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Wedding Attendants Tips
What's Expected of the Wedding Party?
There are a multitude of duties that bridesmaids, groomsmen, maids of honor and best men are usually expected to fulfill. It's a good idea for the bride and groom to identify their needs to the wedding party prior to the wedding. This can help your attendants to help you fulfill your wedding expectations.
Today, couples are worrying less about etiquette and more about having the wedding and wedding events that reflect their personal style. If you and your groom are considering a couples bridal shower and other combined events, why not host a bridal party luncheon and honor both the male and female attendants at the same time. For many couples, the bridal party is a mixed group on both sides of the alter, with sisters standing up next to their brother, the groom and many brides having their brothers stand in for the traditional maid of honor.
Wedding celebrations and the traditionally accompanying parties such as bridal showers and bridal party luncheons were once events only attended by the bride’s attendants. However, today bridal parties all across America are changing the list of invitees and combining the once traditional male and female parties into a combo package that includes all the wedding attendants at one event.
If you are trying to decide where to host your combined bridal party luncheon, what about a miniature golf course? The miniature golf course provides a great opportunity to introduce the bridal party to one another, is standard with the over-the-top fun environment designed to create memories and friendships, and at the same time and allows the bride and groom the opportunity to deliver the special wedding attendant gifts to say “thank you."
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Planning a Green Wedding
As you are planning your ecologically friendly wedding, it is often a challenge to uphold your beliefs and still plan the wedding of your dreams. However, recently a new wedding party favor idea was introduced that is absolutely the most darling idea for any bride looking for unique accents in her wedding, even if she isn’t going “green”. This most delightful wedding party favor is not only fun for adults but for children that are involved in your wedding. This unique wedding attendant gift is a wonderful way to send your love for the environments, your newlywed spouse and your family and friends home in one tiny little package.
Now this gift for your wedding attendant may be small but it sure packs a powerful surprise. In one of the most unique wedding attendant gifts and wedding party gifts available for the “green” wedding theme, a tiny hand painted flower pot is a small package that is individually wrapped with its own potting soil and a tiny seed. Once the seed is planted, they need only wait one week to see the really surprise, when the tiny seed breaks free, the word “love” is written right on the sprout itself. This creative, elegant and amazing wedding party favor is a great gift to send home with everyone that has been involved with your wedding plans.
Wedding attendant gift ideas can vary from extremely personal to very general; if your wedding party consists of friends and family that you have known for a long time, it would be best to purchase personalized wedding attendant gifts for each person. Wedding attendant gifts do not have to be expensive, for many it is the sentiment of this traditional gift that is important.
Some great ideas for a bridal party get-together could include a miniature golf, paintball game, swimming at a beach or private pool, game night or afternoon, a video arcade... the ideas are endless. The purpose of the bridal party lunch or dinner is to introduce the bridal party to one another, honor your special friends and relax together.
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Why Not Provide A Friendly Competition?
A paintball competition is an exciting bridal party luncheon idea that provides the most competitive and heart-pounding fun for everyone. Not only is a paintball competition a wonderful way to introduce your entire bridal party to one another but it creates instant fun and competition between the two different attending groups.
There are many different locations that can be chosen for a bridal attendant’s luncheon and for some, this sport is too rough so you will need to consider the different members of your bridal party to make sure it is a good fit for everyone involved. However, if you have the right group of people, a paintball party can create an event that will be talked and laughed about for years to come. Don’t forget the purpose of the wedding attendants’ luncheon, and arrange for a quiet time after the game to share lunch and to honor the friends and family that you have chosen to stand next to you on the most important day of your life.
The wedding attendants’ luncheon is intended to be a special time for the bride and groom to honor the members of their wedding party and to say thank you, with special wedding attendant gifts, for being a part of their special day. It is a good idea to hold the bridal party luncheon even a month or so prior to the wedding, following this timeline gives everyone an opportunity to build friendships that might not have developed without this special event.
