army military wedding

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Sara Zlotnik is a journalist with 10 years of experience and a writer in the wedding space for seven years. Her work has appeared in Philadelphia Wedding Magazine, Washington Wedding, Bethesda Magazine and the Huffington Post.

Army Military Wedding

A reality check focusing on Cherise Harris lifestyle, beauty and parenting. He worked in research for nearly two decades

Army Military Wedding Cake Topper

Exchanging wedding vows is a major life event rooted in many traditions, and a military wedding is no different In fact, if one or both members of the married couple are currently serving in one of the branches of the United States Armed Forces, or have served in the past, there may be even more rituals involved. That said, the experience will still focus on a couple's wedding celebration — with a little extra pomp and circumstance thrown in.

To dive into the most common military wedding traditions and customs, we consulted with military wedding consultant and event planner expert Bree Carroll and owner of Annapolis Military Weddings, John Wise. If you're attending a military wedding in the near future, or planning one yourself, read on for the essential background information you need to understand and appreciate.

Military marriages do not have to be performed on military bases A couple can choose the location of their choice, and in Carroll's vision, military chaplains can perform a ceremony outside of an original chapel. That said, if you're interested in a shrine that's specifically tied to a branch, know that you'll have to meet some requirements. For example, the Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis, Maryland is a special venue for a Navy wedding, but to marry there, at least one member of the couple must be a graduate, member of staff or active duty military. Members appointed in geographical areas Keep in mind that decor options may be more limited and the officiant may want to meet with you before the wedding for a pre-wedding consultation.

It depends on whether the couple will wear their military uniforms at their wedding, and whether the attendees will choose to wear their uniforms. If the couple wishes to include a dress code uniform, they should specify this in the invitation suite.

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For military branches with multiple types of uniforms, the season of the wedding usually determines which uniform is worn. In the Navy, for example, the dress uniform changes from blue to white at the beginning of summer That said, Wise points out that if one member of the couple chooses to wear white, members of the wedding party should follow suit. Uniforms are also non-negotiable for those participating in the Arc of Sabers (more on that in a moment) and these uniforms should be identical to what team members wear in uniform.

One thing you won't see in military wedding fashion: boutonnieres "A medal is the only acceptable ornament," says Wise "If you put something on that isn't part of your uniform, you're considered 'out' of the uniform - so no buttonholes."

Any service member attending a wedding in uniform must adhere to their military branch's personal appearance code. For men, this will likely include a clean-shaven look — if, Carroll notes, the member's beard is left out — and a haircut that doesn't exceed a certain length. For women, Carroll adds that this can include natural nail polish, some hairstyling essentials and simple jewelry such as stud earrings. The US Army has recently updated and expanded its conversion guidelines to be more inclusive, so know that more flexibility may be possible in your desired wedding day look. Guests who are not in uniform are not required to adhere to grooming and appearance regulations

During this ceremony, the highest ranking military member (captain, admiral, general, etc.) will be given the seat of honor behind the immediate family members of the married couple. When coordinating the day of the wedding, Wise often reserves special parking spaces for these distinguished guests.

Ali & Liam

At the reception, Carroll recommends incorporating "distinguished visitor" tables These tables will be placed near the wedding couple's table and will include senior service members in attendance with their families or dates. Hence officers of similar rank and date or their families will be grouped in the same table

Each military branch will have its own approach when it comes to sitting by rank and position To further delve into the details, Wise regularly consults and advises service labels

At a military wedding ceremony, it is traditional to display an American flag along with the flag(s) of the unit(s) of the married couple. Flags will often stand on either side of the altar, with the American flag on the left and the unit flag(s) on the right.

One of the most unique and well-known military wedding traditions, this particular custom is referred to by slightly different names in different branches of the US military. In the Army and Air Force it is the Arch of Sabers and in the Navy and Marines it is the Sword. Regardless, the tradition comes from British military customs and symbolizes the military's commitment to honor and protect the newlyweds.

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The Arc of Sabers takes place immediately after the wedding ceremony and is almost always outside the ceremony venue if the ceremony is held indoors. (This is true if it is held in a house of worship, as weapons are not allowed to be brandished or drawn in worship, although different branches will have different rules about whether the ceremony can be held indoors.) The married couple exits the ceremony site through the sword tunnel. , so they were converted to married life in the symbolic shelter of the military "As the couple walks through the last sand, team members will release their sand and the couple will kiss before the sand returns to an upright position," says Carroll. "It makes a great photo op."

It's certainly not unusual to hear a service branch's signature song at a military wedding While many couples will choose music as the recessional song for their exit ceremony, it is not the only option “If there are many ministers from different branches present, a fun way to identify who is in the room is to play a medley of branch songs and ask members to stand while they sing,” suggests Carol.

Although it's not part of any official canon, there's another familiar voice you'll hear, especially at a Navy wedding: "You've lost that feeling of love." (Yes, we have

Thanks for the one!) By the way, in a heterosexual couple, the groomsmen will usually surround the groom and sing to him at some point during the reception.

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If one member of the married couple is an officiant, the couple may choose to use a ceremonial saber to cut the wedding cake. Typically, the military spouse presents the sword to their partner and both members of the couple will cut the confection together with their hands on the sword.

Although not a military-specific tradition, a popular wedding sendoff idea for military weddings is to raise the American flag after the couple leaves the reception. Wise men also wished the newlyweds with paper airplanes and flew them during the send-off. This is a particularly interesting concept for pilots Hannah Nock Hannah Nock Senior Editor, Weddings Hannah writes and edits articles for The Note World, focusing on real wedding coverage. Illuminates all voices and all love stories Before The Note Worldwide, Hannah was social media editor at Martha Stewart Weddings.

Are you involved with anyone in the military? Perhaps you are a service member yourself Whatever it is, you may have questions about what a military wedding involves Military weddings are steeped in tradition and are a wonderful way to honor both the couple's marriage and their military service to the United States.

We teamed up with event planners Melissa Williams and Alyssa Edwards of BeAtonized Events and Danielle Leilani of Leilani Weddings for everything you need to know about military weddings. Keep the tips below in mind as you dive into wedding planning for your military celebration

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"Many military couples come from a line of military personnel, so these traditions are not exclusive

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