What Comes After You May Kiss The Bride?

The “You may now kiss the bride” is a traditional wedding tradition that occurs at the end of the ceremony, where the officiant announces the couple’s marriage and sets the stage for the big smooch. This phrase is often used by the minister or wedding officiant to give the couple permission to share their first kiss as a symbol of love and commitment. The traditional wording is “Alex you may kiss your bride!”, but contemporary options include “You may share your first married kiss!” or “Bailey you may kiss your groom!”.

After the wedding kiss, the bride and groom lead the way back down the aisle, with the maid of honor helping straighten out the bride’s gown and train if necessary. The flower girl and ring bearer follow, followed by the maid of honor and the bride. The groom lifts her veil and seals their vows with a kiss, which is a beautiful and intimate moment that symbolizes the couple’s love and commitment to each other.

Modern wedding alternatives to “You may now kiss the bride” include “You may now kiss the groom!”, “You may now kiss each other!”, or “You may now kiss each other.” The traditional kiss during the wedding ceremony is preceded by the celebrant saying to the groom “You may kiss your bride,” and the big kiss is recorded by photographers and videographers as guests cheer and applaud.

In western weddings, the officiant declares the couple as man and wife, and the couple may kiss after the ceremony. The “You may now kiss the bride!” line is recited immediately after the bride, and it is a crucial part of the wedding ceremony.