How Long Does it Take to Walk Down the Aisle?
When planning your wedding ceremony, you’ll want to know how to time the processional with your music and find out how long it takes to walk down the aisle.
So, how long does it take to walk down the aisle? It should take no longer than 3-4 minutes for the entire wedding party to walk down the aisle with the bride taking approximately 30-45 seconds. Of course, the length of the aisle and how you want to time the processional with your music will make a difference in how long it takes to walk down the aisle.
Here is a breakdown of how long it takes for the members of the wedding party and the bride to walk down the aisle.
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How Long Does the Bride Walk Down the Aisle?
There are a few different variables that will determine how long it takes the bride to walk down the aisle. Unfortunately, there isn’t an exact time frame for walking down the aisle because every venue and personal preference is different.
Length of the aisle. This goes without saying, but the longer the aisle the longer it will take to walk down it. The shorter the aisle, the shorter the walk. You should ask your venue if you can stop by ahead of time and time yourself walking down the aisle.
Personal pace. When you test out walking down the aisle, go multiple times and try different paces and speeds. Use the timer on your phone to keep track of the time as you walk down the aisle. Maybe bring a friend or family member to help you determine how fast or slow you should walk.
Length of your song choice. If you’ve decided to have a meaningful song played (especially one with lyrics), you may want to time your walk down the aisle just right so that the words align just right. If you choose an instrumental song, the song choice will have less of an effect on the walk down the aisle.
All of this could be determined at your rehearsal or you can ask your venue if you can stop in for an hour or so to work on it beforehand. This way you’ll already have the processional timing figured out for the rehearsal.
In the end, you’ll want to slow down the moment as much as possible so that you will remember it forever. It’s better to go slower than feel (and look) rushed.
How Long Does it Take a Wedding Party to Walk Down the Aisle?
The wedding party should take no longer than 2-3 minutes to walk down the aisle. There are various ways that you can have your wedding party walk down the aisle and each way will take a different length of time. Additionally, the size of your wedding party will make a difference in timing.
Individual walk. This could be a good option for small wedding parties with only two or three attendants on each side. Have each person walk the aisle alone. Also, you could have the Groom, best man, and groomsmen walk in from the side and then have the maid of honor and bridesmaids walk down alone.
Couple walk. This is a great option for larger wedding parties with four or more attendants on each side. You could have the bridesmaids and groomsmen walk down the aisle together and the maid of honor and best man walk together.
Group walk. Another option is the have groups of two walk down the aisle together. For example, all of the groom’s side could walk in from the side and then have bridesmaids walk down the aisle in groups of two. The maid of honor can walk in alone.
You should try out each method with your music to see what makes the most sense and also so that your wedding party can practice how fast they should walk and so forth. This can be done at your rehearsal as well.
How Long Should the Song Be to Walk Down the Aisle?
The music that you have for your wedding processional and recessional is important for creating a memorable ambiance and romantic effect.
It’s important to think about how long the song is compared to the time it will take to walk down the aisle. If the song is too long, the guests might get bored. However, if the song is too short the moment will lose its sentiment.
You’ll also need to think about if you’ll want a different song to play when the wedding party walks down than when the bride walks down. The songs may need to be of different lengths depending on how large the wedding party is.
So, how long should the song be to walk down the aisle? For the wedding party, a song between 2 and 3 minutes should be sufficient, depending on the size of the wedding party. For the bride, a song between 1 and 2 minutes should be enough.
Who Walks Down the Aisle and in What Order?
When practicing your timing, you’ll want to know exactly who is supposed to walk down the aisle in order. There are many different ways to do it, so here is a guide that includes everyone in a traditional processional.
Officiant
Grandparents of the Bride and Groom (escorted by ushers)
Parents of the Groom
Mother of the Bride (escorted by an usher)
Groom
Bridesmaids and Groomsmen (walking as pairs)
Maid of Honor and Best Man (as a pair)
Ring Bearer
Flower Girl
Bride and Father of the Bride
