Your wedding is a chance to honour the uniqueness and power of the love that brought you to this moment. You and your significant other are making the next step into a life together, and your loved ones are all there to see it. Selecting your wedding party will be one of the most meaningful decisions you make in preparation for your big day.
Those in your wedding party (or bridal party) are not only those who will assist you in organising your wedding, but also those whom you will want standing by your side when you take your vows. Sisters, brothers, and other close relatives and acquaintances are the usual members of the wedding party. The wedding ceremony is a wonderful opportunity to honour the people who have played pivotal roles in the couple's lives by including them in the ceremony in various capacities.
Is a Wedding Party Necessary?
The appropriate response is that it depends solely on you. Whoever you choose to share in your wedding preparations, ceremony, and celebration is part of your wedding party. If you want to show your loved ones how much they mean to you, casting them in a key role is a wonderful way to do so. You can count on this group to be there for you while you organise and carry out this momentous occasion because they care about you and want to see you succeed. When it comes to your special day, Vogue Ballroom has proven itself to be an iconic wedding venue and function centre in Melbourne.
The Wedding Party: What Do They Do?
Each member of your wedding party has an important role to play (which you can always change based on your individual preferences). But here's what really sets apart your wedding party as a whole:
- Your wedding party should assist you in a wide variety of ways as you prepare for the big day. The members of your wedding party can provide a hand in a variety of ways leading up to the big day, including fundraising, guest list management, invitation design, favour creation, and crisis management.
- Members of the bridal party are often tasked with organising and hosting pre-wedding events like engagement parties, showers, and even beach parties.
- The bride and groom are traditionally assisted by their wedding party members on the morning of the wedding.
- The wedding party is welcome to dress up for the occasion. They could coordinate outfits or even wear the wedding colours. It is customary for the wedding party to dress formally regardless of whether guests are required to do so or not.
- After the ceremony, there will be a picture session in which the wedding party will also participate. It's likely that the happy couple will want to take photos with their loved ones in a variety of groupings, including those in the wedding party.
- The wedding party typically receives front-row seats at the reception. They can either sit at a big table with everyone or at one of the tables that is closest to the newlyweds.
- Last but certainly not least, the wedding party is there to provide emotional support to the bride and groom as they prepare for and celebrate their big day. There will be obstacles and worries leading up to the big day, and excitement and anxiety on the actual day itself. Love and support from the wedding party is a must. The wedding party plays an important role in making the couple's big day memorable.
What Are Wedding Roles And Responsibilities?
Selecting your wedding party is no easy task. You certainly don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by excluding them. It is up to you to decide who you wish to invite to your wedding. It's better to keep things simple by having only very close friends and family members in your wedding party.
Bride and Groom
The primary duty of the bride and groom is the wedding itself, although there are several arrangements to be made beforehand. The bride and groom should make these choices jointly so that they may divide the effort and ensure that they will both be delighted with the results. A brief rundown of essentials:
- Set budget
- Set the wedding's date, theme, and location.
- Make plans to talk with the celebrant about the event.
- Plan and coordinate the event's invitations, flowers, photographer, etc.
- Visit a jewellery store and look for wedding bands (the man and the woman will pay separately).
- Create wedding vows if desired and thank guests for their contributions.
The bride and groom, in addition to sharing many wedding-related duties, also have individual duties, such as coordinating with their respective families to create a guest list. The maids of honour and bridesmaids are selected by the bride herself. She organises and arranges a luncheon for her bridesmaids, buys gifts for them, and selects a present for the groom. The best man and groomsmen are selected by the groom, who also decides on their dress. He goes out and purchases presents for the bridesmaids and groomsmen. He books the hotel block for out-of-town visitors and pays for the marriage licence and the officiant.
Bride’s Parents
Traditionally, the bride's family had the unenviable duty of paying for most of the wedding. Although modern weddings are more likely to be paid for by the couple, the groom's parents, and the couple themselves, the bride's parents still have some duties.
