Wedding 101
7 Alternatives to Having a Traditional Bridal Party
21 Sep 2021 •2 min read
Perhaps you have a massive family or big group of friends and don't want to hurt someone's feelings by not including them in your wedding party. Or maybe you think the idea of bridesmaids and groomsmen is totally not for you. Whatever your reasoning, it's perfectly fine to skip the bridal party! Still want to honor the important people in your life without having them stand up beside you in matching outfits? Here are seven ways to pull of an alternative bridal party.
1. Call out important people in your program, on your website, or in your speech.
Give your besties, siblings, cousins, etc. a special shout-out and let them know they mean the world to you.
2. Ask your nearest and dearest to wear a certain color.
Instead of having a bridal party up at the altar in matching attire, ask your "special people" to wear a certain color so they stand out at the wedding.
3. Give corsages, boutonnieres, anklets, or other special markers to your would-be bridal party.
Give each of your closest pals something special to wear so they feel honored at your wedding, and so others know who they are.
4. Invite your special someones to a night-before-the-wedding dinner.
With a traditional wedding party, you'd have a rehearsal dinner the night before your wedding. Instead of having your bridesmaids and groomsmen participate in a walk-through, do the ceremony prep on your own then join your closest friends and family members for an intimate dinner and speeches.
5. Honor your friends with a special day out.
Take your closest friends out for a spa day or just to a nice brunch the morning of the wedding.
6. Have your pals with you in your dressing room on the big day.
Bridesmaids spend the wedding morning getting ready with the bride, so why not have your closest gals with you in the bridal suite, even if they're not getting into matching outfits? They can travel with you to the ceremony site then take their seats with the rest of the guests.
7. Ask your friends to speak or do readings.
If you have confident friends who don't mind public speaking, ask them to give toasts or share readings on your big day.
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