[Jimmie]

Our son and his beautiful young lady are getting married very soon. She does not want her dad to attend the wedding. Her mom and step dad will be there, but I think she has ask a friend she hardly knows to give her away. Can her mom walk with her? I know that times are not the same as "the old days" and we can do whatever we want with weddings today, but...

I know that when our daughter got married, she ask both her dad and me to walk with her and the groom did the same with his parents. It was a little odd, but we had a great time. The dad is not the only one who raises a child, so why can't the mom have this privilege as well?

Thank you. Today I am just the mother of the groom, next week I will just be "mom".

[the_admin]

I heartily agree! Both parents play a part in the raising of a child.

At a traditional wedding, the father's role is to escort his daughter down the aisle, but the mother also has a role of honor and she is part of the processional as the last person to be seated. Both are honoring the role of each parent. In your case, since there is no dad available, it's perfect for mom to walk her daughter down the aisle. It would also be fine for the stepdad to escort the bride, if they have that sort of relationship. But if she has someone special (other than a parent or step parent) she wants to ask, that's her choice. Hopefully she makes this choice with much thought so as not to hurt any feelings, but allowing her to insert the people she cares for most into her wedding in the way she deems appropriate.

Enjoy the wedding, Mom.