What do you mean no bridal party?! This isn’t as uncommon as you would think, these days, we are seeing more and more couples leaning towards having no wedding party. Everyone seems to be loving informality and straying from customary wedding traditions these days. So, we thought this was a topic worth touching on: is it okay to not have a bridal party? Of course, it is, your wedding is yours and you can do whatever is going to make you the happiest and most stress-free for your big day.

We know that half the fun of getting married is celebrating with the people you love most but this absolutely doesn’t mean they aren’t still going to be there. Here are a few reasons we think couples are deciding to ixnay the bridal party:

You have the best friends in the world! Everyone has the best friends in the world which can make picking one, 2, 5 or even 10 of the “Best” ones to be in your wedding party really really difficult! Wedding planning already comes with an extensive list of very difficult choices the idea of having to whittle down the “best’ of your girls (or guys) can be extremely overwhelming and stressful.

You have 3 sisters, 5 cousins, and that girl from college who asked you to be a bridesmaid but you’ve barely talked since then and now you feel like you have to reciprocate… Every bride knows what we are talking about. Deciding not to have a wedding party means avoiding the obligation to ask certain people to be in it.  We completely understand you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings so just avoided it. It is an added stress you don’t need hovering around you on a day that’s supposed to be about YOU.

This goes for you and the potential members of your wedding party. Organizing everything for 2-10 extra people is a lot to add to your plate, just think about schedules, gifts, dresses, hair, makeup, etc. Don’t get us wrong it’s a blast but also a lot of extra stress, organization, and cost. And not just for you but for everyone involved. You don’t want your bridesmaids or groomsmen breaking the bank on wedding attire or travel just for your big day. You want your friends to be able to relax and have fun and actually enjoy your wedding rather than worrying about if your dress got bustled, if you have a drink in your hand or where your lipstick ended up after post-ceremony touch-ups.

Your wedding is about YOU!  Put your energy into one another and spending time together rather than everyone else. By forgoing a bridal party altogether this means more time during the wedding and planning process that you get to spend focused on each other.

Remember, just because you don’t have a bridal party doesn’t mean your besties won’t go through the full wedding process with you. They will still help you pick out your dress and throw you a stag/bachelorette party.  They will still be there to get ready with you on your wedding day and take special photos with you. what it DOES mean is they won’t be obligated financially or logistically to help out on the same level as a wedding party member would. It also means you won’t feel the stress of choosing who makes the cut and who doesn’t. There is no need for extra stress from uncomfortable obligations, extra time, or financial burdens on your special day.

So, what do you think? Is having a wedding party for you? Big or small or none at all!? Either or we love weddings with either as long as the bride and groom are happy and stress-free!!

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