Maid of Honor Sitting During Ceremony

I was a MOH for my best friend and was 8 months pregnant and on bed rest. The doctor allowed me to go to the wedding as long as I sat. She had a chair at the altar for me.

I would advise against having her sit in the front row, while the rest of the wedding party stands with you. You say you don't want the chair in the ceremony pictures--but that means she wouldn't be in the ceremony pictures. As MOH, she's presumably the most important member of your wedding party, so you wouldn't want to have everyone except her in the ceremony pictures. You could either have her in a chair at the altar, or have your entire wedding party sit in the front row.

Well I personally think ceremonies where the couple (and officiant) stand alone together are really beautiful and intimate, rather than having so many other people for guests to look at (and be distracted by) during the ceremony. So if it was me I would avoid singling your sister out at all and simply have all the wedding party (and other important people) be seated at the front rows. Let the order of your processional show your guests the varying importance of the wedding party members, and have each member rise from their seat and approach the front when it's their turn to give a reading, hand over the vows or the rings etc.

BUT if you don't like the idea of everyone being seated in the front rows, I would ask your sister what she prefers (what would make her feel comfortable and not singled out :-) )

I think it might be nice to have everyone sit if she’s someone who doesn’t like people to make a fuss or have attention drawn towards her. I’ve seen it done this way at a previous wedding and it was kinda nice to have all the bridesmaids and groomsmen sit down and just be able to focus on the couple. I’m sure they bridal part also appreciated it so they didn’t have to have a fake resting face half-smile don’t-fidget-too-much thing going on!

Ask her what she prefers? We are having our whole bridal party sit at the alter with us do to varying abilities. Her comfort should be priority over photos... sorry.

The sitting is nice touch its been done in other weddings ive been too. My son is in a ♿ / braces and it will be just FH & I w ofgicient taking our vows and wedding party being in front row. He didnt want the attention & was worried about accomadations.
If your MOH wants to be by ur side they have stools that look nice and wont appear badly in photos .

I just went to a wedding where a bridesmaid had donated an organ and couldn't stand for too long. They had an "extra" front row with beautiful flowers going down the back of the chairs, and they say facing the ceremony but their chairs slightly turned in. They still looked included and it made the ceremony more personal (IMO)

I would have the whole wedding party sit. It will look cohesive, bring more focus to you and you future husband, and your sister won’t feel alone.

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Yes, her comfort is the priority 100% My original post was not worded the way it should have been in hindsight. Shame it's not editable. I did ask what she prefers and she has deferred to me

I would have a seat near the altar for her. You obviously didn’t want your entire bridal party to sit or this wouldn’t be a question, so I wouldn’t make that an option now. She is your MOH and deserves to be next to you, sitting her in the front row away from the rest of the BP almost seems like a punishment to me. Especially because the ONLY reason this is an issue for you is a simple chair.

I would ask her if she would feel comfortable being the only member of the BP seated. If she doesn’t mind and you would like to have everyone by your side, go for it! A stool might be a good choice in that situation, so she’s sitting closer to eye level.

I think under the circumstances it’s fine if she sits in the front row whilethe others stand. I’d have the first seat reserved for her in the front row

Could you have everyone sit at the alter? One chair would look odd but if everyone had a chair it would look like that was your original plan. You can also decorate the chairs to match your arch.

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I agree with this.

Hi Devyn! Since it sounds like she has put the decision in your hands, and given that her comfort is 100% priority, I would say as long as she is sitting is perfect. You have some options here:

You could ask her if she would be okay being the only one seated or if this would make her feel singled out?

Or, like Isabella mentioned, having the processional and then the entire bridal party seated in the front rows might also be a good option. That way, no one is offset from the rest, and everyone is seated.

It's really up to you and your MOH, so perhaps thinking about these options with her might help. Your wedding ceremony will be and look absolutely lovely, either way.

I would have the entire bridal party sit at the alter, or even on either side of you and FH at the alter. That would make her feel better, and would not look awkward in photos. I think that is a good solution

I would say a chair for her is totally acceptable! The more comfortable she is, the happier she will be, and the happier you will be!

You could think about doing chairs or benches for the whole wedding party, decorating them with flowers or fabric could be really striking, and make it feel more like an intentional aesthetic rather feeling like your singling out your sister. Have you talked to your sister about any ideas she has?