A Wedding Without Bridesmaids: Making Your Special Day Unique

Planning a wedding without bridesmaids is becoming an increasingly popular decision. From reducing costs to minimising stress, there are many reasons why couples are choosing to forgo this tradition.

One of the main benefits is financial; the bride typically covers several costs for the bridal party, including flowers, hair and makeup, and gifts, so opting out of having bridesmaids can result in significant savings.

Another advantage is the reduction in stress. Planning a wedding can be a complex and time-consuming process, and coordinating schedules, preferences, and personalities of a bridal party adds another layer of complexity.

Additionally, some couples prefer to avoid the potential drama and conflict that can arise when choosing which friends or family members will be bridesmaids.

However, it's important to consider the potential downsides as well. Not having bridesmaids means missing out on a time-honoured tradition, and it may result in a reduced level of excitement and camaraderie on the wedding day.

Ultimately, the decision to have or not have bridesmaids is a personal one, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer.

Delegate duties like bouquet holding and ring-keeping to family members

If you're not having bridesmaids at your wedding, you can still delegate duties like bouquet holding and ring-keeping to family members. Here are some ideas to help you plan your special day without a bridal party:

Delegate Duties

Ask a close family member, like your mom or sister, to hold your bouquet during the vows. This is a duty traditionally assigned to the maid of honor, but there's no reason why a loved one can't take on this task. Similarly, you can give the rings to the officiant to hold, instead of the best man.

Include Loved Ones in the Ceremony

You can involve your family members in other ways too. For example, they could perform a reading or poem, help with a unity candle, act as witnesses, or even officiate the ceremony. This adds a personal touch to your wedding and ensures your loved ones play a special role on your big day, without needing to wear matching outfits!

Get Ready Together

Invite your closest friends and family to join you while you're getting ready. They can keep you company, help you with your dress, and share a glass of champagne. You could even offer to pay for their hair and makeup to be done, so they feel pampered too.

Take Special Photos

Although you won't have the traditional bridal party photos, you can still arrange special photo sessions with your friends and family. Ask your photographer to capture some unique shots beyond the standard family groupings. Send your loved ones a copy of the pictures after the wedding, along with a personal note.

Invite Them to Special Events

Even without a bridal party, you can still include your nearest and dearest in events like the rehearsal dinner, a wedding morning brunch, or a day out before the wedding. This way, they'll feel involved and appreciated without having the official title of bridesmaid or groomsman.

By delegating duties and getting creative, you can ensure your wedding day is just as special without a bridal party. It's a great way to involve your loved ones and create a more casual, intimate vibe.

Include loved ones in the ceremony with readings or poems

If you want to include your loved ones in your wedding ceremony without having bridesmaids, one way to do so is by asking them to perform a reading or poem. This is a wonderful way to include friends or family members and put the spotlight on them for a minute. Here are some tips for including readings or poems in your wedding ceremony:

Selecting the Reading or Poem

• Choose something meaningful to you and your partner. It could be a poem, book excerpt, song lyrics, or even lines from a movie or TV show.
• Opt for something that reflects your personality and style, especially if you're having a more casual ceremony.
• If you're religious, you could select a passage or verse from a sacred text, or a religious poem or blessing.
• Consider the people who will be speaking at your ceremony. For example, if you've selected a young child to speak, a passage from a children's book would be appropriate.
• Keep the reading or poem uplifting and positive. Avoid anything with unsavoury language or content that might make your guests uncomfortable.
• Keep the reading short—around 1 to 3 minutes.
• If you have a lot of loved ones you'd like to include, remember that multiple people can perform a single reading, with each person reading a short portion.

Selecting the Reader

• Make sure the friend or family member you've asked to read is comfortable with reading in front of everyone.
• Ensure they will do a good job and be understood by the audience.
• Consider whether the person is likely to go off-script and if that's something you're okay with.
• Communicate with your officiant about who will bring the printed reading to avoid any awkward pauses or last-minute hiccups.

Timing of the Reading

• Typically, readings take place towards the beginning of the ceremony, after the officiant's introduction and before the wedding vows.
• However, your officiant may have suggestions for other appropriate times depending on your ceremony style.

