Bridesmaids? Ushers?

Hi, Welcome to Hitched!!

there are differences between american and UK weddings, US tend to send bridesmaids up first often with ushers where UK traditionally have bridesmaids following bride.

i am having 2 flower girls going up first, then me with my 2 brothers who are giving me away then my 3 bridesmaids. the best man and ushers will already be at the fron with OH!

At the end of the day, it depends on how you want to do it!

hope this helps!

Bridesmaids going before the bride is an American tradition and BMs following the bride is British. However, it's becoming more and more popular for British brides to follow the US tradition. I think I'll actually do it, because it means people get a chance to see the BMs and their lovely dresses before all attention is on the bride.

From what I understand, in America, the ushers "escort" the BMs down the aisle as well. In the UK, the ushers are usually there before the guests start arriving and they hand out orders of service, show guests to their seats etc. They will then take their seats at the front with the groom and Best Man. Sometimes, one of the ushers (usually the bride's brother or other member of her family) will escort the mother of the bride to her seat just before the bride arrives.

Hope that helps!

Hi All,

Thank you for the replies! This has been very helpful... For some reason I had them pictured FOLLOWING the bride but if the Ushers are going to be escorting the BMs then putting them infront would be the best idea.

Hmmm...I have been confused with this too. We have a little girl so I wanted her to go first as she's our flower girl, she'll be almost 2 when we get married so the birdesmaids may have to go up first with her as she may run riot, hehe.

I like the thought of sticking to British tradition though and bridesmaids to follow bride but like somebody said, you feel like the bridesmaids would get no attention on their beautiful dresses if you do it that way.

xxx

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Welcome to the forum, Amnesia, and congratulations on the engagement!

Traditions vary by culture and venue, but this is the most common setup:

Before the ceremony

• Ushers usually arrive early (30-45 minutes before the ceremony) to greet guests, hand out programs, and seat people. Family is traditionally seated first, with the bride's mother last.
• Bridesmaids typically arrive with the bride, or shortly before her, and wait out of sight until it's time to start.

The processional (walking in)
The bridesmaids lead the bride rather than follow her. The usual order is:

1. Officiant, then the groom and best man take their places at the front
2. Groomsmen and bridesmaids, either in pairs or with the bridesmaids walking alone, with the maid of honor last
3. Ring bearer and flower girl, if you have them
4. The bride, with her father or whoever is walking her down the aisle

The bride is always the grand finale, so nobody trails behind her going in.

The recessional (walking out)
This is where it flips, and it's probably what you were remembering:

1. Bride and groom leave first, together
2. Flower girl and ring bearer
3. Maid of honor and best man
4. Bridesmaids and groomsmen, paired up
5. Parents and grandparents follow, and the ushers help guests leave row by row

So they don't all arrive together, but they usually do leave together in pairs. If you have more bridesmaids than ushers, or the other way around, it's fine for some to walk in alone or in threes. Have a quick rehearsal the day before so everyone knows their spot. Your officiant or venue coordinator can also tell you if there's a local custom to follow.

Hope that helps, and please let us know how the big day goes!

P.S. If you're planning the reception menu, don't forget a fun drinks and dessert table. Some ideas for that over at mixue.

Having a few people around you on the day can make the whole wedding feel much more relaxed, especially when there are little jobs to handle alongside the main ceremony. Choosing the right bridesmaids and ushers can also make things easier when it comes to organising guests and keeping everyone together. For anyone still sorting out their wedding plans, NetMirror might also be useful for some downtime after all the planning.

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