Wedding

Everything You Need to Know About Wedding Parties

March 04, 2021

After deciding the get married when you are sure you get the perfect person for you, arrange several parties is a difficult task. The question is arise why wedding parties are necessary to held before the wedding. The wedding party is the best and convenient way to involve your, all siblings and friends in the celebration, in an honorable way. The wedding party members are the in-charge of planning and hosting many events.

Inviting your in-law siblings to be a member of your wedding party is a healthy practice for your future family bond. The wedding party includes your family members and close friends and also the large event organized for the entire guests. You must pay proper thank you to your wedding party, and honor them to feel how much they are close to you.

Members of the wedding party and their responsibilities

Sometimes it is difficult for a bride-to-be to choose the member of the bridal party without hurting anyone. Although, she wants every family member and friend, and family member to be part of her wedding in any way.

Maid Of Honor

The Maid of Honor is the most important person at the wedding party, provides a support system for the bride. The Maid of Honor should be the bride's sister or her close female. The male friend can also be the Man of Honor if the bride has only room for a male best friend. But the duties and responsibilities are entirely different from the Maid of Honor. You can have both of them in incorporation at your wedding.

Responsibilities and Duties

The Maid of Honor helps the bride in wedding planning and managing things around the bride.
As bride's coordinator and resolve family disagreements and other stress issues.
Head of the Bridesmaid and lead them in planning a Bridal shower and bachelorette party.
Help the bride to get dressed on the wedding day.
Makes a toast or give a speech on the wedding day or rehearsal dinner.

Best Man

The Best Man has a similar status as the Maid of Honor or Man of Honor. The Best Man serves as the right hand of the groom and lightens the groom's burden. Mostly the brother or the best friend of the groom's chosen to be Best Man.

Responsibilities and Duties

Help the groom and groomsmen to choose the wedding dress.
Planning and arranging the bachelor party with the assistance of groomsmen.
Keep the things organized at the wedding and make sure that groomsmen and groom present on time at the wedding day.
Offer first toast at the rehearsal dinner and the wedding day.
Do the first dance on the wedding floor and collect cards and gifts from guests.
Decorate the getaway car and do the post-wedding responsibilities.

Bridesmaid

The bridesmaids are generally the bride's sister, relatives, and close friends, the first and foremost person the bride wants to be part of her wedding.

Responsibilities and Duties

Help the bride and the other bridesmaid to select the dress for the wedding.
Give a hand to the Maid of Honor in arrangements of the bridal shower and split the cost of food, decorations, and venue with others.
Help the Maid of Honor in the planning of the bachelorette party.
Keep the weddings safe before the ceremony.
Do a warm welcome to the guests and helping the guests to show their seats and if the floor is present, then keep the party moving on.
Manage the thing around after the reception and take care of the wedding presents.

Groomsmen

The groomsmen are stand next to the groom in the wedding planning and provide a support system for the groom. Usually, the groom's close friends and relatives do the role of groomsmen.

Responsibilities and Duties

Advice the groom to overcome the pre-wedding nervousness and stress.
Assist the groom in the arrangement of the wedding dresses for the groomsmen.
Plan and pay for the bachelor party.
Help the groom to get dressed on the wedding day.
Groomsmen guide the guest to the seats if the groom has not separated ushers.
Holds the ring during the wedding if he is the best man or only groomsmen.
Hit the dance floor with a bridesmaid or single female guests at the wedding.
Helps to carry wedding presents and personal belongings after the ceremony.

Ushers

The role of ushers has given to a cheerful and lively family friend. The ushers and groomsmen have a closely similar role but, sometimes the ushers are not included in the pre-wedding events. And ushers dressed up in different attire from groomsmen to end the confusion.

Responsibilities and Duties

The ushers have to greet the wedding guest with a smiling face and escort them to their seats.
They may help in arranging the chairs and testing the sound system.

Mother Of The Bride

Praise your little angel for getting married but being a mother of the bride is not an easy task. In the old days, the mother of the bride is the sole planer of the wedding ceremony and make arrangements according to her vision. Nowadays, the trend is changed, and the bride and groom have their own dreams about the big day.

