by Katherine Barrington

Created on: January 19, 2009

When your eye gatches the glitter of the engagement ring settled on your finger, it is completely natural to feel happy, even ecstatic. You are finally allowed to indulge in all that wishful future planning you've been doing in secret. You're getting married! Many brides-to-be experience such feelings of glee upon their engagement, but many transition into stress once the wedding planning begins. It doesn't have to be this way! From cakes to reception decorations, knowing what you want (and what you need) and giving yourself the right amount of time to take care of it is all you need to make your wedding day go like clockwork.

When it comes to traditional wedding seating, you must first consider what sort of "tradition" you wish to follow. Are you having a Christian ceremony? A Jewish ceremony? Or perhaps you want to combine the elements of different religions and traditions. No worries! All the information you need is right here:

Traditional Christian Ceremony:
In this sort of ceremony, it is tradition that the bride's friends and family are seated on the left side of the church, facing the altar. The family and friends of the groom are seated on the right.

Traditional Jewish Ceremony:
The seating in a Jewish ceremony is opposite that of the Christian ceremony in that the bride's side is seated to the right (the same side the bride will be standing on as she faces the rabbi) and the groom's will be on the left. The parents of the couple will remind standing under the Huppah throughout the entire ceremony.

Seating Etiquette:
It is very common, and recommended, to make use of ushers during your ceremony to assure that guests are seated in the right places. When a guest arrives, the usher should simply ask if they are friends or relatives of bride or groom, then seat them accordingly. If the guests in question are equally close with the bride and groom, they are given the best seats available.

Though there are a number of long-standing traditions surrounding marriage, the choices you make are ultimately a matter of preference. If the information you seek is not provided here, don't be afriad to do a little research! The key to making your wedding both fun and memorable is creativity. Find a way to make sure that all of your guests feel welcomed and that your closest friends and relatives feel honored and included. Don't think that you can please everyone. What is most important to remember is that it is YOUR wedding day and you should be the one to remember it fondly. Good luck and happy planning!

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