No bridal party

I’m not quite sure what you’re asking. The only thing bridesmaids are responsible for is standing next to you at your wedding. If you want someone to plan you a shower or bachelorette party, you can drop hints that you would like one, but you cannot expect that of anyone. If you want to include them in your wedding without having a bridal party, you can ask them to do a reading, be ushers or hand out wedding programs. You could also make a toast to those important in your lives at the reception.

I’m sorry, what? You either have bridesmaids or you don’t. There’s no in between.

We are doing the same, having a smaller destination wedding and we decided against a bridal party. My FH and I will have our closest friends and family with us when we are getting ready and I’m having matching robes and champagne glasses for all the girls. I will be having the normal bachelorette and bridal shower with my girls and the moms as well. We are not having anyone stand up with us. We have a designated MOH and Best Man, but they will not be standing up.

Unfortunately, bridesmaids are bridesmaids and there's really nothing in between. I'd just skip the bridal party or something similar to it!

We had a small DW and skipped the wedding party too. My mom & sister got their makeup done with me and we enjoyed a light bite & champagne. We even had a few of the “getting ready” pics together. You could invite your BFFs to get ready with you & let them know the cost of hair/makeup if they’d like that option.

I am asking all my close girl friends to arrive a half hour early to take some photos with me before the ceremony and they are all also coming to my bachelorette party. It's nice because I didn't have to worry about leaving anyone out and they can still enjoy "bridal party" stuff without having to pay for a dress and all the extra attire that comes with normal bridesmaid responsibilities.

You have bridesmaids or you don't, sums it up. But bridesmaids do not need to wear any special clothes, just their own nice clothes. They do not need to get ready with you. None of that stuff is or ever has been necessary. Just, a lot of people love to do it. But you can tell them you are not interested in the fancy dress and processions and such. But you would like them to stand beside you at the altar, because they are your closest friends. Still MOH or BM, simply no fancy dress costumes, dress shopping, fancy rehearsal and RD. B and G in special bridal wear, whatever you want. . . . Up through after WWII in this country, only the rich had elaborate bridal party costumes. Most people, the bridesmaids wore their best dresses . Except showers, none of the bridal party stuff. Till the nineties, no trips to spas, or HMU who came to the wedding site, no group getting ready, no bachelorette parties. Those have become common only in the last 25 years, for any but the rich or royalty. So if you want a pared down list of expectations for essentially wedding trip and day bridal party, just that they be with you at specified times, why not? Just explain from the start . I think that a lot of the trouble of bridal parties would be avoided if more people did this, just stand up with me on the day, type BP . I have been in a few where we all showed up nicely dressed and groomed in our own clothes, stood at the altar, sat with SO at table near or with the couple, and that was all. We all said we wished more brides did it. It is your wedding. Do as much or as little as you want.

Yeah, in this situation, you'd either have bridesmaids or just forgo the bridal party all together!

I'm not having bridal parties, but we're also recognizing special people through their participation in the ceremony. We asked our best friends to be our witnesses for the license. My brother and FH's friend are participating in our unity ceremony (handfasting). My SIL is doing a reading. There are ways to include/recognize people without having bridesmaids and groomsmen.