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Saber Arch

likeaprayer3likeaprayer3
in Military Brides
Hi all...
I really want to do a saber arch at our ceremony, but I'm not sure how to go about this. My fiancee is active duty Army National Guard, but he said his unit doesn't do this. Does anyone know if we can contact another unit or if maybe our local VFW can do one? If any of you have had one, any advice or tips you can give me?

Thanks in advance : )
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Re: Saber Arch

  • kyrgyzstankyrgyzstan member
    Eighth Anniversary 1000 Comments 100 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited March 2012
    H had his coworkers do it. I would have just foregone doing one rather than put much effort into it, honestly. And his unit wouldn't do it officially, but any of his coworkers who rate a sabre can be part of it. Does your FI rate one?
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  • calindicalindi member
    5000 Comments Second Anniversary Combo Breaker
    We're having my FI's friends who are attending as guests participate.  We have about 15 AD military invited, so we figure enough will come and want to wear their uniform and participate to pull it off.  If not, oh well... like Stan, it isn't something I'd insist on.

    Also, I left this up to him.  He's the one in the military, and it's his right (as an Officer, though NCO's can also have it) to have one if he chooses.  I did not earn that uniform and thus I don't feel it's my decision.  Does your FI even want one?  Personally, I know that neither me nor my FI would want it at all if it wasn't people we know.  It sort of defeats the purpose, which is the symbolism of welcoming the couple into the greater military family.  If they aren't people we know, then it just doesn't seem as welcoming.

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  • crownsuperstarcrownsuperstar member
    1000 Comments
    Like others said it is typically friends. I would have found it pretty strange to have a bunch of strangers in our wedding.
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  • kellieinkckellieinkc member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments
    One of my FI's groomsmen is trying to talk him into doing the sword arch.  He says there's a reserve unit in our area that would likely do the arch (and then, of course, they'd be invited to be our guests at the reception).  Is this not the norm?  I came in at the tail end of his contract so I don't know a lot of this stuff.
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  • calindicalindi member
    5000 Comments Second Anniversary Combo Breaker
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_saber-arch-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:13Discussion:ff60f4a9-c5d0-487c-8458-288dabb85d62Post:a388e57a-ed55-4734-9964-a4e334a259d3">Re: Saber Arch</a>:
    [QUOTE]One of my FI's groomsmen is trying to talk him into doing the sword arch.  He says there's a reserve unit in our area that would likely do the arch (and then, of course, they'd be invited to be our guests at the reception).  Is this not the norm?  I came in at the tail end of his contract so I don't know a lot of this stuff.
    Posted by kellieinkc[/QUOTE]

    Kellie, it happens for sure.  I'd caution against it - it's awkward for them to be guests at a wedding of people they don't know, it all feels rather forced and stiff, and you'd have to pay for people you don't know just so you can have a 30 second arch - wouldn't you rather spend that money inviting people you DO know?!  I just know for us, our guest list is so big that I'd never sacrifice a friend or aunt for a stranger who holds a sword.

    My FI was in a wedding back in December.  He knew the guy from law school, as in they had talked a half dozen times maybe, and this guy had JUST joined the Navy - he had been in all of 5 months at the time he got married, and hadn't even finished training and gotten to his first duty station.  He asked a local unit for volunteers, and he got some.  Kindly, they invited significant others of the guys who did the sword arch as well.  So that was 10 people out of their guest list of maybe 70 people who they really didn't know.  It felt like it was all a big show, and didn't have a greater meaning than the photos.  The guys all felt awkward about it, and the significant others felt super awkward. 

    Because of that experience, I would NEVER want an arch of swords if it wasn't people I personally knew.  It's just not worth it.

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  • divinemsbeedivinemsbee member
    1000 Comments Third Anniversary 5 Love Its
    Yeah, Cal's story is totally what I remember whenever anyone brings up the arch. My FI kind of wants one, but since he works in a really small department and our wedding will be out of town for them, I don't know if they'll be able to come. I told him that if he wants it, he can sort it out. I think it would be lovely and meaningful to have his friends there and do it, but I'm not too hung up on it. 
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  • bluefish81bluefish81
    10 Comments First Anniversary
    The AFB base here has an honor guard that is available, made up of NCOs who we wouldn't know (or at least I wouldn't), so I think we're nixing the idea.
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