The Ceremony

Marriage is the perfection of
what love aimed at, ignorant
of what it sought.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson

The music—usually piano, organ,
or violin, but sometimes a three-piece string
ensemble—is quietly playing in the background.
Everyone is seated. The groom and his best
man enter from a side door and stand patiently at
the altar. The bride is poised on the arm of her
escort.
If it’s a Jewish ceremony, everyone enters in the
procession together, including all parents and
grandparents; no one has to stand waiting at the
altar. The groom enters ahead of the bride, escorted
by both his parents. The bride follows last, making
her entrance escorted by both her parents. Music
accompanies every step of any wedding, and the
choice of what you play at your wedding is entirely
up to you. You can use music to honor your heritage,
your religious beliefs, and simply your taste
in music. Some whimsy is appropriate, and so is a
lot of tradition.

It’s considered traditional for a bride to be escorted
down the aisle by her father, but that’s only one
option. You may be escorted by both parents, by
your mother, your stepfather, or any other significant
person in your life. Some brides even choose
to make the trip alone because they feel they’ve
gotten to this point on their own. Some couples,
especially if they have dated or lived together for
several years, prefer to walk down the aisle together
to symbolize their mutual decision to marry. If
tradition works for you, that’s great, but if you want
to change things a bit and walk down the aisle
with another male family member, a female family
member, or one or two of each, that is perfectly
acceptable. It’s what makes this your perfect
wedding.