Every Bridal Party Question You've Ever Had, Answered

"Do We Have to Have Bridesmaids and Groomsmen?"

Nope. There's no rule saying you need to refer to these special folks at your wedding as "bridesmaids" or "groomsmen" at all. There is no special rule saying you need them at all! Even wedding parties inclusive of "bridesmaids" and "groomsmen" are traditional (and make that arm-in-arm walk down the aisle a little easier). However, there’s no rule saying you’ve got to have the exact same number of people standing on each side of the altar. For an uneven wedding party, you could have everyone process separately if you’re unsure how the groupings will look. You also could have two people from the bridal party walk down the aisle with one person of the groom's, or have an extra walk solo at the beginning of the processional.

"Can We Bend the Rules on The Maid of Honor or Best Man Traditions?

The number of guests of honor is totally up to you. So if you can’t decide between a family member and your BFF, or if your partner-to-be has two brothers, give them both that title. This will also ease some of the responsibilities of the role by dividing it between two or more people. When it comes to toasts, they can either all speak individually or write toasts together for speeches that are dialogues instead of monologues.

"Do I Have to Pick a Maid of Honor?"

You can definitely go without a maid of honor. This happens sometimes when wedding parties are small or simply can’t decide which friend to nominate, However, you will want to make sure those maid of honor duties (like planning the bachelorette party) are distributed among your wedding party so nothing gets overlooked. One wedding party member may stand out as more of a leader when it comes to planning, but you don’t have to give them a different title. If you have a small wedding party or simply can’t decide which friend to nominate,

"Can I Have a Bridesman or Man of Honor?"

Of course! Your besties may have relationships to gender that differ from yours, and they absolutely can still be included in your wedding! You can buck tradition as much or as little as you want. Some include a best guy friend or a non-binary friend in their wedding party. Consider ditching the labels and simply asking each of your closest friends to stand by your side during your ceremony. You could have them wear a unique outfit that matches their respective members of the wedding party, or simply give everyone a color scheme and a style and let them go to town.

"Does My Sister Have to Be My Maid of Honor?"

While many brides do opt to nominate their sister(s) as maid(s) of honor, there’s no hard-and-fast rule saying you absolutely must. Especially if she’s younger, you might want to give that title to a friend who will be able to fill the role more fully. If you don’t ask your sister to be maid of honor, you may still want to set her apart in some way, whether it’s with a special accessory, a different bouquet, or the seat right next to you at the head table.

"Can My Daughter Be My Maid of Honor?"

Younger children usually fill the role of the flower girl or junior bridesmaid, but if the child in question is your own daughter, by all means, make her the maid of honor. Of course, she probably won’t be able to fulfill all of the maid of honor’s duties (especially if she’s of elementary-school-age or younger), so consider also asking a close friend to serve as “deputy maid of honor.” She’ll be able to include your daughter in planning your bridal shower, as well as cover the responsibilities your daughter may be too young to take on.

"Do I Have to Make My Fiancé’s Sister a Bridesmaid?"

Including your future siblings-in-law in the wedding party is always a good idea. After all, they’re almost family, and snubbing them could start you off on the wrong foot. However, including them in your wedding party will depend on the size you’re envisioning, as well as family relationships. If the two of you are happy to have a huge wedding party, by all means include all of your siblings on both sides of the aisle. But if you’ve got your heart set on only three or four attendants each, don’t worry.

You can always include your siblings in the ceremony by asking them to serve as ushers, inviting them to escort your grandparents down the aisle, or having them do readings as part of the proceedings. And make sure they all have corsages and boutonnieres to denote their VIP status.

"When Should We Ask People to Be in Our Wedding Party?"

Ideally, you should ask your friends to be in your wedding party within a few months of getting engaged—especially if you’ll be getting married in 12 months or less. But before you send out those gifts with the magic question, think about your guest list, which will help you determine how big of a wedding party you’ll want. For a small wedding (we’re talking 50 people, max), having 16 wedding party members will feel totally off balance—and will leave those few remaining friends wondering why they didn’t make the cut.

However, if you’re thinking you’ll have almost 200 people in attendance, you can go larger with your wedding party without making the pews at the church feel empty. Whatever size seems right for you, make sure to ask everyone at the same time—especially if the potential wedding party members are in the same social circles.

"How Old Should the Flower and Ring Bearers Be?"

Child attendants are usually between the ages of four and seven, though they can go up to age nine or so. Those over age nine are often promoted to junior roles in the wedding party. If the kids are under four, you run the risk of them not taking direction well or (understandably) getting shy or nervous in front of a crowd and abandoning their duties. If you have a range of ages, ask the older children to act as leaders, helping the younger ones down the aisle. And don’t forget those gummy-bear bribes under their parents’ or grandparents’ seats up at the front.

"Do I Have to Have a Junior Bridesmaid?"

A junior bridesmaid is a younger member of the wedding party who falls squarely into that 8 to 16 age range, or whatever ages you feel are appropriate). They might be a younger sister or sister-in-law, sibling, a niece, a cousin, a daughter, or a close family friend. Essentially, if they are important to you and your partner and fall in the age range you’ve determined, they're the perfect candidate.

While including younger folks in your bridal party is a great way to honor them and acknowledge the important role they play in your life, a junior bridesmaid isn’t a “must-have.” So if there aren’t any special young people in your life who you’d like to include, don’t sweat it. On the other hand, if there's a unique way you would like to break tradition—go for it. The most important thing to remember: It's your party, so include (or don't include) whoever you want.

"How Much Is Too Much to Ask of My Bridal Party?"

Having a great group of bridesmaids to support you as you're planning your wedding is an incredible asset, but be wary of taking advantage of their friendship or going beyond the boundaries of bridesmaid duties. The best rule of thumb? Don't ask your bridesmaids to do anything you aren't willing to pitch in and help out with yourself. If it's better left to the pros, do just that.

Don't ask your bridesmaids to pay for anything beyond the scope of their own duties, and don't have them handle your dirty work (e.g., fighting with your partner or in-laws, or firing a vendor). They are there for support and love, and to offer a helping hand—to an extent.