Weddings have changed a lot in the past 5 years. These changes have been felt throughout the wedding sector and this has led to a number of new wedding trends, such as micro weddings and virtual weddings. One thing that a lot of people have been debating is whether or not bridal parties are still as relevant as they once were. Do you really need to have a bridal party?
What Does a Bridal Party Consist Of?
Before we delve deeper into the current state of affairs regarding bridal parties, let’s take a look at what a bridal party will typically consist of. This is a group of people that the couple chooses to play a special role in the wedding. Traditional bridal party roles include the groomsmen, bridesmaids, ring bearers, and flower girls. Out of the groomsmen, the groom is likely to nominate a best man. Some brides also choose a maid of honour or chief bridesmaid from their bridesmaids.
Do You Need to Have a Bridal Party?
The easy answer to this question is ‘no’ – you don’t need to have a bridal party! The choice is completely yours. Some people want to incorporate others into their special day, whereas others want to keep it about the couple. Weddings more recently have become more intimate and so a lot of people have decided to ditch the bridal party altogether.
Pros and Cons of Having a Bridal Party
There are some pros and cons associated with having a bridal party. Let’s start with some of the pros associated with going down this route. Firstly, it is a great way to honour those who are closest to you. There is no greater sign of love and friendship than asking someone to be your bridesmaid. Your bridal party can also be there to provide you with emotional support, especially while you are getting ready in the morning and all of the nerves are building up ahead of your big day.
Experienced wedding photographers will also tell you that having a bridal party can make for some really nice photographs, as it means more elegant dresses and flowers added into the mix! Plus, you have got more people to help you. If you need to run a few ideas past people or you need someone to help you run a few wedding errands, you can always rely on your bridal party.
Nevertheless, there are a few cons that are associated with having a bridal party, and so it is understandable that you may want to go down the non-traditional route. Some people do not like having a bridal party because they do not want to hurt people’s feelings. Rather than have people get offended about who is or who isn’t a bridesmaid, a lot of brides-to-be would rather avoid the drama altogether by not having any bridesmaids at all.
Having a bridal party can create a bit of a breeding ground for conflict. If you are mixing two groups of girls, for example, tensions can end up running high. This is especially the case if your group of friends are every opinionated. Plus, it is going to require some room in your budget. From bridesmaid dresses to extra flowers, there are a number of different things that need to be purchased when you decide to go ahead with a bridal party, so you will need to keep this in mind when assessing your finances for the big day.
All in all, every wedding is unique, and the decision on whether or not to have a bridal party is completely yours. If you do not feel like you want to have a bridal party, you don’t need to. You may have had to cut the guest list back on your wedding and, therefore, no longer feel that a bridal party is appropriate. You may have your own personal reasons for not wanting to have a bridal party. Either way, the decision is yours to make and you have to do what is right for you and your partner.