Short, non-traditional ceremonies without a bridal party

We have no bridal party either and the wedding is tiny. We plan on allowing the 15 guests to seat themselves. My brother will hold the train of my gown as I walk down the stairs, and fix it before the actual aisle...depending on the aisle, he will go be seated and then my dad and I will head down.


Also, we are planning on having the officiant say something like "please come forward to congratulate Mr and Mrs..." We think it may look silly for us to "exit" and outdoor venue with such few guests. Not to mention we hate being the center of attention too! We like the idea of this because it feels more intimate and not so scripted.

We had no bridal party and 15 people in attendance on the beach. They sat themselves. My husband walked his mother down the aisle, not planned.. she lingered back purposefully for this. My dad walked me down the aisle. My sister was sitting in the front row and took my flowers from me as i got to the front. We had a non-religious ceremony and it was completed within 15 minutes. We signed our marriage license as part of our ceremony. I grabbed my flowers from my sister and off we went!

We attended a microwedding without a bridal party and it was beautiful. It was very low key, but we were able to fully focus on the bride and groom and their beautiful vows instead of the fully processional.

Crazy, I had 15 guests too like the two previous posters! No wedding party. Lovely intimate ceremony. Non-religious so we added a “rose ceremony” instead of a unity action to help add a bit more to the ceremony (maybe 20 minutes?). It was great!

I was at a wedding this past spring that was very small and at a restaurant. There was no bridal party. There was a short cocktail hour followed by the ceremony. For the ceremony, they just asked everyone to gather round the couple. It was actually very nice. We all just stood around them and watched the very short and sweet ceremony, and then did some pictures before dinner.

We are planning a small wedding on the beach for ourselves. We are not having a bridal party either. My son will walk me down the isle and stand next to me for the ceremony. Well, maybe, since today he decided that my fiance shouldn't have to stand by himself the whole time, so I told him he can decide where to stand on his own.

Anyway, my point is that you definitely don't need a bridal party, and you definitely don't need to do a traditional ceremony. My favorite weddings have always been the smaller, more intimate ceremonies without all the fanfare. Being a little nervous is normal, but don't feel you have to put on any kind of show you're not comfortable with.

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Thank you for reminding me that nerves are normal! We won’t have a small guest list, about 60-75 (we both have large families) I’ve just been anxious about not having a traditional ceremony, without a bridal party, and for our families being disappointed. They are all out of state so I don’t want to feel like they wasted their time coming for a 10 minute ceremony but honestly the shorter the better for me lol

We did each have a best man who walked us down the aisle, but had no other people in our wedding party. If you don't have an aisle, you and your fiancé could meet and walk in together. Or you could just come out at the right time and take your place, no aisle required. I officiate weddings and hear all the time from couples that they want short and simple. You are not alone! I actually find that many guests get antsy around the 20 minute mark. I have done a ceremony as short as 10 minutes and the couple was thrilled. It really is up to you and your fiancé. Talk with your officiant to make sure you're all on the same page. Good luck!

My friends did this. They went off to the mountains with a photographer and an officiant and they just did their own private ceremony just the two of them.

View Quoted Comment Thanks for the advice. I'd be thrilled with a 10 minute ceremony!

Although we had a small bridal party (my two college age sons were my attendants plus one Best Man) we had no aisle, no music no readers. Our ceremony was 10 minutes (people still thank us for that!) We just gathered, the officiant said "Let's get going" and we did! We attended a wedding this August with no bridal party, one song and one reading. It was lovely and short!! You be you, girl!!!

View Quoted Comment Thank you for the encouragement!

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You are welcome! As a two time bride (never gain, lol!!!) I would recommend NOT talking about your wedding with anyone. Seriously, people feel the NEED to offer you feedback and tell you an idea is terrible. Like thanks a lot, lol!!! We never announced anything on FB, IG, nothing. Have a budget and stick to it. Enjoy being married!!!!

View Quoted Comment I imagine this is some of the best advice a bride can receive! I'm a fairly quiet, private person anyway so I don't plan on sharing much, and since we're paying for our wedding ourselves, no one else gets input unless I ask for it lol but I can guess it would be extra stressful with family members and friends trying to butt in and take over! Thanks again

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You again, are welcome. I meant to say "never again" not gain, lol!!! Truthfully, my second wedding was very low key and stress free but if I ever did it again I would have me, him, my kids, parents, sibs plus spouses and be done. Guest lists are CRAZY! I had a cousin badger me repeatedly over inviting her grown son and wife and I was like would you please stop.

One more thing and I will be done, lol: NEVER underestimate who lives in town and won't attend and who lives across the country and will fly to get there. We had a CLOSE family member not RSVP, nothing and blew our wedding off. It was my hubby's nephew who blew off seeing his only uncle be a first time groom at age 52. Whatever loser. (Sorry, had to vent!)

View Quoted Comment Oh that's so bogus! I keep telling my fiancé not to invite his family if it's only out of obligation and because he thinks they won't attend. Because if they decide to show up, now we have to pay for that added cost for someone he didn't really want to attend in the first place! I'm hoping my family is all pretty lowkey and won't fuss over invites (like I'm not planning on inviting cousins or relatives I haven't seen or spoken to in a decade!) but I'm not too sure about FH's family. I'm someone who tends to worry about what others think/want but this is MY one day where it's all about me and my guy and what WE want, not what everyone else thinks we should do!


Hopefully you enjoyed the second go around despite your annoying guests! I'm only inviting people I want to be there so there should be minimal drama! Fingers crossed ha

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Yes, this cousin (I have A LOT of cousins, lol) always gives me a hard time about stuff, like giving my son who is four hours away at college a hard time for not attending events. You go drive four hours each way in the snow to pick him up then. I don't know, there is something about weddings that makes people WEIRD. There will always be some random family member who will sit with his/her arms crossed because "We didn't do it like that in 1976!!" People will have something to say if they have to pay for a drink - that stuff doesn't bother me but hey to each their own.

One last thing: My second time was AWESOME - would not change a thing. Low key afternoon wedding that was over with by 3pm. No favors, no programs, minimal decorating needed as the private dining room was gorgeous, etc. Focused on food, drink and excellent guitar music at the reception and all was well!!!

View Quoted Comment Oh I'm glad to hear that, because we are keeping ours lowkey with minimal planning too. Always nervous how it will be received by the guests but there will be good food, open bar, and music which is all you really need, in my opinion! Not doing any of the fanfare, forgoing favors, no programs or signage, no flowers. We are getting married at a vintage b&b so it really doesn't need much in the way of decor- it's perfect the way it is! It always shocks me when I hear these horror stories of wedding guests because I would never act that way on someone else's special day- their day, their way!

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Listen if you have an open bar people will be HAPPY. People remember the food and being thanked by the couple. That is about it, really!! I hope signs go away - I have been in weddings since the early 70's (a flower girl!) and attending them since - I don't need a sign to tell me where to sit and where the bar is, thanks. I was going to skip flowers (we got married at an arboretum) but at the the last minute (and I do mean last) I decided on a small white bouquet for photos. Plus my hubby was HUNG UP on having a white rose boutinnerre (sp?) and I thought it would be odd not to have a bouquet ih had a flower in his lapel, lol!! Our ceremony was about 10 minutes long, people loved that as well!!! Best wishes!