Normally the Bride's mother is the last to be seated, but what
happens when the Groom's mother walks him down the aisle. When is
the Mother of the Bride seated?
Whenever you add something unusual
to a wedding service, you have to
step back and look over the situation it creates to find out what
would
be most logical and gracious. That is all etiquette is for, but
it only
covers traditional or common practices.
In your case, I think there are a couple of logical options,
depending
on the logistics of the groom's entrance.
If the groom's mother will escort him into the church *before* the
processional, at the time a groom would normally take his place at
the
altar, then this *could* be done before the bride's mother is
seated.
In essence, it's almost like the groom would be escorting and
seating
his mother as much as vice versa, and it could be logical for them
to
walk in together, hug or kiss if they choose in the altar/front
pew
area, then each would take their place-- the groom at the altar,
the
mother in the front pew. Then the bride's mother would be escorted
in
and remain standing to signal the start of the processional.
If the groom's mother will be escorting him as some part of the
*actual
processional*, the bride's mother would be seated first to signal
the
start f the processional as always. The groomsmen would probably
make
their way to the altar before or with the maids, then perhaps the
best
man, the groom and his mother, the maid of honor, then flower girl
and/or ring bearer, then the bride and her father.
I think that the honor attendants (best man and maid of honor)
should
immediately precede the groom and bride respectively. Flower girl
and
ring bearer usually are right with the bride, too, although I can
see
having the ring bearer perhaps paired with the best man and groom
instead.
When the mother of the groom "drops off" the groom, she would step
into her pew and remain standing with the guests while the
remaining
processional members pass.
Then, if desired, since the inference of having her escort the
groom is
a mirror of the father escorting the bride, perhaps parents on
BOTH
sides could remain standing and join in unison for the "who gives
this
man and woman"... or "who blesses and supports this man and
woman"... or whatever text might be used for the father of the
bride at the outset of the service.
Best wishes---
Sara L. Ambarian --Staff expert-- Foreverwed.com
author of "A Bride's Touch: A Handbook of Wedding Personality and
Inspiration"/
creative consultant/custom bridal designer
mailto:sara@foreverwed.com
For more wedding information:
http://www.foreverwed.com/~sara
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