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Alternative Wedding Custom


Ginevra
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We went to a wedding last month and the bride's dad walked her down the aisle, kissed her, then sat down. No giving away of the bride, and nobody mentioned it.  I'm not fond of the giving away part- it kind of seems like a transfer of authority and it makes me uncomfortable. 

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Because of my great hatred of the Giving Away thing.... and because my dad didn't walk very well....

 

At my wedding, the wedding party all came down the aisle together. The maid of honor and the best man walked in front, then DH and I walked together down the aisle with my dad between us so he could lean on both our arms. When we got to the front, we helped him sit down in the front row and DH and I went on together to the altar

 

No one gave anyone away and my dad got to be part of the ceremony, which was important to him.

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In an orthodox Christian "crowning" the bride and groom are betrothed of their own free will at the back of the the church, and then process together to the middle of the church, where they are crowned as the king and queen of a love that is blessed. There are no vows but a blessing on a relationship of love. And it is a pretty earthy ceremony. Newly Orthodox brides or grooms blush and giggle a lot.

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We got married under a big tree. No aisle, not even chairs to sit on. We all just gathered under the tree. My parents didn't stand with me--they were just there. Dh's parents were unable to attend. (We married in my home state and it would have been a financial burden for them to travel that far.)

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Just skip the wedding all together, the entire process is little more than infantilizing adults.

 

Giving away (as though they are property)

Officiants (because anyone needs permission?)

Witnesses (because someone is not there of my own free will?)

The ceramony and customes are dated and need to die a fast death.

 

Gosh, I love weddings!  (not the giving away part, my dad walked me down and then just sat down).  It's not the traditions so much, I love sharing a new beginning.  I love the idea of having your loved ones and friends around you as you start a new part of life (but not random people you felt forced to invite).  Traditions and customs are totally up for grabs, but don't get rid of the wedding!  

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Just skip the wedding all together, the entire process is little more than infantilizing adults.

 

Giving away (as though they are property)

Officiants (because anyone needs permission?)

Witnesses (because someone is not there of my own free will?)

The ceramony and customes are dated and need to die a fast death.

Oh boy, I really hope this opinion is in the minority. I love weddings!
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Gosh, I love weddings! (not the giving away part, my dad walked me down and then just sat down). It's not the traditions so much, I love sharing a new beginning. I love the idea of having your loved ones and friends around you as you start a new part of life (but not random people you felt forced to invite). Traditions and customs are totally up for grabs, but don't get rid of the wedding!

Customs and traditions are so deeply ingrained in our society they cannot be divorces from a wedding. Seriously, check out wedding wire forums and read the threads where people post and dare to not embrace the traditions to get a feel for how people respond.

 

Adding a personal touch on tradition is not the same.

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I wasn't given away or walked down the aisle.  The Maid of Honor and Best Man were already up front.  My Bride Groom and I walked in together, did our vows, and then walked out together.

 

My MIL wasn't too thrilled with the breach of etiquette but my family expected it.

My Daddy said that he couldn't give me away because I wasn't his to give but that he was sure approving of the man I'd chosen.  That was 23 years ago.  My daddy was a man ahead of his time.   ;)

 

Edited by Frosch
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See, I cannot understand liking weddings at all.

My husband hates weddings. Hates them. Thinks the whole thing is stupid. I was surprised when he showed up at the wedding reception we had a few months after our private, small ceremony.

 

I love weddings. I deeply regret letting his hatred of weddings and traditions(he also hates Christmas and birthday celebrations) overshadow what was also my wedding.

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I love weddings.  They so embody hope.

 

 

At ours, as in many Jewish weddings as several pp noted, his parents both walked him down the aisle (first); and both mine walked me down (at the end of the procession of grandmothers, attendants, and flower girl).  For each of us, our parents hugged & kissed us, then sat down.  No "giving away" for either of us.  At a later point in the ceremony, all four parents and the grandmothers stood together as the rabbi did a particular blessing over the two of us.

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My husband hates weddings. Hates them. Thinks the whole thing is stupid. I was surprised when he showed up at the wedding reception we had a few months after our private, small ceremony.

 

I love weddings. I deeply regret letting his hatred of weddings and traditions(he also hates Christmas and birthday celebrations) overshadow what was also my wedding.

Being in my own wedding (or any wedding) is what my definition of hell is. I know people often abuse the term of hell, but in this instance, I am using it as in the literal meaning. I am an anthiest, but, if there is a hell if would be a wedding that never ended.

 

I would not marry anyone if I have to have a wedding of any kind. I have ended otherwise good relationships over this. They were unable to understand why I felt this way and did not take me seriously when I said I would never have a wedding. I was always open and said it was the hill I would die on.

 

 

After what my inlaws did to my son and I (but mostly my son) last Christmas, I no longer care for that holiday either. I am meh birthdays, or more accurately I am meh on unsanely big celebrations for birthday's. I prefer small celebrations.

