In a lot of ways, an army wedding is not all that different from a regular wedding – there is a color theme, a gorgeous dress, cake, decorations, etc. But there are a few army wedding traditions that ARE very important, so if you are either marrying an army member or are an army member yourself getting married, listen up!

Perhaps the best-known tradition in army weddings is the arch of sabers. The arch of sabers happens right after the ceremony. At this time, your saber-bearers stand up, walk to the back of the ceremony venue in pairs, and hoist their sabers in the air, crossing at the top to form an arch through which the bride and groom walk through.

There are a few important things to remember about an arch of sabers:

1. You want a minimum of six saber-bearers (3 pairs) to form your arch, although you can have more.
2. If you can’t find sabers, rifles may be substituted.
3. Military chapels often have their own sabers you can use, so be sure to ask before you go out saber shopping!

More Army Wedding Traditions: The Cake, The Ceremony, The Attire

Cakes at Army Weddings: Many army wedding cakes are quite elaborate, but they are also the focal point of one of the most important army wedding traditions: yup, it’s the arch of sabers again. This time, your saber-bearers form an arch for the newlyweds to walk through to get to their wedding cake. Also, it is not uncommon to actually use a big knife or even a saber to cut your cake, which makes for a pretty cool photo op!

Army Wedding Traditions for the Ceremony: Military chapels are the most common ceremony location for army weddings and one bonus is that they ordinarily have their own chaplain, who does not take a fee for performing your marriage ceremony. (However, it is customary to provide them with an honorarium or a donation to the chapel.)

One thing to keep in mind as far as army wedding traditions go is that you will likely need permission for your ceremony flowers, decor, and music. Army weddings tend to be stricter in these areas. You do have the option of getting married elsewhere, but be aware that not all military chaplains will perform marriage ceremonies outside of their military chapel or other military venue.

For your ceremony vows, you may want something that reflects the military aspect of your marriage commitment. (Check out our military wedding vow ideas.)

Military Wedding Attire: Be sure to let your guests know that if they are active or retired servicemembers, they are encouraged to wear their uniforms. Grooms and groomsmen who are servicemembers can wear their military attire that is aligned with the formality of your ceremony. Brides who are servicemembers can wear their uniform if they choose, but a traditional wedding gown is also perfectly acceptable. Bridesmaids can also wear their uniforms or bridesmaid dresses.

What traditions are you hoping to incorporate into your army wedding?

Photo Credit: Jerad Hill Photographer on Flickr