| The proper etiquette for informing friends and guests
about your registry is to ask your bridesmaids, mothers and relatives to spread the word.
Is is proper to include the phrase "Registered at__________" on your
shower invitations and any communications regarding the wedding other than the wedding
invitation. It is NOT proper to include registry information with your wedding
invitations. |
| The wedding ring must not be put above the engagement
ring. The wedding band is worn at the base of the finger. On her wedding day a
bride either leaves her engagement ring at home when she goes to the church or she wears
it on her right hand. Afterwards she wears it above her wedding ring. |
| The bride is on her fathers (or whoever escorts her) left
arm coming down the aisle. She does take her place at the grooms left during the
ceremony, but when she comes back down the aisle she is then on her husbands right
arm. She always stands to his right at the reception. |
| It is the duty of the ushers to show all guests to their
places. An usher offers his right arm to each lady as she arrives, whether he knows
her personally or not. He asks of their preference of seating, the bride's side or
the groom's side. Members of the two families and a few most interested
friends are seated in the front reserved pews. All of the other guests are seated
according to the general rule of first come first served. It would be most
helpful to have someone in the vestibule to identify family members and point these out to
the ushers so that the proper seating is achieved. |
| The groom's mother is escorted up the aisle on the arm of
an usher, usually the head usher,with the groom's father following behind. They are
seated in the second pew on the right. The first pew remains empty. The bride's
mother is then escorted to her seat. (second pew on the left). No person should
be seated after the entrance of the mother of the bride. |
| Whichever the direction of the receiving line, the bride
always stands to her husband's right. There is no rule as to whether the bride or
groom is greeted first. |
| The maid of honor stands at the right of the bride.
(receiving line). Usually the bridesmaids stand at the right of the
maid of honor, but can be split with half standing to the left of the groom. |
| The Brides Parents Table. The groom's mother
sits on the right of the bride's father, and opposite them the groom's father next to the
mother of the bride. The other places at the table are occupied by distinguished
guests including the clergyman who performed the ceremony and, if married, his wife.
He is seated at the left of the hostess and she at the bride's father's left.
Otherwise only especially intimate friends of the bride's parents are invited to
this table. |
| If the reception is to be held away from the church, the
best man sees the bride and groom into their vehicle. |
| The Second Marriage. The fact that a
bridegroom has been married previously has no bearing on the wedding preparations which
may be made by his maiden bride. More information and etiquette on this subject at Getting Remarried.Com |
| The Marriage of a Widow differs from that of a
maid in that she cannot wear a bridal veil, orange blossoms, or a myrtle wreath, which are
emblems of virginity; nor does she have bridesmaids, though she may have a maid or matron
of honor. She may if she chooses, wear all white. When she becomes engaged,
she should either remove or transfer her first wedding and engagement rings to the third
finger of her right hand. Both of these rings are removed before the second
marriage. In time, with no objection from her new husband, she may wear the first
engagement ring on her right hand. |
| The Marriage of a Divorcee. Whether or not a
divorcee may be married in her church depends upon the circumstances of her divorce and
the approval of her clergyman. She may not wear a typical white bridal dress and
veil. If she prefers to wear white, it should be a simple street length style.
Otherwise she chooses any style of dress she prefers. Engraved invitations
are not in good taste, handwritten notes are best. |
| The Double Wedding. At a double wedding, the
two bridegrooms follow the clergyman and stand side by side, each with his best man behind
him; the groom of the older sister nearer the aisle. Then come the bridesmaids
of the older sister followed by her maid of honor. The older sister follows on her
father's arm. Then come the bridesmaids of the younger sister, her maid of honor and
last the younger bride on the arm of a brother, uncle, or nearest male relative. The
first couple ascend the chancel steps and take their places at the left side side of the
altar rail, leaving room at the right side for the younger bride and her bridegroom.
The father stands just below his oldest daughter. The brother takes his place in the
first pew. The ceremony is a double one, read to both couples, with particular
responses made twice. The father gives both brides away, the older daughter first,
then the youngest. He then takes his place in the first pew beside his wife.
At the end of the ceremony, the older sister and her husband goes down the aisle first,
then the younger couple. The bridesmaids of the older are followed by the younger. |
| Seating parents at a double wedding. One
difficulty of a double wedding is the seating of the parents of the two bridegrooms, who
must either share the first pew or draw lots for the occupation of first or second - which
questions they must decide for themselves. Occasionally the brides are cousins, in
which case the front pew on the bride's side must be shared by both mothers, the older
sister,or sister-in-law,being given the aisle seat. |
| More than One Maid and/or Matron of Honor. Some brides have two or
three close friends or sisters and want to include all of them. List
them in your wedding program and the reason why you selected them. The best man can
escort both on the recessional, one on each arm. |
| The following
subject on divorces amoung parents of the couple are etiquette guidelines and need not be
followed to the letter. |
|
| When Divorced Parents are Friendly. If a
friendly relationship has been possible, not only the parents but also the step-parents
are present at the church and even possibly at the reception. The one unbreakable
tabu remaining is the sending of one wedding invitation by the divorced parents together. |
| When They are Not Friendly. There is perhaps
no situation which brings distress as the wedding of a daughter whose parents are divorced
and bitterness prevails. It is especially unhappy for the bride who loves both
parents and their families. Yet the wedding of their daughter must be given by her
mother. Her father rides with her to the church, if driven by limousine, walks her
down the aisle and shares briefly in the ceremony. After giving her away, he takes
his place in one of the farther-back pews behind his x-wife. But he does not attend
the reception given by his x-wife and possibly her present husband. It is also very
probable that no member of his family including the grandparents, aunts or uncles of the
bride do not even get to go to the church. |
| If The Wedding Is Given By The Bride's Father.
In the few instances where the daughter has chosen to live with her father instead
of her mother the wedding is given by her father and stepmother if remarried. The
second wife does not go to the church and the bride's mother does not go to the reception.
The bride's own mother sits in the second pew with members of her family, but not
her second husband. The bride's father sits in a farther-back pew after giving her
away. |
| Seating Divorced Parents of The Bridegroom.
Even if they have remained on friendly terms it would be in very bad taste to seat any
divorced parents together. His mother and whoever she would like to have with her
should be given the second pew on the bridegroom's side of the church, and the father and
others of his family seated in the third pew behind. At a large reception their
presence need not be conspicuous nor make anyone uncomfortable. However, if the
groom's mother is to receive with the bride's mother, she and her ex-husband and his wife
can avoid meeting only by having a tall member of the bride's family wait purposely to go
ahead of the groom's father and stepmother, and by his talking to the groom's mother form
a barrier while the others greet the hostess. After this, they are free to greet the
bridal party and stand somewhere beyond this line to receive their own friends |