Including readings or poems in your wedding ceremony is a beautiful way to honour your loved ones and make them feel special, all while keeping the focus on you and your partner.

Get ready with your closest friends and family

Getting ready with your closest friends and family is a great way to involve your loved ones in your wedding without having a bridal party. Here are some ideas to make the experience special:

Include Them in the Morning Preparations

Invite your closest friends and family to join you in the bridal suite as you get ready for the big day. You can offer to pay for their hair and makeup to be done as well, so everyone can enjoy being pampered together. Don't forget to pop open a bottle of champagne to toast the occasion! This is also a great opportunity to take some candid photos with your loved ones. If you plan to give your bridal party gifts, like robes, consider including your closest friends and family as well so they feel like part of the team.

Ask Them to Help with Specific Tasks

If you want to involve your friends and family in a more hands-on way, you can ask them to help with specific tasks on the day of the wedding. For example, one friend could be in charge of table decorations, another could handle catering, and another could be your dress attendant. This way, your loved ones will feel useful and included in the wedding preparations.

Invite Them to Special Events

Even if they're not part of the bridal party, you can still invite your closest friends and family to special events like the rehearsal dinner, a wedding morning brunch, or a day out before the wedding. This way, they'll feel included in the celebrations and have a chance to spend quality time with you before the big day.

Take Photos Together

Although you may not have a bridal party, you can still arrange for special photos to be taken with your closest friends and family. Ask your photographer to capture some candid moments during the getting-ready process, or set up a special photo session with your loved ones. Be sure to send them copies of the pictures after the wedding, along with a personal note expressing your gratitude for their presence on your special day.

Include Them in the Ceremony

If you want to honour your closest friends and family during the wedding ceremony itself, you can ask them to participate in various ways. For example, they could do a reading or poem, help with a unity candle, act as witnesses, or even officiate the ceremony. This will make your ceremony more personal and meaningful, without the need for matching outfits or traditional bridal party roles.

Take photos with your nearest and dearest

Photographs are a great way to make friends feel special and involved in your wedding day, even if they are not part of the bridal party. Here are some ideas for how to include your nearest and dearest in your wedding photos:

Get Ready Together

Invite your best friends to join you in the bridal suite while you get ready. You can pop some champagne and enjoy being pampered together. You could even offer to pay for them to have their hair and makeup done, so they feel extra special. This is a great opportunity to get some fun, candid photos of you and your friends getting ready for the big day.

Take a Special Photo

Arrange with your photographer to have some special set photographs beyond family groupings. This could be individual shots with each of your nearest and dearest, or group photos with all of your friends together. Be sure to send them a copy of the picture after the wedding, along with a personal note to thank them for their support and attendance.

Invite Them to a Photo Shoot

Even if your friends are not officially part of the bridal party, you can still invite them to join you for a few special pictures. You could even share a mood board with them beforehand, so they can colour-coordinate their outfits with your wedding theme. This is a great way to make your friends feel included and create some beautiful memories together.

Give Them a Colour to Wear

If you want to emphasise the significance of certain guests, you can invite them to wear a specific colour that correlates with your wedding palette. This way, they will stand out from the other wedding guests, without having to stand beside you during the ceremony. Alternatively, you could honour these special guests with a boutonniere or corsage, which satisfies your desire to exclude a wedding party while still including your loved ones.

Invite them to a special dinner or day out

If you're looking to include your friends in your wedding without having a bridal party, why not 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 friends to join you for dinner and speeches, or make it something less formal, like a wedding morning brunch or a day out before the wedding.

• Host a private celebration, such as a bridal luncheon, the day before the wedding and do a champagne toast with your friends. This way, they'll know how special they are to you without all the logistics of having them stand with you at the altar.
• Invite your friends to a spa weekend or your favourite club to celebrate your impending nuptials.
• Host a joint bachelor-bachelorette party. If you're already being non-traditional with no bridal party, why not continue the trend with a co-ed celebration?
• Ask your friends to help you get ready on the morning of the wedding. You can even offer to pay for them to have their hair and makeup done, so you can enjoy being pampered together.

Frequently asked questions