With engagement season in full swing, we know so many of you have either just experienced or are about to experience one of the best days of your life! The love of your life just popped the question and now you’re sporting that gorgeous ring on your left hand! If you haven’t already started, chances are you’ll soon be hitting the ground running on all things wedding planning. You’ll likely have an engagement party, start creating Pinterest boards, and register on websites like the Knot or Zola. All of these are just the beginning of the process to create your best day ever! Another integral aspect of any wedding ceremony and reception is the actual people who will celebrate with you! This brings us to our Blog post topic: Who will be a part of my wedding party?
On today’s blog, we’ll be looking into a few different aspects in regards to selecting your bridal party. From frequently asked questions to gift ideas and more, you’ll always remember having your besties with you as you tie the knot! Believe it or not, there is plenty to discuss on this topic. We will cover different aspects of the Bridal Party and show how they are intertwined with many aspects of wedding planning. In regards to your bridesmaids, there are a handful of items that either you can cover or choose to have them be in charge of handling. So, let’s get this party started and talk all about the Bridal Party!
How many bridesmaids will you have?
One of the reasons we love weddings is the fact that there are no set-in-stone guidelines. After all, it’s your big day and you’re allowed to plan it exactly how you’ve envisioned your wedding day! While the wedding industry is filled with plenty of traditions, there’s nothing requiring you to follow all of these traditional practices. The first bridesmaid FAQ is a perfect example of giving you the flexibility to customize your day. It is so awesome to realize there’s no limit to how many bridesmaids you can have in your bridal party. We have noticed at Historic Venue 1902 that the average bridal party is 3-5, However, we have seen plenty of instances that don’t fall in this range. It’s like we said, it is your wedding and you get to create the day of your dreams! Maybe that means you choose not to have bridesmaids and just have friends hanging with you in our gorgeous bridal suite. It could mean 10 plus bridesmaids. If that’s the case, then you might consider upgrading to the Historic Venue 1902 Lounge and enjoy the extra space! It’s entirely up to you!
How to ask your besties to be your bridesmaids?
Asking your friends to stand up with you as you Say I Do to the Love of your life is one area where you can add your own personalized touch! While the possibilities for doing this are endless, there are some basic pieces of advice we can provide here. We always recommend going with something original and thoughtful for your bridesmaid proposal. If you’re struggling with gift ideas, take a look through Pinterest and we’re sure something will catch your eye. Custom socks, personalized tumblers, jewelry, handwritten notes, or DIY items, you name it! In addition, if you want to match the gifts to the specific person, you might consider finding something that suits their particular personality/interests. If you are not super crafty or just super busy and need a little more help, Etsy is a great resource to find cute ways to ask your friends to join you on your wedding day!
What are bridesmaids responsible for?
We all know the Bridesmaids are typically some of the bride’s closest friends and/or family members and the role they play is significant throughout both the planning process and the wedding day. The main role of a bridesmaid is to assist the Maid of Honor with her big wedding-planning duties and offer additional help to the bride as needed. But, the list of bridesmaid duties doesn’t end there. They are all responsible for so many other pieces that go into planning and executing the bride’s dream wedding. Here is a list of duties to help make sure the planning process and wedding day are as special as your friend!
Pre-Wedding Day Bridal Party Duties
Emotionally supporting the bride at all times throughout the wedding planning and ceremony.
Assisting the Maid of Honor in planning and paying for the bridal shower and bachelorette party and, of course, assisting the Maid of Honor throughout the wedding day.
Attending all pre-wedding events, like the engagement party, wedding shower, bachelorette party, rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, etc.
Running necessary errands during wedding planning, at pre-ceremony events, and even on the day of the wedding, if needed.
Keeping a record of gifts at the bridal shower so the bride knows who to thank for which gifts.
Working with the bride and Maid of Honor to help address, seal, and stamp bridal shower thank-you cards.
Offering extra hands in making items for the wedding, such as DIY favors, place cards, etc.
Purchasing their own gowns and accessories, including shoes, jewelry, and undergarments. Bridesmaids are also responsible for attending all fittings for their dresses.
Wedding Day Bridal Party Duties
Helping the bride get ready the morning of the wedding: double-checking her hair, straightening her veil, and making sure she doesn’t miss any accessories.
Assisting with decorating at all and any events: engagement party, bridal shower, reception venue, church or ceremony site, etc.
Coordinating any day-of communications with vendors, guests, etc.
Organizing wedding gifts and keeping them in a safe place throughout the day/night, if your Venue does not provide a team of coordinators who will handle this for you!
Staying at the reception until it ends and helping with packing gifts, gathering centerpieces, etc., unless you are getting married at Historic Venue 1902 where our team will be there to help seamlessly execute the day and ensure everything is stress free!
Dress, shoes, jewelry, etc. – Traditionally speaking, most of the time, bridesmaids cover these expenses themselves. In terms of the actual dress itself though, there are generally varying opinions. While all brides will typically have an overall vision or dress color they want their bridesmaids to utilize, not all of them require their bridesmaids to get a specific dress. Whatever the case, remember to be sensitive and supportive!
Bridal shower – The bridal shower is one event that will require some planning. In terms of the financial implications, this is usually handled by either the mother of the bride, maid of honor or another family member. In some cases, bridesmaids may chip in for food, decorations or other miscellaneous items.
Bouquets and other accessories – When it comes to the bouquets, getting ready attire and various other floral accessories, these are usually taken care of by the bride. Keep in mind that the same can be said for the groomsmen.
What is the most important thing to remember throughout the entire process?
Knowing what is expected can help you prepare to be the best support on wedding day and throughout the planning process! As her best friends, siblings, relatives, and just generally the people she wants surrounding her, the bridal party carries the role of being the bride’s emotional rock. Wedding planning can come with its fair amount of stress, so bridesmaids should check in with her throughout the process, ask what she needs, and do their best to thoughtfully and sensitively support her feelings.
Our final and most important piece of advice is simply enjoy this time with your friends and make the most of the process! It is truly such a memorable experience and there is no reason to stress over the small things! Enjoy the journey!
Still Need a Wedding Venue?
No matter if you’re a bridesmaid getting ready to stand by your BFF on this special day or a bride planning who will be standing beside you, we hope you have found some value in this bridesmaids-themed blog post!
Our venue team is here to help you from booking to the wedding day! If you haven’t booked your wedding, we would love for you to come and visit and let us show you why choosing Historic Venue 1902 can be the perfect backdrop for creating your custom and uniquely yours best day ever! Historic Venue 1902 is conveniently located just outside of Orlando in the beautiful Historic district of Sanford. We have been honored and privileged to host hundreds of weddings and celebrate so much love, we would love to show you everything Historic Venue 1902 has to offer. To schedule a tour, you can text or call 407-986-8600. In the meantime, feel free to check out our Instagram page and see the many reasons you too should say I do at Historic Venue 1902!