Walking myself down the aisle

tigerlily25

I feel really strongly about walking alone down the aisle, I was wondering if this sounds weird or inappropriate? My father will be attending, however I grew up only seeing him once a year thoughout my childhood, he hasnt been involved in hardly any aspect of my life, and we have a a particularly tense and distant relationship. Not that it matters, but my fiance and I are hosting the wedding ourselves.  I wantmy father at the wedding, but I feel pretty stongly about giving myself away. I don't want to hurt his feelings, so any advice??

maggyruth

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_walking-myself-down-aisle?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:a30e1034-f3f1-43bd-b265-dcf0c35b68f7Post:1e1446d6-1989-47b8-84f5-e90797c9ef41">Re: Walking myself down the aisle</a>:
[QUOTE]All I think of when I see tiger lily is mowgli's friend on the jungle book.
Posted by mwhitson14[/QUOTE]

Actually, I think that's Peter Pan.  Mowgli's little love interest didn't have a name...

mocha beans

I'd say do it.  I'm going to, or I'll walk in with FI.

riverjib

I was actually worried about the same thing...I didn't feel it was appropriate to have my father walk me down the aisle, and my sister had my mom walk her down the aisle, which was really nice. But she lived with my mom until not long before she got married.

Last year, we attended a close family friend's wedding. The bride (my mom's BF's daughter) was in her 30's and had been on her own nearly as long as she had lived with either parent. Her mother was a little hurt by this, but my mother thought it made perfect sense...she even thought it was symbolically beautiful. I've been supporting myself for over ten years, so I think I might choose to walk myself down the aisle.

tigerlily25

Thank you guys for your input! I just hate to hurt my dad's feelings, but at least it wouldn't be totally frowned upon by everyone in the room.

Marsarah

I'm in a similar position where my father and I don't have a good relatioship, and I've heard indirectly that he isn't coming to the wedding. I'm going to have the parents walk each other down, followed by the bridesmaids, then me. Be strong. It is perfectly fine to walk yourself down. Just tell people, "I wanted to do things a little different."

janedoe1113a

Walk yourself down the aisle.  It's no big deal.  I walked myself down and everyone dealt with it.  No one is going to get made at you on your wedding day.  People just can't get made at the bride.

chloetutor

I'm walking myself.  Glad to hear there are some other ladies doing this.  My father and I aren't close and my mother doesn't like people watching her walk (hip problems make her limp.)  Not to mention, I've always been so independent that the concept of someone "giving me away" seems a little barbaric.

Plus, I'm an attention whore.  Don't want someone blocking a full view of my dress.

t.kaufman

I'm walking myself. Actually FI and I are both walking. We will be at opposite ends of the room in the back - walk towards each other, meet in the middle, and walk down the aisle together. But we are doing this not because I have any issues with my dad, but because I don't believe in the whole "giving away" of the bride, even symbolically.

I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about this - your dad probably knows, just as you do, that you don't have the greatest relationship and probably wont' be that surprised by your decision. Just don't make a big awkward conversation about it. And like others said, you could pretend that it has nothing to do with him, but with what you wanted for your wedding.

millercr621

I also walked myself down the aisle, since I don't have a relationship with my father and my mom and I didn't like the "giving away" concept either. My fiance (now husband) met me halfway down and we walked the rest of the way together.

DeniseandAndrew

My father has passed away. I am walking myself down the aisle and my groom will be meeting me halfway to walk the rest of the way together.

prisguedes

I think you should go for it. I have kinda the same problem here, I have always had a very complicated relationship with my father, so I don't want him to walk me.

drileybubeck

My father is the most deadbeat of the deadbeats.  He doesn't get to walk me down the aisle, let alone have me track him down to send him an invite?  For what?  He's essentially a stranger.

Go for it. If that's what you feel is right to do, than you walk hard, lady.

LeahE84

I say do what's in your heart.  As much as the day is about including others in your happiness...its also about you and the one you're spending the rest of your life with.  I am dead set on making our day just that, 'our day' its not about my mom, or his dad, or any siblings, its about us.  I'm happy to include my friends and fam but I'm walking down by myself as well (my dad passed away)

 It will be beautiful anyway!