'Stand-in Bride' for the rehearsal?

courtski2004 · June 2011

I suppose this is more of a question for the OMH's, however I would like to see how many people have heard of this and will or won't abide by it.
My mom heard (and read in TK Texas) that it is bad luck for the bride to walk down the aisle at the rehearsal, and is basically forbidding me to do it. I am not superstitious at all, and I really feel like I should practice walking it with my dad since we will both be awkward on the wedding day.
OMH's--have you heard of this? Did you have a stand-in or did you risk wedded bliss and walk the aisle anyway?
Non-marrieds--What do you plan to do?
halp me plz

KendallandAlbert · June 2011

I am traditional for this as well and have seen it in all the rehearsals I have been to or been in. We have a family friend who wil be doing it for me. I know how to walk (well most of the time) and want to stand back and make sure things "look" right from a layout perspective :P

LoverBean27 · June 2011

I've wondered this as well! My mom is walking me down so I thought it would be good to practice..... but at the same time I do want to watch everything and just take it all in. I thought about just practicing around the house!!??

I'm like you, I am not superstious. I don't think if you walk down the aisle in rehearsal your wedding is doomed lol!! If it fails it's probably a deeper issue.

bobbileighb · June 2011

I was a nervous wreck, worrying so much the morning of that we would trip, walk to fast/slow, ect. I absolutely walked and think if I did not it wouldnt have helped calm my nerves so much. I kept forgetting to give my bouquet to my MOH and my mom kept forgetting to give Matt a hug (it looked akward if she just walked away) so we actually went through it 3 times and I felt SO much better.

I wanted to be able to focus on Matt as I walked down the aisle and not on my fears I had before the rehearsal.

I think if you arent worried then give in to your mom but if you are worried at all I would go ahead and do it because it helped immensely for me.

llc2011 · June 2011

I've heard of it and saw it on a wedding TV show a couple of times, but have never seen it at any actual rehearsal that I've been to. I walked at our rehearsal.

FebDallasBride · June 2011

It's also considered bad luck to see the groom before the wedding, though, and everyone these days seems to do first looks. I will be going through all the steps at my rehearsal to settle nerves.

sparklingdiamond · June 2011

I have actually never heard of this. I needed to practice walking down with my dad since I was in heels and it was a rocky path. It definitely helped calm me down.

MarieSD · June 2011

Not going to lie -- I really don't like this idea. For many reasons.

For one, it brought me some of the best moments. At my rehearsal, we first ran through everything up at the altar, then turned around and walked in, and we ran through it again. I honestly don't remember that "practice" walk up the isle. I remember where I had to stand to wait, and walking up to meet my dad, and giggling with my dad, and trying to imagine doing that for real the next day. I wouldn't trade those few giggly "practice" moments with my dad for anything -- there's no way I'd have let a "stand-in" have that special moment with my dad.

And it was also practical to do the practice myself. During the rehearsal -- there was a ton of instructions I needed! When to do this or that.

Besides, we were married in a church, and a strict one at that. I can just imagine if I'd told him the stand-in idea, because I wanted to get the "visual layout" of everything from behind. He'd never have let me get away with that. He kept telling us that it was a religious sacrament, and that was where the focus should be. Not on superstitions or the aesthetics.

Bottom line, if it's what you want to do, then it's fine. But if you want to do it yourself, try to explain to your mom why you do. It's silly to think something like that would jinx the marraige. And besides, that practice walk down the isle is such a minor, unimportant part of the rehearsal -- focus on the actual rehearsal and try to take it in.

professorscience · June 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_stand-bride-rehearsal?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:102Discussion:a1622485-b353-400d-b719-ee4337343b6bPost:1a8f8ca9-4dc2-4480-a01f-3c3f90be3d3c">Re: 'Stand-in Bride' for the rehearsal?</a>:
[QUOTE]Not going to lie -- I really don't like this idea. For many reasons. For one, it brought me some of the best moments. At my rehearsal, we first ran through everything up at the altar, then turned around and walked in, and we ran through it again. I honestly don't remember that "practice" walk up the isle. I remember where I had to stand to wait, and walking up to meet my dad, and giggling with my dad, and trying to imagine doing that for real the next day. I wouldn't trade those few giggly "practice" moments with my dad for anything -- there's no way I'd have let a "stand-in" have that special moment with my dad. And it was also practical to do the practice myself. During the rehearsal -- there was a ton of instructions I needed! When to do this or that. Besides, we were married in a church, and a strict one at that. I can just imagine if I'd told him the stand-in idea, because I wanted to get the "visual layout" of everything from behind. He'd never have let me get away with that. <strong>He kept telling us that it was a religious sacrament, and that was where the focus should be. Not on superstitions or the aesthetics.</strong> Bottom line, if it's what you want to do, then it's fine. But if you want to do it yourself, try to explain to your mom why you do. It's silly to think something like that would jinx the marraige. And besides, that practice walk down the isle is such a minor, unimportant part of the rehearsal -- focus on the actual rehearsal and try to take it in.
Posted by MarieSD[/QUOTE]

THIS. In fact, FI and I toyed with the idea of walking down the aisle together in the processional, because we are participating in this sacrament together (also the priest should be the last one in). In the end we decided to let my dad walk me down more as a sign of honor for him.