They're the ones who usually throw the first big bash to celebrate the engagement. They aid the bride in creating the guest list and provide practical (and emotional) support for the wedding's planning process. The bride's mother selects the bridal gown and shares her decision with the bridegroom's mother so that their ensembles are harmonious. Since the bride's parents are footing the bill, the groom typically makes a sizable down payment. There have been additional responsibilities placed on the fathers of the bride. Tasks assigned to Dad could include:
- Airport duty.
- It would be helpful if there were coordinating maps and directions to the ceremony location.
- Venue scouting for a wedding reception.
- Contributing to the success of the wedding by giving gratuities to the service employees and performing other hosting duties.
The groom's dad goes through the tuxedo fitting process. He takes her hand and leads her to the altar on the big day, and he may even walk her down the aisle (with the bride's mother holding her other hand, of course). After bidding farewell to guests and paying the caterer, bandleader, and coat-check, toilet, and parking attendants, he is the very last person to depart the event.
The mother of the bride often plays multiple roles, including coordinator, moderator of the guest list, traditional reception hostess, fashion critic, and even therapist. In addition, there is the bridal shower (which you might even be asked to host), the rehearsal dinner, and the reception, all of which you might be expected to attend and enjoy. The mother of the bride can play any role the bride chooses.
Groom’s Parents
After an engagement, it is customary for the prospective bridegroom's parents to make contact with the bride's family. Perhaps (once the bride's parents have done so) they will throw an engagement party. They give the couple a list of invited guests, with the expectation that everyone will keep to the predetermined headcount. They get the input of the bride's family on the wedding dress. They throw the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding and could even chip in for the honeymoon.
The father of the groom was able to blend into the background before, but now he always comes prepared. The rehearsal dinner is one of the key expenses that is often covered by the groom's father. It's possible that he'll have a lot of social duties, like dancing and toasting, to complete (moving tables, helping visitors, addressing service issues). It's also wonderful if he keeps in touch with the bride's father from time to time to show his support.
If she's willing, the groom's mother can take on any of the bride's mother's duties. Don't let disagreements arise by being rash with your to-do lists. A guest at the bridal shower, she is escorted down the aisle before the festivities begin. Is this her moment to shine? Mother and son dancing. See our list of Melbourne Wedding Celebrants to help you make an informed decision when saying your vows.
Maid Of Honour
The bride depends upon her maid of honour more than anybody else in her bridal party. The maid of honour is generally the sister or best friend of the bride. The term "matron of honour," which refers formally to a married woman who serves in an honorary role, has fallen out of favour in recent years.
The maid of honour is responsible for organising the bridesmaids' events leading up to the wedding, such as the dress fitting, bridal shower, and bachelorette party. She also offers assistance with the couple's premarital preparations, such as sending out invitations and keeping track of gifts. The maid of honour assists the bride with her preparations on the wedding day and attends the ceremony with her. She acts as the bride's witness on the marriage licence, holds her bouquet at the altar, and helps her with her veil and train during the ceremony. She coordinates the bridesmaids for formal photos and dances with the best man during the reception. She assists the bride in getting dressed for the honeymoon and watches over her dress and bouquet until she returns.
Bridesmaids
You are free to have as many or as few attendants in the bridal party as you like (although generally, 12 is the limit). It doesn't matter if the bridesmaid is unmarried or married, nor does her age matter, albeit young women (those between the ages of 8 and 16) are considered "junior bridesmaids" and have reduced duties.
A bridesmaid's primary responsibility is to aid the maid of honour in the execution of her duties as well as the bride herself. In addition to assisting you with the invitation process, your bridesmaids will also be instrumental in the organisation of your bridal shower and bachelorette party (and contribute to the cost). The maid of honour and bridesmaids are expected to cover the costs of their own dresses and any travel expenses incurred in attending the wedding.
