There are many different ways to organize an Arizona wedding processional, and it can be influenced by culture, religious background, or simply personal preference. If you are currently in the planning stages, at Sip and Twirl, we’re here to help! Check out some simple guidelines below to help you pull off a superb Arizona wedding ceremony.
Seating
1. Start by seating the grandparents. Paternal grandparents are seated first, followed by maternal grandparents. If you no longer have grandparents remaining, you can start with the next step. If you'd like your grandparents honored at your ceremony, you can brainstorm with your Arizona wedding planner to find ways to pay tribute to their memory.
2. Next up, seat the parents. The groom’s parents seated first, and the bride’s parents second. The seating of the mother of the bride signals the end of the seating and the beginning of the processional. You may also decide to walk with both of your parents down the aisle, and you can ask your wedding planner how to make the appropriate alterations to your ceremony processional.
Processional
3. The processional traditionally starts with the officiant and the groom making their way to the altar. The groom can accompany the officiant, or walk alone, or even walk with the best man. He can also choose to accompany his mother to her seat, and then head up to take his place at the altar. A side note on officiants. Great Arizona officiants get booked quickly, and well in advance, so it's a good idea to tackle this one in the beginning wedding planning stages. Ask you Arizona wedding planner for their list of preferred officiants.
4. Next up, the bridesmaids make their way down the aisle, and you can choose to have them walk solo, or paired with a groomsman. Following the wedding party, your maid, (or matron), of honor will make her way towards the altar, and similarly, she can walk with the best man, or they can walk down solo. Once she arrives at the altar, she will stand immediately next to where you will stand so that she can hold your bouquet during the ceremony and make adjustments to your train and dress.
5. Your adorable ring bearers and flower girls are up next. Traditionally the flower girl is the last person to walk down the aisle before the bride, as the bride is the only person meant to walk on the flower petals, if this is something you are planning on doing.
6. Finally, it is time for you to make you debut! The bride walks down the aisle last, and is traditionally escorted by her father. The bride’s mother may choose to accompany her as well. Your guests will rise as you make your way to your partner, and will be seated once you are settled in your place at the altar.
A few final notes and considerations:
If you are getting married in a church or a synagogue, there may be a preferred order of the processional that can vary from the above. Check with your Arizona wedding venue if you choose to respect these traditions.
Next, we are mindful of the fact that some couples will help us as a society redefine how we view the processional with same sex marriages and gender identification flexibility. We are at an exciting time in our industry's history where we have the opportunity to create new traditions and perceptions about how the processional is carried out.
Finally, nothing is set in stone! It’s your day, and you can get as creative as you like. Want to dance down the aisle instead? Go for it! Ultimately, it is up to you and your partner to decide.
If you are recently engaged or in the thick of planning your Arizona wedding, let's chat! Sip and Twirl is an Arizona wedding planning team, and we simply love what we do! Our wedding planning showroom is located in Scottsdale, Arizona. Check out our Facebook page to hear what real Arizona brides and grooms have said about our services. We plan for both small and large scale Arizona events. Reach out to us at (480) 648-0663 or email us at info@sipandtwirl.com.