FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JUNE 22, 2017 • THE QUEENS COURIER 41
fall bridal guide
BY YOUR SIDE
How many friends do you need up on stage?
BY KRISTEN CASTILLO
Aft er the initial excitement of your
engagement, everyone will have lots of
questions. Did you choose a wedding
date? And what’s your venue? Th ose are
big questions, but you still have more
decisions to make, including how many
people to have in your wedding party.
Big or small? Do you have to have an
even number of attendants? What’s the
etiquette?
“Th ere is no magic number to determine
the size of your wedding party,”
says wedding planner Lauren Chitwood,
owner of Lauren Chitwood Events, who
has been coordinating weddings for over
a decade. “Bridal party selections mostly
depend on relationships and the pace and
feel that the clients want for their wedding
day.”
You need to discuss what each of you
has in mind for the number of attendants
and make sure there are not hurt feelings.
Size Doesn’t Matter
Every wedding is diff erent and there’s
no formula for assembling your bridesmaids,
groomsmen and other attendants.
“What is best is what you and your fi ance
will enjoy,” says Viva Max Kaley, wedding
planner and creator of Viva Max
Weddings. “If you like having lots of
friends around you, then a big party is
right for you. If you prefer a more quiet
morning or don’t want to involve too
many people on your day, then keeping
the numbers low might make more sense.”
Cutting Down
It’s oft en stressful to choose wedding
attendants, but it’s even more
nerve-wracking if you have lots of close
friends and family who want to be included
in your wedding party.
You think it’s tough cutting your guest
list, but what do you do when you need
to cut your wedding party? Who stays?
Who goes?
“Oft en when groups of friends balloon
in size, and clients experience hesitations,
I encourage my brides and grooms to keep
it simple and just include siblings and family,”
says Chitwood. “It’s an easy way to
draw a line without hurting feelings.”
Even-Steven?
Wedding parties don’t necessarily need
to be balanced, such as six groomsmen
and six bridesmaids. Instead, couples are
choosing to focus on including the people
most important to them by their side.
Whether the number of attendants is
odd or even doesn’t matter and neither
does gender.
Co-ed wedding parties are gaining popularity.
“If you want your closest friends and
family by your side, choose the people
who will be most helpful and bring
you joy on your wedding day, no matter
their gender,” says Kaley. “If you prefer
the ladies on one side and the guys on
the other, that is fi ne, too. Just know you
should do what is right for you and your
besties.”
Destination I Do
Your wedding party size will likely be
signifi cantly smaller if you get married
on location.
“We advise brides to limit to one or
two members per side to avoid have
half of your attendees being members of
the wedding party,” says Sara Locke of
BookBetterTravel.com, explaining a typical
destination wedding has an intimate
guest list, oft en between 20 to 60 guests.
Bridal Party Budget
Being a groomsman or bridesmaid is
a fun and exciting honor, but it can also
be expensive. Before you invite people to
be members of your wedding party, consider
whether you can aff ord to have a
large crew and whether each individual
can aff ord it.
Here’s why: Th e more members of your
wedding party, the pricier it’ll be. You’ll
have to buy boutonnieres and bouquets,
and thank-you gift s, for each of them,
along with covering their expenses for the
rehearsal dinner.
Th ere’s fi nancial strain on the attendants,
too, such as paying for specific
wedding attire, hair and makeup, and
travel expenses.
“You can have your besties around without
having them walk down the aisle,”
says Kaley.
If budget is a concern, invite your
friends as guests and keep your wedding
party small.
“Your wedding should be a fun time for
all, and not too much of a fi nancial stressor,”
says Kaley. “Be realistic and respectful
of your friends’ fi nancial pressures and
keep it in mind when fi nalizing your wedding
party numbers.”
Kristen Castillo is a three-time Emmy
Award-winning journalist. An editor and
writer for wedding magazines, she’s written
hundreds of wedding articles, as well as an
e-book, “Weddings on a Dime.”
Courtesy Creators.com