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Ushers
These hand out service sheets and show guests to
their seats, Your chosen usher may feel they have been left at the bottom of
the responsibility pile when it comes to the day, but this role can often be
underestimated in its importance on your big day. There are very important
obligations for them to fulfil prior and on your wedding day.
Ushers Duties On The Wedding Day
Ushers to be at the location fully dressed, at least 45 minutes before the
ceremony is to begin. Locate the formal greeting area at the ceremony. It is
their job to smile, be friendly and greet guests as they escort them to
their seats. An usher traditionally offers his right arm to the woman.
Another option is for ushers to walk the guests
to their seats rather than offering their arm. Etiquette states that family
and friends of the bride are seated on the left of the aisle when facing the
altar, while the groom's family and friends are on the right. If the church
looks unbalanced near the ceremony, then the guests can be distributed more
evenly.
If it is known ahead of time that it is expected
to have more guests on one side then this can be done earlier.
The first few rows at the front of the ceremony are reserved for family.
Guests are then seated from the fourth row back.
When all the guests are seated, the usher
escorts the parents of the groom to their seats. There may be special music
for this event so this could be their cue to lead them in. Sometimes the
grooms mother may be escorted by the groom himself.
The mother of the bride is then escorted in
either by the best man or the head usher. In the case of divorced parents
there will be a special seating process worked out in advance by the bride
and groom. Make sure they know this in advance. Usually the divorced father
sited in the row behind the mother.
The ceremony begins when the groom and best man
are in place at the altar. If not a part of the ceremony wedding party the
usher can then come into the audience when guest seating are complete.
Because there will be late guests, it would be appropriate to have one usher
in the foyer to make sure that guests to not enter the ceremony at an
inappropriate time.
When the recessional has taken place, the two
ushers will escort the mothers back down the aisle, unless they prefer to be
escorted by their husbands. In this instance, the ushers will simply lead
the couple out.
The ushers then make their way to the side aisles and release the guests to
the centre aisle. They then direct the rest of the guests out of the church
from the front rows, working their way to the back. |
