How did you ask people to be in your wedding party?

wandajune6

I've been seeing posts that make me think of this question.

I'll start:

MOH/sister:
Me: arriving at our parent's house, sporting a ring and practically jumping up and down
Her: so, I'm assuming....
Me: yup
Her: are you going to make me wear buttercup yellow? (a friend recently had to wear the ugliest buttercup yellow dress ever made)
Me: damn straight.
Her: "Ok, just checking"

Friend: snow storm prevents us from meeting up for a several times rescheduled lunch. She was the last to be asked so I was in a hurry.
Me, by phone: (practically in tears) I'm so disappointed, I had something I wanted to talk to you about!
Her: Me too!
Me: Fuck it. Will you be my bridesmaid?
Her: I'm pregnant. Twins. Due in September. You can change your mind.
Me: That means I get 3 of you in the wedding! Can't wait!
I hang up before realizing that she's due before the wedding. Duh. But it's ok.

FSIL: We're driving to use an expiring double mani/pedi Groupon
Her: Hey, my mom and I wanted to be padrinos for your wedding cake. (they want to pay for it)
Me: (Lots of thanking, excitement, etc.). I was actually going to bring up a wedding-related thing with you too but was going to wait until after nails. How do you feel about being a bridesmaid?
Her: pulled over and hugged me. Yes!

OOT buddy by phone
Me: We're getting married!
Her: OMG! So excited! When? Where? etc?
Me: We're still figuring it all out. Of course you'll know ASAP
Her: Wait. I'm invited, right?
Me: Duh. I thought you'd be walking up there with me...
Her: Jumping up and down screaming

FSIL (FI's brother/GM's wife who I have become friends with). We're all at a baby shower for a friend. Her husband is in the wedding and daughter if a FG. I was not originally planning to ask her because of politics*.
Her: My husband's in your wedding. My daughter's in your wedding. Why am I not in your wedding? We're friends!
Me: Umm
FI: Yeah, wandajune6
Me: drags her outside and explains my situation. She understand, becomes a BM, and we hug.

So I have an awesome bridal party. And, to make things even better, the only drama I have is with my sister/MOH. And even then, it's not that bad. I'm super-excited!

*FI's 2 brothers are married to 2 sisters. The youngest brother of the sisters was engaged to FI's close friend (up until last week). I don't know the other SIL well and don't like the friend. I knew that asking this FSIL and not the other 2 ladies would cause drama. I was right, though I'm actually really happy she's going to be a BM.

Alikat9614

We called them asked them, lol. "Hey BFF, I'd love for you to be my MOH".... Squeeee! She said yes. "Hey, cousin who was like a sister to me, I'd love for you to be a BM". She said yes I had previously called them in excitement the day we got engaged, and a few days later when we had the logistics of when and where figured out, I asked them.

emmaaa

4 of my BMs were assumed. We just started talking wedding stuff. One of the 4, I asked to be MOH and got her a card and asked privately. The other 4 I asked on the phone, in person or texted. Easy peasy. 

climbingsingle

I'm only having a MOH. I called her up and made plans to get a pedicure and then go out to dinner. Once we were at the restaurant, I asked her to be my MOH. She cried, then I cried. It was really sweet. 

chibiyui

Texts and facebook messages. Everyone was OOT for me, and none of us are talking over the phone people. 

ElcaB

Sister/MOH was visiting from OOS. I wrote a special note inside a card asking her accompanied by a bottle of champagne and a MOH tank top I made. Did I mention the bottle of champagne had a photo of a bride from a bridal magazine taped to it...and I glued a cut out picture of my head onto the bride's body? (Because we like silly things like that in my family.)

BM #1: We were running The Color Run & she was asking me about the wedding. I dropped to a knee and asked her to by my BM in the middle of the purple color zone...again, because we're silly like that. 

BM #2: We were at a bar and I said, "BM #2, I love you. Will you be a bridesmaid?" 

BM #3: We were drunk and slap happy. It was about 5 a.m. on New Year's Day and we were all in our pajamas in bed with BM #2. I started to cry and I said, "I'm drunk, but I've been wanting to ask you this for awhile. Will you be my BM?" Then we snagged some champagne from downstairs and toasted. Not the most dignified BM proposal, sure, but we're not always dignified ladies, either  

southernbelle0915

Called up the OOT ones, met with the in town one, and asked my FSIL when we were there over Christmas. 

FiancB

I sent fb messages. Not very interesting!

Inkdancer

3 of them, I just called to tell them I was engaged and then asked. 4, we were at a wedding for a mutual friend, dancing our asses off. She was a BM in that wedding. When we took a drink break I said, "so would you mind doing this again in about a year and a half?" She was very excited.

buddysmom80

I asked MOH after we went out for manicures.

I asked BM #1 the same time her BF was being asked to be FI's BM.

