It's coming up! Your big moment. After months of searching, planning, and stressing, you'll be standing in the wings, ready to make your grand entrance. The world will be waiting. How will you do it?

If traditional cultural and religious processionals don't incorporate all the elements you want to honor, chances are you'll need some creative alternatives. Below, we offer some great ideas you can use to enhance traditional processionals, or help you come up with ideas all your own.

Culture And Religion
If yours is an interfaith wedding, ask your officiants for ideas on creative ways to combine elements of each of your backgrounds. There are also many ethnic elements that can be incorporated into a procession. Many of the Real Brides featured on our site have done a great job of incorporating varying ancestral traditions. Feel free to review the Cultural and Religious Traditions section of our Planning articles.

Walk With You
Historically, the bride is escorted down the aisle by her father. These days, however, the bride is free to choose any escort she wishes. You may decide to choose the person you feel closest to, or a dear friend or family member who has supported you throughout your life. If you feel the desire to honor both a biological and step parent, your bio dad could walk you halfway down the aisle, then hand you to your stepfather. Or you could be escorted by both parents, foster parents, or a re-married parent and step parent. If your parents have divorced and remarried, both parents and their new spouses could flank you on either side. Or choose a grandparent, uncle, or cousin. How about a brother or sister, or all of your siblings? If you have children, perhaps they would like to escort you down the aisle. You are also free to walk alone; perhaps you have been your own best supporter, or feel it is not appropriate to be "given" away. See our articles on Wedding Planning with Divorced Parents for more on bridal escorts, and ceremony seating arrangements.

Music Made For Walking
For the processional, choose music you love, music that conveys your feelings about this very special moment. Processional music is generally grander, bolder, more stately and dramatic than music used in other parts of the ceremony. There are many classical favorites, but feel free to choose any song, perhaps one that is emotionally significant to you, or reflects your background. The musicians and instruments you select for your ceremony will also help to create the mood you want. A brass band is festive, while a string quartet creates an atmosphere of elegance. An organ, harp, solo voice, or trumpet tends to express classical serenity. A dobro and harmonica reflect down-home hospitality, while steel drums suggest Caribbean festivity. Use a flamenco guitar for a Spanish flair, or bagpipes for that Scottish mood. If you can muster it, a full choir makes any ceremony heavenly.

Blending Families
There are many possible variations for traditional processional themes. As a way to explore alternatives, we'll take you back down memory lane. Here's the story of a lovely lady, who was bringing up three very lovely girls. She was marrying a man who was bringing up three boys of his own. On a hunch, they decided to form a family. Let's say they also chose three adult bridesmaids and three adult groomsmen. This bunch had many options and opportunities to blend their families into the ceremony. The children could be junior attendants, with the youngest two as ring-bearer and flower girl. The children could form "couples," leading or following the grown-up attendants. Or the grown-ups could each pair up with a junior attendant. In the end, the grown-up attendants led in couples, then stopped, made a bridge with their hands, and the children passed underneath. The family maid, Alice, followed the wedding party, walking the family dog, Tiger. Come to think of it, Tiger carried the ring in a little box around his neck, like a St. Bernard with a flask. You get the idea.

My Friend Flicka
People do include their pets in their ceremonies. A dog can heel the bride or groom throughout, or be held on a leash, depending on how well-trained it is. We're not sure how well other pets, like cats, would work, but you can use your imagination. If there are horses involved, you might prefer to hold the ceremony outside. There is no reason you couldn't place your goldfish in a bowl, or your parrot in a cage in a strategic location to watch your dreams come true. Perhaps your parrot will even repeat your vows for you in the years to come: "I do, I do. In sickness and in health, I do."

Step Into Your Future
Use your imagination and plan your procession to perfection, so when the time arrives for you to walk gracefully down the aisle, you can step into the spotlight and enjoy every slow-motion moment to its fullest. Cherish this chance to be the center of attention, and begin your journey down the path to happy destiny, one step at a time.
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