Have you just been asked to be in a wedding? Are you newly engaged and not sure what to expect of your wedding party? We’ve got some tips for you!
Agreeing to be in a wedding party is a commitment. It requires time, obligations, responsibilities, and money. Make sure you, as a bride or groom, and your wedding party know what to expect when taking on that role.
Attire
One of the main things that come to mind when being in a wedding party is the coordinating dresses and/or tuxes. Those almost always have to be paid for by the individual who wears them. With that, ultimately, it’s up to the bride or groom to decide what style, color, fabric, etc. they want their party to be in. They may be open to opinions, but it’s never easy to please three, four, sometimes twelve people on each side. If you’re in a wedding party and have questions about what to wear the day of the wedding, be respectful of the vision of the loved one you are standing for. On the other hand, if you’re a bride or groom and are contemplating what you want to put your party in, be conscious of budgets and what’s flattering for your entire group.
Events
Showers, bachelorettes, dinners, oh my! When you agree to be a bridesmaid or groomsman, you’re not only agreeing to be in the wedding. You’re agreeing to showers, bachelor(ette) parties, rehearsals, and even some dinners or engagement parties. Like we mentioned earlier, being a wedding party member is a commitment, but it’s also a privilege! Don’t let the many events leading up to the big day wear on you. Let those events be something that excites you and create memories to share with the engaged couple you’re standing with.
With those events do come additional expenses. Even though you’re wedding party, you should still be prepared to bring a gift to a wedding shower. Bachelor(ette) parties can be pricey, depending on where you’re going and what activities you’ve got planned. If you’re a best man or maid of honor, touch base with the rest of the party to gauge who’s willing to travel and for how much. Wedding party shouldn’t be expected to drop everything and drop a significant chunk of change on a weekend getaway if they aren’t comfortable with it.
Responsibilities
If you’re asked to be in a wedding, you have a role. In order to fulfill that role, you have to be willing to go through the motions of what comes with a wedding. This can be the events leading up to the wedding, but also, a majority of the time, responsibilities the week of the wedding. Maybe the couple needs someone to take the leftover food home with them. Maybe the couple needs help decorating the space. These are things that members of the wedding party should be ready to step up to the plate for.
Wedding party members are also expected to attend rehearsals the day prior to the wedding. The purpose of a rehearsal is so that the couple can be completely present on their wedding day, and no one is worried about where to stand, how to stand, where to walk in from, etc. At Castle Farms, our Venue Coordinators set the rehearsal time two months out from the wedding day, with the Set-Up Packet.
Lastly, if you’re in the wedding party, of course, you’re going to have to choreograph a grand entrance to kick off the reception. It isn’t a wedding without fun, quirky entrances from the wedding party!
Whether you’re getting married and determining who you want to be in your party, or if you’ve just been asked to be in a wedding, it’s important that all are aware of what that title requires. Not only is it an extra responsibility, it’s an honor to be asked to be in someone’s wedding. It’s the best day of their lives, and your potential role in that is critical!