3 min read

Your Wedding Party...What Should You Do?? ...Insights From a Marriage Celebrant

The easy answer when thinking about who you should have in your wedding party is … whoever YOU want!

Your wedding is your day, and every part of the day should reflect you. And by you, I mean you as individuals … and as a couple.

Yes, there is tradition … but don’t let tradition bind you as there are so many options and really there are no rules.

Your wedding party should be the people you want standing beside you at this important moment in your life. You should choose people because of the relationship to you, not because of gender, or to balance out numbers.

To give you some ideas and options:

Katelyn and Ben had a traditional wedding party – Maid of Honour, Bridesmaids, Best Man and Groomsmen. However, when it came to outfits for the bridesmaids, Katelyn wanted colour, a style that suited each person and something they would be happy to wear again. It worked perfectly! Each bouquet picked up the colours in the different dresses, and as a group they looked fabulous beside the gorgeous bride. They definitely achieved the spring colours vibe Katelyn wanted.

Iain and Jordan coordinated their wedding party to reflect them. The men all wore kilts in Iain’s family tartan and women all chose white long gowns but different styles. The balance across the whole wedding crew looked fabulous in photos and clearly sent the message that this was a united wedding party, not two different groups coming together. Iain and Jordan chose the people who were most important to them, and while they each had four people in their wedding party, there were not the same number of males and females … and that was not an issue. Their photos looked amazing!

Bernie and Liam asked their kids to be their wedding party. Liam’s son stood beside him, while Liam’s two daughters and Bernie’s two daughters stood beside her. Bernie was walked in by her daughters. Family was key for Liam and Bernie, and their wedding party clearly sent that message!…

Is it OK not to have a wedding party?

Absolutely!! There is no requirement. Many couples chose not to have a wedding party, standing happily as a couple for their ceremony. Some couples also opt to have their wedding party sit down while they remain standing for their ceremony. It really is up to you.

Does the wedding party need to dress the same?

No, but it is worth thinking about tone and style and how things all fit together.

Having different coloured outfits can work well as does having outfits in the same colour but different styles.

What about kids in the wedding party?

Again – it is up to you!

I’ve written another blog that might be of interest … Including Kids In Your Wedding Ceremony.

A little food for thought....

Whatever you decide, as your wedding celebrant, I’ll work with you to ensure your ceremony flows smoothly and that we make the most of opportunities and moments (those touching greetings from your wedding party don’t happen by chance)

Let's meet and start planning your perfect wedding day.

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By Debbie Taylor

- Everyone's Favourite Canberra Wedding Celebrant