How big should my wedding party be?

Understandably if you’re newly engaged (congrats!), you’ve probably already told your nearest and dearest in excitement and contemplated who, if anyone, will be joining you in a supporting role on your big day. We are very much in the ‘your wedding, your rules’ camp – you want your dog to walk you down the aisle? Adorable! You’re having 10 bridesmaids? Ok, great! Your sister is going to be your best ‘man’? Love that!

Whilst there genuinely is no right or wrong answer to, ‘how big should my wedding party be?’, there are a few things you might like to consider when selecting which roles to fill, and who to fill them with.

Firstly, you might be wondering, ‘what is a wedding party?’. It is a little confusing, we agree. Your wedding party traditionally comprises you (the wedding couple), the Maid / Man of Honour, the Best Man / Person, bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls, page boys and the parents of the wedding couple.

Some couples may choose to stick to the traditional format listed above, filling each role because they want to or think they should. Other couples may choose to not have a wedding party at all, and that is a decision that is entirely up to you!

The size of your wedding party will ultimately be determined by how many bridesmaids and groomsmen you choose. It’s the people in these positions that will end up bumping up your final number. You might want to aim for an even number on each side which always looks pretty great when it comes to the photographs! Or you and your partner might have differing numbers when deciding who you want by your side. Whilst we wouldn’t recommend challenging the world record for the number of bridesmaids (this currently sits at 126!), the average is between 3-5. Of course the last thing you want to do is upset or insult anyone so consider carefully who you would like to invite to be your bridesmaid / groomsman because it’s really hard to take it away once it’s been offered, and accepted.

Although not as popular as they once were flower girls and page boys could still be appointed for your big day. Traditionally they would walk down the aisle first before the bridesmaids. And let’s be honest, who can resist the arrival of a super cute little girl or boy carrying a humorous sign or basket of petals? Again, this might not be a role you want to include in your big day, but if you choose to, they would be a delightful addition to your wedding party.

Giving your loved ones specific roles is considered a wonderful and meaningful gesture. They are your A-list, your best friends, your closest family members, but often these roles come with added responsibilities. We’re all too familiar with the embarrassing best man speech, and the adoring father of the bride commentary, which can both be incredibly heartfelt as well as entertaining on a wedding day. Don’t forget that ultimately the people you choose for these leading roles are there to support you, in the lead-up and on one of your biggest life events so go with your gut.