Bridal Party

Can you Have Too Many Bridesmaids?

Having a group of close female friends and relatives is something worth celebrating, and when the time comes for you to walk down the aisle, you may want to have as many as you can with you to share in the happiness and excitement of becoming a Mrs. You may also feel compelled to have a lot of bridesmaids because you’re worried about the repercussions if someone important gets left out of the fold - the school chum you grew up with may be hurt by the fact that ‘her spot’ was taken by a good friend who you met later in life – so you just decide to ask everyone and hope for the best.

However, a huge bridal party can create more problems than it solves – as in any case where there are large groups of people with different opinions and tastes in the same situation, there will be more clashes, more scheduling conflicts to work around and more drama. It’s also a strain on your own budget if you’re going to be paying for dresses, shoes,  hair, nails or makeup – it’s one thing to buy them for a small handful of people, and quite another to have to sponsor all your friends. Where can you draw the line?

This is not a hard-and-fast rule, but generally, the number of people in your wedding party tends to reflect the size of your wedding: one or two bridesmaids for a small intimate wedding, four to six for a mid-sized wedding and more than six for an enormous celebration. It’s a helpful guide to follow especially if the church isn’t enormous either – trying to fit ten women with you up front in a small chapel can be a bit of a logistical nightmare. Most bridesmaids will graciously concede their place to family members, so picking a sister and a cousin, for instance, will save a lot of hurt feelings.

Furthermore, just because they’re not officially designated bridesmaids, it doesn’t mean they can’t be part of your big day, as well as the months leading up to it. Wedding planning is both stressful and fun, and you’ll definitely need your girls beside you as you navigate the crazy waters of plotting the ultimate party and enjoy the last days of your life as a single lady. At the end of the day, your wedding is your wedding and whether you want two, ten or twenty (ok, maybe not twenty) bridesmaids or none at all, the most important thing is that you’re comfortable with your choices and that you have a great time. And that’s all that really matters.

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