How to Form an Arch of Sabers

At a military wedding, the ushers form an arch of sabers (curved swords with only one edge) for the bride and groom to walk under at the end of the ceremony.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Gloves
• Gloves
• Wedding Gowns
• Wedding Veils
• Gloves
• Flowers
• Wedding Rings
• Wedding Programs

1. Check with a chapel or honor guard on base to ask if they have any sabers you can use. If not, ask a local ROTC unit.

2. Expect the officers who hold the sabers to be in full dress uniform.

3. Be sure that the arch is formed outside of the church or chapel, since sabers should not be unsheathed inside a religious building.

4. Ask only commissioned officers to participate in this ceremony. They are the only ones allowed to carry sabers. You will need 6 to 8 officers.

5. Ask other officers who are attending as guests to help, if you do not have enough military groomsmen to form the arch.

6. Designate the head usher to take the lead. He will call "Center Face" to get the officers to form two lines facing each other. Then he will command "Arch Sabers," signaling the ushers to lift their sabers with the cutting edge up, to form the arch.

7. Ask the officers to announce the couple as they walk through.

8. Be prepared for variations on the tradition. For instance, sometimes the officers who hold the last two sabers will lower them and demand that you and your spouse kiss before letting you through.

Tips & Warnings

• Swords are used instead of sabers in Navy and Marine weddings.
• The arch is not mandatory, but it's definitely a memorable part of a military ceremony.

on 11/22/2005 I am currently deployed in Iraq and was interested in finding out about preparations for an upcoming military wedding. I contacted a Brigade Chaplain who informed me that Army NCOs are entitled to a sword arch, since Army NCOs carry swords as opposed to the Sabers carried by officers.

on 11/22/2005 If the wedding is a Marine Corps wedding, commissioned officers are not the only ones allowed to carry swords. Marine NCOs are the only NCOs in our military authorized to carry a sword.