Imbalance In Wedding Parties: Is It A Concern?

It is not uncommon for couples to fret over whether or not it is acceptable to have more bridesmaids than groomsmen at their wedding. However, the consensus among wedding planners and etiquette experts is that it is absolutely fine to have an uneven number of attendants in your wedding party. In fact, it is increasingly common for couples to eschew traditional symmetry in favour of including only those individuals they feel closest to.

It's your day, so do what you want

It's your wedding day, so do what you want! It's as simple as that. If you want more bridesmaids than groomsmen, go for it!

There's no need to feel self-conscious about having an uneven bridal party. It's your day, and you should be surrounded by the people you want by your side. After all, it's unlikely that you and your partner have the exact same number of close friends or family members.

The old rules of symmetry and tradition are out, and modern weddings are all about subverting expectations. So, if you want a mismatched bridal party, embrace it! You can get creative with the processional, recessional, photographs, and other aspects of the celebration. For example, you can have each groomsman walk with two bridesmaids or vice versa, or have the bridal party walk down the aisle individually.

Don't worry about how it will look; a good photographer can make any photo shine and will help balance any uneven numbers. You can also mix up the bridal party by having them stand in a semi-circle around you and your partner, or in a V-shape to conceal any spaces.

So, if you want more bridesmaids than groomsmen, go for it! It's your day, and you should do what makes you happy.

It's common and looks natural

Having an uneven bridal party is very common nowadays and it looks natural. Couples may have uneven bridal parties for a variety of reasons: one person may have more siblings or relatives, different expectations from friends and family, or simply a larger circle of friends. It is not reasonable to expect a couple to have the same number of close friends or siblings.

It is your day, so do whatever you want! You don't need to feel pressured to add or subtract people just to make the numbers match. If you feel weird about it, there are many ways to get creative with the wedding ceremony processional and recessional, the photographs, and other aspects of the celebration. For example, you can have each groomsman walk with two bridesmaids or vice versa, or have the wedding party walk in individually.

If you are worried about how an uneven bridal party will look in photos, don't be! There are many solutions. The wedding party can form a semi-circle around the couple instead of the traditional "sides", or they can be blended together in couples or groups of three and stand on both sides of the couple. If you want to uphold the tradition of splitting the bridesmaids and groomsmen in photos, have them stand in a V-shape, spaced so that each group appears even.

For the ceremony processional and grand entrance into the reception, there are two main options: sending wedding party members single file or in smaller groups, usually three. There is no reason you can't just have bridesmaids and groomsmen stand on the traditional sides and let it be uneven. With spacing of bridal party members, it may not even be noticeable.

It's not feasible to have the same number of close friends

It is not uncommon for couples to have an uneven number of bridesmaids and groomsmen in their wedding party. In fact, it is becoming increasingly accepted, as modern weddings are subverting traditional expectations. It is not feasible to expect a couple to have the same number of close friends or family members, and adding people just for the sake of symmetry is not always the best idea.

There are several reasons why a couple may have an uneven wedding party. For example, one partner may have more siblings or relatives they want to include, or one partner may simply have a larger circle of friends. In some cases, one partner may not want to include as many people in their wedding party, as was the case for a user on WeddingWire, who explained that her fiancé "only wanted a few men at the wedding."

Having an uneven wedding party can also be a result of last-minute changes, such as firing a bridesmaid, as one bride shared on her blog. She initially felt "weirded out" by having an uneven number of bridesmaids and groomsmen, but ultimately, she was glad she didn't have to exclude one of her close friends or add someone just for the sake of aesthetics.

If you are concerned about how an uneven wedding party will look, there are several ways to manage the logistics of the ceremony and photos. For example, during the processional and recessional, you can have each groomsman walk with two bridesmaids or vice versa, depending on which group has more people. You can also have the wedding party walk in individually or in smaller groups, usually in threes. If the groups are more unevenly matched, you can have them enter separately, with the groomsmen entering from the side and the bridesmaids walking down the aisle.

For photos, a good photographer can make any photo shine, even with an uneven wedding party. Instead of the traditional "sides" photo, you can have the wedding party form a semi-circle around the couple or blend them together in couples or groups of three, with some standing on both sides of the couple. You can also have the wedding party stand in a V-shape, spaced so that each group appears even, or try something unique, like candid pictures in motion.

Don't feel pressured to add or subtract people

If you are concerned about how an uneven bridal party will look, there are a few things you can do. For example, you can have the wedding party walk down the aisle in smaller groups, usually three, with a groomsman walking with two bridesmaids or vice versa. This can also be a cute way to include the parents of your ring bearer or flower girl in the procession. Alternatively, you can have the wedding party walk down the aisle individually, which is the easiest way to disguise lopsided numbers. If there is only a difference of one, you can have the dog lover in the bigger group walk down the aisle with your pup!

There are also ways to get creative with photographs. For example, you can have the wedding party form a semi-circle around the couple instead of the traditional "sides" or blend them together in couples or groups of three. You can also have them stand in a V-shape, spaced so that each group appears even, or stagger the bridal party in rows with the larger group standing at the back. A good photographer can make any photo shine and will be able to help you balance any uneven numbers.

There are ways to get creative with photos and the ceremony

It is not "bad" to have more bridesmaids than groomsmen, and uneven bridal parties are becoming more and more common. In fact, many people believe that it is unreasonable to expect a couple to have the same number of close friends or family members on both sides.

If you are worried about how an uneven bridal party will look in photos, there are many ways to get creative. For example, the wedding party can form a semi-circle around the couple instead of the traditional "sides". You can also blend the bridal party in couples or groups of three and have them stand on both sides of the couple. If you want to keep the tradition of splitting the bridesmaids and groomsmen in photos, you can have them stand in a V-shape, spaced so that each group appears even. Candid pictures in motion, where the group is walking towards the photographer, can also help to reduce the focus on position.

Another option is to separate the bridal party by having them pose in rows instead of sides. Have the larger party stand in the back, while the smaller party sits on chairs in the front, with the couple in the middle, creating a staggered and organic-looking photo. You can also use the old "windows" strategy, creating two lines and spacing each person so that they are visible in their own "window" by the camera.

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