cheap military wedding ideas?

Question

Hi, My Daugher is getting married to an Army guy!! They are trying to plan a cheap wedding around April. Anyone have any ideas as far as military ediquitte? and how to hold a cheap, yet not tacky wedding reception?

Answer 1

I am in the army as is my fiance. There are so many things you can do. Have the groom and the groomsmen(if all of them are in the military) wear their uniforms. There are about 10 different dress uniforms so make sure the one you want is specified. Also have the reception at his drill hall. This should be free but if their is a charge for it, it will be minimal. The biggest thing with military ediquitte is being respectful. Because you are a civilian you are not expected to know the ins and outs of military ettiquitte. If you choose to use a military facility ask the facility manager what is allowed and not allowed and what is proper. They are very nice people and will help you out in anyway they can. Good Luck and Welcome to the Military Life.

Answer 2

My husband is in the Army as well. For our wedding, he chose not to incorporate any military traditions. I would recommend your daughter talk with her finance to see what his wishes are. If they do decide to incorporate military traditions, here is a little overview:


The Arch of Sabers:
The arch of saber ceremony is customarily done with six saber bearers and must be uniformed Army Officers. The officers will form two lines. The bride will be escorted by the groom on his right, when they approach the first step or uniformed member they will stop. The person positioned in the top left will introduce the bride and groom. After the bride and groom pass through the Arch they will pause under the last saber. The saber bearers on the end will now close sabers by bringing them down to cross at the waist level of the bride and groom. The saber bearer at the bottom right will then give a gentle "swat" to the brides behind and say "Welcome to the Army Mrs.__".

Using the Saber to cut the cake:
It is tradition for the bride to use the grooms Saber to cut the first piece of cake. The groom would hand his unsheathed saber to the bride and place his hands over hers then cut their first piece of cake. At no time can the saber or sword be decorated (as a civilian cake cutting knife is).

Invitations:
Military wedding invitations follow the same general guidelines used for civilian weddings. The main difference is in the use the groom's rank and service in the body of the invitation. Military guests should also be address using their rank. Be sure to spell out the rank in full and not use abbreviations.

Answer 3

There is not really any military etiquette different from any other wedding. One thing can stand out is a saber line but I believe this is done only if he is an Officer. This can be done for free usually as the Groom can get his friends to wear their uniform and bring their sabers. If they don't have one, they can rent them. Other than that, the only thing that is different than from a regular wedding is the Groom's dress. Again, an Officer usually wears a Dress Mess top which is about $350, all other military people wear Dress Blues. Hope this helps.