Role for SIL

-A female usher- is this weird? We do have a female "best person" on FH's side and the ushers would just be used for moms and grandparents, probably not guests.

- A reader in the ceremony. But, we aren't having a religious ceremony and I can't think of a pertinent piece of literature/quote/whatever for her to read. I wasn't planning on having readings, but this seems like the best option? Maybe I just need to sort out my ceremony a little more first?

- Videographer. I know it sounds weird, but we aren't hiring anyone to do it for us. Photos are more important than video. This is what FH did during brother and SIL's wedding, but it also made it so it wasn't sitting alone (I was awkwardly a BM).

What are your thoughts on these options? Do you have a better one in mind?

How old is your sis in law? maybe she can make a speech for you guys or introduce you as you walk into the reception?

You could always just give her a corsage and let her be a regular guest. The corsage honors her as a VIP guest while not giving her a specific "job". Personally, if one of my SILs didn't want me to be a bridesmaid in their wedding (which is totally cool) I'd rather be a guest than be given a job. Does that make sense at all? It's special to me to just be there and support my SIL and her future husband, I don't have to be involved in order to feel special or recognized.

@Jacquie- she is a year or two older than me, so 28/29ish? I don't actually know- is that bad?

@Lauren, while that sounds like a nice idea, I don't see my SIL viewing it that way.

I was in the same spot. We asked her to do a reading (she said it was a slap in the face. What?!) and she's all gung-ho about making our invites. There are quite a few nice readings that are nondemonational, that's what we want too. As far as video I think that's a great idea as long as she doesn't have kids to entertain.

@Margaret I'm sorry she's like that. I'm so thankful that me and my SILs all have a really easy going relationship with each other. I'd definitely ask her to help with directing people to the guest book to sign and maybe see if she's interested in giving a toast at the reception. Our ceremony didn't have a space for special readings or songs but if your's does then that's always a good option too.

So I think I might have figured out what I am going to ask my SIL to do. Apparently, like some many other good ideas, it needed to come to me in the shower. Lol.

We will be using not traditional flowers for our bouquets and to present to our mothers and grandmothers. They are called sweet grass flowers and they are a big part of the city of Charleston. They also come with a legend about Southern Belles giving their soldiers these flowers as a simple of their everlasting love before the men went off to war.

I thought, why not have my SIL read the story of the flowers right before our moms and grandmothers get presented their flowers? While most guests are familiar with the flowers, I am pretty sure most don't know the story. And if not, its a sweet, romantic legend. What do you think of this idea for her to read?

Here is a picture of the type of bouquets we will use.

I think that works great! Isn't it funny how the best ideas always come in the shower? Lol