So you’ve decided on a wedding without bridesmaids or groomsmen. And now you may be wondering: what does that look like? As weddings become increasingly personalized and couples pick and choose the traditions they want to follow, more are choosing not to have a bridal party. There are so many reasons for this, from not wanting to leave loved ones out to simply wanting a more casual vibe. But just because you won’t have attendants doesn’t mean you have to do it all on your own. And it doesn’t mean that you can’t involve friends and family in your big day. In fact, the possibilities are endless! But here are some suggestions for how to do a wedding without bridesmaids or groomsmen.

Delegate traditional duties. Although having a ceremony without bridesmaids or groomsmen isn’t a problem, there are a few of their duties you may need to reassign. For example, the bride usually hands off her bouquet to her maid of honor during the vows and the best man holds on to the rings. As an alternative, you could arrange for someone in the front row like your mom or sister to look after the bouquet, and give the officiant the rings. It just takes a little thought and pre-planning. Another example is the bachelor and bachelorette parties. Simply ask a close friend or family member to step in and plan it for you. Problem solved!

Include loved ones in the ceremony. Even with no bridesmaids or groomsmen, you may want to honor those close to you by including them in your wedding ceremony. There are many ways to do this. For example, you could ask them to perform a reading or poem, help with a unity candle, or act as witnesses. You could even ask someone special to act as your officiant. Your ceremony will be so much more personal, and nobody has to wear matching dresses or suits!

Get ready together. Just because you don’t have a bridesquad doesn’t mean you can’t have your best girls or boys on hand. Invite them to the bridal suite as you have your hair and makeup done to help you get dressed. You could even offer to pay for them to have their hair and makeup done as well, so you can enjoy being pampered together. And don’t forget the champagne!

Take a special photo. Not having a wedding party means skipping that part of the photo session. However, you can still arrange with your photographer to have some special set photographs beyond family groupings. It’s a great way to make friends feel special. Be sure to send them a copy of the picture after the wedding with a personal note!

Invite them to a special dinner or day out. Traditionally, your bridal party would be included in the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding. However, you can still invite your nearest and dearest to join you for dinner and speeches. Or make it something less formal, like a wedding morning brunch or a day out ahead of the wedding.

As you can see, a wedding without bridesmaids or groomsmen will be just as special. It just requires a little creativity! No wedding party? No problem!

xoxo,
Mindy

Image by Amy and Stuart Photography