Sebastian Arellano

Although religious ceremonies are becoming more and more flexible, in the sense of personalizing wedding vows with beautiful phrases of love or incorporating some ritual to crown the posture of wedding rings, such as tying hands, the truth is that the entrance protocol and the way of sitting has transcended through time.

At least, in general terms, the tradition is respected, which also allows to order the guests, who will arrive with their best suits and party dresses, as well as to give a more solemn tone to the celebration. If you want to stick as much as possible to the protocol, in this article you will find out how to enter and place yourself in a Catholic wedding.

Entrance of the cortege

Ximena Muñoz Latuz

As the diners arrive, the parents of the groom, the mother of the bride and the newly groom will meet at the door of the church. welcoming people and inviting them in.

Then, once all the guests have checked in, the wedding procession will open with the entrance of the groomsmen and/or witnesses. The wedding bands, carrying baskets with the wedding tapes, will be waiting in front of their seats.

Then, it will be the bride's mother's turn with the groom's father. who will also head for their posts; while, the next to parade, will be the groom and his mother. Both will wait on the right side of the altar.

So, it will be up to the ladies of honor and best men who can enter two at a time, followed by the page boys and girls Remember that the purpose of the procession is to escort the bride, who will be the last to enter the church.

Entrance of the bride

Anibal Unda Photography and Filming

After the parade of the pageboys, who can throw rose petals, while others carry the golden rings, the most awaited moment will arrive, as the bride will come in holding her daddy's left arm.

Both of them will walk slowly to the sound of the wedding march until they reach the altar, where the father will give his daughter to the groom and offer his arm to the groom's mother to escort her to her seat, and then head to his.

If the bride's gown is very voluminous, for example, a princess style wedding dress with a train, she should take advantage of these moments to arrange it before the priest begins the sermon.

Key positions

Victoriana Florist

Regarding how people should be seated inside the church, the protocol is clear and indicates that the bride should be positioned on the left side and the groom on the right side of the altar. in front of the priest.

Then, the following will be arranged for the godparents seats of honor installed at the sides of each of the bride and groom, while the first bench will be reserved for immediate family members The bride and groom's parents -if they are not the godparents-, grandparents or siblings of the bride and groom.

Of course, always respecting that the bride's family and friends will stand on the left side The groom's family and friends will be seated to the right, from the front seats to the back.

Bridesmaids and best men The second row will be located between the second row or in lateral benches if there are any. women on the bride's side and men on the groom's side.

For the pages, finally, a space will be reserved for them in the front row on the left side of the church. Generally, accompanied by an adult relative of the bride and groom. Now, if a friend or relative has been chosen to read a biblical passage or state the petitions with Christian love phrases, then they should also be seated in the front rows.

Departure of the cortege

Esteban Cuevas Photography

Once the ceremony is over, they will be the page boys and girls who will lead the way for the newlyweds. towards the exit of the Church. And immediately after the children the bride and groom will parade followed by their parents, groomsmen, witnesses, bridesmaids and best men.

This is how the wedding procession will go when it is fully constituted. But, for example, if there are no page boys, then the bride and groom will be the first to march. The ideal, of course, is to always walk slowly and naturally, which runs for the entire entourage.

Whether or not you will have a full wedding party, you can always follow this protocol to give a deserved place to those who will play a key role in your celebration. On the other hand, don't forget to personalize your vows with love phrases of your own and decorate the church, if you wish, with wedding arrangements, such as flowers on the seats or candles to mark the floor.