Wedding Ceremony & Reception Protocol
SEATING DURING CEREMONY
(Left Side) | (Right Side) |
Brides’s Family | Groom’s Family |
Honored Guests | Honored Guests |
Guests | Guests |
Altar |
CHRISTIAN PROCESSIONAL
Clergyman
Groom and Best Man
Groomsmen
Bridesmaids
Maid of Honor
Ring bearer
Flower girl
Bride’s Father & Bride
For Recessional – order reverses with Bride & Groom leaving first.
JEWISH PROCESSIONAL
Cantor | Rabbi | |
Bride’s Grandfather | Bride’s Grandmother | |
Groom’s Grandfather | Groom’s Grandmother | |
Usher | ||
Groomsmen | ||
Best Man | ||
Groom’s Father | Groom | Groom’s Mother |
Bridesmaidas | ||
Maid of Honor | ||
Bride’s Father | Bride | Bride’s Mother |
RECEIVING LINE (OPTIONAL*)
Bride’s Mother | Bride’s Father | Groom’s Mother | Groom’s Father | Bride | Groom | Maid of Honor | Best Man | Attendants |
*Keep in mind that many of today’s brides are eliminating the receiving line. If you are expecting a large number of guests, receiving lines can take up to an hour to go through and this becomes very tiring on everyone. You can also simplify the receiving line to include only the mothers of the bride and groom, the bride and groom, the maid of honor and bridesmaids. Let the fathers and groomsmen be roving hosts!