A couple of mine didn’t have a wedding party.
I’d never heard of someone doing that before. But the more I thought about it, I loved the idea.
You don’t need to think about coordinating dresses. Picking friends. Putting them in order. What about old friends you hadn’t seen in ages? What about sister(s)-in-law? If someone included you in her wedding party, do you have to include her in yours? Feelings? Money? Yikes.
Don’t get me wrong, standing by your best friends on a wedding day is special! I’m not trying to undermine that at all. But if choosing/planning bridesmaids is proving to super stressful, maybe consider another option.
It's your wedding and you can do whatever you want. You can still have a bachelor/bachelorette party. You can still invite friends to get ready with you. You can take photos with whoever you want to. You can even have an open mic policy (anyone can get up and give a toast – not just the best man and maid of honor). It's your day!
You can even guide your guests' fashion choices! If you're still wanting lots of friend group pictures, you can ask your girl friends beforehand to try to avoid patterns and opt for neutrals/pastel colors. If you do so, everyone's outfits will look good together in group pictures :)
One caveat to add is that your bridesmaids do a lot for you – before the wedding and on the day of. Consider hiring a day of coordinator/wedding planner to help you with details of the wedding day that a bridesmaid may have helped with.
You don’t have to plan your wedding the way the wedding world tells you to. I know it is untraditional – but I wanted to pass along the thought. Ultimately, just do what is best for you and your fiance! :)
Planning a wedding can be overwhelming! But I gotchu ;) After going to so many weddings as a photographer, I've got plenty of recommendations. I made a guide breaking down each part of the wedding day for all my brides. And the best part? I'll share it with you. Absolutely free! Click here
