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Prcessional Order

boogerbearoriginalboogerbearoriginal member
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in Catholic Weddings
Movie after movie shows the order of people coming down with the bride last escorted by her father. In reading about Catholic traditions I've learned the Bride and Groom traditionally walk together behind the Priest and Readers, etc. Much like a regular mass procession.What did you ladies do/plan to do? If you followed the Catholic tradition, how did you incorporate your wedding party?Thanks!
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Re: Prcessional Order

  • Calypso1977Calypso1977 member
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    edited December 2011
    at our wedding, the priest and the altar boys were already up front. we then had H's mom seated, then my mom was seated. we then had the best man escort the MOH. (if we'd had a larger wedding party, we would ahve followed suit by having all groomsmen escort teh bridesmaids). H  and I then walked down together. we did this more because we didnt believe in the "being given away" concept and we saw each other before (which is wehn we did all of our photos, which i highly recommend!) rather than becuase it was catholic tradition.  it just made sense, to us.
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  • meltoinemeltoine member
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    edited December 2011
    We are having it this way: Priest, altar boys, readers FI & groomsmen come out from the sacristy BMs MOH me & mom I wanted to follow the traditional Catholic order, but mom was really excited about walking with me, so I figured as long as it's ok with the priest, why not? Plus, I really love the idea of FI seeing me for the first time when the church doors open.
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  • ChihuahuaGolfChihuahuaGolf member
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    edited December 2011
    I've been to loads and loads of Catholic weddings and I've never seen the "mass" procession, though that is what it says in the front of our mass book, and in our ceremony book given to us by the priest. I wanted to walk down with FI, but he was so determined to have his "moment" of watching me walk towards him.  He was so passionate about it, I wanted to give him that.  I don't like the concept of being only the bride being "given away," so this is the compromise we came up with.  The only people that had an issue with it was his parents...but he was able to convince them by explaining how important it was to him, and that if they didn't do it, he would the one losing out by not having his "moment."We are doing (priest already up front, no altar servers): My brother (groomsman) + my Mom His sister (bridesmaid) + his Dad Alternating groomsmen and bridesmaids, single file (I hate "fake" couples!) FI + his Mom Me + my Dad
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  • bel138bel138 member
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    edited December 2011
    A lot of this might be different because of the East/West thing. Our priests don't usually process down the aisle before the Liturgy; they are already behind the iconostas preparing. I have also never seen a betrothal in the Roman church, which would change your entrance.Priest and deacon are originally up in front of the iconostas. Grandparents process.BM and GM are paired off and process together, followed by MOH and BM together.Priest and deacon walk back down the aisle to the vestibule. FI's parents escort him to the doors of the nave. My parents escort me to the doors of the nave. We meet the priest there and do the betrothal portion of the ceremony.Parents process up. Priest and deacon process.We follow them together.
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  • ffmaidffmaid
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    edited December 2011
    I have been to lots of Catholic weddings maybe around 20 or so and I have never seen bride and groom enter together. I have always seen groom enter at alter and bride walk in with father, brother, or alone I woudl not thus call that Catholic tradition. Now it may be for some areas but not at any wedding I have been to in IN,MA,MD,VT,CT,NY,OH,AK,AL,or ND
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  • boogerbearoriginalboogerbearoriginal member
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    edited December 2011
    ffmaid - perhaps tradition is the wrong word. The processional with the bride and groom together is the way the church recommends it be done to reflect that the wedding is a sacrament the bride and groom make together.
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  • ffmaidffmaid
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    edited December 2011
    B+B= I have also never seen that told to me or any other Catholic bride that I know nor by the church and that was not suggest by our parish or priest. You may be talking a local dioscese thing or a local priest thing. We did not do it that way. Nothing wrong with it but it is not what I have seen in the Catholic church and was not mentioned by our priest or parish. Where are you getting this idea from? Did your priest suggest it? Some book? some website. It is fine and dandy if you want to do it but I definatly would not call it traditional. I woudl actually say it is very non traditional
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  • meltoinemeltoine member
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    edited December 2011
    It actually is the "proper" way to do it. Many priests don't enforce it unless you ask because they know people prefer to have the bride walk in with her dad/brother/ other family member. It is spelled out in the Rite Of Marriage book written by the Constitution on Sacred Liturgy AKA the Papal committee on such things. Ask your priest to see the book the next time you meet with him.
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  • eponvilleeponville member
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    edited December 2011
    Our Priest told us how he likes to have it~Mothers seated...Readers (one will carry the cross) Priest and FIBMs and GMs Me and my dadour priest doesn't like when the groom and groomsmen "magically appear" at the alter he likes them to precess in.
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  • boogerbearoriginalboogerbearoriginal member
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    edited December 2011
    ffmaid - like I said before, tradition wasn't the best word since a lot of people do things differently but as meltoine (sp?) pointed out it is the proper way according to the church. However, like other things it obviously can be changed.I was just curious if anyone had done it that way and how it worked with the bridesmaids, parents, etc. sheesh.
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  • Laura&KieranLaura&Kieran
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    edited December 2011
    I've never seen or heard of the bride & groom walking down the aisle together *shrug* We'll be doing it this way as well .... We are having it this way: Priest, altar boys, readers already on the alterFI & groomsmen come out from the sacristy BMs MOH me & mom I wanted to follow the traditional Catholic order, but mom was really excited about walking with me, so I figured as long as it's ok with the priest, why not? Plus, I really love the idea of FI seeing me for the first time when the church doors open. Of everything I have to say I really want that moment where FI see's me for the first time.
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  • Calypso1977Calypso1977 member
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    edited December 2011
    Of everything I have to say I really want that moment where FI see's me for the first time.your first look doesnt have to be when you are walking down the aisle.  it can be anywhere, and i know some folks have had their photogs make arrangements for photos for first looks.
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  • Laura&KieranLaura&Kieran
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    edited December 2011
    Well for me that's when its going to happen .. I don't think it would be the same happening any place other than while walking down the aisle.
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  • eponvilleeponville member
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    edited December 2011
    I want that moment when FI first sees me to be me walking down the aisle towards him.I personally don't like the idea of doing pictures and such before the ceremony I get it, I understand why people do it- call me silly but I just don't care for it.
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  • CkirwinCkirwin
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    edited December 2011
    eponville, i'm with you! i don't like the idea of taking pictures before the ceremony and i'm so excited about our first moment seeing each other on the day of our wedding be when the churh doors open! this is a great question to post, though, because i had never thought about anything different than Priest/servers at front, Groom/Gmen come out of sacristy, BM and MOH process, then me and my dad. it may not be different for our churh, but thanks for bringing it up as something to ask the priest about.
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