Tips for Choosing Your Bridesmaids

Tips for Choosing Your Bridesmaids

Weddings are sometimes years in the making, so making the right decisions to ensure the ceremony runs smoothly is sometimes underestimated in terms of importance.

As the bride, the first thing you are probably thinking about is who you’re going to pick to stand at the altar with you. It’s a big decision to make, and as easy as it is for you to name the women you want in your party, there will be cases of people requesting or even expecting to be a bridesmaid. As the writers from Bridal Guide have pointed out, choosing your bridesmaids can be like strolling through a minefield.

Taking inspiration from the many wedding themed movies that we’ve seen, some choices seem to be pretty obvious, such as sisters and best friends. Among the many motion pictures that probably shaped our idea of what a bridal party should be like is Bridesmaids, a film which also inspired bridal party games on Pinterest and the video slot game Bridesmaids from the online gaming company, Spin Genie. The chick flick details the interactions between all the different personalities, and while there was only one major clash between Annie (Kristen Wiig) and Helen (Rose Byrne), everyone seemed to get along quite well. Of course, the wedding is all about you, but you also want to make sure you’ve enlisted all the right people to keep everyone happy.

Despite the potential problems that may arise when narrowing down your list of bridesmaids, the process doesn’t have to be that difficult. So with that in mind, here are a few tips to help you make your selection:

1) Think twice before asking

One of the very first tips that The Knot shares is to take time deciding before asking people to be in the party. Family members are a given, but in terms of friends, you should give it more thought. People come and go, thus it’s the lifelong friendships that you want standing by your side on your big day. Give yourself some time before making any commitments. Remember that you don’t have to include everyone in your party.

2) You don’t have to follow conventional rules for a bridal party

Are you thinking about having a man of honour rather than a maid of honour? Don’t be afraid to break the rules. The people that are designated roles are expected to have more responsibilities than the rest of the party, so if you want to have more than one maid or man of honour, feel free to do so.

3) Be honest about expectations

Some brides like to plan everything to the last detail, while others delegate tasks to their bridesmaids. You need to consider what each person is capable of accomplishing, as a best friend who lives overseas probably can’t do as much as your sister who lives down the street. You’ll also need to discuss the budget with the bridesmaids. Marissa Miller from Vogue explains that this is a tough conversation to have, especially for those who can’t afford the costs. If that is the case, talk to the bridesmaids individually to work out finances. If the costs are too high for most, consider reworking some details to lower the budget.