Responsibilities and Duties

Be a support for your daughter in every aspect either, in planning a wedding. Or in an emotional way to buckle up the pre-wedding stress.
Guide her to find a perfect wedding dress and other attires.
Meet the new relatives to be the parents of the groom if you haven't met them before.
Choose your mother-of-the-bride-to-be as soon as possible and consulate the groom's mother about your dress. So she can wear the attire that likely has the same color scheme or gown style like yours.
Discuss the guest list and entire wedding budget with your daughter and her fiance and tell them how much you are willing to pay.
Attend the wedding shower and rehearsal dinner.
Escort your little angel the bride down to the aisle and give a speech on the wedding day or rehearsal dinner.

Father Of The Bride

Traditional, father of the bride who pays money for the wedding ceremony. However, over the year, the trend is changed, and the more likely cost of the wedding share between families. Or mostly, the couple split the expense themselves.

Responsibilities and Duties

Congratulate your princess for the new beginning of life and make her feel special on the wedding day.
Make a speech on reception about the relation or memories of you and your daughter had.
Participate in the father-daughter dance at the reception.

Mother Of The Groom

The significance and the importance of the mother-of-the-groom are equal to the mother of the bride. She always supports his son from, the planning of the wedding to the emotional backup.

Responsibilities and Duties

Discuss the guest list with your son and bride's family and let them know the exact number of guests you are inviting.
Attend the bridal shower and show your love for the bride and bring a gift for her.
Purchase mother of the groom's attire to possess similarities in style and color with the mother of the bride's gown.
Plan and host the rehearsal dinner. Give a toast to the couple at rehearsal dinner.

Father of The Groom

Generally, the father of the groom doesn't have formal responsibility. But, he can play an active role in organizing the wedding and give toast and speech at rehearsal dinner. Greet the guest with a warm welcome at the event.

Flower Girl

This role a charming addition to the wedding when you had younger siblings, niece, or younger cousin whom you want to be part of your wedding. The flower girl walks with the bridesmaids down to the aisle, dropping flower petals as she moves. The bohemia flower headdress is the dresscoat for the flower girl.

Page Boy

The male version of the flower girl and a young boy walks alongside the flower girl when the wedding party heads down to the aisle. The younger member of the family or close friend's family can act as a page boy.

Ring Bearer

The person who carries the ring down to the aisle, that person can be a member of the wedding party: the best man, the page boy, or the flower girl. However, if you have younger siblings or niece or younger cousins other than the page boy, you can have a separate ring bear.

Officiant

The choice of the officiant for the wedding is an important matter. It will impact the wedding ceremony as the officiant begin the services at the wedding. This person can be a cleric or a celebrant. The trend of having a close friend or relative as an officiant is growing more nowadays. The officiant is mainly responsible for the paperwork, including the marriage license.

Religious Wedding Party Roles

Candle Lighters

Some Christian services include the candle lighters usually roles are played by the teenagers and younger members of the family. The candle lighter walks ahead of the bride lights the candles at the end of the aisle.

Hattabin

In an Islamic wedding, the groom choose hattabin instead of the groomsmen. The close friend of the groom and family member play this role.

Chuppah Carriers

In some Jewish weddings, this tradition of holding chuppah may include. The chuppah is a flower canopy and, the wedding held beneath it. If the chuppa has not set to stand firm on the ground, then poles of the chuppah hold by carries throughout the ceremony.

Koumbaro/Koumbara

The tradition of having koumbaro or koumbara in the Greek Orthodox weddings, The koumbaro or koumbara is the Orthodox Christian wedding sponsors. Traditionally they are responsible for gifting the silver tray o the wedding table that posses the bride's and groom's crowns.

Wedding Parties and Events

All traditional wedding has nine similar events, including the wedding and reception.

Engagement Party

The wedding celebration starts from the wedding party, the best way to share the exciting news of upcoming events with your loved ones. The party is to celebrate your engagement with a small group of your family and close friends.

Host and guests of the party

Traditionally the parents of the bride or groom's parents throw the engagement party. Nowadays, anyone from your family or friend circle throws the engagement party in honor of the couple. You may have more than one engagement party if your friend circle is quite big enough to be fit with your family gathering.

Time of the party

The engagement party is held soon after your engagement or after three months. The invitation sent

at least before a month.

