Wedding Customs & Traditions Forum

Father/Mother walking me down isle..

I know it's customary for the bride's father to walk her down the isle. It symbolizes the man in her life giving her away to the new man in her life blah blah blah. Well my father and I are not very close, in fact we argue all the time.  I am extremely close to my mother, and if I thought it wouldn't hurt my dad's feelings I would just have her walk me down the isle. The isle isn't wide enough for all 3 of us. 

Any ideas on how I can include both of them without actually walking down with both of them?

Re: Father/Mother walking me down isle..

  • They could each walk you half way. 
    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
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  • You could have them walk you halfway, walk in by yourself, walk in with your groom, or put your foot down and have just your mom walk you in. 

    This is one of those things a bride gets to decide without regard to others, IMO. It's a very personal decision. 
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  • I would just have your mom do it. My mom hated her step-father and had her grandfather walk her down the aisle. It offended her mom/step-dad, but since her step-dad was an abusive asshole, she didn't much care. 

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  • It's completely up to you who walks you down the aisle.  Do you think asking your mom and not your dad will offend him?  I'd decide if this is a hill to die on (if you think he'll be upset) before bringing it up.  

    @AddieL73's suggestion of having them each walk you down halfway might be an easy way to do both if you don't want this to be a big issue/fight in your family.
  • My mom and dad walked me down a fairly narrow aisle.  They were slightly in front of me while I held on to both of their arms (I was still in the middle)...is that something you can try to fit into the narrow aisle?
  • In this case, I would just have my mom walk me down the aisle.


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  • I like the idea of each of them walking you halfway.  Another option is to have your mom walk you down the aisle, but then honor your dad with a father daughter dance.  You could also just walk alone or with your FI and avoid the need to choose one parent over the other althogether.

    This is one of those times when as a bride you get to decide what you want.

  • My daughter is getting married at a beach-side pavilion, with the ceremony taking place in a gazebo that is at the end of a narrow bridge. Although she is close to her father, she & I are extremely close. We will both be walking her across the boardwalk (between rows of guest chairs) to the beginning of the bridge.

    The officiant will ask from the gazebo "Who gives this woman...?" Our answer will be "She gives herself freely, with our love and blessing"! She will then proceed across the bridge, on her own, signifying her leaving our home and stepping out on her own into her new life!
  • My daughter is getting married at a beach-side pavilion, with the ceremony taking place in a gazebo that is at the end of a narrow bridge. Although she is close to her father, she & I are extremely close. We will both be walking her across the boardwalk (between rows of guest chairs) to the beginning of the bridge. The officiant will ask from the gazebo "Who gives this woman...?" Our answer will be "She gives herself freely, with our love and blessing"! She will then proceed across the bridge, on her own, signifying her leaving our home and stepping out on her own into her new life!
    Why not just have the officiant skip the giving question altogether?
  • Why not just walk down the aisle by yourself?

  • Ditto what Maggie0829 said. You can always walk down by yourself and your parents could walk in together before you.

    If you don't feel comfortable with that, do you have any brothers or close male cousins who could step in?
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