I asked BM #2 at a NYE dinner.

grumbledore

Hi loved one, I'd love it if you would be my bridesmaid. Would you like to do that?

flyingfoxes

They are my sisters, and my future stepdaughter.  We told them we were engaged on Christmas, and I told them they were my bridesmaids (my sisters).  My FSD originally asked if she could be the flower girl, but she'll be 15 so she's going to be a bridesmaid too. 

jenna8984

My best friend was living in another country at the time so had told me to Skype her when I got engaged (we knew it was coming with a few months). So I Skyped her, and we cried and I asked her to be the maid of honor. My other friend I called on the cell right after and asked her. That was it, left on a plane for vacation 8 hours later without telling my parents or brother or anything and enjoyed our little secret then told everyone when we got back.

AmaCassidy

I was in another country when we got engaged, and I told everyone whilst I was over there, but when I came home, my sister/MOH was over (she lives in another country again), so we went out for coffee and the first thing she said once we sat down was: "I'm the maid of honour, right?" and I said: "Obviously." and then carried on as normal really.

My best friend and bridesman lives in the same country as my sister, so a few days after my sister I skyped him.
Me: "Hey bitch, you know you're my bridesmaid right?"
Him: "I'm not wearing a fucking dress though."
And then we have a quick chat about the possibility of a bachelorette party and I just told him to talk to my sister/MOH.

When I ask BM #2, the eldest of my nieces we were out at dinner, and I just asked her outright and I was really surprised because she burst into tears after she yes and insisted on paying for dinner. And she never pays for anything, ever.

BM #3 went much the same as my bridesman except from in person. And opposing pink rather than a dress.

blabla89

Childhood friend - I rarely see her in person, so I sent her a box full of girlie goodies with a pretty little card asking if she would be a BM, she texted me back as soon as she got it and was super excited.

High school best friend - Asked her on skype very shortly after we got engaged, then sent her a box and a card even though she had already said yes.

Brother - He called me on Saturday to let me know that he will probably be able to come to the wedding, so I asked if he wanted to stand up with us, and told him to let us know what he wants to do.

FSIL - I'm procrastinating on asking her because I don't really like her. But I slipped up and mentioned it to FMIL so now I can't change my mind. When the time comes I'll probably just tell her "hey you need to buy a pink dress" because that's the way she does with everyone else - doesn't ask, rarely says please, just expects that people will do what she wants.

JaniV123

I bought all of them a small gift/detail and put in a print out that said "will you be my BM/MOH" I am still missing one of my cousins but its because she is abroad studying and I was struggling with what to get her. 

FSIL: bought her a pandora ring and gave it to her on X-mas 

BFF/Sis/MOH: bought her mini nail polish in colors she loves and gave it to her on her bday (with another bday gift) 

2 other BFF's: She came over to talk and hang out for a while and I surprised her with the bag and stuff inside

Cousin: I arrived at her house on mother;s day after finishing studying and gave her the bag, she was incredulous!

I am only missing 1 cousin!

RebeccaB88

I don't even remember my sister asking me. I think it was just kind of assumed.

KeptInStitches

Caught my BFF on Facebook. Was chatting by messenger, asked if she was near her phone, called her up, and asked her to be my MOH.

lizandmark2014

Texts and snail mail.

slothiegal

MoH:  I was out of town when I got engaged; I called her up immediately after it happened; I was crying, she was screeching over the phone, "I knew it, I knew it, I kneeeew it was going to happen!!"

When I got back in town and first saw her, we jumped into each other's arms, crying and giggling and whatnot.  At one point, I grabbed her and said, 

"Ummm wait...I think I have to officially ask you--will you be my maid of honor?"

"Yeah, dipshit.  I already started working on your toast.  was there any question?"

"Oh...OK....what do we do now?"

"CHAMPAGNE!"

And so we popped a bottle of bubbly off my back porch and the cork landed on my neighbor's rooftop and he called the cops because he thought it was gunshots (yay NE DC!), but hey, it all makes a good story now.

BM1:  She was a roommate, and I had only told my parents and MOH about the engagement right after it had happened (I was out of town and didn't want to deal with Facebooks/emails/etc. while I was still technically on vacation).  I got home and was all ready to tell her but she was over at her boyfriend's place for the night.  So I had to wait another day to tell ANYONE (I didn't want people finding out before my closest did_.  After work, I positioned myself on the living room couch with a wedding magazine in my life hand, ring prominently forward.  She got home and asked how my trip was.

"Fine, fine....don't you want to sit RIGHT ACROSS FROM ME?"

She looked at me like I was crazy and sat down.  I flashed the magazine in front of her for a few minutes, asking if she would like to look at it.  ("No, weirdo.  Why?")  I finally flung it into her lap, and she humored me, "OK cool, can I go upstairs now?"

Finally, I put my hand right in her face.  

She burst into tears (she was the reason FI and I met in the first place; they're BFF) and between sobs, I asked her to be a bridesmaid.  She cried even harder and at some point said she would.

BM2:  My little (and by "little", I mean like, 2 year  younger) cousin, who has always been an inspiration to me.  We never get to see each other in person (and neither of us do the phone), so I emailed her.  

All relatively simple; all super special to me.