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Being in my own wedding (or any wedding) is what my definition of hell is. I know people often abuse the term of hell, but in this instance, I am using it as in the literal meaning. I am an anthiest, but, if there is a hell if would be a wedding that never ended.

 

I would not marry anyone if I have to have a wedding of any kind. I have ended otherwise good relationships over this. They were unable to understand why I felt this way and did not take me seriously when I said I would never have a wedding. I was always open and said it was the hill I would die on.

 

 

After what my inlaws did to my son and I (but mostly my son) last Christmas, I no longer care for that holiday either. I am meh birthdays, or more accurately I am meh on unsanely big celebrations for birthday's. I prefer small celebrations.

Well, that certainly is an alternative view on wedding ceremonies.

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I think that my own extreme shyness influenced my perception of the whole walking down the aisle thing. I didn't like the idea of being "on display". That wasn't even close to being the main reason that we eloped, but it was a point of relief for me! I'm so glad that most women have more confidence!

 

That's why I didn't want a traditional wedding, but I wound up giving into one anyway.

 

I walked my own butt down the aisle, and it was excruciating. I wouldn't have liked it any better on someone's arm.  I'm told I walked very fast.

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Can he walk her down, and just skip the "giving away" part?

 

Kelly

 

 

That is what we did.    The aisle wasn't big enough for three people, and I would have been squeezed between them.   Mom and I did wedding planning, and walking me down the aisle and the dance was important to Dad.   

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I like marriage ceremonies. I do not like what the wedding industry has done to them.

This. I grew up in a community where a wedding was at your church with cake and punch in the hall after... anything else was just showing off lol ... I love the idea of standing together and making a declaration of your commitment. I am fine with friends and family to support it... but spending ridiculous money and letting the planning consume you... not a fan.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

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I wonder about this sometimes.  What would you do if your daughter didn't have a dad?  I don't like the idea of finding a substitute man such as an uncle.  I think it's just fine for the bride to walk down the aisle alone or with the flower girl.  Then again I don't feel like I "own" my children.  :P

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Come to think of it, I don't think either of my 1st SIL's parents were at her wedding.  :P

 

My 2nd SIL, I don't remember - well actually I was late due to an unexpected detour and missed that part!

 

My youngest sister was walked down by my dad.  But, she was a daddy's girl through and through.  :P  She's nobody's property though, and I'm certain her husband had no fantasies about that.  :P

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I wonder about this sometimes.  What would you do if your daughter didn't have a dad?  I don't like the idea of finding a substitute man such as an uncle.  I think it's just fine for the bride to walk down the aisle alone or with the flower girl.  Then again I don't feel like I "own" my children.  :p

 

Some women walk alone - I did.  Some have their mom walk.  Some have grandfather or another father figure.   <shrug>  Lots of women marry without their dad there.   Huh, I just realized that none of my 4 nieces had their dad walk them.  The dad of 3 of them had died.  My brother has dementia and was not at his daughter's wedding at all.  They all managed to get married.  :-)

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The church where my husband and I were married had two aisles. So we walked in at the the same time, each of us with both of our parents. Then during the service there was a part about uniting our families and each set of parents welcoming their new son or daughter, and all four of our parents participated. No one gave anyone away, rather we were welcomed into each other's family.

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A friend's DD had her brothers (she has several brothers, no sisters) canoe her across a lake to the ceremony.  Her parents waited with the rest of us, at the site of the ceremony.  There was no giving away.  

 

It was one of the most beautifully done weddings I've ever attended.

 

 

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I used to not like wedding ceremonies so much, but the older I get, the more I appreciate all that they symbolize.  

 

I like the idea of doing what feels meaningful to you.  I think if I did my wedding over, I'd walk down the aisle with both of my parents.  We were very close and they were a big part of my life.  It wouldn't symbolize giving me away; it would symbolize standing behind my decision with love, just like they stood behind all of my other important decisions growing up (well, most of them!).  I also like the idea of others being part of (even just attending) the ceremony because marriage is not always easy and life can be tough, and the symbolism of having other people lovingly behind you and behind your decision is wonderful and affirming.

 

The parents could walk their child down the aisle, each give her (or him) a hug, and then sit down without saying anything.

 

I love the image of the bridge and groom walking around the lake with their parents in the above example.  

 

Once a ceremony becomes more about keeping up with cultural standards and commercialism, then forget it.  

 

I am not opposed to eloping or doing it very differently, either.  It needs to be what is meaningful to the couple.

 

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I wouldn't let my dad walk me down the isle and give me away. I walked alone - no waving. My eyes were fixed on dh. My dad hadn't ever been involved in my life and I didn't think he had any right to give me away; I wasn't his.

 

That said, I realized later how much it hurt his feelings and I regretted the decision. I think a better solution would have been to let him walk me down, but no indication of "giving away". At the time, having him more involved in my wedding than he was would have been distressing to me and I'm sure I didn't need that. 

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