Who To Invite To Your Wedding Party – 3 Awesome Ideas

Planning a wedding is an exciting and stressful time. One of your most important decisions is who to invite to your wedding party. It cannot be easy to decide who should be included in such an important event, but by carefully considering, you can create the perfect guest list. This article will provide three awesome ideas for who to invite to your wedding party.

From considering your style and seating arrangements to thinking about key questions and close friends and family, these tips will help you create the perfect guest list for your special day.

who to invite to your wedding party | WEDISTRY

Awesome Ideas on Who to Invite to Your Wedding Party

Inviting guests is a crucial part of your wedding planning process. However, it can be hard to decide who to invite and who to leave out. Some tough decisions there. Here are three awesome ideas on who to invite to your wedding party:

1. Family Comes First

When it comes to your wedding party, the family should always come first. Consider inviting close relatives such as siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. You can also consider including extended family members such as cousins or even great-grandparents if they can attend. Think About Style and Seating Arrangements

2. Friends and Colleagues

Regarding your wedding party, you should consider inviting close friends, female friends, male friends, and colleagues. Think about who has been there for you throughout the years and who will support your special day. Consider inviting those who have been a part of your life for a long time or helped you somehow.

3. Neighbors and Other Special Guests

Finally, it would be best to consider inviting neighbors and other special guests. Neighbors are often overlooked when it comes to wedding invitations, but they can be a great addition to your wedding party. Consider inviting those who have been supportive of you throughout the years or those who have helped you in some way. You can also consider inviting other special guests, such as teachers, mentors, or even close family friends.

Key Questions to Consider

When deciding who to invite to your wedding party, it is important to ask yourself some key questions.

  • Who are the people that you would want standing up with you on your special day?
  • Who do you want to be there to celebrate with you?
  • Who will make your wedding day even more special?
  • When did I last see this person?
  • How close are you to your coworkers?
  • Did I go to this person’s wedding?
  • Do I feel at ease around this person?
  • Would you consider rescheduling your wedding date if this person couldn’t attend?
  • These are all important questions to consider when making your guest list.

Once you have considered these three awesome ideas, you should be able to create the perfect wedding guest list for your wedding party. Remember to think about family, friends, and colleagues who will make your day even more special. Also, consider your celebration style, wedding budget, and seating arrangements when making your decisions. Finally, ask yourself key questions such as who you want to stand up with on your special day. With these tips, you can create the perfect guest list for your wedding party.

your wedding party | WEDISTRY

Who Not To Invite to Your Wedding Party?

Now, that’s a tough question. It’s important to remember that your wedding day is remarkable for you and your partner and the special people who are a part of your life. You should be surrounded by your favorite people who love and support you, not those who will bring negative energy or drama. As a rule, avoid inviting anyone who may cause tension or conflict between family members or friends. Additionally, it’s best to avoid inviting anyone with whom you have had a falling out or disagreement.

Finally, it’s important to remember that your wedding day is not the time to invite acquaintances or people you don’t know well, like a casual friend or a long-lost school friend.

 | WEDISTRY

How to Choose Your Wedding Party

When planning a wedding, you’ll probably spend hours thinking about how you will pull off the perfect event. But if you’ve got a lot of friends who love to help out, you should consider having a wedding shower instead. A bridal shower is a great way to get together with your closest friends and celebrate the upcoming marriage. It’s also fun to show off your new home and share your excitement with those who mean the most to you.

So, you should not pick your bridal party based on who can perform specific duties at the last moment, nor should you base your decision on how much help they can provide you during the planning process. Instead, you should select your bridal party based on their ability to assist you throughout your marriage. In addition, you should ensure they possess specific skill sets that will be helpful during your life together. A good choice of bridesmaid would include someone who could cook, clean, sew, organize, play games, keep secrets, care for children, and much more.

When it is time to assign your roles, there are certain things you must not do. It would be best if you did not try to appease everyone. Your special day is yours alone; you should not allow anyone else to control it. However, you can choose where each person fits into your ceremony and reception. Everyone will feel comfortable in an environment they enjoy.

