Dear Stressed Out Bride...

POSTED BY Kelley Lynn, 11 October 2007

I love your name! And now, to answer your question about the wedding party. Essentially, you have a total of 7 bridesmaids on your side, and your fiance has only 4 groomsmen. You were questioning whether or not this would look "weird" because it is uneven. In a word; No.

Let me expand on that answer. (Can you imagine if I just answered your question with only a one-word response? Just "No," and nothing else? I would be the worst Advice giver on the planet, but it would make me laugh to see if they would actually print it that way. But I digress now. Back to you ...)

The days of matching bridesmaids and even numbers in wedding parties are over. Sure, a lot of people have an even amount of bridesmaids to groomsmen; but even more people don't. In the end, it really is not an issue at all, and it does not look weird or strange. Honestly, wedding parties vary so much these days that most of your guests probably won't even notice something like that. For my wedding, we had a Best Man and a Matron of Honor. That is all. No bridesmaids or groomsmen. Other weddings I have been to had 7 or 8 on each side, while still others had 1 Best Man and 5 bridesmaids. There is also something now called a "King's Court" I believe, where the entire bridal party is made up of only men. No women. I love this idea! So my point is this: keep your seven bridesmaids, they are all important to you and of course you do not want to "cut" any of them simply because the numbers are uneven. In the same respect, I am sure your fiance has no desire to ask weird Uncle Bob or some guy he hasn't seen since the Carter administration to be a groomsmen either. Can you imagine that conversation?

Fiance: "Um yeah .. hi weird Uncle Bob. I know I only see you once every few years at funerals and stuff, but um ... wanna be in my wedding? The numbers are uneven and I need a few more bodies. "

Bob: " Who is this?"

Yeah, that might not go so well.

As far as the bridal party entering and exiting for the ceremony, you can do that one of two ways. Some people have each person walk in individually; as in, all the male members entering first one by one, then the female members, ending with the Best Man and Maid of Honor. This is how I have seen it done most often; but again, today there are so many options and no ONE way to do anything. Another option; if you are having them enter and exit in couple form; is to pair off the first couple of men with one bridesmaid, then have the last couple of men walk in with two ladies, one on each arm. You can do the same thing for the reception entrances. Or you could introduce everyone seperately, then introduce your three sisters together; to seperate and recognize them as family. There are several ways to do it, but in the end; your wedding party will be unique and filled with those that are important to you. And that is much more important than filling some sort of predetermined even number quota.

But if you still feel strange, there is always weird Uncle Bob.

If you have a question about your upcoming wedding, click on the Get Advice tab or email Kelley at kelley@brideorama.com.