You've found your person, had the perfect proposal, and are starting to put together the pieces for your dream wedding. Now it's time to choose the squad who will celebrate and stand next to you on the big day! The question is who do you choose for these critical roles?
Your first consideration is picking people who you care for and who care deeply for you. Friends that have been a part of your life in deep and meaningful ways, who will truly be excited to be a part this momentous step in your life are the best choice. More than just having a blast and looking cute in their matching outfits; a wedding party is there to support your relationship both on the wedding day and in the future. It's a great idea to pick people that you love and respect who will provide support and guidance for you and your marriage in the years to come.
The next step is to consider the different elements of your wedding party and how these personalities will mesh - or clash. A good wedding party is like a cocktail, balancing the people and personalities can be a real accomplishment. Especially when you consider that you're not only adding friends from different parts of your life, but also your partner's. Unless your social circles overlap, there's going to be a wide range and while, in most cases, people will find ways to get along; providing some breathing room and direction can help. Creating a list of the wedding party duties and delegating which party member is taking point on each one can reduce conflict. Also, consider doing a group activity prior to the wedding, something as casual as a hang out night can be a good bonding experience and give everyone a chance to get to know each other.
Once you've gotten an idea of who you'd like to involve in the festivities, take a beat to consider each potential person and whether being asked to be in your wedding will be an honor or an obligation. Budget and time constraints can be a huge consideration and while your bestie from Cleveland might be overjoyed for you, having a newborn or other recent big life event can really cramp her ability to manage the logistics of being a part of your 10 hour wedding day, much less all the extra activities like showers and bachelor and bachelor parties that come with the gig. Consider checking in with your potential wedding party members to make sure they're as ready and excited for this experience as you are to have them be.
Lastly, get ready to have an amazing experience celebrating your wedding with the friends and family that you adore! Having a great wedding party creates the backdrop for the most amazing celebration of your life!