The bridesmaids will be walking with the bride during the processional and recessional. They spend most of the celebration mixing and dancing with the groomsmen and other notable guests.
Junior Bridesmaid
Junior bridesmaids are often younger girls (between the ages of 9 and 13). On the big day, she will wear a dress that is the same colour and fabric as the bridesmaid dresses worn by the adults, but is sized appropriately for her. Neither does she have to pay for the bachelor or bachelorette party like the bridesmaids do (though her parents will be).
Flower Girl
Depending on her maturity, the flower girl can be as young as four or as old as eight at most weddings. She leads the bride down the aisle by scattering petals or simply carrying a beautiful bouquet or basket of flowers. In addition, she needs to be a part of the wedding rehearsal so that she can become used to her position. Her parents are responsible for getting her to and from school in appropriate dress and providing transportation.
Ring Bearer
During a traditional wedding, a little boy will go down the aisle with the rings on a satin cushion, held by the honour attendants who will actually be holding the real rings. The rings are removed from the pillow (perhaps secured with a ribbon for safekeeping) and given to the bride and groom by the maid of honour and the best man. The ring bearer follows the same pattern as the flower girl in that his parents will foot the bill for his wardrobe and transportation.
Best Man
The best man is like the maid of honour to the bride and the groom's biggest cheerleader. He is usually the brother or best friend of the groom and might be either married or unattached. Before the wedding, the best man is responsible for planning the bachelor party. After assisting with the fitting of the groomsmen's formalwear, he picks up the groom's outfit the day before the wedding, plans the toasts at the rehearsal dinner, and verifies the travel arrangements for the honeymoon the day before.
The best man's responsibility on the day of the wedding is to ensure that the groom arrives promptly at the venue. In addition to signing as the groom's witness on the marriage licence, he is also responsible for bringing the ring to the wedding and holding the officiant's money until after the nuptials. After the ceremony, he directs the toasts during the reception, dances with the maid of honour, and organises the groomsmen for formal photos. At last, he ensures the couple's luggage is loaded into the getaway car. He makes sure that all hired formalwear is returned after the party.
Groomsmen
Groomsmen (or ushers) are not expected to do much in the way of preparations leading up to the wedding. They mostly assist the best man in arranging the bachelor party (oh, and get fitted for a fabulous tuxedo). Of course, they need to regularly check in with the groom and best man to see if there are any more responsibilities they may take on.
Groomsmen, on the day of the wedding, should be present and ready to welcome and seat guests. They'll play a role in the ceremony and should plan to spend the whole party with us. They must arrange for their own fittings and pickups at the formalwear store, and they must pay for their own apparel. They also have to cover their own transportation and hotel costs.
Junior Groomsman
Junior Groomsmen or Ushers are the male equivalent of Bridesmaids (he wears a tuxedo). There are no expectations placed on these "tweens" to pay for the wedding or attend the bachelor/bachelorette party (though their parents will be).
Officiant
The priest or mayor who officiates the wedding. A priest, rabbi, minister, or judge of the peace are all examples of religious leaders.
Ushers
The ritual begins with guys (or ladies) escorting visitors to their seats. Having ushers at a wedding is a common approach to include younger male relatives who may not be old enough to be groomsmen but who are nonetheless very significant to the groom (especially planning a bachelor party).
Wedding Party Roles In Religion
Candle Lighters
Lighters of candles are used in several Christian services. Teenagers and other young members of the family sometimes fill these duties. The bride's attendants carry the candles down the aisle and light them before she arrives.
Hattabin
Hattabin are selected by the groom in place of groomsmen during a Muslim wedding. The members of this party are often the groom's closest friends and relatives.
Chuppah Carriers
It is customary for Jewish weddings to have chuppah bearers. The Jewish wedding ceremony takes place under a canopy called a chuppah. The bearers hold the poles of the canopy if it cannot stand on its own throughout the ritual.
