luck be a lady: how to choose bridesmaids

{via barnet photography}

{via bridalwave}

{via whitebox}
{via wedding bee}

{via bridalwave}

whether you decide to go with one, two or twenty bridesmaids, there's always a chance you'll open a can of worms with someone. for me, it was important to have the ladies that had always been supportive and who i felt certain would be around for many many moons. it didn't hurt that i knew they would help make my day go smoothly and provide comic relief when needed.

a reader recently wrote in:

q:

i have 16 really good girlfriends (including three sisters). i want a small wedding party. how do i pick the lucky three or four?

a:

my answer differs slightly depending on your relationship with your sisters and whether you're planning on having one sister act as maid of honor. it might be easiest to keep it in the family, but one exception could be adding a dear friend as your MOH. once you start adding more girls, you might find it harder & harder to reach a cut off point.

rather than having all 16 of your good girlfriends in your bridal party, you could always find different ways to incorporate them into the day. each friend could be given a "duty" that would make them feel like participants rather than just guests. for example, a few of them could be in charge of greeting guests and one or two of them could do a reading. if any of them sing or play an instrument, you could work that into the ceremony or reception. or if any of them are creative, they could help with wedding programs, favors or any other design elements.

in my humble opinion, your true friends will be happy for you regardless of whether they're standing next to you in a bridesmaid dress or looking on from the crowd.

any other suggestions for our reader? how did you choose your bridal party?