DC Wedding Planning - Which Side Of The Alter Do We Stand

When it comes to planning a wedding, couples have a lot of questions. That is understandable since this is something you only do once if you do it right.

As an award-winning Wedding DJ Service serving Lancaster | York | Harrisburg as well as Frederick | Washington DC | Northern VA, our passion is helping couples have the best experience possible and to be an asset in all facets of wedding planning. 

This article is one in a series of articles intended to help not only the wedding couples we serve from Washington DC to Lancaster PA; but to help anyone who is planning their dream wedding. Please comment and share with anyone you feel may benefit from this information.

Which Side of The Alter Do We Stand On?

As we continue our journey of answering the 50 Most Common Wedding Questions, we get to one that has the shortest answer but perhaps the strangest stories behind its origination.

 It is the tradition for the bride to stand on the left side while the groom stands on the right (if you are facing the altar). The exception to that is a Jewish Ceremony where the bride stands on the right side of the Alter.

Why is this tradition? Well, that is an odd story!

The tradition actually stems from the old days of "marriage by capture," meaning the groom needed to leave his right hand (aka, his fighting hand which he used to hold the sword) free in the event that he'd need to defend his bride from other suitors who may try to whisk her away at the last minute.

But today, most couples still choose for the bride to stand on the left, with the groom on the right—probably because they simply have not given it much thought. As far as we are concerned, it truly does not matter who stands on what side of the altar, so feel free to mix it up. If you are more comfortable standing on the right (so the audience will see your good side, or whatever other reason you may have), go for it.