The members of your bridal party are going to be your main support on your day, so think carefully before you ask your friends and family members to be a part of your entourage.
Each member of the bridal party has specific tasks to perform and it is important to consider the size of your wedding when deciding how many bridesmaids and groomsmen you will have. Most brides and grooms have between eight and twelve friends and relatives in their wedding party, but this number can vary. Being a member of someone’s bridal party requires responsibility, so think of people who are really close to you and are capable of performing the tasks.
Maid of honour & best man
Your maid of honour should be your most important assistant in the lead-up to the wedding and on the day, which is why you should opt for a person you love and trust. According to tradition, it should be your sister closest to your age, but modern day brides often choose their best friend or a close relative who has played and important role in their life.
The main responsibilities of a maid of honour include: helping the bride to pick her attire as well as the bridesmaid’s dresses, assist her in all aspects of wedding planning, such as choosing flowers and decorations, host the hen’s night and bridal shower, attend the rehearsal dinner, help the bride dress on the day of the wedding, arrange the veil and train, hold the bridal bouquet during the ceremony, and sign the marriage certificate.
The best man also has a demanding role and even though tradition says it should be the groom’s brother, it is possible to choose anyone the groom feels close to. His key tasks are to organise the buck’s night, help the groom choose suits for him and the groomsmen, attend the rehearsal dinner, organise transport to the ceremony venue for himself and the groom, help seat guests at the ceremony, escort the maid of honour during the procession, sign the marriage certificate, make a toast at the reception and organise a getaway car for the bride and groom. The best man should also safeguard gift envelopes and supervise the groomsmen and ushers.
Bridesmaids & groomsmen
Depending on the style and the size of her wedding, a bride can choose as many bridesmaids she thinks is appropriate. They can be friends or members of the family and most brides usually choose to include at least one of the groom’s sisters in their entourage. Apart from looking gorgeous, your bridesmaids should help the maid of honour host bridal showers, decorate the venue and arrange wedding favours if needed, attend the rehearsal dinner, walk down the aisle before the maid of honour, help carry your veil as well as your wedding day essentials and dance at the reception.
The rules for choosing groomsmen are similar to those that apply for selecting the bridesmaids. Their tasks include helping the best man to organise the buck’s night, decorating a getaway car and walking in the procession alongside the best man. You can also ask them to distribute order of service programs and escort the guests to their seats.
Flower girls & ring bearers
If you want to include children in your wedding, you can ask them to be your flower girls or ring bearers. Girls usually love to perform this task and all they need to do is wear pretty dresses and walk down the aisle with baskets filled with flower petals. Boys usually have the role to hold the wedding bands for the bride and groom and hand them to the best man during the ceremony.
The children you intend to include in your bridal party should be at least four years old, and you need to carefully assess what kind of tasks they are capable of executing. If you are not sure if they can perform the tasks you would like them to do, you should ask their parents for their opinion and also organise a few rehearsals before the day.
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