Tuesday 31st July 2018
Planning a wedding can be both an exciting and daunting task. Weddings are surrounded by traditions and protocol, but while many of these have been discarded, they still play a large part in both the ceremony and day itself. We talk through three very important traditions and what they mean for the modern day bride and groom.
Defining the roles
Knowing who’s doing what and when, is a very important part of any wedding day.
Groom
Traditionally, the groom makes a speech in reply to the bride’s father, in which he thanks the bride’s parents, guests and makes a toast to the bridesmaids.
Bride
The bride is expected to have the final say on the date of the wedding in addition to the type of ceremony. Both she and the groom are expected to greet their guests at the start of their reception.
Best Man
The best man is one of the most relied upon people within the whole wedding party. His duties vary between assisting in wedding arrangements to the planning of the stag do, supervising the ushers, and paying all necessary fees on the groom’s behalf.
His most important (and best-known) function is to stand by the groom during the ceremony and pass the ring to the clergyman when asked. He should also oversee the transportation to the reception and makes sure everyone has a means of travel.
At the reception, it is the best man who makes a speech replying to the groom, reading cards and arranging the cutting of the cake.
Chief Bridesmaid / Maid of Honour
The maid of honour should help dress the bride on the morning of the wedding, organise the bridal party and hold the bride’s bouquet during the service. Prior to the ceremony, it is the chief bridesmaids job to plan the hen do and help with any necessary wedding arrangements.
Ushers
Generally, it’s the ushers job to help direct the guests to their appointed seats in addition to supporting the groom and the best man in their respective duties. They should hand out service sheets during the ceremony and ensure guests are having a great time throughout.
Bride’s Father
Perhaps the most important person in the wedding party, the father of the bride should accompany the bride to the ceremony, give the bride away at the alter and deliver the first speech after the wedding breakfast.
Order of Service
Whilst there are many variations in which you can choose the order of service, they’re typically broken down into six main parts. There are as follows:
- Introductory medley
- Entrance of the bride, referred to as the processional
- Hymns, marriage vows and prayers
- Hymn or psalm blessing
- Signing the register
- Recessional
As the party leaves the church, the order should be bride and groom, chief bridesmaid and best man, bride’s mother and bridegroom’s father, bridegroom’s mother and bride’s father, bridesmaids, ushers and other attendants.
Seating at the Reception
Tradition states that the bride and groom sit together in the centre of the top table. To the bride’s left should be her father, the groom’s mother and the best man. To the groom’s right is the bride’s mother, groom’s father and chief bridesmaid. The most important guests (which should include the oldest family members) are seated closest to the top table.
So now you’ve got a good idea of the traditionalwedding etiquette for the bridal party, but what about planning the wedding? Discover our guide, here.
*Photo courtesy of Adam Kenrick
FAQs
- Start Wedding Planning Only After Getting Engaged. ...
- The Bride's Parents Pay for the Wedding. ...
- The Bride's Father Walks Her Down the Aisle. ...
- You Must Have a Wedding Party. ...
- The Wedding Party Is Divided Based on Gender. ...
- Your Parents' Names Are Printed on the Invitations. ...
- Each Guest Is Invited With a Plus-One.
Key Takeaways
- Traditionally, the bride's family pays for the wedding, but that custom is rapidly changing.
- Couples are increasingly choosing to handle at least half of the wedding expenses on their own.
- Early planning and a written budget can help avoid miscommunication when deciding who pays for what.
You have probably heard of the saying, “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue”. The actual reasonings behind the ideas are a little less known. These four things a bride is “supposed to” wear on her wedding day is thought to make the marriage successful.
Who traditionally pays for the wedding reception in Western cultures? ›
Traditionally, the bride's family assumed most of the financial costs associated with a wedding, including the wedding planner, invitations, dress, ceremony, reception, flowers, photography, and music.
What is the number one wedding rule? ›
Unbreakable Rule #1: RSVP Promptly
Brides and grooms put a lot of thought into who makes the guest list cut. If you're one of the chosen few to be invited, make sure you respond promptly.
Who pays for a bridal shower? ›
Although once upon a time it was expected that the bride's family would foot the bridal shower bill, modern society has changed the rules. Nowadays, the person (or people) hosting the bridal shower are responsible for covering the costs associated with the shower.
Who should traditionally pay for a wedding? ›
When it comes to paying for the wedding, there are differing views. While traditionally, the bride's parents were responsible for hosting (and paying for) the entire celebration, today, many couples join both sets of parents in contributing.
What do a groom's parents pay for? ›
According to traditional etiquette, the groom's family is responsible for paying for the bride's rings, the groom's and groomsmen's attire, the rehearsal dinner, gifts for the groomsmen, some personal flowers, the officiant's fee, the marriage license fee, certain aspects of transportation, and the honeymoon.
Who pays for the alcohol at a wedding? ›
Reception. The bride and her family pay for all professional services, including food, flower arrangements and decorations. The groom's family pays for the DJ or band and liquor.
What does a bride need on her wedding night? ›
The overnight essentials:
Hairbrush, hair accessories such as clips, bobby pins, hair ties etc. Wedding robe (or any cosy one!) Hair care products – we recommend a hydrating hair mask if you have a lot of hairspray and back combing to get through! Bubble bath if your bridal suite has a tub!
Traditionally, the wedding garter most often symbolizes love and luck. In the Middle Ages it was more tied up with notions of virginity and the consummation of marriage; these days it's more of a fun, lighthearted wedding way to show off the couple's chemistry and interact with their guests.
Who buys the rings when you get married? ›
The most traditional way to go about this would be the groom pays for the bride's engagement ring and matching wedding band and the bride pays for the groom's wedding band plus a gift. Today, a more modern approach by many couples would be to accept the wedding bands as a joint investment by both people.
How much should bride's parents pay for a wedding? ›
If you don't feel you can be on the hook for an entire wedding, you have statistics that can back you up. So here's how it breaks down. On average, the bride's parents usually spend 44 percent of the overall budget, while the couple contributes 43 percent and the groom's parents pop for about 12 percent.
Who pays for honeymoon traditionally? ›
Who Traditionally Pays for the Honeymoon. "'Traditional' older etiquette states that the groom and his parents are supposed to fund the honeymoon because the bride and her family are paying for the wedding," explains Forrest Skurnik while noting that these rules no longer apply.
What are the rules for wedding something? ›
It describes the items a bride should have on her wedding day: "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, a sixpence in your shoe." The belief was that if the bride carries each of these items as she walks down the aisle, she will enjoy a successful and happy marriage.
What are common wedding traditions? ›
14 Wedding Traditions, Explained
- Exchanging wedding rings. One of the most popular artifacts in a wedding ceremony is the wedding ring. ...
- Wearing wedding rings on the left hand. ...
- Diamond wedding rings. ...
- Bridal showers. ...
- Wedding date. ...
- Most popular month to marry. ...
- Most popular day of the week to marry. ...
- White wedding dresses.
The big decision lots of couples are asking themselves is whether to spend it together or stick to tradition and sleep apart. It really is entirely up to you. There isn't a rule that says you have to but here's what's most important: that you relax. You'll want to rest up so you're totally prepared for your wedding.
What is not a traditional wedding ritual? ›
A non-traditional wedding is one where the couple doesn't follow the traditional order of things. For example, they may have their wedding party walk down the aisle in a different order than usual, or they may not exchange rings during the ceremony.
