Back in our parents’ day, it wasn’t really a wedding unless the bride had her gaggle of girlfriends lined up as bridesmaids in pink tafetta dresses and the groom had his bunch of bros lined up as groomsmen in rented tuxes. The wedding party was non-negotiable. But these days, things are different. Many couples are choosing to ditch the wedding party.
Now, we’re not saying you must ditch the wedding party. If you’re set on standing up there with your besties, go for it! We’ll even have some tips for you in a future blog post. But if you’re on the fence and thinking about saying no to the wedding party, we totally have your back.
Here are six reasons why you may want to go no wedding party.
Photo by Kaihla Tonai
Your wedding is about you two
Your wedding is all about you and your partner. It’s about the two of you becoming spouses, sharing your love for one another and starting your lives together. If you think about it, isn’t it kind of funny that your sorority sister and best friend from third grade are standing behind you while you vow to love and cherish your soulmate forever? They’re not committing to each other – so why are they up there? If you choose to ditch the wedding party, all eyes will be on you and your boo, as it should be.
You don’t have to rank your friends
One of the blessings of going no wedding party is not having to rank your friends. Now of course, assembling a wedding party isn’t actually grading and ranking friendships. But it can kind of feel like it, right? You do have to sit down and decide which friends are making the cut and who is going to be elevated to the coveted Maid of Honour or Best Man position. Unfortunately, there are often hurt feelings when certain friends join the wedding party and others do not. Avoid all of that when you ditch the wedding party!
Photo by Erica Miller Photography
Less drama
Let’s be honest: no wedding party = no drama! You don’t have to deal with a bunch of people’s opinions about what style dress or what colour tie looks best. You don’t have to try and coordinate a million schedules to get to outfit fittings. You don’t have to deal with the headache when your cousin and friend from work can’t see eye to eye on the bachelor party. Ditch the wedding party and you’ll have way less stress and way less hastle, which will always be welcomed in the middle of wedding planning.
Less time and money for you
One of the best ways to cut down on your wedding budget is to cut down or completely ditch the wedding party. Even if your party is paying for their own outfits, there’s still many expenses you’ll have to shell out for. You might be paying for the rehearsal dinner, hair and make-up, shoes, hotel stays, meals, salon visits, gifts and more. If you have a large wedding party, these costs can add up quick! And don’t forget about all the time you will save not picking out wedding party outfits, responding to countless group messages and emails, meeting up for fittings, etc.
Less time and money for your friends
Not only is deciding to ditch the wedding party a time and money saver for you, it’s also a HUGE time and money saver for your friends. The average wedding party attendant is paying for an engagement party gift, shower gift, wedding gift, pre-wedding parties, their wedding outfit, their shoes, their hair/makeup/salon visit, their hotel room, their travel expenses, and a few other things in between. On top of all of that money, they’re also spending a lot of their time going to outfit fittings, doing alterations, planning parties, hosting parties, buying gifts, and shopping for a shoe in that particular shade of navy you all agreed on but is impossible to fine.
Photo by Emily Nicole Photos
Don’t worry! You can still have your friends with you
You might be thinking, “But if I ditch the wedding party, I’m going to be all alone! Who is going to get ready with me on the morning of the wedding? Who will come to my bachelor/bachelorette party?” Your friends! Just because you’re opting out on the wedding party doesn’t mean you can’t hang out with your friends. Invite your besties to get ready with you the morning of the wedding. They’ll feel privileged to be hanging out with the man/woman of the hour and there will be no stress since they’re just guests. And you can still have all of the pre-wedding parties you want. Just talk to your friends and/or family members and tell them what you’d like to do.
If you’re worried about your friends not feeling special, you shouldn’t be. If you ditch the wedding party, no one will feel left out because there’s nothing they’re being left out of. The wedding party simply doesn’t exist! Plus, you can still honour your friends by giving them special wedding day jobs such as signing the licence, giving a speech or doing a reading.
Would you ditch the wedding party? Let us know!
written by Riana Ang-Canning
feature image by Erica Miller Photography
Riana Ang-Canning has been working with Young Hip & Married since 2017. She is a professional content writer with experience in travel, lifestyle and weddings. Riana not only writes Young Hip & Married blog posts but is also involved with the company's internal communications, social media, copywriting and more. She knows YHM, and the wedding world, inside and out!
