We get asked almost every wedding during the planning process “what is the processional etiquette”? We get it, if you’ve never had to plan this before, there’s a lot to learn and include. Also, chances are, when you’ve been in a wedding, you’re not really paying attention as far as who is walking and with who to what song. Not to worry, we’ve got your back for this!
Firstly, there are traditional ways to approach this, however, there is no right or wrong way to coordinate your processional. It is your wedding, and there are usually multiple family dynamics to consider, so we say do it how you’d like! There are some circumstances where churches will recommend things be done a certain way, but again, those are just recommendations and we will relay whatever you would like to your church if that’s the case!
Next, what is the processional and who is typically included? The processional is the formal part part of the ceremony where VIPs process, or walk, down the aisle. This group typically includes grandparents and their escorts (typically a family member-cousin, uncle, etc), parents, wedding party and flower girls or ring bearers prior to the bride walking in. We understand there are circumstances and situations with almost every wedding that complicate things, and we are happy to recommend solutions to these! One thing you’ll want to check on prior to letting us help you determine processional etiquette is if everyone is on the same page. Meaning, if you want grandma to walk down the aisle, does she also want that and is able to, who will be escorting her, etc. Another common scenario is how the groom will walk in. Does he want to walk by himself or do his parents want to walk in with him? It’s important to have all of this discussed as families prior to telling us so we don’t waste time at your rehearsal changing things around.
Let’s talk about music. This is such a vital part to processional (& recessional!) etiquette and often so underestimated by most couples. Think about it-there’s a lot of pressure to choose the song you’re walking down the aisle to (peep our team assisting you)! We see a majority of couples choose soft instrumental music for these few songs. We recommend considering how many people/pairs are walking down the aisle and how long the walk is prior to choosing how many songs you need. We usually see a song for the family, if it’s more than 2 or 3 groups, a song for the wedding party (walking as couples or separately), a song for the bride, and a recessional song to come back up the aisle to. If you’re getting married in a church, they sometimes have set songs you have to choose from that their musicians can play, and are more traditional wedding songs (think “Wedding March”). For other ceremonies, we often hear piano or string renditions of popular music (think John Legend, Ed Sheeran, Christina Perri, etc) played as your ceremony processional is starting. Once you’re married (yay!), we recommend something fun and upbeat coming back up the aisle (Best Day by American Authors or This Will Be by Natalie Cole are current favorites)!
However you’re planning your ceremony, you’ll want to consider the processional etiquette, but again, make it your own for your group and dynamics. We are happy to offer any advice on the tons of ceremonies we’ve put together, so just ask!
