How to Decide Your Wedding Order of Procession
Key Takeaways
The wedding order of procession for a ceremony is really up to the couple to decide. But typically, an officiant will start the processional, followed by parents, the wedding party, and finally the couple.
Deciding the wedding order of procession is an important part of wedding planning. After all, who walks down the aisle first and the wedding aisle entrance order kicks off the ceremony with intentionality. The ceremony is the most performance-like part of a wedding, and the cast of characters that walks down the aisle can set the tone for the proceedings to come.
Processional order is mostly based on tradition, but today, many couples change up the order based on their preference. Some may follow a processional order based on their religion, while others might choose a non-traditional wedding procession where the couple goes arm-in-arm together alone.
Still unsure about your own processional timeline? Ahead, we break down everything to know about the wedding order of procession so you can choose what works best for your own celebration.
What Is the Wedding Processional?
The wedding processional is the beginning of a wedding ceremony when the couple, family, members of the wedding party, and the officiant head down the aisle and take their positions either in their seats or at the altar. It is a moment to recognize honor important individuals in the life of the couple and mark the start of the wedding. The processional is usually set to music, either on a recording or by live musicians.
Why Does the Order Matter?
In certain religions, there is a very specific order dictated for a wedding ceremony to follow traditions. However, the order in general is meant to signify the important people who are standing by a couple’s side as they take this next step in their life. It is often the part of a wedding most rooted in tradition. However, order can be changed however you like based on your preferences. An element of processional order is also logistics. If you want to have certain people standing with you or sitting in certain seats during your wedding, you may swap their order in the processional to make it flow easier.
Most Common Wedding Processional Orders
While the flow is really up to you, ahead, we share some modern and cultural wedding procession orders for you to consider using at your own celebration.
Non-Denominational Wedding Procession Order
The most common wedding procession order for a non-religious wedding begins with the officiant, followed by the couple’s grandparents, then their parents. The wedding party goes next, followed by any junior wedding party members like flower girls or ring bearers. The couple will then walk down the aisle—either alone, or with one or two parents at their side.
Traditional Christian Wedding Processional Order
The traditional processional order for a Christian wedding begins with the officiant, followed by any grandparents, parents, the groom, the best man, groomsmen, bridesmaids, the maid of honor, the flower girls and ring bearers, and finally, the bride and her father. In some ceremonies, the wedding party members will head down the aisle on each other’s arm. In same-sex marriages, this order can be followed in a similar fashion divided by each member of the couple.
Traditional Jewish Wedding Processional Order
At a Jewish wedding, the procession starts with the rabbi or cantor. Then, the grandparents of the bride walk down the aisle, followed by any grandparents of the groom. Then the groomsmen, best man, and groom and his parents head down the aisle. This is followed by the bridesmaids, the maid of honor, the flower girl and ring bearer, and the bride and her parents. This can also be mirrored by same-sex couples.
Traditional Hindu Wedding Processional Order
At a Hindu wedding, the bride’s family will first arrive at the ceremony and head down the aisle. The groom will then arrive with his friends and family from the baraat processional, likely along with a drummer. The bride will then head down the aisle with loved ones, like her maternal aunt and uncle or her brothers.
How to Decide What Is Right For You
As you are working on your own wedding ceremony processional order, it’s helpful to think about what is important to you and your wedding. Do you have a wedding party? Do you care about doing something that feels out of the box? Is it a queer wedding, and so you feel like you should change up the traditional order slightly? Whatever the reason, you can use that to fine-tune your wedding party procession flow.
For my own wedding, we chose to base some of our processional on traditions and some on logistics. As we planned to have our siblings stand next to us at the altar, we had them walk down the aisle after our officiant, before the rest of the wedding party went down the aisle in an order where they could easily take their seats. Then, my wife went down the aisle with her parents, followed by myself and my parents as a nod to our Jewish background. While it wasn’t exactly traditional, I loved that we could redefine it in a way that felt true to us.
