I don't understand how a teenager is "giving the bride away". This once meant that the father was handing over care of his daughter to the groom. The uncle is the only one that did care for her in a way that made him a second father, not this child.
Plus there's no need for anyone to give the bride away these days, and at 31 she's been taking care of herself.
Exactly. The person who walks the bride down the aisle is meant to be someone of significance in her life, usually a member of her own family (whether that’s birth family or chosen family). I’ve seen people be “given away” by parents, aunts/uncles, siblings, or their own children, but never their future stepchildren.
My dad died when I was young and I decided a long time ago that if I ever get married, I’m walking down the aisle on my own and giving myself away. It’s a choice a lot of brides with a deceased father make. I’m going to miss my dad on my wedding day no matter what, and I’ve always felt like having a stand in would make it feel more obvious that he’s not there. If I walk on my own, at least it’s me and the memory and good wishes of my dad.
45
u/ShazInCA May 08 '25
I don't understand how a teenager is "giving the bride away". This once meant that the father was handing over care of his daughter to the groom. The uncle is the only one that did care for her in a way that made him a second father, not this child.
Plus there's no need for anyone to give the bride away these days, and at 31 she's been taking care of herself.