"Why Is 'This Country' Pushing a Ban on Fathers Holding Hands with Brides During Entrance?"

Swedish Church: "Patriarchal Meaning... Not a Tradition"
"In Principle, Groom and Bride Must Enter Together"

Typically, at weddings, the bride enters holding her father's hand, but the Church of Sweden has announced that it will ban this practice.

Several countries, including Korea, traditionally have the bride enter the wedding ceremony holding her father's hand.
[Image source=Getty Images]

On the 31st, British daily The Guardian and others reported that a motion to ban the 'practice of the father leading the bride' was submitted at the autumn general assembly of the Lutheran Church of Sweden. Currently, the Church of Sweden leaves the entrance method of the bride and groom to the pastor's discretion, but in principle, the bride should not be accompanied by her father and the bride and groom should enter simultaneously.

However, over the past 10 to 15 years, influenced by Hollywood movies and Anglo-American media, the preference for the bride entering with her father has increased in Sweden. Especially after Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden entered her wedding holding the hand of her father, King Carl Gustaf, in 2010, many ordinary weddings have adopted this method.

In 2010, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden entered the wedding venue holding the hand of her father, King Carl XVI Gustaf. [Image source=The Observer, UK]

A pastor who promoted the ban on the 'practice of the father leading the bride' emphasized, "The new trend of the father leading the bride and handing her over to the husband is not part of our church's tradition," adding, "It cannot ignore the patriarchal meaning that the father hands over a young maiden to a new guardian."

Opposition lawmaker Waldenfors said, "I am satisfied that the church has sparked this debate," and added, "(Through such debates) it has become natural for women to be ordained as clergy, and we have also struggled to allow same-sex couples to marry in the Church of Sweden."

However, there is controversy over the ban on the 'practice of the father leading the bride,' and it seems unlikely that the ban will be passed immediately. An official of the Church of Sweden rebutted, saying, "(The bride entering holding her father's hand at the wedding) is not a patriarchal handover but a way to signify the importance of family in the ceremony," and "It is a choice that holds great meaning for all involved."

Meanwhile, Sweden ranks first in the European Union (EU) gender equality index and is considered a leading country in global feminism.