Bridesmaids before or after the bride?

I’m sending mine down the aisle before me. They will get to the alter then I will set off, so that everyone will have a clear view of me as I walk down the aisle (it’s all about me! Haha).

I am having mine and my nephew go down before me as my nephew who will be holding my MOH hand is holding a sign saying 'Clear the aisle here comes my auntie' and it wouldn't make sense if they came after me.

Im sending my nieces down first as well - I like the idea of them building it up! Also my dress doesn’t have a massive train and I’m sure I can find someone to make sure the back looks just right before my dad and I set off!

Most Church weddings the BMs follow the Bride and almost all civil wedding ceremonies the bride go's after them.

I am doing it the American way, we have a short aisle and logistically it would be to busy and like Tamsin said, there won't be a clear view of me? . In honesty I think it is one of those things people see as a tradition but really makes no odds! You do what you want x

I'm having my bridesmaids go down first so that they get their moment before I get mine.

I've been a bridesmaid twice and have done it each way, when I went down after the bride I sorted her dress but then couldn't get to my seat because of where she was stood so I had to walk in front of her and the groom which I really didn't like. When we went first it was much better but that could just be because the church was a different set up.

I say do what you want with this one

My daughter is my bridesmaid she will be walking next to me one side and my boys the other but i would do what feels right for you sorry im not much help x💗

My bridesmaids went after me and I had a church wedding. My sister in law had her bridesmaids go down the aisle before her and she and my brother had a civil ceremony.

Mine are going down first as well! I'm just going to task the MOH to fluff my train out when I get to the end of the aisle so it still looks good haha

It is a civil ceremony so not in a church as I don’t believe in God and I didn’t want to be hypocritical! It sounds like the majority are going with BMs first. I bet my mum will be surprised if we do this as she is more traditional but I’m going to bring it up and discuss with her and also see how big the aisle will be at the venue visit in May. Exciting times!

Hey,


My bridesmaids will enter before me and my dad.The page boys and flower girls will be before the bridesmaids.I've been a bridesmaid twice and both time I was before the bride 🙂

I'm definitely having my bridesmaid's before me. The only one I'm debating is my MOH, apparently they traditionally carry the train, so I might do a test run and see if it feels like I need him behind me...! Otherwise everyone in front and I'll just make sure one of them fluffs my train out when I get to the end!

In a non Church situation I am struggling to think if I have ever seen a bride go down the isle before the bridesmaids go down.

In a Church wedding I would say that 80% of the time the bride will go down first then followed by the bridesmaids.

Another note on a Church wedding is that there never seems to be much of a gap between the bride going down and the bridesmaids -- maybe half an isle length at most.

But in a civil ceremony their can be any amount of gap after the bridesmaids have fully walked the isle - sometimes its an extra time gap to coincide with a section of music.

In over 1000 weddings photographed I have never seen the bridesmaids carry the train down the isle apart from occasionally maybe a flowergirl and page boy. (and that's if they don't drop it and run off back )

But it is a good idea to give someone the task of quickly laying out your dress when at the top of the isle.

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Might be better to have the BMs go down first in a civil ceremony. I don't know if this is the reason they go first at a civil venue and last at a church, but in a church, there is usually a lot more space at the front of the church for them to get out of the way, and in a civil ceremony, there tends to be less room, so if they go first, they are out of the way before you arrive.

Thank you so much for all the feedback. I hadn’t really given it much thought until recently now that the day is 3 months away things were getting more real! I don’t have a long dress so it won’t need fluffing out as some have suggested. I am wearing a tea length dress so won’t take up too much room either!
I have more info for discussion with my mum now. I don’t think my FH will be bothered either way! Mum might be surprised though as she won’t have thought about this option I just know it.

My bridesmaids will be walking before me to build the suspense for my arrival and also gives me a few minutes with my dad ☺️