Wedding Etiquette
I went to the wedding tonight, and by all accounts it was one of the most beautiful events I have ever attended. It was held at the Manor of a several-hundred acre farm here in one of our most exclusive suburbs. I would guess the Manor house is around 80-90 years old, maybe more. The wedding was held in the sunny, hot outdoors, with guests shading themselves by parasols provided by the wedding party. Simply elegant. The ceremony, an interfaith one, was simple, charming and sweet -- with both family and friends taking part.
The bride was breathtaking, and arrived by horse and carriage. The crowd stood as she was escorted by her father down the aisle. This leads me to the subject of today's blog. The gentleman next to me opined, "How come guests stand for the bride and not the groom?"
Immediately, I thought about the potential to address this in the blog. My answer would have been that this remains one of the most traditional elements of the wedding -- an element that the bride has earned and deserves as she moves from one part of her life to the next. It is, in part, chivalrous, akin to holding the door open for a woman, opening the door to your car for her, waiting to sit down as she is seated, etc. This token gesture by wedding guests falls in to the same category.
It is, after all, the bride's wedding. Traditionally, her family is paying for it. She is the center of attention. The day is more hers than his. As a culture, we can acknowledge this by standing for the "lady" as she walks the path to marry the "gentleman".
You see, the man next to me asked a very good question, but he never considered the easiness of the answer.
The bride was breathtaking, and arrived by horse and carriage. The crowd stood as she was escorted by her father down the aisle. This leads me to the subject of today's blog. The gentleman next to me opined, "How come guests stand for the bride and not the groom?"
Immediately, I thought about the potential to address this in the blog. My answer would have been that this remains one of the most traditional elements of the wedding -- an element that the bride has earned and deserves as she moves from one part of her life to the next. It is, in part, chivalrous, akin to holding the door open for a woman, opening the door to your car for her, waiting to sit down as she is seated, etc. This token gesture by wedding guests falls in to the same category.
It is, after all, the bride's wedding. Traditionally, her family is paying for it. She is the center of attention. The day is more hers than his. As a culture, we can acknowledge this by standing for the "lady" as she walks the path to marry the "gentleman".
You see, the man next to me asked a very good question, but he never considered the easiness of the answer.
hmm... something to think about eh?
Posted by
missy |
6:32 PM