One of the very important decisions you must make as you begin planning a wedding is who will stand up with you as you say, “I do.” This decision making and asking process should be exciting and fun as you begin to think about that meaningful group of friends and family members that you truly can’t imagine your big day without.
Some of you might have the desire to keep things small and intimate with just a sibling and your best friends, others will have the mindset of “the more the merrier!” This decision is really a personal preference, there’s no quick rule that tells you how many bridesmaids you should or shouldn’t have. It really comes down to picturing who you want to spend this important and exciting day with, and that’s all that really matters at the end of the (wedding) day.
If you do choose a larger bridal party, there are some things you have to take into consideration. We promise the big wedding party will be fun, but it will also require a little additional planning and coordination. First, comes the basic logistics questions to consider, does your ceremony venue support the space needed for the large group of ladies to stand by your side. Of course, if the answer is no, we don’t suggest that you begin making cuts to your list, but you do need to brainstorm some alternative options. A simple option is to have your bridesmaids sit in the front row at the ceremony after they walk down the aisle.
One of the old-fashioned traditional “wedding rules” is that you should have an equal number of bridesmaids and groomsmen. If you look back on your parents’ or grandparents’ wedding photos you might notice there is always the same number of men or women on each side of the couple. Many things have changed, it’s 2017! Nowadays, we think it is perfectly acceptable for you to have an uneven number of bridesmaids and groomsmen. We don’t think you should have to cut a close friend out of your lineup or add someone who isn’t “deserving” for that matter, just because you need a symmetrical lineup. The only consideration you have to make if you choose the unsymmetrical option is how your wedding party will proceed down the aisle. A couple of options include having each member of the party walk down individually, or you can have some groups of three as well!
The asking process for your wedding party should be exciting and fun! We suggest you have fun with this and get creative. Take a quick Google or Pinterest search, the witty and creative bridesmaids’ “proposals” are endless, so take some time to make a meaningful and fun impression when you decide to pop the big questions!