military sword arch for wedding!!

[donaldsgirl]

I am really hoping that someone can help me with this. We are having a military wedding at Sea Breeze Point and we need a sword arch. Do any of you know of a Navy ROTC program or Naval Reserve in Orlando? My sweetie is an Officer so we cant use enlisted men or women for this. It would make my life alot easier if we could. I have called Shades of Green but I cant get in touch with ANYONE!!! Any ideas?

 

[tiggerrifficheidi]

There is an Army ROTC program at University of Central Florida (www.ucfrotc.com). And a Navy ROTC at University of Florida (http://nrotc.ufl.edu/) and Florida State. I guess you could start there.

There's also some sort of Navy Reserve unit in Orlando, but you'll have to do a google search and see what you can find.

Does your DF have groomsman that can perform the arch?

Also, I would keep hitting up Shades of Green. See if you can get through to someone in event planning. They would probably deal with this on a regular basis and have some ideas.

 

[honey2741]

Oooh I like! Do you have to be "active" in order to do the military sword arch? I ask because my husband is a Navy veteran...thanks!

 

[tiggerrifficheidi]

Typically I say "it's your wedding; do whatever you want!" So, that's the short answer.

The long answer is that the arch is a tradition meant to "usher" the bride (typically, since it is an old tradition) into military life. As the couple reaches the end of the arch, the last two sabre bearers block their way and announce them as "[Rank] and Mrs. So and So." Then, the bearer behind the bride swats her on the butt with the sabre (nice welcome to the family, eh?)

We didn't do this for a number of reasons. 1) We're both in, so there's no welcoming to be done 2) DH didn't want to wear his uniform 3) one of the groomsmen wasn't in the Army (we could have made an arch with the FOUR BMs of mine plus the two GMs, but those girls weren't wearing uniforms either!) 4) We'd have to find them...just as the OP is finding, it's not super easy.

Although I have a sabre, so I'll volunteer

 

[donaldsgirl]

I have contacted a NROTC unit and left a message, called a Naval reserve unit..no joy. I would think that there would be more Navy ROTC programs around there. Too bad the closed the Naval base down that was there in Orlando. I did get in touch with someone at Shades of Green..we will see what happens with that!!!