A Dad Decision

Traditionally the father walks the bride down the aisle and gives her away to the groom. I've always known this tradition wasn't for me. Not the whole tradition anyways.

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I guess I'd say that my relationship with Dad Plaid is not as strong as some girls. My parents got divorced when I was seven and my sister and I lived with Mama Plaid full time. We saw Dad Plaid every week, but we never shared the same bond with him as we did our mom.

So when I first considered walking down the aisle when I get married, I thought about asking Mama Plaid. But then that didn't seem right exactly. It's hard to explain. As much as I want to stray from the norm, I can't fight the fact that I am, in fact, a traditionalist.

Then I thought, I'll just walk by myself. I'm a strong, confident woman, I can do this myself. But that wasn't right either. The day is about me and Mr. Plaid, but it's also about my family. I want to include them in every way that I possibly can.

I decided to ask Dad Plaid. I know what I said at the beginning of the post, but I wanted to. In the last few years, even though we live far away from each other, he seems to take more of an interest in my life. And he's been extremely generous with the whole wedding. That's not to say I'm asking him because he's giving us money. I know it would make him happy, and I want everyone to be happy on our wedding day, not just the us Plaids.

But I'm doing it on my terms. Yes, Dad Plaid will walk me down the aisle. But I'm going to walk down the stairs when I come out of the house at the venue alone, all by myself. Then Dad Plaid will meet me at the bottom of the stairs to walk me down the aisle. As we approach my groom, I will say goodbye to Dad Plaid and walk the last few steps by myself.

There will be no "giving me away". I have been on my own for over 4 years now and there's no one to give me away accept for myself. Even if I did still live at home, the idea of one human giving another away seems almost like slavery or something. No thanks! Dad Plaid will just have to be okay with my decision.

Is your father walking you down the aisle? Would you consider yourself a traditionalist?