Who Will Walk You Down the Aisle?

Some wedding traditions are kind of optional these days. Brides now tend to be older and more independent than those of days gone by, and their family situations can be... complicated. So when it comes to the bride’s walk down the aisle, some may stick to the tradition of being “given away” by dad, but others may not like that idea or have that option. Happily, pretty much anything goes, as long as your officiant is OK with it.

Here are some possibilities for who will walk you down the aisle:

• Your father. This is, of course, the long-standing tradition and may be the obvious choice for you.
• Your mother. If your father is deceased or estranged, this might be the right thing to do.
• Both of your parents. Assuming they are still together or at least on good terms, this a great way to acknowledge the important roles they both played in your life.
• A father or mother figure. If there are no parents in the picture, someone else who has been like a parent to you (a grandparent, an aunt or uncle, an older sibling, etc.) could do the honours.
• Your about-to-be spouse. The tradition of the groom not seeing the bride before the ceremony is another one that’s going out the window. In fact, many couples choose to do a “first look” portrait before heading to the ceremony. Why not walk down the aisle together?
• No one. You can make your grand entrance with nobody on your arm, if you wish, reflecting your independence. This is also an option if there are more than two people you’d like to include: for example, if you were raised by multiple parents (like, your parents divorced and both remarried), you could walk solo with the parents following behind you.

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