Military Weddings

If you or your fiancée are officers in the United States Military (regular or reserve) there are options that can enhance the style of your wedding. (Although an enlisted man or woman can marry in uniform, the remainder of the celebration would follow civilian traditions). Begin by talking to your commanding officer about local protocol and traditions. Here are the general customs for:

Ring

If you're a graduate of West Point, the Naval Academy, or the Air Force Academy, present your fiancée with a miniature of your own class ring. Traditionally, it's set with either a small diamond or a stone similar to yours.

Guest List

If your bride lives at the military post, you should invite all officers and their wives to the ceremony and reception. If your fiancée lives off base, you can just invite your commanding officer, post commander, and their wives.

Clothing

You, your ushers, groomsmen, and all guests on active duty wear proper dress uniforms and accessories. Any civilian members of the wedding party wear formal dress clothing and accessories appropriate for your style of wedding. Military decorations replace boutonnieres on uniforms. If your fiancée is in the military, she can also wear her uniform. However, most women opt for .the traditional wedding gown.

Ceremony

You can marry in the chapel on base, a church, or a site of Site your choice off base. An American flag and the standards of your military unit are usually displayed during the ceremony. Ceremony Rank should be carefully observed when seating guests. High Seating ranking officers should receive seats of honor. Remember that a bride stands to the right of her groom. (In a civilian weddings she stands at his left). All ushers, whether civilian or military, stand to the left side of the bridesmaids in the processional.

Arch the Swords

This epitomizes the traditional military wedding. After the ceremony, the ushers either precede you and your bride do Sabers the aisle in the recessional, or leave by a side entrance. Outside the church, officers in military dress form an arch with their swords or sabers (Army) with the cutting edge facing up. You and your bride pause under the arch, kiss, then walk through It's traditional for the two end guards to use their sabers or swords to tap the bride and groom on their backsides as a sign of good luck. Civilian attendants do not take part in this ceremony, although they may line up with the officers. Enlisted men in the wedding party would stand at attention. If your entire wedding party is composed of civilians and/or enlisted men, it may be possible to arrange for an honor guard to perform this task a some bases.