Goodbye Wedding Party Woes! How to Assemble Your Perfect Bride Tribe
Newly engaged and beginning to plan your wedding, but struggling
to assemble your perfect bride tribe? You’re not alone! Deciding who you want
by your side on the biggest day of your life isn’t easy. Your bridesmaids are your
personalized team of superheroes that keep you calm, well-fed, hair-sprayed,
blotted and bustled on your wedding day.
You’ll want girls (or guys) in your squad that are
dependable and make you happy. Follow these do’s and don’ts and you’ll be sure
to have the bridal party of your dreams!
Don’t Stress Over
Numbers
There’s no “perfect” number of bridesmaids. You can have as many or as few as you’d like. As you’re deciding how big your party should be, consider your venue. Are you planning a romantic destination wedding at an exotic location? Keep your party to a small group of close family and friends to cut down on logistics and cost. Hosting a laid-back, backyard wedding? You can probably afford to expand your entourage a bit!
Do Consider Family
If you have a good bond with a sibling or cousin, then they’d
make a great addition to your wedding party. Stressing over which of your best
friends should be Maid of Honor? Naming your sister your MOH instead can
prevent jealous feelings before they start, because hey, family comes first,
right?
However, don’t feel the need to include Cousin Rachel from North Carolina if you never talk and don’t have much in common. Adding a family member to your party because your mom wants you to, or you feel like there’s some sort of expectation, is a recipe for conflict. Instead, ask that your cousin participate in other ways, like helping with hair and makeup, or passing out programs before the ceremony.
Don’t Feel Obliged to Return the Favor
Did your college best friend make you a bridesmaid for her wedding
five years ago, but now you’ve lost touch? Don’t feel like you need to reserve her
a spot in yours for old time’s sake. Friendships come and go, and you want your
bridal party to be made up of those who are a big part of your life.
Plus, if she’s the only one left out of inside jokes between you and your other friends, it could get a little awkward!
PC: Allure Bridals
Do Communicate
If you have someone in mind but aren’t sure if they’ll be available or able to make the financial commitment, just ask them! Trust us—your friends will appreciate you being proactive and telling them what they can expect. Giving your ‘maids the 411 about what things are likely to cost will help prevent surprises down the road and resolve conflict before it starts.
Don’t Be Afraid to Break
Tradition
Is your best friend a guy? Great! Make him the Man of Honor. If your fiancé wants his twin sister to be in the wedding, make her the Best Woman instead of just one of the bridesmaids. You don’t even need to have the same number of bridesmaids and groomsmen. There are no rules for how you structure your wedding party, except to do what feels most natural to you!
PC: Allure Bridals
If you’re already married, how did you select your bridal
party? Do you have any advice we didn’t mention here? Share your bridesmaid
success (or horror) stories in the comments below!