About Military Weddings
A military service member may choose between a traditional wedding off-base, or a wedding with full military honors on-base. Both personal and financial benefits exist for military weddings, and the high degree of ceremony involved can make for a very striking ceremony and reception.
Other People Are Reading
-
Significance
-
A military wedding offers the bride, the groom and their families a chance to include the branch of service in which they serve in the beginning of their new life. While a military wedding complete with military protocol is not required, it is a unique opportunity for service members to bring together the civilian and military parts of their lives in a particularly joyous setting.
Benefits
-
A military wedding can potentially cost somewhat less than a traditional wedding, since the base's chaplain will generally perform the ceremony. Since chaplains are already paid for their services, no honorarium is required. Unlike civilian venues, use of the chapel is usually free of charge, although a donation of $50 to $60 to the chapel's building fund may be encouraged. Also, dress uniforms are worn at military weddings by the groom and groomsmen, eliminating expensive tuxedo rental fees.
-
Features
-
Military weddings often include a unique way of honoring the bride and groom: the arch of sabers, swords or rifles, which is probably the most memorable part of the wedding for guests. Depending on the branch of service, different protocol is observed, but the concept of the arch is the same. Immediately after the ceremony, the ushers or chosen sword-bearers line up in the aisle of the chapel or just outside and extend their swords, sabers or rifles with the tips meeting or crossed to form an arch. The couple then proceeds under the arch and may share a kiss at the end. In all branches of service, only the bride and groom walk under the arch, while the wedding party waits to continue the recessional.
Cutting the cake with a sword or saber is another interesting custom often seen at military weddings. Traditionally the couple uses a sword that belongs to the groom, who presents it to his new bride. They then use the sword to cut a slice of the cake together.
Types
-
Wedding protocol for Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy personnel each differ slightly. For example, at a Marine Corps wedding, the last sword-bearer may lightly tap the bride with the flat of his sword as he passes, welcoming her to the Marine Corps as he does so. At Army weddings, the bride and groom may pass under the arch of sabers in the aisle of the chapel and again outside on the steps. It's important to check with commanding officers or the base's protocol officer to get the latest regulations and guidelines on weddings.
Warning
-
Check with the base before planning the ceremony on-base in any location other than the chapel. Also, make sure to obtain permission for photographers or musicians to enter the base, and make sure to follow any rules or regulations for use of the base during both the wedding ceremony and the reception.
-
Resources
- Photo Credit © anna konevsky - Fotolia.com
More Like This
Comments
-
Wedding Planning
Dec 14, 2010
Every wedding requires special planning, but a military wedding calls for some specific traditions that may be unfamiliar to a civilian bride whose mother or mother-in-law did not have to consider such a ceremony.
