Almost every bride will have bridesmaids in her wedding. Having her close friends and sisters involved in her wedding makes it that much more enjoyable for the bride. You will want to strike the right balance with your bridal party: not too large and not too small.
The size of your bridal party will depend on a variety of factors. The length of your guest list, the formality of the wedding, and the ceremony location will all be considerations. Of course, the number of sisters, female cousins, or good friends that you have will also come into play when choosing your bridesmaids.
A good place to start is with the general size and style of the wedding. If you are inviting 350 guests to a black tie wedding in a cathedral, you can accommodate a much larger bridal party than if your wedding is in front of 80 people in a restaurant. More formal weddings will typically have more attendants than casual ones. The largest weddings can accommodate up to ten attendants, including bridesmaids, the maid or matron of honor, the flower girl, any junior bridesmaids, and perhaps a ring bearer. Just be sure that the venue is large enough to fit them all!
A medium sized wedding, say about 150 guests, would be better suited by about six bridesmaids. Too many more than that, and you will start to look like you are surrounded by the Rockettes. By the way, it is not mandatory for the bride and groom to have an equal number of attendants, although they frequently do. It is better to ask only those that are special to you than to invite casual acquaintances to participate in such an important rite of passage.
Small weddings should have a limited number of bridesmaids. One witness is really all that you need, but you could have up to three or four bridesmaids. A good way to decide is to ask yourself if you will have almost as many attendants as guests. If so – cut down the size of the bridal party (before you have asked them, of course!).
Beyond the size of your wedding and its location, think about your budget before choosing your attendants. Each bridesmaid will need to be given a special gift, and there will also be a luncheon in their honor. Pearl bridesmaid jewelry makes a wonderful gift for a bridal party of any size. The great thing about pearl bridesmaid jewelry is that it can be as affordable as it is beautiful, which makes it an excellent gift idea for brides with very large bridal parties.
Another factor is the logistics of managing a very large group of attendants. If they are coming from out of town, the bride usually provides somewhere for them to stay – often with a local bridesmaid or a relative to help defray the expenses the attendants must pay. Being a bridesmaid can be a very costly enterprise, so if you intend to invite a friend who you know cannot afford the expense, plan to graciously offer to cover some of her costs, such as the dress or a hotel room.
If you find yourself in a position of having more good friends than bridesmaid spots – first of all, consider yourself lucky to have so many special people in your life. You can find other ways to include loved ones in your wedding other than having them in the bridal party. Have your favorite cousin or future sister-in-law do a reading during the ceremony or be in charge of the guest book. There are plenty of ceremonial positions in a wedding.
Bridesmaids are an important part of any wedding. They provide support to the bride, help plan the event, and add a decorative element, as well. The key is to choose the right number of attendants, and to ask only those friends who you think will make your wedding more enjoyable for you.
Laura is interested in wedding planning and wedding trends including jewelry,receptions and gifts. Her articles for SilverlandJewelry.com provide helpful hints to planning a wedding. Visit silverlandjewelry for some great choices of pearl bridesmaid jewelry and other bridesmaid gifts.
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