Planning a wedding is an exciting and stressful time. One of the most important decisions you will make is who to invite to your wedding party. It can be difficult to decide who should be included in such an important event, but with some careful thought and consideration, you can create the perfect guest list. In this article, we will provide three awesome ideas for who to invite to your wedding party.
Related Resource: 5 Proven Tips to Ask Your Bridesmaids 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.
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 pretty hard to decide on 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 are able to attend. Think About Style and Seating Arrangements
2. Friends and Colleagues
When it comes to your wedding party, you should also consider inviting close friends, female friends, male friends, and colleagues. Think about who has been there for you throughout the years and who will be supportive of your special day. Consider inviting those who have been a part of your life for a long time or those who have helped you in some way.
3. Neighbors and Other Special Guests
Finally, you should 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 that should be considered 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 do you want standing up with you on your special day? With these tips in mind, you will be able to create the perfect guest list for your wedding party.
Who Not To Invite to Your Wedding Party?
Now, that’s a tough question. It’s important to remember that your wedding day is a remarkable day for you and your partner and the special people that 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 of thumb, consider avoiding 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 in the past.
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.
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, then 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 a fun way to show off your new home and share your excitement with those who mean the most to you.
And 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 make sure that they possess specific skill sets that will prove helpful during your life together. A good choice of bridesmaid would include someone who could cook, clean, sew, organize, play games, keep secrets, take care of children, and much more.
When it is time to assign your roles, there are certain things you must not do. You should not try to appease everyone. Your special day is yours alone; you should not allow anyone else to take control of 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.
The Bridal Party
You might ask yourself one question: “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, your photo sessions, your introduction at your reception, and where you’ll seat people at your head table will be impacted by the size of your bridal group.
As far as the number of bridesmaids you want to have 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.
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 when assigning your wedding party, you can do what’s best for you. It is often helpful to have two best men or more if those people mean that much to you in your life. 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 are planning 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 for the occasion.
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.
Make sure they understand that they must be available to assist you during the wedding day.
If you are inviting close family members, make sure they understand the responsibilities involved.
If you are having multiple weddings, ensure each bridesmaid understands that she will be expected to attend all of the weddings.
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 mother of the groom or the mother of 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 forty-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 kind of “extra” role, it might be easier to find someone outside your group to fill that position. 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 probably won’t need every member listed above if you choose to do everything yourself. However, you should still think about how much time each person will take.
If you decide to have helpers, you’ll need to determine what each person does. 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. It’s good practice to get a list of wedding party members from everyone before the wedding so you know who’s driving who.
You’ll need to make transportation plans if you don’t have anyone else available 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 cost of the wedding itself 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. And 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 begin to select appropriate outfits.
To look professional yet comfortable, try wearing solid-colored clothing. Avoid patterns and bold prints when possible; instead, 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 free choices, so everyone feels welcome at the reception.
Regardless of how you decide to 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 simply want to ensure that everyone knows where he or she should sit.
The Good News
The good news is that even if you’re limited in choosing bridesmaids and groomsmen, you can still come up with ways to include them all.
Because I got married late, there were many people who I wanted to invite to my ceremony. But I had to choose the right guests for my party. This was very difficult 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 be at their wedding?
No, you are not obligated to invite someone who asked you to be at their wedding. It is ultimately up to you who you choose to invite and include in your wedding party. You should consider the person’s relationship with you, how close they are to you, and the impact they have had 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. If you are having a small, intimate ceremony, then it may not be necessary to have a large wedding party with all the elements of a grand wedding, like an elaborate dance floor and fancy dress code, and wedding attire. However, if you are having a huge wedding party, then having bridesmaids and groomsmen can be a great way to honor your closest family and friends.
How many people should I call to my wedding party?
When it comes to deciding how many people to invite to your wedding party, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. 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 are having.
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 choose to accept gifts as a way of showing appreciation for their guests’ generosity, while others prefer not to receive any gifts at all. If you do decide to accept wedding gifts, make sure that you have a plan in place for how you will handle them.
