Hear me out... Large bridal parties are overrated

I have yet to be convinced there is any practical reason for having a wedding party altogether.

No wedding parties here. Don’t have a desire or need.
It’s part of the traditional ways of weddings which are outdated in my opinion.

I have 7 Bridesmaids 1 Jr Bridesmaid and 3 Flower girls,

there are days when I think it's too much to have this big of the bridal party but all these girls are dear to me everyone gets to pick their dress and hairstyle and shoes all I cared about is the Color of dress

You have many good points - the traditions behind bridesmaids date back to ancient Greek and Roman times and so if they don't suit you, there's no reason to follow them.

I think one or two people is nice, but I've seen pictures of 10 a side and kind of quail in the face of the madness in the house where they're getting ready, assuming they all stay together.

It sounds stressful to me - I have two bridesmaids (sister and sister in law) and will have both mothers and two other friends get ready with me, and I'm already a little apprehensive it will be chaos. I can only imagine what it would be like to add another 6 women to that.

But, some people thrive on big groups like that and could never imagine anything else, and if they can afford all those people and would enjoy having that many, then they should do what suits them.

That's really the best thing about modern weddings - there's very little which is a legal requirement, so you can totally pick and choose what fits you and your partner.

View Quoted Comment I love that you're letting them pick their dresses and shoes!
I hope you have a wonderful wedding 💕

View Quoted Comment Very true! As modern brides we can pick what we want! We all have different tastes and preferences! 💕

We skipped a wedding party. No extra stress, cost or drama for anyone! My mom & sister got ready with me.

Honestly your points are so valid.

i had 5 in mine and i love them all dearly but at the same time god did they stress me out! and yeah i spent quite a bit on gifts overall as well so that would have saved me money.

but i wouldn't have had it any other way either because i couldn't imagine anyone else but them up there. but i think your points are super valid. it can definitely save you a lot more stress with a smaller party

I completely agree! I tend to be a very laid-back person, and didn’t want the stress of having to corral lots of bridesmaids. I am having one maid of honor and one man of honor (which btw, I’ve come to realize having a male bridal party member is soooooo much easier and cheaper- no hair, makeup or bouquet to pay for). By having only 1 female standing with me, I am able to pay for her hair and make up, and both of their wardrobes. I will also be getting them both more extravagant thank you gifts because I can now spend $200 on each of them, instead of dividing that $400 between 4-8 people. And the best part of all… I don’t have to wake up early for hair and make up! We will be able to stay out late with our friends the evening before, and I can sleep in til noon on my wedding day!

I will also add that I am saving a lot of money on the rehearsal dinner also! Because not only are you paying for your wedding party members, but also all of their significant others as well. Because our wedding party is so small, we can now have an extravagant 5 course meal with open bar at the RD!

I had two bridesmaids (no MOH).

One of those bridesmaids had 10 bridesmaids for her wedding (I was not one of them. Six of them were her sisters.) My mom asked if I was hurt that I wasn't in that wedding party - that was a very quick no. I was very glad I was not part of that zoo.

I think it just really depends on the person. I am very much an introvert, so I don't have a dozen close friends to ask, and I didn't when I got married, either. I generally have two very close, intimate friends at a time. But some girls have 5-6 friends like that.

We had 6 on each side and absolutely no problems or drama 🤗

I love to see how brides do things differently!! You have so many valid points and I’m sure it would be so much more stress free and a big money saver! I come from a large family (1 of 7 kids) so I’m totally used to large gatherings and a little bit of chaos. All my members of my bridal party are such huge components of who I am and how far I’ve come. Not to mention my life savers, best friends, and advocates for my love life. I couldn’t imagine not having each of them not standing up there with me. So I have 2 MOHs, 5 bridesmaids, and two flower girls. But our bridal parties are uneven and I’m also totally cool with that. He has 2 men and 2 women that are his party. I guess you could say I thrive in the face of chaos lol.

I am 100% in agreement with original poster. Small intimate weddings are my favorite. On my wedding day, I only want to be surrounded by people I know and love. Fortunately, every one is different and there are plenty of wedding types to satisfy a variety of tastes and preferences

Did not have one and do not regret it!