How do we get to the ceremony? Walking? Driving? Helicoptering?

Item 10 of the checklist

Let’s resume the checklist of last October to continue on the items outlined at the time: item 10 provides for the organization of how to get to the place where the union will be celebrated, be it a Church or any other place of worship, or City Hall in case of a civil union.

This is an aspect often overlooked, to such an extent that one wonders "how to get there" only when it is actually time to go.

The classic rule is that the groom gets there first, with a time interval that allows him to exchange a few words with the best men and a few other guests and, above all, wait for the bride, so that she will find him already there when she arrives.

Typically, the bride enters the place of celebration by walking on her father's arm. The groom, on his mother's arm just a moment before.

However, if the parents are no longer living, then a brother or a very dear person takes over. Sometimes it happens that the newlyweds enter together to avoid any issues about who should accompany whom. But this is a relatively recent custom.

So, the bride arrives and enters the place on her father's arm.

First, however, the bride must get to the point where she will position herself on her father's arm and enter.

There are various ways in which the bride "arrives", often extravagant, often very classic: the fact is, however, that "the arrival" is important because it is when the bride makes her first appearance.

If a place like that wonderful one I showed you in a couple of issues is chosen, it is possible that the bride will arrive walking. Yes, that's right, as often in this type of places an area is reserved for the bride to prepare and get ready. Therefore, once the dressing is complete, the bride will walk to the precise point where the wedding will be celebrated. In this case, she should leave the dressing area already on her father's arm because, in the path to be covered, guests will already be present: the father goes to her, she leaves the room (or other area), and he accompanies her.

However, it may also happen that the bride does not want to dress up and get ready inside the wedding place and must, therefore, reach it. So, even if the wedding place is of that kind, the bride arrives by car. I have also witnessed arrivals by carriage or even by helicopter, but I have to say that in all these cases my thoughts were that I was witnessing something excessive and not very chic.

I’d say that the classic arrival is by car.

However, too spectacular arrivals with vintage cars decorated as if they just got out of a flower fair should be avoided. Instead, elegant and sober cars in which, perhaps, only a small floral reference has been affixed to the rear window are preferable. There are dozens of companies that rent cars to accompany brides with a chauffeur, but we often end up relying on a dear friend or cousin who owns a nice car and who will gladly play the role of the driver. But he/she will need to be reminded to have the car washed well just before going to pick up the bride, so that it will shine.

For city weddings, arriving by taxi is becoming increasingly popular, which I find delicious. In this case, it will be necessary to do without any type of decoration but worry about booking the taxi well in advance, indicating that it will have to accompany a bride, so that the taxi company can search for a clean taxi (often taxis are not).

The groom arrives as he wants, since no one will see him. But from a moment after his arrival, he will have to worry about waiting for the bride who, generally, will arrive with a reasonably short delay. I emphasize “short” because delays of more than 15 minutes cause discomfort in the guests and anxiety in the groom.

Finally, a check to the weather forecast is always recommended, to get and make available umbrellas in case of rain.

Until next Sunday