Weddings Without a Wedding Party: Involving Your Friends While Skipping Bridesmaids and Groomsmen

This new approach to wedding parties allows you to involve your closest friends and family members in ways that feel authentic and meaningful. Whether you choose to skip the wedding party altogether or simply opt for a smaller, more intimate group, the possibilities are endless.

By moving away from the traditional wedding party structure, you can design a special day that highlights your personal preferences and celebrates your unique love story. Ultimately, it’s about bringing together friends and family for a celebration that feels just right for you—no matter what traditions you choose to keep or leave behind.

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As time goes on, more and more couples choose to design their weddings in a way that fits their personality as a couple, rather than tradition that has guided many pairs of the past. Those pondering the decision to have no bridesmaids and forgo a wedding party often wonder if weddings without bridal party members are okay. The answer is, absolutely yes!

Even if you choose to have a wedding without bridal party roles in the traditional sense, that doesn’t mean that you can’t still have your closest friends involved in your celebration. You can involve friends in meaningful ways throughout the celebration, such as asking them to give a reading, help with planning, or participate in special pre-wedding events.

In fact, in many cases, your closest friends and family might be pleased that they don’t have to be bridesmaids and go out and buy a dress of your choosing that they’re unlikely to wear again. Friends and family can feel honored by being included in special moments or activities, even if they are not part of a formal wedding party.

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Of course, this may cause some bitterness – especially with ladies you’ve been close to for over a decade, as your close friends have likely imagined being a part of your wedding day in some capacity. Luckily, there are still plenty of ways to make these close friends and family members feel important without compromising on your vision of having no bridal party.

While we completely support doing your own thing for your nuptials, brides and grooms don’t always realize the domino effect it can create when it comes to planning the wedding day and all of the pre-wedding events leading up to the ceremony. For example, not having a bridal party might be a way to make things simpler for you and your beloved, but there are some aspects of the ceremony that this can affect.

This is not meant to dissuade anyone from electing to forgo a bridal party, but rather to make sure you are informed so there aren’t any surprises at the end of planning.

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How can I have a wedding without a bridal party?

Many couples decide that they don’t want to have a bridal party for their wedding, and that’s okay! Some may choose to not have bridesmaids or groomsmen because they have many friends and don’t want to upset anyone, or they may choose to keep the focus on their love instead of their relationships with their friends and family.

Whatever the reason, it is possible to not have bridesmaids or groomsmen – just make sure you let the friends and family members who may have expected to be included in the bridal party know in a way that they will understand and appreciate. When planning a wedding without a traditional wedding party, it’s important to make clear plans for how the day will unfold, ensuring all logistics and responsibilities are organized in advance.

We’ve seen many a celebration with no wedding party and the event is just as beautiful as those nuptials that do have wedding parties. While you may not have the classic portraits of bridesmaids and groomsmen, you can focus your attention and the timeline of your wedding day on other parts of the special day. The choice is yours – and as with anything related to your wedding day, it’s important to make the decision that’s right for you as a couple.

Are you curious about what aspects of the big day will change for weddings without bridal parties? Here are some things you might have to adjust if you’re not having a bridal party:

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Can I still have a bachelorette party?

Even if you decide to have no bridal party, the good news is that your desire to have a bachelorette party does not go out the window! Nowadays, bachelorette parties include friends who may not be wedding attendants (even for weddings with bridal parties).

Unlike more formal get-togethers like a rehearsal dinner, this pre-wedding event is a great way to make sure that all of your closest friends are included – even if they’re not officially part of the wedding day.

Since you won’t have bridesmaids or even a maid of honor – who typically plan this event – you’ll need to either plan the celebration yourself or a close friend or sibling may offer to plan it for you. Similarly for grooms, a bachelor party can still occur even without groomsmen!

Another pre-wedding tradition is the bridal shower. Even without bridesmaids, you can choose to have a bridal shower or skip it altogether. Skipping bridal showers doesn't diminish the celebration of love and support from your friends and family.

Do I have to get ready alone?

A bride usually gets her hair and makeup done with her bridesmaids, but just because you don’t have any doesn’t mean you have to get ready alone – unless that’s what you want! The morning of the wedding can be a special time to gather with friends and family for support, making the start of your day even more meaningful. Many brides featured in Inside Weddings love having their photographer document those picture-perfect “getting-ready” shots, and we’re here to share that you can absolutely do so even if you have a wedding without bridesmaids!

You may consider asking your sisters or closest friends to do hair and makeup with you on the big day. However, if you don’t offer beauty services to them, it may feel awkward as a professional works on you. It also can lead to the same issues of hierarchy that you may have been trying to avoid by not having a bridal party in the first place. Even if you’re not having bridesmaids, make sure you make your close friends who are prepping for the ceremony with you feel special!

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How will this effect the length of the processional?

This particular one might be a plus for some couples, but with no bridal party, there won’t be any bridesmaids or groomsmen walking down the aisle. The predominant way this might affect your planning is wedding processional song choice.

Usually there is a tune selected for any family members and the wedding party, and then one for the bride. There will likely not be sufficient time for two, and you might even have to make sure the ceremony song is cued up so that your favorite part is playing as you walk down the aisle. This is by no means a reason to reject the idea, it’s just something to keep in mind when wedding planning.

