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Jo Cunningham

Walking down the Aisle - Advice from a Wedding Photographer in Devon

Updated: May 20

It’s understandable to be nervous about walking down the aisle on your wedding day. No matter how much thought and work you put into the colour choices and flower arrangements, at that moment, all eyes are on you.


1. Make Sure the Wedding Party Knows Their Part

The more bridesmaids and/or groomsmen you have in your wedding party, the more organized your wedding procession needs to be. If you each have four or five people in your procession, pair them off to help move things along.

If you have a large wedding party, consider sending the group out in two waves, one for each side of the aisle. They can walk in pairs if you need to save time. And don’t forget to plot out exactly where each person will stand or sit.


Bridesmaids walking
Wedding party arriving at Deer Park Country House in Devon

2. Practice Your Timing

Once you’ve chosen the music, give it a few trial runs to get the timing just right.

It shouldn’t take you any more than 30 to 45 seconds to walk down the aisle. That will allow enough time for everyone to enjoy the moment and for the photographer to get a few good photos. It may help to count in your head as you time your steps.

The more you practice, the easier it will be to get through any anxiety that may come up on your wedding day.

3. Perfect Your Posture Walking Down the Aisle

If your clothing is flowy or heavy, or you’re not used to walking in the shoes you chose, it may be hard to stand up straight. You may also be tempted to look down at your feet (this is very common!). Your photos will look much better if you can maintain your posture while you walk.

The best way to keep your head level is to lift your chin and try and keep it parallel to the ground (if you know what I mean! [this is a Kate Middleton tip!]). If you spend a lot of time looking down on your computer or phone, your neck muscles may not be used to it, but practicing every day will help.

Stand straight and tall. Push your shoulders back and keep them down. This will help you avoid hunching, especially if you’re holding a bouquet. Tuck your tummy in to keep your core engaged (I sound like a gym instructor!).


bride and father of the bride
The bride and her father arriving

4. Loosen Up

Focusing on your posture is important, but you don’t want to go rigid.

You should let your body move as naturally as possible. Keep anything you may be carrying—like a bouquet—a few inches in front of your stomach, but allow your arms to move some when you walk. And resist stiffening your neck to keep a veil in place. Instead, look from side to side as you walk down the aisle and try to make eye contact with your guests as you go (if eye contact is too much for you look at people’s heads or shoulders). Even if you feel a little nervous, you will look more natural this way, and it will make a big difference in the photos and videos.

5. Smile

Hopefully, this will be a no brainer. If you are swept away in the moment, you will likely be unable to keep yourself from smiling, But if your nerves are getting the better of you, close your eyes and take a breath when your entrance song begins. Remember that the guests are all there for you, because they love you, and they are excited to see you. Take a second to clear your mind before you start your walk. Relax your face and jaw muscles. Think happy or funny thoughts, or even something embarrassing, and smile. Small is better than big if you’re nervous, but don’t hold back once you start to feel it for real.


bride laughing
Natural laughter during your ceremony

6. Lock Elbows With Your Escort

If your mum or dad, or anyone else special to you, will be walking you down the aisle, have them lock elbows with you. If two people are walking you down the aisle, have them lock arms on either side of you. That way, you will be sure to start on the same foot as each other for a smooth walk.

If you are holding a bouquet, locking arms with your escort can also remind you to keep your flowers low. Not only will it be more flattering, but it will also make sure the camera can see your outfit.

7. Watch Your Step

No one wants to trip in the middle of their ceremony. If you are mindful of how you step, you can reach the end of the aisle without incident. However, you also need to be aware of what you are wearing and how it may interfere with your stride.

If you are wearing a long, flowy wedding dress, you can avoid stepping on it without having to look down at all. Each time you put your foot forward, your dress will move against the back of your leg. Wait until the hem of your dress hits your ankle before you take your next step, and you won’t have to worry about stepping on your dress.

If you aren’t a pro at wearing heels and decide to have them for your ceremony, get some practice in at home by walking around on the balls of your feet. Please also break your shoes in before the ceremony and your wedding day! (it is very common for brides to have sore feet within an hour or two!).

8. Make Time for Yourself

When the big day arrives, take the time to eat breakfast and stay hydrated. You are much more likely to be stressed, woozy, or light-headed if you haven’t taken care of yourself all day. But even more essential is scheduling some time right before your grand entrance.

While you’ll likely want to make some last-minute touch-ups to your hair or makeup before you go down the aisle, give yourself at least 10 additional minutes to go to the toilet, have a glass of water, and take some time to collect yourself right before the ceremony begins. If you’re jumping from one thing to the next all day, you’re more likely to be flooded with stress the moment all eyes are on you.


bride and groom
Bride and groom signing the register

9. Don’t Skip the Rehearsal

As much as you practice at home, you still need to do a run-through at the venue. Put on your song, make sure you have the timing right, and put on your best posture and smile. This will let you know precisely how far the walk will be and whether or not there’s anything that might trip you up.

It will also help you be aware of any bright lights that might be shining in your eyes, so you can be prepared to avoid any squinting or grimacing. The fewer surprises there are on the big day, the better.

10. Enjoy Yourself

If reading anything on this list made you even more worried than you were before, ignore it!. It's your wedding. If you are having fun, it will show. All the work you put into wedding planning is finally paying off, and there’s no better way to celebrate than by having a great time, celebrating your big day and all your loved ones being there with you.



bride and groom dancing
Dancing after confetti, bride and groom having fun!

Photos taken at Deer Park Country House in Devon www.deerpark.co.uk


Dress by Brides at Waterfield www.bridesatwaterfields.co.uk




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