Koumbaro/Koumbara
The couple must choose two Orthodox Christian sponsors in order to have a traditional Greek Orthodox wedding. The male sponsor is known as the Koumbaro, while his female counterpart is known as the Koumbara. The silver tray bearing the crowns and rings of the bride and groom is typically given to the happy couple by their sponsors.
It's traditional to include your bridal party in many aspects of the wedding preparations. Because of the significant investment of time and probably money that your wedding party will be making in order to be a part of your big day, it is essential that you express your gratitude to them at appropriate moments. Be sure to give your wedding party the recognition and gratitude they deserve for helping to make your big day a success.
Conclusion
Choosing your wedding party will be a deeply meaningful element of planning your wedding. Vogue Ballroom is well-known throughout Melbourne as a spectacular location for weddings and other special events. Conventionally, the members of the wedding party help the bride and groom get ready for the wedding on the morning of the big day. Choosing the people to be in your wedding party is a difficult undertaking. You should avoid leaving somebody out of fear of upsetting them.
The wedding party is crucial to the success of the wedding. The bridal party should dress formally regardless of whether or not the guests are expected to do so. The groom chooses the best man and groomsmen and also specifies their attire. The mother of the bride usually chooses the wedding dress and informs the mother of the groom. The father's responsibilities include money for the event's caterer, bandleader, and attendants of the restrooms and parking lot.
Traditional practise dictates that the parents of the groom should reach out to the family of the bride after the couple has become engaged. The maid of honour usually plans activities for the bridesmaids before the wedding. As the most trusted member of the bridal party, the bride relies on her maid of honour more than anyone else. On the wedding day, the maid of honour helps the bride get ready. The bridesmaids are responsible for paying for their own outfits and any associated travel fees.
The majority of the party is spent mingling and dancing with the groomsmen and other noteworthy attendees. In most cases, the flower girl might be any age from four to eight years old. Like the flower girl, the ring bearer's attire and transportation costs are covered by his parents. On the big day, it's up to the best man to get the groom to the ceremony on time. In the days leading up to the wedding, the groomsmen are not tasked with a lot of work. In a Muslim wedding, the groom chooses a group of men known as Hattabin to serve as ushers, who wear traditional Islamic garb rather than tuxedos. Jewish weddings typically have chuppah bearers.
Content Summary
- Choosing your wedding party will be a deeply meaningful element of planning your wedding.
- In addition to helping you plan your wedding, the people you choose to stand with you as you make your vows are members of your wedding party, also known as your bridal party.
- The wedding party typically consists of the bride and groom's sisters and brothers, as well as other close relatives and friends of the couple.
- Anyone you invite to help you get ready for and celebrate your wedding is considered a member of your wedding party.
- Casting a loved one in a leading part is a great way to express your appreciation for them.
- What truly distinguishes your wedding party, though, is:
- You can expect help from your wedding party in a broad number of areas as you get ready for the big day.
- Your wedding party may assist you in many ways leading up to the big day. They can help with fundraising, managing the guest list, creating the invitations and favours, and handling any unexpected situations that may arise.
- Conventionally, the members of the wedding party help the bride and groom get ready for the wedding on the morning of the big day.
- Guests in the bridal party are encouraged to dress formally.
- Everyone in the wedding party must love and support the couple.
- The wedding party is crucial to the success of the wedding.
- Whom you invite to your wedding is entirely up to you.
- Invitations, flowers, a photographer, and other details need to be planned and coordinated.
- Both the bride and groom have tasks they must complete independently, such as working out the guest list in consultation with their families.
- The bride chooses her own maids of honour and bridesmaids.
- The groom chooses the best man and groomsmen and also specifies their attire.
- The parents of the bride traditionally shoulder the burden of footing the bill for a large portion of the wedding's expenses.
- The bride's parents still have responsibilities, even though the couple, the groom's parents, and the couple themselves may all contribute financially to a modern wedding.
- The groom usually makes a large down payment because the bride's family pays for the wedding.
