Planning for your big day can be stressful, but having the right people by your side to support you can lift a lot of that burden off your shoulders and make the whole process more enjoyable.
Your wedding party won’t just be involved in every aspect of planning for your dream wedding, but importantly, they will be right there with you as you recite your vows and celebrate the most important day of your life. Therefore, your wedding party should consist of your closest family members and best friends.
Who should you include in your wedding party and what does each role entail? Read on as we spill all the deets to help you get started!
Here’s a helpful list of roles to include in your wedding party and our suggestions on who should fill them:
Maid of Honour
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A Maid of Honour is the bride’s right-hand woman and has the biggest role in assisting the bride throughout the whole wedding planning process and on the big day itself. These duties may include: choosing the bridesmaids’ dresses, accompanying the bride for dress fittings, organising the bachelorette party, planning the gatecrash, and being the point of contact on the wedding day to coordinate with the wedding venue, F&B providers and everything else the bride may need help with! Most brides usually choose a sibling or best friend for this role.
Bridesmaids
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Bridesmaids, colloquially known as the bride’s sisters or jie-mei in Mandarin, are the brides’ entourage- who also play a big role in making sure everything goes smoothly on the bride’s wedding day. They are usually the bride’s close friends or relatives. Usually under the leadership of the Maid of Honour, bridesmaids often help out in organising the bride’s bachelorette party and planning for the gatecrash. On the big day itself, they usually help with ushering guests to their seats, manning the reception table, handing out wedding favours, coordinating photo-taking for the guests, as well as other miscellaneous tasks.
Best Man / Best Woman
The best man or best woman fulfills the maid of honour role for the groom. Similarly, this person is usually filled by the groom’s best friend or closest sibling. In many weddings, the best man and maid of honour are also expected to deliver speeches during the wedding reception. He/she also helps out with the wedding planning and attends to everything else the groom may need throughout the big day.
Groomsmen
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The groom’s entourage, also known as the brothers, often take on similar duties as the sisters. They help with the wedding planning, decorating the wedding car and planning for the groom’s bachelor party. On the wedding day, they usually double up as ushers to direct guests to the right seats and coordinate the photo-taking as the couple goes from table to table during the reception. Both groomsmen and bridesmaids stand by the groom and bride’s side during the wedding ceremony.
The Groom and Bride’s Parents
Good old mums and dads of the couple (or whoever is standing in for them) play an integral role on the wedding day. They sit together with the bride and groom during the wedding reception as well as by the couple’s side at the wedding ceremony.Typically, the parents serve as the witnesses as the couple exchange their vows and sign the wedding registry, and at some weddings, fathers of the bride or groom deliver speeches too. They usually welcome guests at the wedding reception and are part of the party that thanks everyone for coming at the end.
Flower Girl
Flower girls walk down the aisle ahead of the wedding couple,spreading flower petals as they go. This whimsical role is usually filled by nieces and other young relatives or even the daughters of friends.
Ring Bearer
The ring bearer’s job is to carry the couple’s wedding rings down the aisle during the wedding ceremony. Just like the flower girl, this can be a really cute and fun role to assign! Many couples often appoint a younger relative such as their nephew, cousin for this. In some unique cases, some couples even opt for a family pet!
Officiant or Solemniser
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Whether the exchange of vows takes place at a religious venue, a fancy restaurant or even in an office at the Registry of Marriages, an officiant or solemniser is needed to witness and validate your union, and to sign the marriage license. You can view the full list of licensed solemnisers on the Registry of Marriages’ website before approaching the one of your choice.
Ultimately, remember that it’s YOUR wedding day, who your wedding party comprises of, and what they need to do is entirely up to you. Some couples might prefer not to have bridesmaids or groomsmen, while others may have more specific roles included in their wedding party. In short, there’s no right or wrong way to go about it.
Whatever you decide, make the most of your wedding celebration because it’s going to be a-once-in-a-lifetime-occasion. Most important of all, remember to have fun!
For more free resources and helpful articles for your wedding planning, visit My Bridal Room’s blog.
My Bridal Room offers a range of pre-wedding services, such as photography, videography, hair and makeup services, and gown rental! Contact us for a non-obligatory quote and we’re happy to assist you with your planning.
