Wedding church entrance: the procession according to traditions
Respecting the order of entry into the church allows for an orderly and well-structured ceremony, however, this sequence varies according to tradition.
In Italy there are two different entrance orders that are in vogue: the traditional and the modern, let’s see them together.
In both cases the bride is the last to enter except for the bridesmaid in charge of holding the veil.
Let’s start with the more classic procession: bon ton dictates that to enter the church first are the relatives of the bride and groom, who will be seated in the first pews: on the right the groom’s relatives and on the left the bride’s relatives, as the bride and groom will also be seated in this way.
Then there is no rule indicating the order in which guests should sit in the pews.
Usually one sits according to degree of kinship, leaving the first few pews for parents and close relatives.
Once all the guests are positioned, the first to make their entrance are the groomsmen followed by the accompanied groom.
After that the bridesmaids will enter, the bridesmaids with rings finally the accompanied bride.
In this case the groom will only see the bride at the altar without meeting her in front of the church.
In recent years, however, more and more newlyweds are choosing to meet outside the church.
This will allow guests to greet the bride once she gets out of the wedding car.
In this case the groom will help the bride out of the car. After exchanging a brief greeting, the procession starts as in the previous case.
The position of the parents should not be overlooked: the groom’s mother will stand on the right and the groom on the left. Once at the altar, the groom will greet his mother, or whomever, by escorting her to her seat while he will stand in front of the chair on the right, waiting for the bride.
Instead, the bride will be to the left of the father, or whomever, who once he arrives at the altar will give a kiss on the forehead, shake hands with the groom-to-be and take his seat.
If you have chosen the American version of the procession, with bridesmaids, then remember that they should precede the bride and then wait for her at the altar with the groom.
Now it is up to you to choose which one suits you best!
Remember that the figure of the wedding planner is crucial in pointing everyone to the right time of entry and scanning the right timing!
So if you are still up in the air, and don’t know who will be able to help you in managing the wedding church entrance, Archievents is here for you!