- The father of the groom has his tuxedo fitted.
- Traditional practise dictates that the parents of the groom should reach out to the family of the bride after the couple has become engaged.
- Maybe they'll host an engagement party once the bride's parents have arranged everything.
- Traditionally, the bride's family has a say on the bridal gown.
- They host the wedding's rehearsal dinner and might even pitch in for the honeymoon.
- What's more, it's great if he stays in touch with the groom's dad on occasion to express his love and support.
- The bride's mother can delegate her responsibilities to the groom's mother if she so chooses.
- Avoid arguments by not making hasty to-do lists.
- To a greater extent than any other member of the bridal party, the bride relies on her maid of honour.
- Traditionally, the bride's maid of honour has been a close relative or a close friend.
- The maid of honour usually plans the dress fitting, bridal shower, and bachelorette party for the bridesmaids before the wedding.
- The maid of honour traditionally aids the bride in getting ready for the wedding and stands behind her during the ceremony.
- As well as being a witness on the marriage licence, she also helps the bride with her veil and train at the altar and with the bouquet.
- She leads the bridal party in formal portraits and dances with the best man at the afterparty.
- The major role of a bridesmaid is to support the maid of honour and the bride throughout the wedding.
- Your bridesmaids will be invaluable in planning every detail of your wedding shower and bachelorette party, not just the invitations (and contribute to the cost).
- In most cases, the maid of honour and bridesmaids will be responsible for footing the bill for their own wedding attire, as well as any transportation fees associated with getting there.
- Like the maid of honour is to the bride, the best man is the groom's biggest supporter.
- The best man usually organises the bachelor party before the wedding.
- On the big day, it's up to the best man to get the groom to the ceremony on time.
- Groomsmen
- There isn't much work for the groomsmen (or ushers) to undertake before the wedding.
- Male counterparts to the female Bridesmaids are known as Junior Groomsmen or Ushers (he wears a tuxedo).
- Transporters of the Chuppah Jewish weddings typically have chuppah bearers.
- A chuppah, or wedding canopy, is used in Jewish wedding ceremonies.
- Traditionally, the newlyweds' sponsors present them with a silver platter adorned with their crowns and wedding bands.
- It's common practise to involve the bridesmaids and groomsmen in numerous areas of the wedding planning process.
- Don't forget to show your wedding party some love and appreciation for all they did to make your big day special.
FAQs About Wedding
It's common to think of the cute flower girls and bridesmaids when creating a wedding guest list, but the people you want reading your vows should be people you respect and appreciate who can share their own experiences and insights with you.
The majority are members of the bridal party, such as the bride and groom and their attendants. The remaining wedding positions are discretionary and can be filled by anybody the couple chooses or by anyone else who shows up to help out.
It is a lot simpler to choose the people you want in your wedding party and figure out how you can rely on them if you are familiar with the various wedding responsibilities and tasks accompanying them.
Once you know who to consult and when to do so, wedding planning becomes a great deal simpler. We sincerely hope that this rundown of wedding duties and responsibilities will be useful to you as you proceed with wedding preparations.
The word "wedding party" refers to everyone besides the bride and groom who participates in the ceremony. This includes the maid of honour, best man, bridesmaids, groomsmen, and even children who play special roles like a flower girl and ring bearer. The bride's attendants are those she trusts to help her feel comfortable and confident on her big day.
The responsibility of planning and hosting the bachelor party falls primarily on the shoulders of the best man. He helps to plan the fitting of the groomsmen's formalwear, picks up the groom's clothes before the wedding, orchestrates the toasts at the rehearsal dinner, and verifies the travel reservations for the honeymoon the day before.
At a wedding, the wedding party members are normally selected from among the bride's and groom's closest friends and family members (s). Therefore, they are accountable for particular responsibilities before and during the wedding. Activities leading up to the wedding, such as showers and bachelor/bachelorette parties, must be planned.