Venue

Mostly the engagement party is held at the host house or on a variety of venues. It may be a favorite bar, restaurant, lounge, beach, park, or unique historic home.

Couple's or Bridal Shower

The bridal shower is an old traditional daytime women-only event held in the celebration of the bride's marriage. The guest enjoys food, play games, and give a token of love to the bride as a gift. At the end of the ceremony, the bride opens the presents in front of guests. The bridal shower is a beautiful way to honor the bride. It helps her in setting her new place with precious gifts.

Nowadays, a new trend of couple shower introduces in which both bride and groom take part. Both dressed up in resembling costumes greeted by the guests of both genders.

Host and the guests of the party

Traditionally the bridal shower is plan and host by the maid of honor, bridesmaid, and mother-of-the-bride. Sometimes the bridal shower is hosted by close friends and relatives to show their affection toward the bride. In that case, more than one bridal shower plans and, hosted by different loved ones.

If it is a traditional bridal shower then, the entire guest list consists of only female friends and relatives. In the couple showers, the guest is of all genders are invited from both sides.

Time of the party

The bridal shower is thrown three weeks before the wedding day. The party has held during the daytime at the brunch or luncheon.

Venue

The traditional bridal showers are arranged mostly at the host's or the restaurants, park, and banquet hall. The choice of venue also depends on the theme of the bridal shower.

Things happened at the bridal shower

The activities of bridal showers truly, reflect the bride's taste and interests. The host prepared some games and activities for the entertainment of the guests.

Games

Here is a list of few popular games played at the bridal shower.

Toilet Paper Wedding Dress.
Clothespin Game.
Two Trues And A Lie.
Who Am I?
Bridal Bingo.
Bride-to-Be Trivia.
The Wedding Night
Quiz Show About The Groom

Activities

The activities of the bridal show chosen to make it an unforgettable and life long memory.

Art and Crafts Activities.
Spa Day.
At-Home Spa Day.
Learn a New Skill.
My Favorite Memory.
Door Prize.

Bachelor Party and Bachelorette Party

The bachelor or bachelorette party is an overnight celebration or weekend trip with wedding party members and friends. Traditional the bachelor party and bachelorette party are celebrated separately by both groom's and bride's sides wedding party. In recent years its become a trend to have a combined party for the bride and grooms like a weekend trip to popular destinations.

Bachelor and bachelorette party provides a stress-free weekend or overnight adventure to overcome the wedding planning stress and pre-wedding nervousness. It gives the last chance to live your life in your way.

Host and the guests of the party

The bachelor party and bachelorette party is host by the members of the wedding party. Planning the bachelor party and the bachelorette party is the responsibility of the maid of honor and the best man. The guest's list includes the bridesmaid, groomsmen, and other wedding party members. The close friends and relatives of similar age are also part of the party.

Time of the Party

This pre-wedding party has held about a month or two before the wedding. It may be an overnight event or a weekend trip with friends and relatives.

Venue

The bachelor and bachelorette party is usually held at the bride's and groom's home or in the home city. A weekend trip includes a destination far or near the home town. The place for the party depends upon the budget and schedules of your wedding party. Also, a place for the party is select according to the desires of the brides-to-be and groom-to-be.

Bridesmaid Luncheon and Groomsmen Luncheon

The pre-wedding parties provide the chances of the cherished gathering of the wedding party. This event has designed to pay honor to your bridesmaid and groomsmen. This luncheon is throw in the appreciation of the wedding party regarding their assistance in the wedding. It is good to enjoy a meal with your friends in a relaxing manner, before the busy wedding day. This event is plan either separately for bridesmaids and groomsmen or in a combined way.

Host and the guests of the party

Traditionally the bride and groom host the party and invites all the bridesmaids and groomsmen. And the other members of the wedding party like the flower girl, mothers of the bride and groom. The close relatives are also invited, to the party that is not member of the wedding party.

Time of the party

This pre-wedding event happens a day before the wedding. The event starts after the arrival of all the bridal party or groom's party members and before the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. The event occurs earlier if the bridesmaid and groomsmen live near to the bride's home town.

Venue

The luncheon happens at the typical restaurant near the wedding venue. Maybe it is in the same home town or home city.

