Military Weddings Rules and Regulations

While planning military weddings require the same attention and detail as planning any other wedding, most brides try to incorporate the military theme into the theme of the wedding by choosing floral colors and attendants' colors to complement the military uniforms.

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The photos on this page show how Rachel and Nick Farrell chose to have a red and white wedding theme to complement Nick's Marine uniform - dress blues with white pants - and the other Marines in the bridal party with their dress blues uniform.

Other color themes that would definitely compliment USMC military weddings would be blue and white or go really patriotic, like my cousins will be doing this year, with the full red, white and blue.

Whether you're planning a "full-on" military ceremony or combining traditional aspects into the wedding as well, the information below will give you a starting point for your planning. But always make sure to check with your local military base protocol officer for any additional requirements regarding your particular rank and military branch of service.

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Bridal Party Attire

For a full-on military ceremony, the bride and/or groom and any members of the bridal party who are service members will usually wear their uniforms. The uniform regulations are determined by the rank of the service member and the formality of the wedding.

The Bride and/or Groom:
The Uniform requirements are the same as other officers or enlisted. Female military, whether officers or enlisted, may wear a traditional wedding gown or her uniform.

If the bride wears a traditional wedding gown, the formality of the ceremony will determine the style of the gown and length of the train.

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Commissioned Officers in the Bridal Party:
Evening Dress Uniform is the same as a civilian White Tie and Tails occassion.

Dinner or "Mess Dress" is the same as civilian "Black Tie."

Non-Commissioned Officers and Other Enlisted Service Personnel:
Dress Blues or Army Green uniforms are worn for a formal or informal wedding.

Boutonniers and White Gloves:
The groom and best man will not wear white gloves as they will be handling the rings. All other groomsmen in uniform wear white gloves, especially if they are wearing a sword or saber.

Boutonniers are not to be worn on uniforms; instead any military decorations will be worn.

The bride and and any of her attendants who are in military uniform may carry a bouquet, however a corsage may not be worn on a military uniform.

Non-military Bridal Party Members:
Non-military simply wear the traditional wedding attire suitable to the formality of the ceremony.

My cousin, Sgt. Jonathan Minkler's brothers were the groomsmen. His wife planned their colors around Jonathan's dress blues - a very coordinated red, white and blue!

Parents, Relatives and Guests:
Parents, relatives of the bride and groom and any guests, either active or retired, may wear either their uniforms or traditional formal dress.

If the couple wishes active or retired military to attend in uniform, they may add "Full Dress Uniform Invited" to the invitations.

The Arch of Swords and the Arch of Sabres

The "Arch of Swords" (Navy and Marine Corps) or the "Arch of Sabres" (Army and Air Force), although not mandatory, it is usually a traditional part of formal military weddings.

The Arch of Swords takes place immediately following the ceremony when the couple leaves the chapel or church. White gloves must be worn by all sword bearers.

The arch is traditionally formed outside of the church or chapel since a sword should never be unsheathed inside a religious sanctuary.

Only commissioned officers, SNCOs and NCOs may carry swords or sabres and participate in this ceremony. There are usually six to eight military to form the arch, most often consisting of the groomsmen, however other officers, some of the guests perhaps, may be designated to help create the arch.

If your ceremony is off-base and you know ahead of time that you may not have enough officers between the bridal party and invited guests to form the arch, contact your local Armed Forces Recruiting Office for assistance in locating qualified officers for the honor guard.

You may also contact your local R.O.T.C. and ask if they'll allow you to borrow swords or sabres for the honor guards to form the arch.

Examples of Military Wedding Invitations

Invitations for military weddings follow the same basic guidelines as for civilian weddings, the main difference being the use of titles:

Senior Officers
If the bride and/or groom are senior officers (Captain and above), use titles before their names, with the branch or service below:

Captain Joseph Anthony Blank
United States Marine Corps

Junior and Company-grade Officers
For junior or company-grade officers, titles are under their names with the branch of service on the same line:

Joseph Anthony Blank
Second Lieutenant, United States Marine Corps

Enlisted Personnel
For Enlisted military, rank is usually omitted. The full name is written on one line, with the branch of service underneath. "Mr." is never used to address or refer to an officer on active duty.

Joseph Anthony Blank
United States Marine Corps

Retired Officers
Retired officers (parents of the bride and/or groom), especially when holding the ranks of Commander or Lieutenant Colonel, normally retain their titles even in civilian life, therefore, their titles will be used on the on the invitations as well, however the branch of the military is not stated:

Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs. Joseph Anthony Blank, Sr.
request the honor of your presence...

If the retired Commander or Lieutenant Colonel is issuing the invitation alone without his/her spouse, the branch of the military will be stated and it will be noted that they are retired:

Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Anthony Blank, Sr.
United States Marine Corps, Retired
requests the honor of your presence...

For Additional Resources, visit Military Wedding Tips and Regulations for more details on planning military weddings, including a detailed FAQ by the site's founder and Marine wife, Bridget Ware.

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