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Wedding Processional Order: Traditional & Modern Examples for Your Ceremony
Published Monday, Apr. 18th, 2022
Which wedding processional order is right for your ceremony?
As the very first part of a wedding ceremony, the ‘procession’ can set the mood and tone for the entire celebration.
For most guests, this will be their first glimpse of the happy couple on their wedding day, and of the friends and relatives closest to them. And wedding processions can meet guest expectations – by following a traditional format – or completely upend them – by introducing exciting and unexpected elements like music, dance, or even a theatrical reenactment of their love story!
One of the most important considerations when planning this ‘opening scene’ of your wedding ceremony is the processional order – which is exactly what it sounds like.
You need to decide who will walk down the aisle, and in what order!
What is the Wedding Procession and Processional Order?
If the wedding were a stage play, the procession would be the part where the house lights are dimmed and everyone is seated so that the show can start: All the guests are seated and then the wedding party enters and heads to the front of the room, followed by the happy couple. This parade lets everyone get into place, so that the spoken part of the ceremony can begin.
Wedding Officiants: Read more about your role in the Wedding Procession.
To help you get started, we’ve included a few traditional and modern alternatives below. You’ll find a couple non-denominational Christian wedding examples, a couple Jewish wedding examples, and a few non traditional and non religious examples to draw inspiration from.
Related: 7 Alternatives to Walking Down the Aisle
Keep in mind that traditional processions can easily be modified to honor a couple’s unique family structures.
And modern processions can follow a mostly-traditional order, but include fun variations, like a ‘flower dude’ in place of a traditional flower girl.
This aisle is ready for walkin'!
Processional Order Examples for Your Ceremony
Christian Wedding Processional Order #1
- Officiant stands at the wedding altar/ front of the room
- Mother of the bride (usually escorted by a close friend or relative)
- Groom
- Best man
- Groomsmen
- Bridesmaids
- Maid of honor
- Flower girl and ring bearer
- Father of the bride, and the bride.
Christian Wedding Processional Order #2
(this one includes grandparents!)
- Officiant stands at the wedding altar/ front of the room
- Grandparents of the groom
- Grandparents of the bride
- Parents of the groom
- Mother of the bride (usually escorted by a close friend or relative)
- Groom
- Best man
- Groomsmen
- Bridesmaids
- Maid of honor
- Flower girl and ring bearer
- Father of the bride, and the bride
Jewish Wedding Processional Order #1
- Rabbi and/ or chazan (cantor) on the rabbi’s right
- Grandparents of the groom
- Grandparents of the bride
- Ushers/ groomsmen
- Best Man and Maid of Honor
- Groom and both parents (father on left, mother on right)
- Bridesmaids
- Bride and both parents (father on left, mother on right)
Jewish Wedding Processional Order #2
(this one includes a flower girl and ring bearer!)
- Rabbi and/ or cantor
- Grandparents of the groom
- Grandparents of the bride
- Ushers/ groomsmen
- Best Man
- Groom and both parents (father on left, mother on right)
- Maid of Honor
- Bridesmaids
- Ring bearer, then flower girl
- Bride and both parents (father on left, mother on right)
Non traditional / Non Religious Wedding Processional Order #1
(a favorite among same-sex and other LGBTQ+ couples!)
- Officiant
- Couple’s ‘best people’ as a group (or in pairs, or individually)
- Flower children
- Partner One, with parents or mentors
- Partner Two, with parents or mentors
Non Traditional / Non Religious Wedding Processional Order #2
(honoring generations!)
- Couple’s Grandparents
- Couple’s Parents
- Couple’s Children
- The couple, together
Non Traditional / Non Religious Wedding Processional Order #3
(attendants of all genders!)
- Officiant
- Groom’s parents
- Bride’s parents
- Groom’s attendants
- Groom
- Bride’s attendants
- Flower child and ring bearer
- Bride
Some couples walk down the aisle together to symbolize that they're equal partners in life.
It's so romantic!
...
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