But yeah, I've never heard of a stand-in. And I practice my "walk" every Sunday at mass. :p

Tiffany618 · June 2011

I've never heard of this and I walked during our rehearsal.

shortgirltx · June 2011

I have heard of this. BIL's ex GF was a BM a couple of years ago and that bride had a stand in. I didn't though.

meghanttu08 · June 2011

I never heard of this. We'll prob. practice since my dad and I walk fast...we gotta practice walking slow

fallbride1109 · June 2011

Honestly? I think superstitions are ridiculous. Bad luck--really? It never occurred me not to walk down during the rehearsal. That is what a rehearsal is for.

That's right up there with broken mirrors and black cats crossing your path.

bsn1752 · June 2011

Hmm, I've never heard of that... but come to think of it, I didn't walk down the aisle at my rehearsal. Ari didn't let us do it. She also didn't actually say anything that she was going to say in the actual ceremony because she said that was bad luck.

Tiffany618 · June 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_stand-bride-rehearsal?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:102Discussion:a1622485-b353-400d-b719-ee4337343b6bPost:bbf5adb3-9de9-454d-adc7-afb81da51b05">Re: 'Stand-in Bride' for the rehearsal?</a>:
[QUOTE]Honestly? I think superstitions are ridiculous. Bad luck--really? It never occurred me not to walk down during the rehearsal. That is what a rehearsal is for. That's right up there with broken mirrors and black cats crossing your path.
Posted by stephiehall[/QUOTE]

Ditto. My MoH even made me a bouquet out of my shower bows to carry down the aisle during the rehearsal.... which was supposed to be good luck, ironically.

I haven't been struck by lightning or anything yet. :)

DFWIndian · June 2011

Never heard of this. I plan on practicing. I don't see any problem with it what so ever.

mandaroo7 · June 2011

LOL I love everyone's opinions on here. I have heard of this and have seen it done so many times. I didn't walk during our rehearsal, but I never thought twice about it being bad luck. I just wanted to watch, take it all in and help where needed. We did a "First Look" so apparantly I don't believe in the superstitious stuff.

I say do what you feel like you should do. It's your rehearsal!

angelsong21 · June 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_stand-bride-rehearsal?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:102Discussion:a1622485-b353-400d-b719-ee4337343b6bPost:bbf5adb3-9de9-454d-adc7-afb81da51b05">Re: 'Stand-in Bride' for the rehearsal?</a>:
[QUOTE]Honestly? I think superstitions are ridiculous. Bad luck--really? It never occurred me not to walk down during the rehearsal. That is what a rehearsal is for. That's right up there with broken mirrors and black cats crossing your path.
Posted by stephiehall[/QUOTE]

ITA. I have never heard of this at all, but then again we don't have cable and I don't watch a lot of wedding shows, nor have we been to many weddings. But this seems really silly. Isn't the point of rehearsal for everyone to...rehearse? I think if you want to practice for sanity's sake you should, and if you want to stand back and watch to see how it all looks together, that's fine too. But to make a decision based on a superstition is not the way to go. I'm sure there are PLENTY of divorced people who did not see each other before they walked down the aisle... Like PP said, if the marriage fails, its a much deeper issue. :)

courtski2004 · June 2011

Thanks for the feedback, ladies! I can't imagine not rehearsing, but it was one of those WTF moments when she said that I wasn't allowed to. I'll have my DOC break it to her that it isn't against the law--I'm not touching this subject again with a 10 foot pole. When I questioned it before, she said. "but I READ IT in THE KNOT!!!!!" Calm down, momzilla. No need to believe in every lil thing you read.

KendallandAlbert · June 2011

So glad this is one you won't have to battle for.

courtski2004 · June 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_stand-bride-rehearsal?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:102Discussion:a1622485-b353-400d-b719-ee4337343b6bPost:b5b98965-7831-4c72-bae1-76440faac825">Re: 'Stand-in Bride' for the rehearsal?</a>:
[QUOTE]So glad this is one you won't have to battle for. :D
Posted by KendallandAlbert[/QUOTE]

I think this may be the only time I am taking advantage of my DOC to be the bearer of bad news for mama.

jmitchel · June 2011

I plan to have a stand in just for personal reasons. I want the "day of" to be the one and only time. It's a very old school tradition my sister and brother's wife both had stand in's. However, a lot of people do not know / don't abide by this - even our officiant said he hardly ever sees it done anymore.

professorscience · June 2011

Had to bump to mention that I asked FMIL about this and she nearly DIED when I told her I was walking down that aisle.

Buuuhhhh just let me get married, woman!

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