Why Brides Are Choosing to Walk With Both Parents Down the Aisle

Jeisi Rijo
ILLUMINATION
Published in
3 min readMay 4, 2023
Photo by Terje Sollie at Pexels

Contrary to the traditional wedding ceremony, I always wanted my mom to walk me down the aisle instead of my father. It was clear to me from the moment I got engaged that this was going to happen.

It’s not that I find my father undeserving of this special moment, but my mom has been my biggest supporter of the two. Since she raised me to be the woman I am today, I felt like she had the most rights to give me away to my partner.

However, the closer we got to the wedding date, the more guilty I felt about my decision. My father was incredibly excited to be present on my big day, and I couldn’t find the courage to let him know that he wasn’t the one that was going to walk me down the aisle.

Photo by Lukas at Pexels

As the bride, I knew I was in all my rights to decide what I wanted for my wedding. I didn’t feel pressured to follow tradition, but the thought of breaking my dad’s heart with my choice was killing me.

That’s why I decide to go with the third option: have both of my parents walk me down the aisle. I wasn’t sure how it would work, but it was the best option for all parties.

I actually felt better about my choice when I watched one of the participants of the Netflix show ‘Love Is Blind’ do the same. It was very moving watching her share that special moment with her parents.

Also, just like mines, her parents were divorced. That was another thing that made me feel uneasy about the dynamic, but seeing unfold at her wedding it didn’t seem awkward.

And just like that, on April 23, 2023, I had the pleasure to do the same (picture of us below)

Photo by the author

Apparently, the trend of walking down the aisle with both parents has been gaining popularity in recent years. Just like me, many brides decide on this new trend in order to honor both parents equally, regardless of their marital status or any family circumstances. Others decide to do it as a way to include stepparents or other important family members in the procession.

The benefit of this option is that it can create a more balanced and supportive environment for the bride. In my experience, it provided me with the additional emotional support that I needed during such a special occasion.

Overall, I’m so glad to see that more brides are choosing to change the traditional wedding ritual with a more inclusive dynamic that celebrates and honor all the important people in their life.

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Jeisi Rijo
ILLUMINATION

Afro Latina sharing perspective on the psychological topics of relationships, workplace, and everyday life. Contact me: jeisiyt@gmail.con