<b>DEAR ANN:</b> My 13-year-old daughter is to be a junior bridesmaid at my younger sister's wedding. What can she expect?

<b>DEAR READER: </b>How excited she must be! She can expect to be dressed in a similar fashion to the bridesmaids, in a style that is appropriate to her age, and she may be included in the dress-shopping trip.

The bridesmaids attend the bride and might join together to host a shower or a pre-bridal luncheon; they might ask her to join them as a junior hostess.

Your daughter should be prepared to attend the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. She may be paired with an escort for the ceremonial recessional.

On the day of the wedding, the adult attendants will be the ones with the responsibilities, although your daughter may have to arrive early to an assigned site for photographs. If there is a head table, she may be paired with an escort for the meal, and may be expected to dance with him for the bridal party dance.

This is also an excellent opportunity to teach her the art of fine manners if she needs such instruction . . . and the lesson of how to walk in a procession, hold a bouquet and smile, all while wearing heels.

Lastly, she can begin to save her money to select and buy a special gift for her aunt and new uncle.

<b>DEAR ANN:</b> I am to be my brother's best man, but my mother wants me to walk her down the aisle. How can I do both?

<b>DEAR READER: </b>Ask your brother how he feels. After all, he is the groom, it is his day and he comes first at this special time.

Traditionally, the best man supports the groom, remaining with him during the day and not leaving him until the vows are sealed. However, if your brother approves, you could leave his side for a moment, duck out a side door, enter through the front, escort your mother, and then retrace your steps and return to your brother's side, after which you will immediately walk out to the altar with the groom and his officiant.

<b>DEAR ANN: </b>As the mother of the groom, I have asked my son to walk me down the aisle. My question is, where/when does my husband go?

<b>DEAR READER:</b> Your husband follows you down the aisle, unescorted. Every woman who is seated by an usher takes the usher's right arm and proceeds. Her husband, date, etc., follows.

When the wedding is over, the ushers will escort their assigned bridesmaids from the altar. If there is to be a formal recessional, the ushers return to escort both mothers from their pews. Their husband, date, etc., follows each respectively.

<b>DEAR ANN:</b> I am a justice of the peace doing my first wedding. When do I appear?

<b>DEAR READER: </b>Most officiants, regardless of their civil and/or religious affiliation, appear with the groom and the best man together as a threesome, just before the bridal party starts down the aisle.

<b>DEAR ANN: </b>I am a groom-to-be . . . in a Protestant wedding. Do my ushers process down the aisle, ahead of the bridesmaids?

<b>DEAR READER:</b> They can if you wish; however, traditionally, ushers in a Protestant wedding come quietly down the side aisle, without fanfare, after the mothers are seated, and take their places in the front floor area, where they will usually stand during the service.

<b>DEAR ANN:</b> Do my bridesmaids process down the aisle in the beginning of the wedding, escorted by the ushers?

<b>DEAR READER:</b> They can if you wish; however, traditionally, bridesmaids process double or single file down the aisle, with no male escorts. At the end of the wedding, ushers and bridesmaids pair up, symbolizing the union of the newly wedded couple.