Wedding Party Information Packets!

Wow. I think you must be one of those NATURALLY organized people (my closet needs you!).

I think its fine what you have on the list, as long as they are aware of their expenses and yours. It will definitely define the day and keep things running on track. But remember, nothing ever goes flawlessly, so let the little things roll :-)

Make sure you only give them the info they need. DH was in a wedding last weekend. The bride sent so much detail in advance and a lot of it didn't apply to them (ex their schedule included what time the BMs and father of the bride were being picked up), so many admitted they never read it. Also, allow them to still be themselves. Again, for example, ask them to wear dress pants to rehearsal but don't specify the color.

I do try my best! The more organized the less stressed I will be about it.

Awesome idea but like someone previously said.. Keep it to a minimum, the info can get overwhelming and stress your bridal party.

If you are requiring them to have a certain look for hair and make up you should be paying for it.

I just want their makeup to be natural & hair up. That's all.

My wedding party is small. So it shouldn't be to big of a deal. Were all very tight knit. I think im going to decide it up.

Even if it's small and right knit, my original statement still stands. If you are requiring them to spend over a hundred dollars on hair and make up because YOU want them to look a certain way and arnt giving them the option to do it themselves they may not be happy.

I am all for everyone looking the same, all my girls will have beautiful updos and make up done the same, but I know that if I wasn't fronting the bill I have at least one BM who wouldn't pay the $130 it costs to have it done and I really don't think I should expect that of them. (My bridal party is small too)

Just be careful, I know you want to be well organized, but from posting here so long I have seen it blow up in so many brides faces because their wedding party ends up not wanting to do the million things that are expected from them when in reality the only REAL expectation they should have of them is to show up and stand next to you day of wedding. Anything they choose to do above and beyond that should be their own choice.

- Why would you need to include the cost of the bridesmaid attire and what it is? You should be asking *their* budgets in advance and staying within that amount. It's also courteous to involve them in the selection of the dress.

- If you want a specific hair and make-up "look", then you pay for it. You can't spend their money to have your "look".

- What are MOH / BM "responsibilities"? Anything beyond showing up to the wedding in the correct attire is up to them not you. Throwing you guys pre-wedding parties and helping you plan is up to them to offer not you to demand.

I would be careful about this "information packet" as it can come off sounding demanding and bridezilla-ish. I would just keep it short and sweet with the day-of timeline and important logistical details.

I'm not sure what your timeline is for these packets, but I just wanted to caution you because your date is so far away. A lot of things you envision now could change. My wedding is very different from how I had dreamed and dreamed it to be (since FH and I got serious).

I am already going to pay for half of everything. Their jewelry is going to be in their "gift box". & they get to keep their dress. That's theirs forever. I wouldn't expect somebody to pay for my dress for any event.

The groomsmen are wear suit that are bought cause I work in retail & get a discount so it'll be like $100 for a nice suit they again can keep.

They already have approved of the dress. They are picking their own black shoes, which most of them already have.

The option for them to do their own makeup is out there.

I haven't made any dated timelines yet & I'm not going to until about 6-8 months before hand.

"Responsibilities" just a toast is what I had in mind.

You guys are taking some of this the wrong way.

We arnt taking it the wrong way. Your original post and the last comment you posted are two completely different things.

Your first post makes you seem like you're going to be a bridezilla forcing your bridal party to do everything.

Your last comment makes it seem like your bridal party has choices, which was in no way portrayed in your first first.

And I don't know why you even brought up dresses. No one said you should be paying for those. All Emily said was that you should find out their budget first. Your first comment makes it seem like you just picked a dress and dress budget without telling them. If their budget is only $100 ad you're picking a dress that's $300 that's what Emily meant. Your second post makes it seem like you already cleared te dress with the bridesmaids but your first post didn't. That's why she was concerned.

If they already know what dress they're supposed to get I don't understand why there has to be in a packet

^^^ exactly

I wouldn't do a packet - I'd do a Google doc or make a Facebook page. What if they lose the packet?

I've been thinking about this idea a little more, and I think a lot of this can be helpful to everyone in your wedding. My suggestion would be to kind of break up this "packet" into two different groups of information.

The first bundle would include things that the BP should know several months in advance: attire info (could even be separated for BM and GM), makeup, responsibilities, some of their favorites, etc.

The second group would be things they need to know closer to the wedding (you can put a general note about these things with the first bundle of info). Things like hotels, directions, contact info, etc. are more practical a few weeks before your wedding, and less likely to get lost. :-)

I like Erica's idea of doing something digital, too. Your BP will likely have their phones with them, but not necessarily a sheet of paper (no room in a BM's clutch!)

Because they've seen the picture & the cost. Not where it's from. My wedding party consists of my sisters & my one. Best friend.

I wasn't asking for advise on most of what you've said so that's why it wasn't included in the original post.

This is totally something I will do! I'm such a planner! Instead of giving each BP member one, I will probably just post a copy in the bridal suite & grooms suite, so it's there just in case someone needs it.

I think your list is great BTW. If your BP is close knit like you say, it will not be bridezilla-ish. They will know its just you being you.

Happy planning!

I think that sounds fine. I wouldn't hand it to them all at once, that can be overwhelming and can come off more job orientation than wedding party. I think that it is fine for you to include the costs of things, as long as you have had a discussion with them before about the top amount of money they would like to pay.

I would also say if some information doesn't pertain to a person that they shouldn't get it, because they aren'e going to care about it.

Yes. I will definitely split it up. I need some stuff early like some if their favorite things so I can start making their "favor box".

It'll probably be split up in 3-4 different sections.

I was actually suppose to get arrived last September. But... We found out I was pregnant the week after we bought my dress. We had everything planned out & I had already sent something like this out. They actually liked that they knew everything up front. We had a way shorter time frame then though.

Yeah. I got attacked like if it actually has something to do with them. But whatever. Lol.

I'm thinking maybe putting a section for only the bridal party on my wedding website so that they can pull it up on their phones if they need too.