One of the things you’ll need to decide when you’re planning your wedding is who is going to be in the wedding party. Most couples have to deal with all kinds of pressures, from all kinds of people, and this can make the process of choosing very stressful. However, if you break things down to the basics, it doesn’t have to be. Let’s take a look at the best criteria to use for choosing who will be in the wedding party for your ceremony.
There are no official rules on how many people you’ll have in the party, but three each is the most common. Traditionally, the groomsmen and bridesmaids are chosen in equal numbers, so that they can accompany one another down the aisle, but this is not required. Siblings of the bride and groom, as well as their close friends, are traditionally part of the wedding party, and relatives are another common choice. However, there’s more to picking who’ll accompany you than just a close relationship.
Your wedding party must be able to be reliable, and they must be able to attend the wedding. If you need to decide between two different people, it’s wise to choose the one who will be able to make it to the wedding and rehearsals the easiest. A long trip could make things complicated. The fewer people in your wedding party, the easier putting the whole thing together will be. You’ll have less trouble picking times for dress shopping, dress fittings, showers, etc, because there will be fewer people in the mix that you have to accommodate.
It’s generally considered appropriate for couples to offer a small gift to each member of the wedding party in thanks. For couples who are on a tight budget, limiting the size of the wedding party can be important since it reduces the number of gifts you’ll be required to buy. Make sure that you offer something that’s of a reasonable value to you and the others in the party and make it something that’s different from your wedding favors.
While it’s traditional to have young people as members of the wedding party in most cases, you don’t have to go by age. Selecting members by looks or by age is no longer considered ideal, so if you want to have someone in your wedding party who is important to you, you should go ahead and ask them even if others might not think the person “fits in”. Remember – the most important thing is the bond between you and the people in your wedding party, not what other people think. This should be the biggest factor in guiding your choices.
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