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Las Vegas Destination Wedding
If you are planning a destination wedding to Las Vegas, it would be a great idea to host a combined wedding attendant luncheon on the day of arrival. Beginning your destination wedding with a special luncheon event that introduces the wedding party members to one another is a great ice breaker and immediately creates an environment of comfort and friendship for everyone involved. Shopping for wedding attendant gifts for a destination wedding is often best done if you keep the gift ideas inline with the destination of the wedding; not only are the wedding attendant gifts special mementos of your wedding but also of the exciting vacation shared with friends and family.
Unique Las Vegas destination wedding attendant gift ideas might include “ace of spades” cuff links for the men, playing card place card holders that can provide a dual function, arrange the seating chart for the luncheon and hold a sentimental picture of the special event after the luncheon is over. Other fun gift ideas could be personalized decks of cards, chocolate candy bar labels or mint tins with a Las Vegas theme or other specialty gift ideas. It is often fun to create an overall theme such as “Las Vegas” and use it throughout the entire wedding planning- wedding attendant luncheons, wedding attendant gifts, wedding invitations, decorations and such.
Destination weddings provide the perfect underlying theme for any wedding and surrounding wedding events, using the destination as the theme allows for the creation of many unique wedding planning ideas for both the wedding itself and the wedding attendant gifts.
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A Great Way to Bring Friends Together
If you and your groom are both uninterested in participating in bachelor and bachelorette parties, why not consider a combined “thank-you” event for your wedding attendants? Traditionally held for the bridesmaids as a Bridesmaid Luncheon, this event is a special time that focuses on the love, support and friendship provided by the bridal party during the preparations and organization of the wedding.
Combined bridal party luncheons or wedding attendant luncheons, can be a fun way to introduce the wedding party to one another, create a festive atmosphere as the wedding gets closer and can help to create new friendships before the day of your wedding. This is a wonderful time to deliver the wedding attendant gifts to each member of the bridal party.
For many bridal couples, the idea of bringing their childhood friends, business associates and relatives together as members of their wedding party can seem a bit intimidating as not everyone knows one another; hosting a combined wedding attendant luncheon provides the perfect format for introductions, building of new friendships and a great way to relax together before the wedding date.
It is traditional to host the wedding attendant luncheon within a month of the wedding date. However, if many of your bridal party have to travel a great distance to attend the wedding, it would be best to schedule the luncheon within two or three days of your wedding.
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Beach Party
If you are holding a beach themed wedding, keeping the theme universal makes the planning and preparations much easier. When you begin planning the bridesmaid luncheon, why not consider combining the male and female attendants “thank you” party into one competitive and fun event. Planning the wedding attendant luncheon for your entire bridal party can be a great deal of fun and take very little effort as long as you identify your main goal of the event and create an entire afternoon around that activity. Since you are hosting a luncheon, a beach barbecue would be a thematic and fun.
An afternoon activity that would provide lighthearted fun and competitiveness between the two sides of the bridal party could include a “sand castle building” competition at your local beach. This unique and exciting activity would provide a great opportunity for everyone to meet and get to know one another and express their creative side along the way. Additional activities that could be included in the day’s itinerary could include a game of beach volleyball and a bonfire. However, if you intend to build a fire on a public beach it is often a good idea to check with your city council to discover if any special permits are necessary prior to hosting your event.
Taking time to locate beach themed wedding attendant gifts for each member of your wedding party is actually easier than you might think; many online and retail wedding planning outlets have unique and creative wedding party favors to give to your friends and family on this special day.
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The Maid of Honor - Her Role and Duties
The maid of honor is considered a position of honor; pardon the pun, in your wedding party. A bride will typically ask a close female friend or relative to fulfill this position. In some cases, the mother or daughter of the bride will be asked to serve as maid of honor. (It’s worth noting, however, that if the woman you ask to fulfill this position is married, she should be called your Matron of Honor).