Who holds the bouquet if there's no maid of honor?

Typically a bride will hand off her bouquet to the maid of honor during the wedding ceremony, but if you don’t have bridesmaids standing with you, that won’t be an option. Even for a wedding without bridal-party members, you will probably have your VIPs in the front row, right? Choose one close friend, sibling, or family member to be the person who holds your bouquet as you and your beloved say your “I dos” – just make sure they know about this duty in advance.

Who holds the rings if there's no best man?

On a similar note, the best man often holds onto the wedding rings until the time to exchange them comes in the ceremony, because no one really wants to trust the young ring bearer with expensive jewelry. One great option for weddings without bridal-party members is to entrust the officiant with the rings. Alternatively, you can assign this special role to a trusted friend or family member if you prefer. It should be an even more seamless transition for the wedding day than the groom turning around to get them from his best man.

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Tips for Weddings without Wedding Party Members

If you want your close friends to feel like they’re part of your wedding day, but you don’t want to have bridesmaids or a wedding party, that’s okay! As we mentioned, you can still have your nearest and dearest be part of the wedding day.

Though they may not walk down the aisle as bridesmaids, a great way to include them is to still incorporate some elements of what would be included with a traditional bridal party – in a different way that makes sense to you. Get ready together, get together and have a friends-only bachelorette party before the big day, or invite a close friend to say a few words at the rehearsal dinner or reception.

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Take a look at some ideas for including friends and family members at your wedding:

Throw a girls’ night while wedding planning.

Without an official maid of honor or bridesmaids, you may not want any of your friends to plan a full bachelorette weekend for you. That said, if you want to invite your favorite ladies to a spa weekend or your favorite club to celebrate your impending nuptials, everyone loves an excuse to party!

You and your groom can also celebrate together – we’ve seen more and more couples partaking in a combined bachelor-bachelorette party, and if you’re already being a bit nontraditional with no bridal party, why not continue the trend with a co-ed celebration?

Invite them wedding dress shopping.

Just because you and your future spouse decided to not have a bridal party doesn’t mean you can’t have your best friends with you while you try to find the perfect gown. You’ll still want your wedding entourage to give you advice on which wedding dress silhouette and style makes you look like the bride you’ve always envisioned! Invite your friends to join you for the shopping experience to make it even more memorable.

Get ready together.

Just because they won’t be wearing matching dresses at your wedding doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some mimosas and tunes while getting ready for the big day! Brides often look forward to getting ready for the wedding with their closest friends, so not having a wedding party shouldn’t get in the way of this special moment. Getting dressed together can still be a fun and memorable experience, even if you’re not all dressed alike as in traditional weddings. If you’re feeling especially generous, you can even spring for hair and makeup like you would for bridesmaids.

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Have them do a reading.

Another way to include your close friends and family in the wedding is to have them actually be a part of the nuptials. If you have a gal pal who doesn’t mind public speaking, consider asking her to perform a reading during your wedding ceremony. Alternatively, you could choose a family member for this meaningful role. Some couples will even ask a friend to be the officiant or have a loved one sing a meaningful song during the proceedings or even during the reception throughout dinner or the first dance.

Color coordinate.

This suggestion is especially for those brides who have had friends always talk about wanting to be a bridesmaid. If you feel like you're going to disappoint your friends by not having bridesmaids, consider asking them to show up to the wedding in the color palette of the ceremony and reception. While they won't necessarily be part of the wedding, they'll feel special knowing their attire complements the décor you've so carefully selected while planning!

Take a special photo with the important people in your life.

Whether it’s with your group of girls or everyone individually, make sure to get a shot together at the celebration. Work with your wedding photographer to plan special photos that highlight your relationships and create lasting memories from the day. Not having to take formal portraits of your bridesmaids will help ensure you have more time to spend with everyone at the reception, so use your time wisely! Make everyone attending the wedding feel special – especially those who may have expected to be in the wedding party.

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Is it okay to not have bridesmaids or groomsmen?

Your wedding day should be a celebration of you as a couple, so if you choose to not have bridesmaids for one of many reasons – budget, drama, etc. – that’s okay! For every wedding that has a large bridal party, we’re seeing more and more weddings have no bridal party at all.

You may still choose to have a flower girl or ring bearer participate in the wedding ceremony, or you may decide to remove this tradition from your celebration as well. Another option for would-be bridesmaids and groomsmen is to honor close friends or family by seating them at the head table, giving them a special place without formal wedding party roles.

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Some brides look forward to choosing their bridesmaids, picking out bridesmaid dresses, and planning that entire part of the celebration, but if that’s not you and you prefer weddings without bridal parties – don’t force it. Trust your gut and do what will ultimately make you the happiest. Your friends may even be excited to just “attend” the wedding and have fun, instead of having a honorable role to play in the nuptials!

For more ideas, see wedding ceremony seating alternatives, discover the pros and cons of a big bridal party, learn what to do if you and your family disagree on ceremony traditions, and read this guide to bridesmaid etiquette.

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