At the foot of the chancel, the ushers divide. In a small church, the
first two go up the chancel steps and stand at the top; one on the right,
the other on the left. The second two go to a step or two below the first.
If there are more, they stand below again. Chalk marks can be made on the
chancel floor if necessary, but it ought not to be difficult, except for
very little children who are flower girls or pages, to learn their
position.
[Illustration: Diagram of Church]
Or in a big church they go up farther, some of them lining the steps, or
all of them in front of the choir stalls. The bridesmaids also divide,
half on either side, and always stand in front of the ushers. The maid of
honor's place is on the left at the foot of the steps, exactly opposite
the best man. Flower girls and pages are put above or below the
bridesmaids wherever it is thought "the picture" is best.
The grouping of the ushers and bridesmaids in the chancel or lining the
steps also depends upon their number and the size of the church. In any
event, the bridesmaids stand in front of the ushers; half of them on the
right and half on the left. They never stand all on the bride's side, and
the ushers on the groom's.
=ENTRANCE OF THE BRIDEGROOM=
The clergyman who is to perform the marriage comes into the chancel from
the vestry. At a few paces behind him follows the groom, who in turn is
followed by the best man. The groom stops at the foot of the chancel steps
and takes his place at the right, as indicated in the accompanying
diagram. His best man stands directly behind him. The ushers and
bridesmaids always pass in front of him and take their places as noted
above. When the bride approaches, the groom takes only a step to meet her.
A more effective greeting of the bride is possible if the door of the
vestry opens into the chancel so that on following the clergyman, the
groom finds himself at the top instead of the foot of the chancel steps.
He goes forward to the right-hand side (his left), his best man behind
him, and waits where he is until his bride approaches, when he goes down
the steps to meet her--which is perhaps more gallant than to stand at the
head of the aisle, and wait for her to join him.
The real bride watches carefully how the pseudo bride takes her left hand
from her father's arm, shifts her fan, or whatever represents her bouquet,
from her right hand to her left, and gives her right hand to the groom. In
the proper maneuver the groom takes her right hand in his own right hand
and draws it through his left arm, at the same time turning toward the
chancel. If the service is undivided, and all of it is to be at the altar,
this is necessary as the bride always goes up to the altar leaning on the
arm of the groom.
If, however, the betrothal is to be read at the foot of the chancel (which
is done at most weddings now) he may merely take her hand in his left one
and stand as they are.
=THE ORGANIST'S CUE=
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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