You’ve chosen your party theme. Now, you need to decide if you want to go through with it. If you’re unsure whether you want to go ahead, don’t worry because it’s not too late to change things up.

your wedding party | WEDISTRY

The Bridal Party

You might ask yourself: “How many bridesmaids do I need?” There is no fixed answer, but you can consider balancing this with your spouse and thinking about how this will impact your wedding’s photos, introductions at your reception, and how you’ll seat guests at your head table. For example, the size of your bridal group will impact your photo sessions, your introduction at your reception, and where you’ll seat people at your head table.

Regarding the number of bridesmaids you want at your reception, remember to include guests who are serving as either the matron of honor or the best man. Also, consider any double duties people may be performing during the ceremony.

your wedding party | WEDISTRY

The Groomsmen

The groomsman is usually a little easier to assign to their roles. However, there are still a few things to remember. Most groomsmen have one best man, but remember that you can do what’s best for you when assigning your wedding party. It is often helpful to have two or more best men if those people mean that much to you. This can be an excellent way to solve the issue of including groomsmen who mean equally as much to you in our wedding.

Remember to even out the assignments among the groomsmen. For example, if one person has to take care of the transportation, another person could help them park at the hotel, etc. If people need to get to the airport early to pick up someone who isn’t going to play an essential role at the ceremony, then others could help them with things closer to the ceremony.

Do I Have to Pick a Maid of Honor?

If you are having a traditional wedding, you probably already know which of your friends will take over your maid of honor duties. But if you plan a non-traditional wedding, you may not know who will be your maid of honor.

In most cases, the bride chooses her maid of honor. The groom doesn’t always choose his best man, but he does choose his groomsman.

In some instances, the bride and groom choose their maid of honor.

There are other ways to decide who will be your maid of honor

How should I ask my friends to be my bridesmaids?

When asking your friends to be your bridesmaids, ensure they understand this is a big commitment. They should know they will be expected to wear an appropriate wedding dress.

They should also know they must travel to the wedding location and stay overnight.

Make sure they understand that they will be expected to attend the wedding and participate in the rehearsal dinner, rehearsal, reception, and any other events associated with the wedding.

Ensure they understand they must be available to assist you during the wedding day.

If you invite close family members, ensure they understand the responsibilities involved.

If you are having multiple weddings, ensure each bridesmaid understands that she will be expected to attend all.

Include your family

Your parents, siblings, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and extended family members are essential to your wedding party.

They are usually invited to the wedding but aren’t necessarily included in the party.

Including them in the wedding party shows respect to them by acknowledging their presence.

Traditional Wedding Party Roles

The roles of the wedding party are very important to the success of your wedding.

Here are some of the more common roles:

Best Man – This person serves as the designated driver for the group. He or she is responsible for making sure everything runs smoothly.

Groomsman – This person is one of the groomsmen. He or she helps plan the bachelor party.

Maid of Honor – This person is the bride’s closest friend. She plans the bridal shower.

Bridesmaid – This person is one of the bride’s sisters or female cousins. She assists the bride in selecting her gown.

Flower Girl/ Ring Bearer – This person carries the flowers at the ceremony.

Ushers – This person escorts guests into the reception hall.

Best Man (or Groom) – This person is one-half of the couple. He or she is often the best man at the wedding.

Best Friend – This person is one-third of the couple. He is often the best man’s best friend.

Wedding Planner – This person is one-quarter of the couple. He organizes the wedding.

Father of the Bride – This person is one-eighth of the couple. He may be the father of the groom, or he may be the father of another member of the wedding party.

Mother of the Bride – This woman is one-sixteenth of the couple. She may be the groom’s mother or another member of the marriage party.

Grandmother of the Bride – This grandmother is one thirty-second of the couple. She is usually the mother of the groom.

Grandfather of the Bride – This grandfather is one-fourth of the couple. He’s usually the father of the groom.

Uncle(s)/ Aunt(s) – This uncle or aunt is one fifty-sixth of the couple. He/she is usually the brother or sister of the bride or groom.

Other Family Members

You can also include other family members, such as aunts, uncles, and cousins who have been married.

This type of guest is not considered part of the wedding party. They are just there to celebrate with you.

