No two wedding parties look alike—they can be made up of friends, family, or a mix of both. No matter what your party should include people who keep you positive, help with guidance and most importantly add no extra drama. Today on the blog, we are sharing PART TWO of our series; HOW TO BUILD YOUR WEDDING PARTY. Last week we shared Part ONE; “What is a wedding party”? and “What are the duties of the wedding party”? You can find it here:

Let’s DIVE in to PART TWO:

“Things to consider when building your Wedding Party” and “Common Questions to ask yourself when choosing your Wedding Party”.

Things to Consider When Building Your Wedding Party

Make it unique to you.

As we said, while a wedding party consists of traditional roles, who you choose to include is entirely up to you. There’s no set way or rules to follow when selecting who should be part of your special day. Mix it up—have men and women support both partners. Ask your mother to walk YOU down the aisle. Train your dog to be your ring bearer. How your ceremony plays out and the people that you include, should be unique to you and your relationships.

Consider personalities.

Just like it’s good to have some yin and yang when it comes to selecting the person you want to marry, the same goes for selecting the individuals who make up your wedding party. For example, ideally, your maid or man of honor is someone responsible and ready to tackle the many tasks that come with the role. Choose someone ‘hands-on’ who’s comfortable taking the reigns.

That said, a full wedding party of the “hands-on” type isn’t necessarily the best idea. Be sure to mix things up and try to build a group of various personalities. Some key traits we love to see in wedding party members:

Someone with a lively sense of humor
Down-to-earth, down-for-anything supporters
The empathetic types to text when you’re overwhelmed
Party animals—hey, you gotta love ‘em!

Wedding Party Questions

Here are some common questions couples may consider about building a wedding party.

Do We Have To Have the Same Number of Groomsmen/Bridesmaids?

No. There is no wedding party quota!. Typically, couples prefer to have the same number of members in their respective parties, but oftentimes that’s for no other reason than procession’s sake. Don’t feel pressured to add additional people to your party just so the photos are even on both sides. Choose each member of your wedding party with intention—you should want each person (even if it’s only a few) to be there with you on your day.

Can I Have More Than One Maid of Honor/Best Man?

Sometimes choosing this important role feels impossible. Fortunately, it’s totally fine to have more than one maid of honor/best man. This is common in the case of multiple siblings or close best friend groups. Just be sure that the people you choose know that they’ll be splitting up those major responsibilities and are ready to help out.

Do I Have To Choose A Maid of Honor/Best Man?

On the other hand, if it seems like too much hassle to choose a maid of honor or best man, forgo the title completely. This way, you don’t have to stress about making a sometimes tough decision—and no one feels left out. That said, we still recommend designating someone to speak on your behalf at the reception (if speeches are your thing) or feel free to ask the bridesmaid to do a group speech. Also, make sure your wedding party is ready to work together to take on those usual maid of honor/best man additional responsibilities.

Do I Have To Include My Fiance's Sibling In My Wedding Party?

The simple answer is no, you don’t. While it’s common to include your own siblings in your wedding party, depending on your relationship with your partner’s siblings, it’s up to you. Obviously, we want you and your partner to avoid any unnecessary drama or hurt feelings so be sure to be upfront with their siblings if you don’t want to include them. We also recommend assigning them another role if they’re interested (they might not be), such as reading at the ceremony, guest book attendant. Lastly, you can also ask them to wear colors of the wedding to be included in some photos.

Does My Sibling Have To Be My Maid Of Honor/Best Man?

This, again, is totally up to you and dependent on your relationship with your sibling. It’s possible that you have a friend or cousin who you would prefer to act in this role for you. We, as always, recommend being upfront with your sibling to avoid any hurt feelings or drama. It also could be true that your sibling doesn’t want to take on the responsibility of the role. You won’t know until you talk about it with them.

Is It Ok To Mix Up The Genders In Our Parties?

Absolutely. Your wedding party can be as mixed up as you prefer. Why exclude your best guy friend from your party just because he’s a guy? Please don’t do that. Invite any and all of those nearest and dearest to you, regardless of gender (or any other similar limitation), to stand proudly next to you on your big day.

Building a perfect wedding party may not be the easiest task, but it’s a rewarding one. Incorporating friends and family into your wedding day is a great way to build memories and get the support you need.

Happy Planning

XOXO

Photography: Goodbye Photography

Content: https://www.zola.com/

How to Build Your Wedding Party? PART TWO