Rehearsal Dinner

As the name shows that, the pre-wedding party has placed immediately after the wedding rehearsals. The celebration may be small with only the wedding party and family members. The large party throw for the entire guests of the wedding.

A rehearsal dinner is the best way to show your hospitality and love for the wedding guests and the member of your family, and the wedding party. It provides a chance for your guest to meet, mix or mingle with each other.

Host and the guests of the party

The rehearsal dinner is host by the parents of the groom generally. Nowadays, the event host by both families or the couple themselves. The guest list is quite tricky depends on your wedding budget.

You may list out only the family and the wedding party member with their spouse or fiance. Some couples shortlist the family members, close friends, and out-of-town guests. And the for large celebrations whole guest list is considered.

Time of the party

It has happened just after the wedding rehearsal ends a day or two before the big day.

Venue

The rehearsal dinner has held in the private space of the restaurant with a small guest list. For the larger celebrations, the place is like a wedding venue. You may select a hotel, a ballroom, a park, a beach, and any outdoor location.

Happenings

The member of the wedding party and the parents of the bride and groom gives toast and speeches. The other close friends and relatives can make toast and speech as the reception has a little timeline.

The Wedding Day

After a series of events, your big day is arrived to knot you with your loved one in an official marriage. Every couple has many dreams for this special day of their life. Those are reflected, in the theme of the ceremony, either it is religious or civil. Regarding dress to the decorations and from venue to cake everything, is design to show the dream and taste the bride and groom had.

Host and the guests

The is host by either bride and groom or the parents of one or both sides. The guests invite according to the seating capacity of the wedding church or the selected venue.

Venue

The most common venue for weddings is the wedding church and other places according to the religion. Nowadays, couples like to have destination weddings far from the home city.

Order of events in the wedding ceremony

Most Christian weddings commonly have the following order of events in a wedding ceremony.

Seating of guests: the ushers escort the guests to the seats and inform them about the wedding program.
Seating of Grandparents: the groomsmen or the ushers help them to be seated.
Groom's parents: it is an optional honor to walk down the aisle, the groom's parents' seat, before the bride's mother.
Mother of the bride: mother of the bride seat, in the last and before the officiant. She can walk alone or escorted by her son or the son-in-law, or other relatives.
Officiant: the officiant walks down the aisle before the wedding party.
Groom and Best man: groom and best man enter the ceremony venue and stand at the altar.
Bridesmaid and Groomsmen: they can walk down the aisle in pairs or a group of three if, odd numbers then, walk alone.
Maid of Honor/ Man of Honor: the maid of Honor walk alone down the aisle if you have both they, walk-in pair.
Ring bearers and Flower girls: children can walk in pairs, or ring bearers enter first, before the flower girl.
The Bride and Father of the bride: The bride walks with her father on his right side.
The officiant's remarks: the officiant start the ceremony with a speech.
Vows: the bride and groom taking vows to take care of his or her partner for life.
Ring exchange: the officiant instruct to exchange the rings.
The pronouncement of marriage by the officiant
The first kiss happens after the declaration of marriage.
The officiant says the last few words about the ceremony.
Recessional: the newly wedded couple leads the wedding party out in reverse.

Reception

After the wedding ceremony, the newly wedded couple and family headed towards the reception party.

Host and the guest of the party

The couple or the parents of either one or both sides host the reception. The guest list depends on the budget venue capacity and your choice.

Venue

Mostly reception has held at ballrooms, banquet, hotel, or outdoor location like a park, a beach, and historic venue.

Events of receptions

The party starts with a cocktail serving the party and arrivals of the new-wedded couple and their families. Dinner starts followed by toasts of the Best man and the Maid of Honor and speech. The father of the bride calls the bride for the first dance. After that, the wedding cake cut and the final farewell starts.

Afterparty

The post-reception party throw by the bride and groom or the wedding party. This new trend is growing faster nowadays, to lose the hassle of the wedding day. It is an informal party where you could enjoy yourself with music, drinks, and food. All wedding guests of similar age invite to the party.

Day-After Brunch

It is popular in destination weddings, the day after the wedding buffet-style meal, to say goodbye to your guests. Brunch host by the newly wedded couple and their families. The invitation extended to all wedding guests an informal event as guests come and go as they please. The event may take a couple of hours depends on the number of guests.