When to formally ask your wedding party?

I would wait until you have the wedding date and venue locked in first! Also I definitely recommend asking them individually, in case any of them need to decline or talk to you about budget stuff!

What WWLynnie said. I'd wait until maybe Feb/March of 2017 to ask.

@Mrs. CK Just curious, why at that point? I've looked a few "timelines" of wedding planning, and from my understanding your bridal party also functions as a sounding board of sorts when it comes to some planning decisions...if I waited until then wouldn't they miss out on some of the process?

I would advise to keep your bridal party out of the planning....once I meet with my vendors to finalize the timeline, I will send the timeline to my WP so they know exactly what is going on the day of. So far, they've only been involved in picking their dresses and their hair/makeup. They've also been involved with the bachelorette and the shower, but I have done everything for the wedding.

Just to clarify, I wouldn't be forcing them to help me plan but I like having other people's opinions or hearing new ideas, and I would simply be asking them what they thought about this or that. I can understand waiting until I get a venue, but I plan on looking at dresses starting in November or December so if I didn't ask them until Feb/March who would come with me?? LMAO

Plus, my sister is genuinely excited for everything and I know she would want to be involved in a lot.

I asked mine early, 3 are sisters and 3 are best friends. I have a group message and just send little updates here and there of where I am in planning. I don't expect them to help me plan, I just like letting them know how things are going. They have no responsibility until we pick dresses!

I've also been doing what @Jessie is doing - updating them on how things are going. OP, how many girls are you planning to ask? The number of opinions may be overwhelming, especially when you are dress shopping

I only plan on asking 4 girls, my sister, my god-sister and two friends

ONLY 8?!

No, only 4..?

GymRat I think she meant that the 4 are her sister, godsister and 2 friends (not those 4 plus another 4)

I asked mine 9 months out, actually right before I went to look for a dress. I think you would be fine asking them in December

ETA clarity

@OP you can get opinions or ideas from your friends. Your friends can come with you to look at dresses. They don't have to be labeled "BRIDESMAID" to do these things.

Ask them whenever you want but remember: Once you hire a bridesmaid, you can't fire a bridesmaid. There are so many threads about firing a BM and that's just rude.

You can ask them now but you take a chance. If these are ladies you've been in a very long term, very close friendship with, then go for it. It your talking girls you've become friends with in recent years, girls you don't talk to often but still consider friends, then wait. I asked my 3 girls at a year out, but I knew 2 of them for over 20 years and we talk almost daily, and the other was my sister. My advice is to plan your wedding without expecting help from anyone and be happy if and when they do offer up their help or involvement in anyway. Mine were always volunteering to help out with anything I needed and wanted to plan shopping and DYI days. Not all BM's are like that, which is OK. Just be prepared for it.

I asked mine within days of my engagement which was in April 2016 and my wedding isn't until July 2017. Honestly I think it is a personal feeling. For me I knew my sister would be my MOH and my BFF as a BM and my ex-husbands wife too as a BM and I am older so there won't be any changing it.

It's your wedding do it however you want and be happy.

I asked mine at a year out. I have been friends with the same group of girls for 15 years, so they knew they would be bridesmaids before I asked. I didn't invite them when I tried on dresses, and the only thing they've helped plan has been my bachelorette. I just want them there to celebrate with me, and I don't care about anything else.

If you have any concerns at all- wait. I actually went against WW advice here and asked mine over a year out. I'm having a slightly larger bridal party but my girls were 3 friends from college who at this point are closer to sisters than friends, we've been that close for 10 years (and one lives in the UK and needed advance notice to plan a transatlantic trip); 2 girls I grew up with- friends for 19 and 20 years, my FSIL, and my cousin to be a JrBM. Nothing is going to change these relationships in ways that would make me reconsider.

That said, do some searching here and you will find plenty of BM horror stories to support waiting.

ETA: you don't have to ask them all together! One on one is great! I sent mine cards since they're all spread out across the country (and world).

I'm asking 3 of mine soon, i know the rule is a year out but they are my cousins and we've always been close, and they live out of state so literally all they can do is show up! My 4th is more local, i'm waiting until a year out to ask her because friendships change

Thanks for the clarification.

People always jump the gun with asking people to be in their WP and then come to regret it.

Budget, venue, guest list. Not budget, ask friends/fam to be in the WP and then venue.

No venue, no date. What if they say yes, then you pick a wedding date that doesn't work for them?

It really depends on the relationship you have with them. I asked my girls when we got engaged, but I don't recommend it for everyone. My MOH is my cousin that's basically a sister, close college friend, and FSIL.