Bridesmaids Meet and Greet

I did this and they loved it. It's so easy to bond over mimosas .

@MrsC: that's what I figure. Question, did you cover the bill?

I would think this would be something you pay for. Or have them over to your house for a brunch if cost is a factor.

I treated my bridal party to dinner this past weekend. Three of them couldn't make it (distance and double booked days) but it was nice for the other four to meet and put names to faces.

Would have been nice if mine were all in the same city/state. Overall i think its a good idea if its not mandatory.

Mine all met when we went to get their dresses except my MOH wasn't there. I also plan on doing a lunch in August but two of my bridesmaids won't be able to come now and my MOH will be here (she is out of state) but I am still going to do it anyways! I think it is a good idea

If you do this, please don't make it mandatory and you should pay. Your bridesmaids have enough going on and lives of their own, so there shouldn't be any kind of pressure to be at anything besides the wedding. It's not really important if they know each other or not. If they're mature adults, it won't make a difference whether or not they know each other or not. I've been in 2 weddings where I didn't meet some of the bridesmaids until the rehearsal. Hell, I couldn't even get all my bridesmaids together at the same time (including shower and bachelorette) before our rehearsal. I had one bridesmaid who hadn't met two of the other bridesmaids before. We got married and everyone got along.

In my situation, it was that the bridesmaids didn't know the groomsmen they would be paired with (my bridesmaids were mostly my family as well as a few close friends, DH's side had all been friends for over 20 years). I would have had a barbecue or dinner to introduce everyone but my apartment is just too small. We had a "meet and greet" party at the local zoo. We covered admission and food (pizza that the zoo provided as part of the rental). I also invited my parents as well as my in-laws (including DH's sister and BIL), even DH's grandmother flew in from Cleveland to attend (the first time I got to meet her). I made gift bags for everyone and included a swatch of the color I wanted the bridesmaids to wear (I let them all choose their own dress, just wanted them to wear a certain color). I also included a "thank you" to each bridal party member and our family members in their gift bags (we also invited everyone's SO). I was a nice time, everyone mingled while we were eating and then everyone had time to tour the zoo. The majority of our guests walked around the zoo with DH and I. I didn't make it mandatory and everyone that could attend enjoyed themselves.

No, I didn't. I did get them a little gift as a thank you for agreeing to stand by my side on the big day. I got them tumblers with their names written on them and stuck a ring pop inside lol. I didn't make it a mandatory wedding event. I'm in the DC area so brunch is something we do all the time. I don't think any of them expected me to pay.

ETA we really didn't talk about wedding stuff at brunch. It was just regular girl talk for the most part. My MOH collected all of their numbers/email addresses at the end, but that was about it.

I used the shower and the upcoming bachelorette for meet and greet. Everyone has gotten along great and been able to plan things together even without knowing each other very well

Planning on it. Seems like a great idea OP.

My BMs don't all know each other and FH's GM for the most part don't know any of my friends. We haven't done a meet and greet type of thing, but they did get to meet each other some when we went dress shopping this last time and it went very well! Overall I agree to not make it mandatory, traveling for all the pre-wedding stuff and the wedding itself is already expensive, and that it would be something the bride would cover cost wise as its a hosted event. I've tossed this idea around a bit, part of me feels it may be unnecessary but it also seems really fun so I'm undecided lol.

When I asked my girls to be in the wedding, we ended up going our for dinner & drinks. It was fun. We didn't talk much about the wedding but it was good to have a mini girls night.

Thanks, guys! My place may be too small for everyone so I'm thinking I'll do it at a restaurant. I'll pick up the tab.

I had a meet and greet for the most part all my bm know each other my sister, cousins and two bff who are basically family too, but we still had a little meeting to discuss wedding stuff dress colors and type things like that. I ordered some food and made some mixed drinks and we just hung out had a fun girls night. I also gave them their gifts I know its early but I was too excited to wait.

I've been in a few weddings and I was a "glittered covered slave" so I love reading forums where brides are doing nice things for their bm to show appreciation.

We did this too. One of my bridesmaids hosted it at her house so we could sit down and just hang (and when i say hang I mean drink)...oh ya and we talked about the wedding. I told them my colors and they looked through dresses online and we ate, and drank more, and had a great time. It's nice to sit down with all of them at once and just have fun. Everyone knew each other already so it was just a girls day.

I think it's nice to do if you don't frame it as a meet and greet, but just a girls day.

ETA: and you pay if it's a meal, and buy a round if you're out at the bar.

@ELK: I will def take that advice. Thanks!

The bride/groom I'm standing up in a wedding for just did this for the bridal party and I was actually a big fan! It was after the bridal shower, since all the girls were already there and then the guys joined. It wasn't mandatory and not everyone made it but it was nice getting a chance to meet / hang out with some of them!

We were thinking of inviting everyone (both parties) to dinner or over the house and ask them to be in the wedding and then hang out.