Miss Gingerbread, Vancouver
Age and Occupation: 32, Psychologist
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Software Engineer
Engagement Date: Sometime in the fall of 2004
Wedding Date: July, 2008
Blogging Since: March 24, 2008
Venue: Rainforest wedding, beachfront restaurant reception
About Me: I recently moved to Canada from Southern California. Trying to plan a wedding in a new city, not to mention a new country, is tough, but the fact that we can get legally married here more than makes up for it! The wedding will be an opportunity for most of our family and friends to see our new city for the first time so it will be both a wedding and a reunion. Besides my future wife, I am also madly in love with a good bargain, Swedish pastries, Tivo, and my two dogs and calico cat (in no particular order).
Walking Down The Aisle(s)
April 30th, 2008 @ 2:37 pm by Miss Gingerbread
When we first started planning the wedding, we ran into the question of how we’d get down the aisle. Would each of us be walked down the aisle by someone else? Would one of us be waiting at the end of the aisle as the other walked towards her? Would we each walk towards each other? Would we walk down together?
Of these options, I liked the idea of either walking towards each other or walking down together. We are well past being given away. But our ceremony site presents a bit of a challenge to either vision.
Here is where the ceremony will take place.
We can either seat guests on the deck or in front of the deck. I like the idea of having them on the deck because it gets them closer to the amazing view. However, the shape is funky. And where is the aisle? On the left? But then we have to snake around to get to the front. Or on the right? I suppose that could work if we have everyone seated on the left. The asymmetry is not making me happy.
The other option is having the guests sit in front of the deck. Then we can put an aisle where ever we want. It just feels like we are wasting the deck in that case.
What do you think?
Bonus question: Is anyone else planning to walk down the aisle with their future spouse?
18 Responses to “Walking Down The Aisle(s)”
I have no spatial ability and so this might not make sense at all with the actual shape of the site, but could you each walk down your own “aisle” — maybe each of you down one side of where your guests are sitting — and then meet together up front?
I was just going to suggest what nerdherd suggested. Create two aisles, if space permits, and the two of you walk towards each other and meet in the middle.
I drew pictures (sorry for the interesting quality, publisher somehow manages to mess up jpgs) to help:
If the circle is where your ceremony is going to be on the deck, the arrows represent possible aisle paths. I realize if you have too many people, that’s probably not going to work, but it’s an idea 
Good luck!
I loooove the idea of walking together. I never thought my dad would want to walk me, and hate the “giving away thing” but when he said how much it meant to him, I gave in. I totally love the walking together idea…Love!
I am having my father walk me halfway down the aisle. My fiance is meeting us halfway, we are going to hug/kiss my father and then walk the rest of the way together. As in we are entering marriage together. It gets rid of the whole “giving me” away thing, cause I’m sorry but it’s a little medievil. I am not a peice of property to be bartered with. My father says he is still waiting for his pig and three sheep. LOL.
what about having your guest seat around you? you and Miss GB 2.0 could say your vows etc. in that spot right in front of the deck where that planting area is and your guests could be on the dek and in front of you on the patio area, thus surrounding you. That way it might be easier for you to decide how you could enter. I also like the previous suggestions.
Boo! It turns out my pictures didn’t post. You can see them here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/bean.mcmechan/Weddingbeeideas
I think you should either walk together or walk on each side and meet each other in the middle.
I want to walk with my future spouse as I don’t have a father or father figure to walk me, plus I’m not really down with the whole ‘giving away’ thing. Also, I’m not that close with my mom and I don’t really want her to walk me either.
My friends are giving me a hard time about it, so now I may just walk by myself…
I think people would naturally gravitate to the deck anyways, either before or after the ceremony, so I’d probably have the ceremony in front. What about arranging the seating in a semi circular shape… the seats would be the lower part of the circle, the deck would be the upper part of the circle, and you and Miss GB 2.0 could walk in from either side and end up in front of the planting. You could always take photos on the deck afterwards.
I think people in front of the deck - giving you the freedom to have 2 aisles to walk towards each other… which i happen to think is a WONDERFUL idea. Walking down together just seems a bit anti-climatic. I realize that alot of symbolism is lots in todays world, but walking in as two separate lives, and leaving as one joined union is just amazing. You may be beyond being given away, but you probably aren’t beyond butterflies and utter joy as you are walking towards your love and making it official… otherwise i doubt you’d be having a formal wedding at all!
My parents walked down the aisle together… it is a second marriage for both and my mom’s father died when she was a teenager… hmmm…. come to think of it I have no idea what she did for her first wedding! (She was only 21!)
I am planning on walking down with him! We will be having a private religious ceremony before, and so I will already have been “given away” by my father. I love the idea of walking hand in hand towards our future together!
I also like the idea of both of you walking at the same time on two outer aisles, and then meeting up in front of your guests by where the deck is. I am sure whatever you end up doing will be great! Are you planning on seeing each other before the ceremony? If not maybe one of you can arrange it so that you both come walking out on your respective sides at the same time and see each other for the first timee with all of your guests in view as well…
And I agree with nerdherd, I like the idea of walking towards each other
I like the idea of walking in toward each other on different aisles too.
My sweetie and I walked in together, for a million practical and political reasons. We got married outside on the waterfront of a lake, and one of my favourite memories of the day was him helping me climb over the canoes(!!) to get to the circle of waiting guests. I loved it this way, and holding each other for those few special quiet moments before being the centre of attention.
Where is this place? I live in Vancouver and am not sure where it is! Well Done! Most of the traditions of weddings are changing and flexible. It should be a day for you, not old traditions. So go ahead and break the mold, walk down together! Some of the ideas about walking down separately and then joining up are quite thoughtful.
@Imreallygettingmarried: It’s the Capilano Suspension Bridge There’s some more info on it at the end of this post: http://www.weddingbee.com/2008/04/05/the-ceremony-site/
