Wedding Party Advice
In our Wedding Party Advice, yes! Size does matter for a lot of things….including your wedding party size! This can become a big stress point while planning a wedding. Do you include everyone? Do you opt not to have anyone? Are 10 people too many? Are three people too little? How do I tell someone they’re not in the wedding party? Don’t worry; we got you!
First things first, if you’re new here, we believe in doing you! Create a wedding day that’s truly a representation of who you two are as a couple! After all you’re the two people getting married, you should enjoy your wedding too! Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about the size of your wedding party!
Team No wedding Party
This has been a rising trend since 2020. We’re here for for this piece of wedding Party Advice! We’ve had many couples who have opted for no wedding party, stating that they simply couldn’t choose who to include. Or they want to keep it simple and intimate. Whatever the reason, do you! Some benefits to not wedding party: you’ll have more portraits of the two of you, less coordination with hair & makeup, and it removes an added dynamic to a wedding day; after all, everyone has their own personality. How do you break the news that you’re opting out of a wedding party? Be direct and straightforward with your decision. If you feel comfortable, give an explanation that centers the decision back on you and your partner’s vision for YOUR day! Disclaimer: Be ready for some negative feedback; this is why I want you to be strong in the delivery of your decision.
One & Done!
There are a few options for this one-and-done choice for your wedding party! Option One: Simply have one person stand up next to you. Keep it clean and to the point, your closest person ever next to you. Option Two: Have one person stand up with you at the alter but include your closest people as a ‘friend party’ of sorts! Jimmy and Marissa did this for their June wedding,(location: Hermitage Museum) and I was in LOVE with it! They still included their favorite people, we did photos, and they were given a color palette/theme to work from for their attire….it was coordination perfection! For the ceremony, all of their ‘friend party’ sat together!
The Average
The average number of wedding party members is 4. Four wedding party people per side is the most traditional option. And we don’t mean traditional, as your Aunt Mable has four bridesmaids in her 1942 wedding. We’re talking about the most common size. It’s a great happy medium, not overwhelming, and you can still avoid the awkward conversation of ‘Are you including the new in-law spouses’. It makes a clear statement that they are the closest humans to you, ever. Plus more than likely, all four of these humans have met before, they get along (or at least for your sake they do when you’re all together) so there’s not awkward worry about dynamic!
All or nothing!
The largest wedding party possible! Bring all your people together, and we mean ALL OF THEM! We’re talking about friends, cousins, aunties, and your new in-law spouses. We get it, you want this to be a party, and for that, we say YOU DO YOU! If you can handle a wedding party of 10 or 12 people, do it! We know how to capture that size, but you need to be ok with that much energy around you on your wedding and throughout the planning process. If you are an introvert and get nervous around crowds….this is not the option for you! If you’re a social buttery, this is ideal! Our biggest advice here, be strict. Be clear on timelines and expectations, and do a much pre-planning so you can enjoy your wedding day and everyone else you’ve chosen to stand next to you can do all the work for you!
