How To Choose Your Wedding Attendants

Wedding is no doubt a serious matter, particularly for the bride and the groom. But no less serious is the selection of wedding attendants, given their immense role in making the ceremony a success. Chances are that you would have too many people to choose from – your closest friends, affectionate siblings, loveable cousins and who not! Not that you alone would love to have all of them in the party; they, too, would be more than willing to join the party. So far so good, but do you have room for each of them? How will you make the choice without hurting anyone?

To begin with, determine how many attendants you would like to have. Remember, you don’t have to go by the rigid rules of an equal number on each side. It does no one any harm to have, for example, four bridesmaids and three groomsmen. However, these guidelines may be of some help in forming the basis of your selections. It is highly likely that you have already chosen in your mind your best man or maid of honor. He/she may be your dearest friend, your closest sibling - a person you know you can rely on. Next is the tricky question of choosing the attendants.

Heart and common sense

When selecting your attendants, follow your heart but make sure they are up to the task.
Your closest sister gets upset at the slightest trouble. Will she be a good choice? Your cousin is prone to losing his temper too often. Should he be included? These are the questions you have to tackle extremely tactfully so that you do not end up offending anyone. And always keep in mind that being an attendant involves a good amount of money. When the average cost of being a bridesmaid is nearly $700, it would be cruel on your part to put your college-student cousin in that role. So, assign roles according to their financial position.

And don’t forget about the size of your wedding. The more guests you invite the more attendants you need. More attendants mean more expense, more opinions to give a hearing. If the list of aspiring attendants is too long for your comfort, you can assign them some other roles. Your brothers and cousins might prove to be experts in distributing programs and helping ushers. And the girls left out can take charge of the guest book or act as candle lighters.

Bride and groom looking to plan your wedding online? Jen Carter, owner of My Wedding Blog, offers free information on wedding planning.