Who Sits Where at the Ceremony?

There is a place for everyone to sit, we are all family.

The most attention and effort should be paid to where the VIPs of the wedding will sit - parents, grandparents, close family members, and if they won’t be standing at the altar, the bridal party.

In the most traditional weddings,

/1/ The bride’s parents sit in the first row on the left side of the aisle, while the groom’s parents will fill in the first row on the right side. 

/2/ Close family members such as aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblings not in the wedding party will sit in the next row or two.

/3/ In families with stepparents, the most traditional arrangement is to have the mother, her spouse/partner, and any other close relatives of hers take the first row, while the father and his group take the second row. If the parents are on good terms, it’s perfectly fine to sit them both in the first row, albeit usually not right next to one another. A buffer of their spouses, or an aunt or a grandparent, works well. 

When it comes to attendees beyond the VIPs, guests of the bride have traditionally filled in on the bride’s side, while guests of the groom have filled in on the groom’s side.

Mingling is encouraged more and more these days, so don’t worry too much if guests mix between sides—especially because it makes for better pictures if there’s an even distribution across the aisle.