ideas instead of just telling the priest I don't like what you're doing.  I want to have a solution ready if it's allowed.

Riss91

We each had a chair and they were both placed in front of the altar. Our chairs were actually off to the side and then our 2 Best men brought them out after our vows, which were done at the very beginning. I have seen it where both the bride and grooms sit in chairs together to the left or right of the altar. I think it depends on the space allowed.

ring_pop

They gave us 2 chairs front and centre:

Littlin

We'll be sitting front and center too, facing the guests.

Theresa626

I'm not married yet and have totally been wondering this.  At other weddings I've been to, the bride and groom sat together on the side of the altar and stood in front of the altar during the vows.

mbcdefg

I've never seen such a thing during a Catholic wedding. That's really odd. Maybe it was the couple's personal request?

I've seen some weddings where the couple sits together the whole time, the way the RingPops are in her photo. Or sometimes they sit together on one side of the altar, and the Best Man and MOH sit in two chairs on the other side.

At the church where I was an altar server, the bride and her MOH sat together on the right of the altar, and the groom and his Best Man sat together on the left. After the vows and rings, the couple sat together on one side and the Honor Attendants sat together on the other side.

ring_pop

I like the phrase "the RingPops"

kmt_cas

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_did-sit-during-ceremony?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:eed5890b-7d16-48f8-8d80-d4cdc0842c3dPost:811dfada-c32f-414f-a7f2-9b4540c1d45c">Re: Where did you sit during the ceremony?</a>:
[QUOTE]I've never seen such a thing during a Catholic wedding. That's really odd. Maybe it was the couple's personal request?
Posted by mbcdefg[/QUOTE]

I thought so too!  And I was hoping that it was the couples choice.  But I went and spoke with the church wedding coordinator and she told me that is the way the priest prefers to do the mass.  He likes the symbolism of being seperated until vows and then sitting together.  While I can understand that sentiment, I think going through the process hand in hand is much more meaningful to both of us. 

Calypso1977

i have never seen this either.

we sat on a double bench, on the right side of teh altar with two kneelers in front of us.   we had the option of having our best man and MOH up there with us - as they were our only attendants, we chose to have them with us, and they sat directly behind us.  even if we'd had more attendants, we still would have opted to have them up there with us.

we had a latin mass, so our vows were done before the mass, not during.  we chose to walk down the aisle together, we knelt for our vows, front and center, then moved to our chairs to the side for the mass.

ootmother2

I've never see this done, ever!

I have seen couples who had to kneel throughout the entire ceremony though. 

Usually I see the bride walks with her dad to FI & priest at the altar and sit in two chairs, side by side.  They say their vows facing each other.

Whatever the church policy may be,certainly I would bring up the problem of FI's knee and arrange to sit together. 

Pirata13

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_did-sit-during-ceremony?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:615Discussion:eed5890b-7d16-48f8-8d80-d4cdc0842c3dPost:c981786c-cb73-483c-8aab-65734a2fadee">Re: Where did you sit during the ceremony?</a>:
[QUOTE]I like the phrase "the RingPops"
Posted by ring_pop[/QUOTE]

LOL I picture 2 actual ring pop candies sitting in chairs...

Ckirwin

i've been to one wedding where the bride and groom sat on opposites sides of the altar and i did not like it at all. it was almost saddening to go through the process and hot have them standing/sitting next to each other. they didn't get to sit next to each after their vows either! weird, i know. we haven't talked to our priest about it yet, but i'm hoping that we get to sit next to each other the entire time. i couldn't imagine going through it without him next to me!