The Maid of Honor has a variety of typical responsibilities. Her primary part is to be the leader of the support for the bride. She will coordinate the bridesmaids to make sure they make it to their fittings, pick up their dresses on time as well as arranging for any pre-wedding grooming preparations like hair, make-up and nails.The Maid of Honor will also be responsible for making the arrangements for the bachelorette party.
During the wedding, the maid of honor will help the bride with pretty much everything. She will adjust her train, hold the groom’s rings, hold the bride’s flowers during the ceremony and sign the marriage certificate as an official witness of the wedding. A word to the wise, don’t let the maid of honor schedule any kind of night before the wedding party – the best thing for the prospective bride (and groom for that matter) is a good night’s sleep.
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Wedding Party Guide
The wedding party includes the bride, the groom, the attendants and the parents of the bride and groom. For bridesmaids and groomsmen alike, there is some helpful instructions you can provide them with during the wedding planning. If you hire a wedding planner, they may provide you with a tip sheet or sheets for your wedding attendants. If you plan your own wedding, the following tips should come in handy for both you and your wedding party:
Be sure to attend all fittings for the dresses and suits to avoid any surprises on the big day.
If jewelry and accessories are coordinated, do not add or subtract anything without consulting the bride and groom.
Pregnancies happen, be sure to let the bride know as soon as possible, especially if it means alterations to the dress or plans.
Destination weddings automatically require additional costs for travel and lodging, be sure to discuss this.
Bridesmaids and Groomsmen are expected to cover their own expenses; if this is an issue, please discuss it BEFORE finalizing plans.
If readings, singing or other additions are planned for the ceremony, be sure to clear the selection with bride and groom to avoid any unpleasant surprises
Guests of the bridesmaids and groomsmen are usually okay, but it’s always good to clear questionable additions with the bride and groom.
Punctuality and attention to detail are the key words to success as a wedding attendant.
If you have questions or concerns, don’t wait until the last minute to discuss them.
Unforeseen events and emergencies happen – accept that and work with the bridal couple in the event of unforeseen events.
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Gifts for the Wedding Party
Typically wedding gifts are designed around the idea of setting up a new home and that the bride and groom need staples to get their new joint home set up. But there are few typical rules applied to the gifts that the bridal couple bestows on their wedding attendants. Wedding party attendants do not expect gifts, but they are an important part of the core support that a couple receives in the months before and during their wedding. Here are a few suggestions to help you out in selecting wedding attendant gifts for bridesmaids and groomsmen. The maid of honor and best man should receive separate, more intimate gifts that can be exchanged between friends.
Wedding Attendant Gift Suggestions for Groomsmen:
Cufflinks
Watches
Engraved Pocket Knives
Monogrammed Money Clips
Specialized Key Chains
Personalized Coffee Mugs
Wedding Attendant Gift Suggestions for Bridesmaids:
Bracelets (Engraved or Not)
Watches
Charm or Charm Bracelet or Both
Hair Combs
Specialized Key Chains
Personalized Coffee Mugs
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The Best Man in Your Wedding Party
A best man is someone the groom chooses to stand up for him and to be his main support during the ceremony and the weeks leading up to it. He may choose his brother, his best friend, his father or even his son. The best man will handle carrying the bride’s ring during the ceremony, he’s in charge of making sure the groom gets to his fittings, picks up the suit and is dressed and on time for his ceremony on the day of the wedding.
The best man is also in charge of the bachelor party. The bachelor party is a considerable event in the year of celebration leading up to the wedding ceremony. The best man will handle the standard organization of the bachelor party including location, events and invitees. The best man will also give a toast during the reception and he will sign the marriage license as one of the two official witnesses to the marriage ceremony.
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Small Children as Wedding Attendants
Traditionally, a flower girl represents the promise of new life and fertility for a bride and groom. She spreads flower petals along the path that a bride takes towards her new life. The ring bearer offers similar promise as he carries the symbols of that new life down the path that the flower girl has just laid.
