Who Can Walk Me Down The Aisle At My Wedding?

We live in a world where there are so many different family dynamics that we all exist within. With that being the case, some brides may not have a father to walk them down the aisle for a whole variety of reasons, such as a father passing away, living too far away to make it, not having a father growing up, or any other reason. Worrying about who will walk you down the aisle can be an emotional stressor for brides on their wedding day. The idea of walking down the aisle without someone at their side - so we wanted to give you a few ideas to consider when thinking about who will walk you down the aisle on your wedding day.

What if I don't have a father to walk me down the aisle?

The beauty of weddings is that following any tradition is not mandatory; you can change and adapt your ceremony to fit what you and your partner want. For example, if you don't have a father to walk you down the aisle, you can choose someone else or go it alone.

Naturally, every aspect of your wedding comes down to your own choices and ideas, but we wanted to give you some ideas for how to consider walking you down the aisle.

Mother

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, single-mother families make up around 13% of all families in Australia. This means there will be many brides who don't have a father to walk them down the aisle and having a mum step in to walk you down the aisle is a great choice. Many brides will have grown up with their mother filling the role of both mum & dad, so having your mother walk you down the aisle might be the realistic option. 

Father-in-law

Some brides may choose to have their partner's dad walk them down the aisle. Case in point? Meghan Markle had Prince Charles (the father of her husband, Prince Harry) walk her down the aisle at her royal wedding. When couples are together, you'll tend to view your partners' parents as your own, and if you require a father figure to walk you down the aisle, your father-in-law can be a great choice.

Grandparent(s)

Grandparents are also a common choice for some brides, having their grandfather or grandmother walk them down the aisle. For example, when my sister was married, our grandmother walked her down the aisle on her big day!

A sibling (or other relatives)

Over the years, many brides have opted to use a brother or cousin that they're particularly close to. Having this close male relative walk them down the aisle was a memory they always cherished.

Your child

If you're active on social media, you've probably seen one of those heartwarming clips of a child helping out when it comes to the part of the wedding ceremony where the bride is 'given away' - or even walking her down the aisle - and it's always a beautiful and touching moment to see. But, of course, there are no actual rules when it comes to who walks you down the aisle and having your (or your partner's) son or daughter walk you down the aisle is always a lovely possibility on your big day.

Walk down the aisle solo.

Remember, you don't HAVE to be walked down the aisle by someone. You can walk yourself down too. But, unfortunately, its become a relatively common occurrence for brides without fathers to walk themselves down the aisle these days.

Hopefully, this will help spark some ideas if you're wondering who, other than a father, can walk you down the aisle. We'd love to hear from anyone who had someone that wasn't their father walk them down the aisle. Let us know your story below!