You’ve seen it this way for years in your friends weddings that you’ve stood in…but why does the bride stand on the left.  This tradition dates back to medieval times when there was such a thing as “marriage by capture”.  The Groom stood on the right side of his bride to be able to quickly pull his sword (most men being right-handed) to ward off opposing men trying to capture his bride.  This is also why the Groomsmen are aligned to the right during a wedding ceremony for their assistance in helping the Groom defend his bride.  The Best Man was normally chosen as the best warrior for protection of the Bride and Groom as well.

In modern times, some couples buck the tradition and actually choose to reverse their stances.  Just be sure to check with your church first to determine if it is against their house rules to do so.