The Pros of a Small Bridal Party
For many little girls, dreams of their wedding day include a huge wedding party – a maid of honor, half a dozen bridesmaids, and maybe a few flower girls to hold up her train. Once those little girls grow into brides, having such a cluttered wedding party might not seem glamorous anymore. While there are definitely some arguments for having a large wedding party, keeping it small also has its merits. If you're torn between large and small, here are a few of the pros of a small wedding party to help you design your ideal wedding.
Big Savings
It goes without saying that a small wedding party is the ideal choice for the couple on a budget. More attendants means more of everything. More photos that need to be taken, more flowers for bouquets and boutonnieres, and the list goes on. It's customary for the bride and groom to present gifts to their wedding party as thanks for their help, so with a larger party comes larger gift expenses.
If you're holding your rehearsal dinner or wedding brunch in public venues, you'll also need to pay for all those people as well as their spouses or dates. These expenses add up very quickly on top of the high cost of getting married, so think twice if your budget is already tight.
If someone else is footing the bill for your wedding celebrations, your large wedding party could also be hurting their wallet. It's common for the parents of either the bride or groom to pay for parties such as the engagement party or reception. Sometimes relatives will offer to pay for an item to help offset costs, such as your flowers or bridesmaids' gowns. In these cases, having a small wedding party may make those expenses easier for your well-intentioned loved ones to handle.
Your wedding party also incurs some costs just for participating. The bridesmaids typically throw the bridal shower and bachelorette party, while the ushers pay for the bachelor party. Though some couples pay for their attendants' attire, it's customary for attendants to purchase or rent their own gowns and tuxes, shoes and accessories. If you're having an out-of-town wedding, your attendants will also have to incur expenses for their travel and accommodations.
It's easy to forget about other peoples' costs while staring down a five-figure wedding, but remember that not everyone can afford the opulence you might want for your big day. It's also worth noting that, in the event of a financial crisis, it often falls on the wedding couple to pick up the tab for what attendants can't afford. Keeping your wedding party on the small side can act as a damage control for these sorts of emergencies, ensuring no messy financial arguments and resentments cloud what should be a fun and memorable experience.
Simplicity and Size
Remember that not all weddings are built for a big wedding party. If you're only inviting 50 people, having 5 sets of bridesmaids and ushers, a maid of honor and best man, ring bearer and flower girl means your wedding party makes up more than 25% of your guests. If you're getting married in a courthouse or small chapel, there may not be room for all those attendants as well as guests. Keeping a balance between wedding participants and guests is usually recommended.
Part of the wedding party's function is to help you orchestrate your wedding, including seating guests and running errands. When the size of your wedding party is disproportionate to the size of your wedding, this can cause tension. Some attendants will find themselves with nothing to do, while others are asked to help. People can easily become offended at being “left out” of the process, or being asked to help while other attendants seem to have no responsibilities.
As a general etiquette rule, it's usually acceptable to have one set of attendants for every 30 to 50 guests in addition to the best man and maid of honor. If you're expecting 300 guests, having 6 to 10 bridesmaids and ushers to help you with various duties is normal. For a wedding of 60 guests, that number should shrink to 1 or 2. Err on the smaller or larger side depending on the formality of your wedding and reception.
