Picture this: the love of your life just popped the question and now you’re sporting that gorgeous ring on your left hand! If you haven’t already started, chances are you’ll soon be hitting the ground running on all things wedding planning. You’ll likely have an engagement party, start creating Pinterest boards of all your must-have wedding decor items and begin the process of researching local wedding vendors! Unsurprisingly, another integral aspect of any wedding ceremony and reception is the actual people you’ll be celebrating with! This includes both the guests in attendance on the big day, as well as the wedding party.

On today’s blog, we’ll be analyzing a few different aspects in regards to selecting your bridal party. From frequently asked questions that get asked to gift ideas and more, you’ll always remember having your besties with you as you tie the knot! Believe it or not, there is plenty to discuss on this topic. Additionally, while money isn’t always the easiest of topics to talk about, it is intertwined with many aspects of wedding planning. In regards to your bridesmaids, there are a handful of items that either you can cover or choose to have them take care of. With that in mind, it’s now time to dive right into some bridesmaids talk!

Photos on the thumbnail courtesy of Katy Cox Photography.

How many bridesmaids can you have?

One of the nicest parts about wedding planning is the fact that there’s no set-in-stone guidelines. After all, it’s your big day and you’re allowed to plan it exactly how you’ve envisioned it. Yes, the wedding industry is filled with plenty of traditions, but there’s nothing requiring you to follow all of these traditional practices. Our first bridesmaid FAQ is a perfect example of one giving you some flexibility. In short, there’s no limit to how many bridesmaids you can have. While you could estimate that the average number is 3-5, we’ve seen plenty of instances that don’t fall under this range. Long story short, it’s your wedding and you have the right to design it as you please. Maybe that means zero bridesmaids or it could mean 10-plus. It’s entirely up to you!

How to ask your besties to be your bridesmaids?

When it comes to bridesmaids talk, one area where you can add your own personalized touch involves asking them to be your bridesmaid. While the possibilities for doing this are endless, there are some basic pieces of advice that we can provide here. We always recommend going with something that’s both original and thoughtful for your bridesmaid proposal. If you’re struggling with gift ideas, take a look through Pinterest and we’re sure something will catch your eye. Custom socks, personalized tumblers, jewelry, handwritten notes, DIY items, you name it! In addition, if you want to match the gifts to the specific person, you might consider finding something that suits their particular personality/interests.

What are the bridesmaids responsible for?

While each of the two questions above were geared towards the bride herself, it’s important to also look at this topic from another perspective, which happens to be those of the bridesmaids. And while money is never an easy topic to bring up, it doesn’t hurt to analyze (any) financial obligations of being a bridesmaid. Furthermore, keep in mind that every wedding is going to be a little bit different, but we’ll attempt to answer this question from a traditional point of view.

Dress, shoes, jewelry, etc. – Traditionally speaking, most of the time, bridesmaids cover these expenses themselves. In terms of the actual dress itself though, there are generally varying opinions. While all brides will typically have an overall vision or dress color they want their bridesmaids to utilize, not all of them require their bridesmaids to get a specific dress.

Bridal shower – The bridal shower is one event that will require some planning, but in terms of the financial implications, this is usually handled by either the mother of the bride, maid of honor or another family member. In some cases, bridesmaids may chip in for food, decorations or other miscellaneous items.

Bouquets and other accessories – When it comes to the bouquets, getting ready robes and various other floral accessories, these are usually taken care of by the bride. Keep in mind that the same can be said for the groomsmen as well on items like corsages and so on.

There are certainly plenty of other potential expenses that may pop up along the way, but we wanted to highlight a few of the more noteworthy ones here. Others to keep in mind include the bachelorette party (typically covered by bridesmaids or other guests attending), bridal shower or wedding gift (given by bridesmaids), day-of hair and makeup (generally covered by the bride if bringing in a professional makeup artist) and more. For an in-depth look at what all bridesmaids are and aren’t expected to cover, take a look at this past blog post.

What is the most important thing to remember throughout the entire process?

While we could easily write long blog posts about specific topics, like bridesmaids gift ideas or potential bachelorette party trips, one thing you’ll want to emphasize throughout the entire journey is communication. This can be said for both the bride herself, as well as the bridesmaids. For the bride (or maid of honor), a few examples of this include: giving everyone adequate notice about bridal shower plans, bachelorette party ideas, dress fittings and so on. Additionally, if there are any financial obligations associated with any of these, the sooner you can get that communicated, the better. On the other hand, from a bridesmaid perspective, make sure to be open about any financial/time constraints that you may have going on in your own life. It’s best to be honest about this up-front to avoid any unnecessary stress. 

And to tie a bow on this blog post, the last piece of advice that we’ll provide is to simply enjoy the entire process! It’s as simple as that. For everyone involved, this is such a memorable experience and there’s no point in getting stressed out over the little things!

Still Need a Wedding Venue?

No matter if you’re a bridesmaid getting ready to stand by your BFF on this special day or a bride planning who will be standing beside you, we hope you found some value in this bridesmaids-themed blog post! The wedding party is obviously such an important part of the entire wedding planning process and the actual wedding day itself. From having fun at the bachelorette party to dancing the night away at the reception, you obviously want your favorite gals there with you every step of the way.

For anyone that may be visiting our blog for the first time, we would just like to provide you with a brief overview of our wedding venue. Madera Estates is a luxury event space located in Conroe, TX, just north of both Houston and The Woodlands. With a Spanish and European-inspired theme, our venue specializes in all-inclusive wedding packages. Our blog is intended to serve as a resource for engaged couples planning their big day by offering inspiration from recent weddings held at Madera, along with planning tips to ensure your experience is as stress-free as possible. If you’re interested in scheduling a free tour of the venue, feel free to click HERE to see a list of current openings!