Your bridal party should include friends and family members that are closest to you, so why not ditch the tradition of dividing your entourage along gender lines and have bridesmen and groomsmaids instead!
Yes, having only female bridesmaids and male groomsmen on your wedding day is another tradition you can skip. Many brides have male best friends, while a lot of grooms hang out with females, which is why more and more couples are choosing non-traditional bridal party options.
How To Choose Members Of Your Bridal Party
Ask yourselves who are your closest friends, who are the people you feel comfortable with and who have witnessed the most important events in your life? Your choices should be based on relationships you have with your friends and family members, so go for people you trust, and those you can relax and have fun with without any stress. This group of people will be spending time together on more the one occasion before the wedding day, so keep this in mind while making a list.
If some of the bride’s closest mates are males, she can call them her bridesmen, while the groom can have his groomsmaids in his entourage, and there can even be a man of honour! This novel concept might sound a bit intimidating to those who worry about the bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen attire or planning a church wedding, but many couples manage to pull it off very well and prove that it can be done with style. Modern weddings are all about uniqueness and personalisation, so don’t be shy to apply this principle when choosing your bridal party!
How To Coordinate Outfits For Your Bridal Party
Choosing outfits for your bridesmen and groomsmaids can be challenging too. The task can be very easy if you pick a colour scheme that can work for both genders. Take navy and white for example! Your bridesmaids can wear navy dresses, while the bridesmen can pick chic navy suits, and groomsmaids can opt for simple black dresses to blend in with the guys in tuxedos on the other side!
Even if you prefer brighter shades in your wedding colour palette, there are still simple solutions to consider for your non-traditional bridal party. Whether you like bright green, sky blue or even ever so feminine blush pink; it is enough to pick one accessory that will make the connection you need. Your bridesmen’s attire can include a silk tie and a pocket hanky to match the shade of the bridesmaid’s dresses. To make the job of dressing up the groomsmaids easier, you can choose coloured ties for the groomsmen and have dresses in the same hue for the female members of the groom’s entourage.
How To Organise Your Ceremony Recessional
If you want a non-traditional bridal party with bridesmen and groomsmaids included, organising a ceremony recessional is one of the trickiest jobs. Traditionally, bridesmaids and groomsmen should be coupled and make their exit in male/female pairs. If you have one bridesman and one groomsmaid this won’t be a problem, but if you are left with unequal numbers, you can either arrange groups of three bridal party members, provided that the aisle is wide enough, or let everyone leave the ceremony alone, if you want to avoid same sex couples.
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