Ceremonial Roles

When planning a traditional wedding, you’ll want to assign ceremonial duties to certain people.

These positions help keep things running smoothly on the big day.

Bride’s Father – The bride’s father oversees the wedding arrangements.

Bridal Chorus – A chorus sings at the beginning and end of the wedding ceremony.

Cake Decorator – The cake decorator creates the cake.

Favors Table – Guests bring favors to this table.

Guest Book Signer – Someone signs the guest’s book.

Hair & Makeup Artist – Hair and makeup artists work together to create an attractive appearance.

Marriage License Clerk – Someone keeps track of the guests signing the marriage license.

Officiant – An officiant delivers the vows and performs the ceremony.

Officiant’s Assistant – Another person helps during the ceremony and leads the participants in song.

Photographer – This person takes pictures during the ceremony.

Reception Photographer – At the reception, the photographer captures special moments for the newlyweds.

Ringbearer/ Flowergirl – The ring-bearer and flower girl carry rings and flowers to the happy couple.

Table Numbers – People sit where they’re assigned.

Vendor – Vendors sell food items and drinks.

Waiters/ Waitresses – The waiters serve food and drinks.

Supplementary and Support Roles

There will likely be more than enough people involved in the wedding party to require supplementary roles. If your budget allows, consider hiring professional assistants to ensure everything runs smoothly.

If you plan to have any “extra” role, finding someone outside your group to fill that position might be easier. You don’t need to hire someone from the same profession, but having different skill sets can help ensure everyone gets their job done right.

Extra Staff

Your wedding party won’t need every member listed above if you do everything yourself. However, it would be best to consider how much time each person will take.

You must determine what each person does if you decide to have helpers. For example, you might ask the following questions:

  • What jobs do I need help with?
  • How many people will perform those tasks?
  • Will each helper have multiple jobs?
  • Can one person handle all of these tasks? Or will several people be needed?

It could be difficult to plan for extra staff without knowing exactly what responsibilities each person will have.

Consider the following examples:

  • A wedding planner may organize the rehearsal dinner and wedding reception.
  • An assistant may set up decorations, serve refreshments, and clean up afterward.
  • A videographer may record the ceremony and reception.
  • A musician may play music at the wedding.

Do You Need Help?

You’ll want to discuss whether others must perform certain tasks or not. If so, you’ll need to figure out who will perform them.

Some weddings have a designated driver responsible for getting everyone home safely after the reception. Getting a list of wedding party members from everyone before the wedding is good practice so you know who’s driving who.

You’ll need to make transportation plans if you don’t have anyone else to drive your guests. Some couples provide rides in limos and stretch cars, while others allow friends and family to pick them up in their vehicles.

Depending on the length of the wedding, some brides offer a shuttle service between the ceremony site and the reception hall. Other couples make their way there via taxi or other means.

The wedding cost may vary depending on how long it takes to prepare. The longer you spend planning, the more money you’ll save. But you may also have additional expenses like travel and entertainment costs that aren’t included in the basic price tag.

Depending on the type of wedding, you may have extra work once your guests arrive. A destination wedding requires a lot of preparation beforehand since most venues aren’t built for large crowds. An indoor wedding needs tables and chairs. An outdoor wedding needs tents, umbrellas, and anything else you might need to protect against weather conditions.

You’ll also need to plan for cleanup. Many receptions include food and drinks that require plates, cups, glasses, utensils, and napkins. In addition, you’ll need to figure out how much trash to collect and where to store it.

Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, especially considering the details involved. No matter how organized your guest list is, you’re bound to forget something. If you start thinking ahead, you’ll be able to identify potential problems before they become big issues.

Planning the Party

Dressing to Impress

Dress for the wedding party can be a fun part of wedding planning. If you don’t care about matching, just show off your personality. You can do this with a casual dress or one that matches your style.

Wedding parties often include men in tuxedoes or suits, women in cocktail dresses or evening gowns, and children in formal attire. While no one has to wear a specific outfit, it can add to the atmosphere during the festivities.

