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Combining branches etiquette

Apologies in advance if this is addressed elsewhere! We are planning a wedding, tenatively next Fall/Winter 2011. My fiance is Army but we are getting married in San Diego where no Army is stationed. The closest Army base is a couple hours away. My aunt works at the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot and had suggested we have the ceremony/reception there (excellent location, and even more excellent for our wallets!). Everyone involved seems to be fine with this (having an Army wedding on a Marine base), however, I have a question about the sword/saber arch. Would it be terribly akward to have Marine's doing the arch while fiance walks down in his Army blues? I asked my fiance and he said he'd be fine with it but that some people might think it was odd, which I absolutely get. What do you ladies think? I do not have to have the arch if it would be too weird, but I thought if this mixing of branches happens frequently. the arch would be a fun addition! I do realize this is thinking way in advance, but it crossed my mind so I decided to ask so that if the consensus is that it will be inappropriate I won't get my hopes up for too long about having the arch :)


PS. And, hello! I am new here, been lurking around for years but have the ring now and am going into true planning mode!!

Re: Combining branches etiquette

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    iluvmytxrgriluvmytxrgr member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    The arch is symbolic for you walking away from your old life and into a new life as an Army wife.  To me, it completely takes the symbolism away if you are walking through an arch formed by Marines.  You aren't walking into life as a Marine wife, KWIM?
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    kyrgyzstankyrgyzstan member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I'm with Tx. The sword arch isn't a necessity, and while I love MCRD SD and think your wedding will be gorgeous there, having an arch with Marines neither you nor your FI know doesn't make sense to me. Aren't any of your FI's friends coming who can do it? I wouldn't want an arch with people neither of us know. I do plan on having a group of Marines and a Soldier when that day comes, but I know the Soldier well, she's one of my good friends, and I can't imagine not having her in it. The arch can be welcoming you into the military rather than the Army specifically, but I think I'd rather not have one than to have it done by NCOs/Os who don't mean something to us. I know other people do it, but it's not my style. I like the symbolism of it, and it doesn't strike me as much when it's strangers. 


    Also, Irwin is much farther than a couple hours, so if you do try and make that work, just know logistically that it's a longer drive than two hours. 
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    edited December 2011
    Guess I will forget about my arch...oh well! Thank you!
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    calindicalindi member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    There's got to be an Army Reserve group in the area, no?  If you wanted the arch, and didn't have anyone coming who could participate, then perhaps reach out to an Army Reserve group to see if they could supply volunteers.  But it also is probably good etiquette to invite them to your wedding, so be prepared to pay for extras.

    One of our good friends is a Marine reservist up in Buffalo and he does weddings and funerals all the time.

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    edited December 2011
    That's true about the reserves...maybe I will look into that...He really doesn't have too many army friends. He's been deployed so much of his career that he's really taken the route of not getting too close to anyone in any of his units. Thank you for the suggestion calindi!
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