I am getting married in June to someone from Germany. For practicality reasons, we are marrying in Canada where my family has been living for the past years. After the wedding, we will fly back to Europe together and begin our married life. I am having two problems that I would like some advice on.
Firstly, the guest list. Both of us want a very small church wedding, with the condition that we remarry bigger in Germany later. His friends and (semi-estranged) family are either too poor or too busy to fly across the ocean so nobody from his side will be there. My parents have 20 siblings between them and I have almost 100 first cousins. My mother believes in an all or nothing policy so either I omit my enormous family and we have a wedding party of approximately 10, or I invite my family and we have an overly large and disbalanced wedding party.
Second, the attendants. When I say that my FI has nobody coming, I actually mean nobody. That means no best man and no groomsmen. Unfortunately, I have a sister and two close friends who desperately want to be bridesmaids. I'm at the point where my best friend from high school is going to have to be the best (wo)man,wear black and stand with the groomø Would work, but my family's VERY traditional and would probably get offended.
If anyone has similar experience or advice to share, I would be obliged. I'm young and inexperienced in these matters, any help would be appreciated.