The bride, the groom, or both of them are in the military and want to honor their country by having a military wedding.  Things are not as easy as they seem…it is not enough to make the wedding theme military and that is it. There are certain procedures and rules that need to be taken in the account before the event.

1. Usually the bride and groom need to reserve long before the wedding the chapel for the event: military chapels are not that many.
2. They need to check with the Chaplin about the details of the ceremony. Military weddings are all about tradition so the couple needs to be very well informed.
3. The couple needs to inform all guests how to dress for the event. Military guests will be wearing their uniforms.
4. Very important! Military guests will be seated according to rank.
5. Military brides can wear their uniform to the event or a bridal dress.
6. Military grooms will cut the cake with their swords, if they posses such a weapon as part of their uniform.
7. All military guests will wear their military decorations.
8. The bride and groom don’t need to pay the military Chaplin.

The most known tradition in a military wedding is named the Arch of Sabers.  After the ceremony the bride and groom will pass under an arch made by six or eight military men with their sabers with the blades held up. At a certain point the couple is stopped to pass by the sabers. The bride and groom need to kiss to have their path open by the military men. With this tradition the military wedding guests wish the happy couple a long, safe, happy life.  Another tradition is for one of the military man to pat the bride with the saber as a welcome gesture in the military life.11