Can a bride go to the altar alone?

Question

I know that usually a bride is supposed to be accompanied by her father when she goes to the altar. However my dad died when I was little, and my grandfather died 2 yrs ago and I really don't have any other male relative to take me to the altar. Is it appropriate if I go by myself?

Answer 1

I'm sorry to hear of your situation. It must be very difficult for you.

It's completely appropriate to walk down the aisle yourself. As another option, your mom could walk you down the aisle instead, but you don't have to have anyone walk you down.

Congratulations on your wedding!

Answer 2

At the vast majority of weddings I've been to, the father has walked the bride down the aisle, and given her away. I've never heard of it being a requirement, though. When we got married, my husband and I walked up the aisle together. Now, we first chose this since my father had passed away a few years earlier, and my mom didn't want to do it. What we found out shortly after, was that this is going back to a very old tradition in our religion/culture - Ukrainian Catholic - that the bride and groom come in together, as mature individuals, to be married. There is no part of the service which includes a 'giving away'.

Answer 3

U can go down the aisle by urself. I've seen this done a few times. It is perfectly ok do it. U don't have to do everything traditionally. If u watch tv and have cable watch A wedding story, bridezilla or something that has to do with wedding on TLC I believe. It helps wonders. It shows what brides go thru and shows the planning and stuff they do especially if they get a wedding planner. I've seen a few episodes that the bride walked down the aisle by herself. So it is perfectly ok. If u watch those shows I hope they help u some and give u some ideas. Good luck and congrats.

Answer 4

First off, please know that this is YOUR wedding, not an act of cultural assimilation or a representation of anything other than your own ideals....Please read A Walk Down the Aisle: Notes on a Modern Wedding by Kate Cohen, it discusses one couple's willingness to embrace some wedding customs and their decision to reject others, and examines and discusses how and why people blindly follow wedding traditions, often without knowing the reason why the thing is done in the first place....also good reading, the Conscious Brides Wedding Planner


IMHO...walk, skip, run, down or up the aisle with you uncle, cousin, mother, grandmother, aunt, best friend of either sex....the whole idea of a father/father figure "walking you down the aisle" has a questionable rationale behind it in the first place...traditionally you are being "given away" as if property of your father/father figure....however, more modernly, people see it as a symbolic blessing and wish for the marriage's longevity and happiness....

however, this arrangement doesnt fit everyone, whether through death or strained relations, or simply not yielding to tradition, many people make other walks down the aisle quite beautiful.... think the basic gist, if you want that to happen, is to have someone who is loving and supportive take you down to meet your husband at the altar....someone with whom you have a significant relationship, for example, your mother could walk you down the aisle as a show of your progression from a child/her child to a woman/ a wife...there nothing wrong with that...

but do you really need someone to walk you down at all? examine your reasons for following tradition? examine what meaning this holds for you..and this will help you decide whether you want to do it at all, and, if so, who would be the person that gives that walk the most meaning to you...some couples decide to walk down together to symbolize their walk into their new live together..anything goes, unless of course you are adhering to religious rules that u do not wish to deviate from, but as far as i know, this is just a custom, not a rule to be followed to the letter

good luck. best wishes. one love.

Answer 5

yes, you can go by yourself, or walk halfway up & then have your groom meet you halfway there & bring you the rest of the way to show your journey together. Or your Mom could do this or even your best friend (it does NOT have to be a male). It's totally your choice. The whole "woman being given away like a possession" is kinda dated and old anyway - lots of more modern brides are not doing this - many just have Dad walk the for the emotional support (and to make the old guy happy) and totally skip the whole "who give's this woman? deal - you aren't a THING to be GIVEN - you are a modern woman making a life choice, right? So skip right up the aisle to you man if you want! Be happy!

Answer 6

Hi and congratulations!

YES...don't listen to the others. You most certainly can go down the aisle by yourself. You can also ask your mother to escort you....it doesn't HAVE to be a man!

But, yes, it's perfectly acceptable. Gone are the days of "giving someone away." I read on another site where a bride did this (alone) and was proud! She said that she walked to the altar alone and back down married, so she looked at it that way.

Again, congratulations and I hope you have a beautiful wedding!

Answer 7

Sure you can! There's nothing wrong with that. I think that when someone gives a bride away, they have to be of great importance to the bride. And here's a bright spot, all eyes are supposed to be on the bride anyways, right? :-) Good luck and just remember that your father and grandfather are with you when you go down the aisle!

Answer 8

Can you not walk by yourself? Are your legs painted on? Are you so unintelligent that you need a man to lead you down a straight path? Why do women even ask these questions? Sigh...

You can walk down the aisle yourself. And you SHOULD!

Here, read this from my other post on the same topic....

Why oh why have women lost their self-respect nowadays? Sigh...you are not property. You do not have to be given away by a man like a cow. There is no reason for this ridiculous custom. It is not in any Bible. It's a throwback to the days when women weren't persons but extensions of the males in the family. The women was "passed" on from the father to her husband, who was paid a dowry to take care of her.

You can walk down the aisle yourself, walk with your groom (or have him meet your half way), walk with your mom, there are no rules. But please don't think you need to be given away. It's a horrible outdated tradition that is on it's way to being dead and buried. If you are being given away, you'd better be a virgin too.

You can never replace your father even if you DID want someone to "give you away", so don't even try. The answer is yes, OF COURSE you can walk alone. Do it with pride. I cannot wait for the day when all women finally see how distasteful it is to be "given away". You show them how it's done girl!

Answer 9

Of course it's appropriate!

I do want to convey my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your dad and your grandfather (belatedly), but in the absence of a near male relative to take you to the altar, you might ask a close female relative or even a close male or female friend if you'd rather not go alone, but even if you choose to make the walk yourself, that's totally alright and acceptable! Your groom-to-be is a lucky man!
Best of luck to you and him in your life together.

Answer 10

Yes, it's appropriate. In fact, that's the best way to go. The whole thing about being walked down the aisle represents women being given away like property. You're a grown woman who can make the choice to get married on her own, you don't need to be dragged down the aisle like a child or livestock.