Bridal Trends

Wedding Expert Tips: How to Choose Your Wedding Party

Happy National Friendship Day!

In honor of this special day (always falls on the first Sunday of August), we thought it was the perfect time to discuss how to pick your wedding party! Many of our clients stress over which friends and/or relatives to ask to be in their wedding party (mostly the bridesmaids). Choosing the bridal party is no laughing matter, but it should also come naturally to you. Check out our tips to help you decide on who to pick and please try not to lose sleep over it!

1. How Many?

One of the first things to consider when selecting your bridal party is how many guests you're planning to invite. While bridal parties can range anywhere from a single maid/matron of honor to more than a dozen attendants, most wedding experts agree that a good rule of thumb is to have one groomsman and one corresponding bridesmaid for every 50 guests.  Also, a large wedding party traditionally signifies a formal wedding. So if you're planning a small, intimate gathering, ten bridesmaids might be a bit too much. It is also ok to have an uneven bridal party, more groomsmen than bridesmaids or vice versa, don't feel as though you have to throw someone into the mix just to make it even.

2. The More The Merrier?

Speaking of size, remember that the more bridesmaids you have, the greater the potential for complications. In other words, you'll need to get more people to agree on a dress or decide on a bridal shower date and bachelorette party. Keep in mind, if you're on a limited budget, you'll be paying for all those bridesmaids bouquets and gifts.

3. Family First

If you're close to your sister or future sister-in-law, the thought of not including them in your wedding party probably never even occurred to you. But if you are not and  the thought of asking your sister (or sister-in-law) to be a bridesmaid gives you anxiety, you probably will lose a few nights of sleep. Make it easy on yourself, it's usually worth it to include family members just to avoid any unnecessary conflict. Think of it as having more bargaining power when you're battling with your mom over the guest list.

4. No Backsies

You don't need to ask someone to be in your wedding just because she asked you to be in her wedding. Don't ask the college roommate you haven't spoken to in five years just to return the favor. If you haven't spoken to them in the last year, you do not need to feel obligated.

5. Location is Key

Basically, 100mg is the recommended dose cost of viagra 100mg of this drug is 1mg per day for a person. This generic viagra line silent behavior may lead to relationship problems later. Antihistamines can also lessen your desire for mating with your girl levitra prices friend. This will make it easy for you to breathe and will allow you to sleep properly. 2. https://unica-web.com/better-translation.html levitra without prescription What do you expect from your bridesmaids? Will simple moral support suffice, or do you expect them to be your personal assistant, addressing wedding invitations and and helping you with all your DIH's? If it's the latter, think twice about asking friends who live far away or who have extremely hectic schedules. You don't want to find yourself getting frustrated with a friend you knew wouldn't be able to give you all the help you wanted. You may end up with someone who says yes, then later decides it's too much and they will back out and you will have an uneven wedding party whether you like it or not!

6. Don't Assume

Don't write off some friends simply because you think they don't have enough money to afford that Monique Lhuillier bridesmaid dress you have your eye on. If you want to ask a friend whom you know is having financial difficulties, you can always say something like, "I'd love for you to be a bridesmaid, but I understand the tough time you're going through now. If you can't do it, I'd love to find something else for you to do in the wedding." (Or, you can offer to pay her way if you can't stand the idea of her not being in the wedding.)

7. Guys Matter

A bridesmaid doesn't have to be a woman. If your best friend is a guy, there's no reason why he can't be in your wedding. Today, many brides and grooms are including members of the opposite sex as attendants. In these cases, a man on the bride's side is simply called an attendant or bridesman, while a woman on the groom's side can be called an attendant or a groomswoman.

8. Other Honors

Keep in mind that there are plenty of other roles good friends can play in your wedding if they don't make the cut -- do a reading, hand out programs, or perform a song.

9. Spread the News

Once you make up your mind about your bridesmaids, you definitely want to get the word out and up on your wedding website. The only thing worse than a coworker who thinks she's invited to your wedding is a friend who assumes she's going to be a bridesmaid. If you're afraid of hurting someone's feelings, remember that, as cliched as it sounds, any true friend will understand whatever decision you ultimately make. And finally, the sooner you make your decision, the sooner you get to check off one more box on your endless wedding checklist. Please don't wait, those dresses take some time to order, unless your lucky enough to find them off the rack!

We hope these tips will help you in your decision process, please feel free to email us with any other questions to info@peonyeventsco.com.

Photo Credit: Anthony Ziccardi Studios, Alyssa + Billy's May 2013 Wedding

by peony