Including a flower girl and a ring bearer in your ceremony is also a way to let children in your family participate. For bride and grooms on their second marriage or with children from a previous relationship, it’s a way to make their children a part of the ceremony. It’s important to remember that very young children can have severe stage fright when it comes to the actual ceremony, so make sure that their part is not so important that it messes up your ceremony if they fail to perform. In some cases, let them walk down the aisle together or even with the bride or maid of honor, because they can provide comfort for the children. A word to the wise, don’t have a late in the evening wedding where children are involved – cranky children are worse than children suffering from stage fright when it comes to a wedding ceremony.
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What's Expected of the Wedding Party?
When you ask someone to be an attendant at your wedding, do they know what it is you expect? It’s always best to clearly define your expectations for your attendants when you are asking them to be a part of your wedding. For example, many bridesmaids are expected to purchase their own dresses. If you are asking someone who cannot afford to purchase their own dress, then you need to work out these types of details. If the groomsmen are going to be required to rent tuxedos, then you are going to want to try and have all of them rent their tuxedos from the same shop in order to ensure matching styles and colors.
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Destination Wedding Tips
A destination wedding is one where the bridal party, family and friends travel to a pre-chosen destination for the wedding ceremony and reception. Destination weddings can take place all over the world and planning a wedding is complicated, but when you throw in travel plans it can be a recipe for disaster unless someone takes the lead on making the travel plans. Do not leave anything to chance, a wedding planner will likely take point on coordinating the travel plans for the wedding party. In the absence of a wedding planner, one person in the wedding party – preferably not the bride and groom, should take the lead on coordinating the travel plans. This can be done via travel agent who can plan flights, lodging and transportation in order to insure that the entire wedding party is where they need to be when they need to be. The following is a guide for organizing travel plans:
One person should be the coordinator to make sure that conflicting arrangements do not happen by accident.
The bride, groom and wedding attendants should arrive no later than 24 to 36 hours before the planned wedding date. It’s actually best to arrive at least 2 days beforehand, especially if you are planning a rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
Wedding attendants should bring all of their attire with them, whether it is a rented suit or not – do not rely on picking it up at the last moment at the destination.
Guest travel plans should be coordinated as well to help avoid delays that can impact the wedding. Request that no one plan his or her arrival on the day of the wedding.
Destination weddings will usually involve at least 2 to 3 days of travel and lodging, coordinating the plans for the wedding attendants and guests may earn a discount from both the airlines and the hotel.
If the bridal couple is planning to cover any portion of the travel arrangements, designate one credit card in order to more clearly track the billing.
Communicate frequently to ensure that all the plans are clearly understood and that nothing has been left to chance. Email lists are a good way to keep everyone in the loop.
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Wedding Duties for the Mother of the Groom
It is often difficult to know what the duties and responsibilities of the mother of the groom entails.
Her first duty upon hearing of the engagement is to contact the bride's family and introduce herself and her family. If they live too far to get together for the first meeting, a friendly letter will be fine.
If there will be a meeting, either make reservations at a nice but cozy restaurant (not too upscale, you really don't know what the bride's family prefers) or a meal at your home. Your son and future daughter-in-law may enjoy attending this meeting but it is not a necessity.
Another duty for the mother of the groom is to make sure the bride has a guest list of people to invite to the wedding among the groom's friends and relatives. The groom's mother should find out the total number of guests so that she will not be suggesting too many invitations.
Etiquette suggests that the groom's mother choose a dress to complement the colors of the dress of the mother of the bride. The length is determined by the length the bride's mother chooses. Do not match the color of the dress of the bride's mother, however, just complement.
If you have guests coming to your son's wedding from out of town, you will be taking care of the reservations to make sure they have a place to stay.
After many of the details are out of the way and the wedding is about to happen, it will be your family (parents of the groom) who will host a rehearsal dinner. The type of meal and venue will be your choice.
At the wedding, your official duty will be to help greet guests in the receiving line.