If you decide to coordinate outfits, avoid coordinating colors and styles. That might seem easy enough, but you must consider your wedding venue. For instance, you may choose black-tie attire because you’ll attend an elegant event like a ballroom dance. However, your wedding ceremony might be outdoors in front of a colorful backdrop.

You should consider your style as well. Do you prefer to go all out or keep things simple? Are you going for elegance or comfort? Once you’ve answered these questions, you can select appropriate outfits.

To look professional yet comfortable, try wearing solid-colored clothing. Avoid patterns and bold prints when possible; opt for subtle colors that blend naturally.

If you’re unsure what to wear, visit a local department store or boutique to find inspiration. Or browse online boutiques to see which styles are popular among your intended audience.

Best Seats in the House

Where the wedding party sits is as important as you want it to be. Some couples prefer to have their wedding party sit in certain assigned seats. Others make their own choices, so everyone feels welcome at the reception.

Regardless of how you arrange the seating chart, plan on having plenty of places to accommodate any last-minute changes. Someone will likely ask to switch seats after the ceremony. As such, you need to reserve space for the new arrangement.

Make sure there’s room for everyone at the table by adding chairs or increasing the size of existing ones. Keep in mind that if the table isn’t big enough, you won’t be able to fit everyone comfortably.

Consider the number of people you expect to attend. If you’re hosting a small wedding party, you might only need two or three seats at each table. To accommodate larger groups, however, you may want to set up tables that seat eight.

While it’s common practice to invite guests to sit wherever they’d like, some couples prefer to assign specific seats. This doesn’t mean they aren’t happy to have anyone join them at the table. Instead, they want to ensure everyone knows where they should sit.

The Good News

The good news is that even if you’re limited in choosing bridesmaids and groomsmen, you can still develop ways to include them all.

Because I got married late, there were many people whom I wanted to invite to my ceremony. But I had to choose the right guests for my party. This wasn’t easy to do. I also wanted to please my bride by having an equal number of men and women at her party. These are the things that helped me pick out the perfect guests.

It can be challenging to choose your bridal party. After all, you’ve got close friends and relatives you’ve been acquainted with for years. But, the task ahead will be to think about how you’ll pick your bridal party. This won’t be something that you decide on in one single moment. You might spend a little time thinking about it and even reminiscing, but it will all be worthwhile!

FAQs

Do I have to invite someone who asked me to attend their wedding?

No, you are not obligated to invite someone who asked you to attend their wedding. It is ultimately up to you who you invite and include in your wedding party. You should consider the person’s relationship with you, how close they are to you, and their impact on your life before making a decision. Ultimately, it is important that you feel comfortable with the people.

Do I even need a wedding party?

Do you even need a wedding party? This is a question that many couples ask themselves when planning their big day. The answer depends on your personal preference and the size of your wedding. Suppose you are having a small, intimate ceremony. In that case, it may not be necessary to have a large wedding party with all the elements of a grand wedding, like an elaborate dance floor, fancy dress code, and wedding attire. However, having bridesmaids and groomsmen can be a great way to honor your closest family and friends if you are having a huge wedding party.

How many people should I call to my wedding party?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer when deciding how many people to invite to your wedding party. The number of people you choose to include in your bridal party will depend on the size of your wedding and the type of celebration you have.

Should I accept wedding gifts from guests?

When it comes to accepting wedding gifts from guests, it is ultimately up to you and your partner. Some couples accept gifts as a way of showing appreciation for their guests’ generosity, while others prefer not to receive any gifts. If you decide to accept wedding gifts, make sure you have a plan for how you will handle them.

author avatar
Aaron Smith
Hi, my name is Aaron! I’m glad to be the founder of Wedistry, a collection of tools and tips to prepare couples for their wedding day. I am currently the manager of the Wedistry Blog and Wedistry for Wedding Parties on the App Store. Thanks for stopping by and I hope that you find this content helpful during your wedding planning process.

About Our Content Creators

Aaron is a wedding officiant with 12 years of experience. After being a guest in weddings and a member of wedding parties numerous times, he was inspired to create ways to better support couples through wedding planning tools.

Aaron is an ordained minister and holds an M. Div. from the University of Chicago.

We may earn a commission if you click on the links within this article. Learn more.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

More…!