Picking your wedding party is one of the most important and difficult aspects of planning your big day. One wrong choice can affect the tone of your wedding preparations until the special day itself. It’s crucial to find the perfect balance between close friendships and family obligations. In this blog, we’ll share some practical tips on choosing your wedding party wisely so nobody gets left out.
Understanding the Role of the Wedding Party
You don’t choose a wedding party to simply stand beside you on your wedding day. Their roles go beyond that. They need to provide you with support throughout the planning process and help you organise pre-wedding events. Let’s discuss these roles in detail.
Core Roles
Maid/Matron/Man of Honor:
This person is the bride’s confidante and source of emotional support. Ideally, this role is played by the bride’s best friend. This person needs to be organised, reliable, responsible, and most of all, they need to be deeply invested in the bride’s happiness.
Best Man:
The groom’s right-hand person usually plans the bachelor party, secures the rings during the ceremony, and provides one of the first toasts at the reception. It’s nice if the person is charismatic, dependable, a good public speaker (for the toast), and has a close bond with the groom.
Bridesmaids:
Bridesmaids are, in a sense, like a team that the maid of honour manages so the bride can have all the help she needs throughout the wedding process. They are usually the bride’s most loyal friends.
Groomsmen:
This is the male counterpart of the bridesmaids. Although their designations differ, they provide the groom with all the assistance he needs before, during and even after the wedding.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Wedding Party
Wedding parties are optional, but, should you want them, here are some factors you can consider.
The Size of Your Wedding
The bigger the event, the more help you need. This is why a large wedding means you have to create a longer list for the wedding party. For intimate ceremonies, like summer destination weddings in beautiful locales, fewer people are better. Opting for smaller Palm Cove wedding packages might provide guidance on what works best for you. Consider downloading this brochure for more information.
Balance Between Friends and Family
Choosing among friends and family members within your wedding party can be challenging. You can start by creating a list of people who have been an essential part of your life and your future spouse’s life. Naturally, family members expect to play a significant role. But if you can’t accommodate them, just make sure you include them in other meaningful ways. Also, don’t overlook close friends who supported your journey. You don’t have to give everyone a big part, you can consider other roles for them, such as readings, ushering, or even being a pre or post-wedding party planner.
Reliability
If you have a close friend who is always late, it wouldn’t be wise to have them secure the rings or be part of the wedding party. You need someone who can be trusted to show up and keep your special day organised. If you really want to include someone despite a lack of assurance that they will do what’s expected of them, you can always make adjustments to accommodate them.
The same goes for choosing between a live band and a DJ. Your bridal party, knowing you so well, can be a great resource to help you decide which option fits your style and personality best. Whether they’ve seen you dance the night away to a DJ or appreciate your love for live music, they can offer insight to ensure the music at your wedding feels just right.
Personal Situations
If you want to invite someone who works nights or has a newborn kid or school, make sure they’re okay with being part of your wedding party. You can always politely ask if they would be willing to go, but be considerate if their circumstances won’t allow them to.
Sending Invites that Wow
When you send a wedding party invite to your wedding party, do it with an additional touch of flair. You can make a handwritten note, add a small gift, or anything that will make your invite extra special. Some brides even have wedding party proposals!
Having Difficult Conversations in Advance
It’s a tricky thing to tell someone who expects to be part of the wedding party that they weren’t chosen. Regardless of how you feel, approach these discussions with sensitivity, compassion and honesty. Express how important they are to you and suggest alternative options in which they can contribute. You can always soften the blow by insisting they come and grace the event with their presence.
How to Include Friends Without a Bridal Party Role
There are so many other meaningful ways for your friends to take part in the celebration. You can assign responsibilities that play to their strengths. You can have some of them manage the guestbook, create a playlist for the ceremony, plan the post-ceremony party and more.
Build Your Perfect Wedding Party
Choosing your wedding party is very personal. By setting clear expectations and fostering open communication, you can make everyone feel included and appreciated. With the right people around you and the assistance of South Pacific Bridal, your celebration will be even more unforgettable.
