How the heck are we supposed to walk down the aisle?
Okay here's the rules... and below, how you can break them...
Christian Ceremony
The priest, groom, and best man enter through a side door and wait at the altar. Groomsmen can enter through the side door as well or escort bridesmaids down the aisle.
Important family members are walked down the aisle (grandparents, parents) sometimes escorted by groom or groomsmen
Bridesmaids walk down the aisle starting with the one who will stand farthest from the bride and ending with the maid of honor.
The ring bearer
The flower girl(s) (or the ring bearer and flower girls can walk together)
The bride and her father, or other close family member.
Jewish Ceremony
The Rabbi and/or cantor
Grandparents of the bride, who are then seated in the first row
Grandparents of the groom, who are then seated in the first row
Groomsmen, walking in pairs
Best man
The groom, escorted by his parents
Bridesmaids
Maid or Matron of Honor
Ring bearer and/or flower girl
The bride, escorted by her parents
Gay Wedding:
You can follow one of the traditional processions above and place one person as the "groom" and one person as the "bride" or...
brides or grooms walk down the aisle together
brides or grooms accompanied by parents, one walks first, the other walks second
Unique ways to enter a wedding ceremony:
Officiant, groom and groomsmen process down the aisle in a line together instead of entering from the side (this has a nice image and works well if you are getting married outside where there is no "side door" to enter from)
Bride and groom walk down the aisle together holding hands
Bride and groom stand in a field and wait for the wedding guests to assemble around them
Recessional:
Bride and Groom together
Everyone else backwards from the way they walked in
Photo credits:
Raquel Reis
Amy and StuartLabels: advice
Recessional: